Evening star., 1933-06-18
CHAPTER XIII.
The Great RicCOli.

4 L and la2lly blew smoke rings III
Smoke rings in the air. Castles in
the air But smoke rings, however
beautiful. are very evanescent.
Castles in the air. Castles in Spain,
An unpleasant expression, that.
Most inappropriate. To the devil with
castles in Spain-when one has cas-
tie in Mekazzcn-or rather, Will have
one in a few hours time.
A knock at the door. Maj. Riccoli
glanced at his wrist watch. That
would be the excellent Vittorelli, come
to report.
Saluting with tremendous smartnesS
and punctillious respect, the sergeant
major lntimated that everything went
well.
Having concluded his report, Vittor-
ELI accepted his superior officers offer
of a cigarette and gracious permission
to be seated, while they once again
discussed the subject of the hour OF
arrival and probable mental attitude OF
the officer, non-commissioned otlcers
and men of the first detachment OF
the reinforcements.
But after all my dear Vittorelli, 1t
Is the accomplished fact that is the
best argument the world over. When
they arrive to find me King OF the
castle, the thing is done. And should
there be among them any fool who IS
so damned a fool as to hesitate be-
tween a happy life and an unhappy
death-why, let him face the flrlng
party by all means.
Il suppose" unused Maj. Riccoll, 1T
Is the better plan to act first as though
for France and afterward to see II We
have any such fool among us.
we'll think that's ALL" Riccoli
added, yawning. Turn the men out
at 2 am I shall be there at 10 min
utes past 2"
Il doubt It." said a deep voice, in
French, as the door opened and big
man in hooded cloak stood on the
threshold. The man in the CLOAK
stepped forward, threw back the hood
and dropped the cloak from his
shoulders, revealing to the astounded
Riccoli and Vittorelli a French colonel
In full uniform.
lie Sage!" whispered Riccoli.
Sergt. Maj Vittorelli instinctively
sprang to attention.
You are under arrest, sergeant ma
jor." said Col LIE Sage. Remove your
belt and revolver"
Don't! Shoot him!" cried Riccoll,
with a glance of positive agony at the
table whereon lay his own revolver.
Guard" cried Col LIE Sage, and
four soldiers tramped into the room.
Arrest that mani" ordered LIE Sage.
pointing to Vittorelli, whose right hand
tore at the flap of the holster Of his
revolver.
AS the weapon flashed from its case,
the nearest Legionnaire seized Vittor-
ellis arm while the second presented
his fixed bayonet at the pit OF his
stomach.
"sit still, Riccoli," snapped LIE Sage.
his own hand on his revolver butt.
Good" he added, turning to Vittor-
ELI. Three of you march him to the
guard room and hand him over to Maj.
Langeac with nv orders that he is to
be confined to the punishment cell to
await court martial. Use any necessary
force"
The light of hope again Illuminated
the honest countenance OF Sailor Harris.
"You may find that you have met
Maj. Langeac before" added LIE Sage
with a short laugh.
"Legionnaire Belleme! On guard out
side his door until your comrades re-
turn: Then report to me"
again. I wonder If you remember
when we met last?"
"At Ell Brudja," replied Riccoli, eye
ing as though it hypnotized him the
revolver on the table.
"Ah ha! A little sop to my vanity"
laughed lie Sage. MY good Riccoli,
you've seen me daily, since YOU came
TO Mekazzen. You talked with me for
an hour at the post from which you
marched here
You're not the Moor who came to
the post with message from the Kiad
He had a fat face and great beard,
vyYeoSfI11otad Rirpo1j
HE had. So had I an hour ago.
And have fat face when I think I
will"
And you came to the post from the
Kaid?"
81 certainly came from Mekazzen"
Then you came from the Kaid. No
one could go to and fro from here
without his knowledge and consent"
"Or that of his trusted and all
powerful adviser and viz-cr, the Senor
Pedro Maligni"
Oh no! You got at him that way,
did you?"
81 did. AS you got at him through
Raisul."
"Then the Kaid is fooling you, LIE
Sage"
mo. The other way about, I'm afraid,
Maj. Riccoli. Now if you had said that
Raisul and the Kaid are fooling
Nonsense, LIE Sage. 1t is I who am
fooling them. Talk sense. hold the
Kaid In the hollow Of my hand. He
thinks am here to Join him, to sup
port him, to fight for him. I and my
men are to serve his ends. the fool He
and his men are to serve mine"
And France?" inquired lie Sage
softly.
France? She will be glad and proud
to make terms with me before long
when I am the invincible Sultan OF
Morocco, head Of the vast Pan
YES yes. know it all. Maj. Riccoli.
You're still riding that horse, are you?"
RicCon smiled.
Join me-" said he Join me and
have a career worth having Have q
destiny, something finer than retiring
as fat colonel, TO grow cabbages in a
French village. Join me and I will