The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-03-30
Chapter IS MORE PLOTS

I
 "A princely gift, oh Raisul. my beloved son." smiled the Kaid But how shall that come to pass?"
 Have patience and give me a little time, and it shall come to pass, oh my father" assured Raisul in tone of firm conviction. Soon you will receive a strange letter from one who is commander of a column among them"
 Allah grant it, my son." replied the Kaid. His men would be as leaven is to bread, as the forbid den liquor is to the water in which ] 1t is mixed Among the noun tains, behind rocks, my men are wolves, yea, our tribesmen are the best soldiers in the world. When charging they are sweeping eagles, yea, the foot-men are as cavalry. Could We but get them to stand in line, to obey words of command, who could then withstand them? What foreign foot could tread the Country of the Gun? We could clear this land of them, and I would soon be Sultan of Morocco. !" You shall, oh Kaid," murmured Maligni.
 "InSh'allah," whispered the Kaid and rising to his feet, signified that the council was ended.
 Stay moment, Raisul, my son, . he added, resuming his seat, and, waiting till the hall was empty. continued:
 What is this talk of bringing me foreign soldiers, willing volun- teers from the great regiment of strangers that fights for the French? Do you mock me, my son?"
 By Allah, do not, oh my fath- er," replied Raisul. "Hearken to plain facts-a tale I had not in- tended to tell you until it had proved it's own truth.
 Tn Algiers, as was my business, l met an officer of the 18th army corps-from the island of CorsicaA- where once our ancestors ruled and had their watch-towers and forts. became his friend, lent him mon ey and having helped him to spend lit, lent him more.
 Women were his weakness, wo- men and overwhelming ambition. There is a madness in his blood l thought. I made myself necessary to him, and just when things were getting interesting he was sent to the Sahara. Soon I went to the Sahara-and soon he owed me more money. AS we grew ever more friendly and intimate, learnt more and more of his ambitions. his hopes-yea, his intentions.
 The madness in his blood was lncreaslng-and his weakness for women (of whom he had known many) and his insane ambition. Sometimes he talked as one snit- ten of Allah. But only to me. He knew that at any moment I could ruin him, by prosecution for debt. Knew that he was already absolute " in my power; so he cared not what he said, cared not what knew-and he opened his mind to Ime
 Then he got himself sent to Ain Broudja-and thence with a little desert column to where the borders Iof the French Sahara meet those Iof Mekazzen .''
 And had you hand in this. oh my son?" smiled the Kaid.
 Raisul's smile matched that of his father.
 "A hand, my father? Nay, nav But, perchance, a voice. A voice that was but a whisper-in his ear. Just a suggestion ;. or the hint or a suggeStion-of a suggestion Just a tiny seed in wondrous fer tile, fruitful soil.
 An independent command-far far away from superior authority from obServation-indeed. from anv thought or care or interest m his doings or his fate.
 Who so keen and jealous an of- Ilcer-who so devoted to his pro- feSsion, his career and. his country as he who would volunteer. nav beg, to be sent on such duty. es- laohshlng chain of outposts at the very back of beyond. in the depths of the forsaken desert in that roasting hell of Loneliness thirst, hardship and deprivationq
 This to his Superiors A zeal that would ask for a station in hell.
 This to himself A sman compact, self-contained and self sacrificing army, at his absolute disposal. A nucleus for a ereater army, an ever-growing army a mighty army, such as that with which the Mahdi of the East swent
 down upon Africa, or Abd-el-Kade,. fought the French"
 The Kaid stroked his beard as
 he closely watched Raisul's anil mated face.
 A moment, my son You po
 LOO last This man is a for elgner, an officer of France in