The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-04-20
Chapter B THE LEGION ARRIVES


 of the silver-voiced if brazen-ton- gued bugles. The very sound of them did one good, thought Mar garet. Bracing like cold bath, aft CT the noises of the shrill native instruments. The breath of the bugles, albeit foreign bugles, was as a breath from home.
 Foreign bugles. Bugles of the Foreign Legion. Otho's Regiment. It was entirely possible that , there might be man in that de- tachment, marching far below, through the Mekazzen city, march, ing up to this very Citadel, who had known Otho. All of them would know of Otho Belleme, any hoW-the man who had defeated the Senegalese boxer (who had fought and beaten the champion Of Europe) in what must have been one of the finest and stubbornes' fights ever seen. That was what the Echo dOran had called it.  anyhow.
 Would it be possible to get to know some of the men, and to find out if any of them had known him? If the detachment left Me kazzen before She did, it migh be the quickest way of getting a letter to him.
 But why should the detachment leave Mekazzen before she did: Why should she not leave with them-or at least more or less un- der their convoy and protection?
 This Major Riccoli. whose ac- quaintance Herr Schlacht was anx- ious for her to make, might prove most useful.
 If he would help her to escape could she not follow the detach- ment wherever 1t went, until ii reached civilization again-or with in a camel journey of civilizationf Anything to get away from this SllllSUtI JCil II HE p1 4soOii.
 After all, this Riccoli was an of ficer and "a gentleman" of sorts presumably; and he and his men were Europeans with whom 2 white woman would be safe. Yes surely, she could manage Majo Riccoli, if only he could, ano would procure her a camel an6 what little else was necessary.
 Swiftly completing her toilet, she locked her incongruous-l o o in g dressing case, unbarred her door, and ran down the steep and mar TOW flight of steps to the point Of vantage whence she could see the soldiers march into the citadel. Yes-there they came, an officer riding ahead-he must be the pe- culiar Major Riccoli-then the bu- glers blowing their march, then the little column with a tall non commissioned officer in front.
 How swaggeringly smart, self confident, up-standing and alert, steady and strong, marching along like the boys of the Old Brigades like the guards themselves for style, bearing and discipline.
 But oh, how dusty and dirty. weary and worn and hollow-eyed they looked, in spite of their brave swagger
 Margaret felt rush and glow of emotion. A feeling in the throat, and a tear. Very foolish.
 Othos Regiment.
 Later that day, a tall, broad shouldered young legionnaire stood on sentry outside the guard-room of the quarters allotted to the de- tachment.
 Washed, shaven, brushed and cleaned, his accoutre ments as bright and smart as "spit-and- polish" could make them, he looked the picture of a soldier, tough, hard fighting man, an old cam paigner, though young man.
 Bleu-eyed, handsome, fair al- though sunburnt, with aristocratic features, he looked very forceful person, a man of great strength of character as well as of body.
 A woman, bearing jar of water on her right shoulder, crossed the vast courtyard, passed near the sentry, drew her veil across her face and one eye, and had a good look at him with the other. 1
 Handsome, she decided White and beautiful as Sueira," as they say in Mogador What did it mat ter to her whether he were French. Spanish, English or German? She was not the Lady Fl Isa Beth el Ain. Anyhow, the soldier was one of the white kind; the Christians. What was it they said about them in Mogador? The Christian cares, for nothing but money; not inter- ested in pretty girl, even? Well, her mistress, the Lady Fl Isa Beth el Ain would be interested to know there were Christians, perhaps English soldiers in the citadel.
 A man, a young Moor, in beau tiful hooded blue-cloth cloak, like a Roman toga; big turban,. and rid ing boots emerged from a near -by entry and also passed the sentry.
 As dark as the latter was fair. the Moor was, in his own style. equally handsome, clean-cut and