The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-03-22

mon Commandant? When will they arrive?"
 When I send for them. When I have completely won the con- fidence of the Kaid so that he be- lieves that they are marching to join his banner under my com mand."
 Why not assemble the whole column before marching from here, mon Commandant?" asked Vittor- elli, eager, hopeful, but not yet wholly convinced.
 "Ah, why not, indeed, mon en- fant? Because the Kaid will not hear of it. If I cross the border with one man more than the gar- rison of his post, it is war. We shall be surrounded, cut off, ann pushed and annihilated in one of the defiles. My first proposal was to march in, bag and baggage, horse, foot, and guns-and that was the Kaid's answer through the mouth of his own son who visited me at Post Three.
 That young man, Prince Raisul
 Ca clever lad, by the way, who speaks English, French and Span- ish as well as I dol, made it clear that we should all be welcome and the more the merrier-but we must come in small detachments and on different days.
 "Treacherous swine, these Ar abs he added. They trust mo- body"
 50 having marched into the place, we mark time until the iother detachments arise" unused Vittoreli. "H'ml What about treachery? We shall have to sleep with our eyes open.'
 You are right, my friend. Un- til the Kaid sleeps with his eyes shut, once and for all. But don't you see the prettiness of my plan? If the Kaid intends treachery, and would capture the whole column for it's rifles, ammunition and kit, guns, horses, stores and cash-and such of the men as would join him to escape torture and death he's got to wait until I send for the other attachments. I shall have in Mekazzen a force quite big enough to do our business, and settle his hash. Though what I hope and intend to do is to seize the Citadel before I send for the other attachments.
 Then I can present an accom- plished fact to the Sergeant Ma jors and Sergeants, and to the IN. 0. O's of the native troops as we'll as to les legionnaires, when I have to show my hand"
 Silence fell between the two men.
 Our rascals here can think they are seizing the castle for France jof course" observed Vittorelli at length.
 They can think what they like, as I said before" replied Riccoli l sharply. Think what they like and do what they're told. Though |that is where you will be most useful mon enfant. Sounding them; talking them over; showing them what they have to gain on I the one hand and what to lose on the other-their lives; separating the sheep from the goats; form ling a group of those upon whose personal loyalty I can absolutely depend"
 "H'm!". can pretty well do that now. mon Commandant. Our |good Corsicans, whom you so wise ly selected, will be trustworthy; and I can answer for the Ital- ians. I've no doubt the Germans "3AA VI oAi li6ilJ, dilQ IilOIS WllllIlR to fight against France than for her. can get the Russians over, l expect; and, I think, the Span |iards and the Belgians. Where we shall have trouble will be with the two French grognards, two sil- ly old fools with about hundred wears service between them, and four Englishmen-stubborn mulish creatures, who can entertain only one idea at time. Yes, we shall have trouble with them"
 On the contrary, my dear Ser |geant-Major," replied Major Napo- leon Riccoh. as he rose to his feet. I.It is they who will have trouble with us"
 Buglesi.
 The stirring notes of the rousing Icall have such an effect upon the post, as does the fall of a great rock into the quiet tarn. To the legionnaires it is the sig nal for departure, and man, par ,ticularly the type of man who chooses the profession of soldier ing, loves departure.