Evening star., 1933-06-11
~ VALIANT DUST
~ ;, Pere,,srca ca,i,,oeh<r w,<. ,tsu tzusss c.su..

the pleasure would be entirely hers,
led the gallant and ardent ofhcer to
her favorite and private spot upon the
battlements, and to the subject OF
France, Bordeaux and the remarkable
son of that city, M Aureille de Tounens,
who became King of Arauco.
Then, indeed. were the flood-gates
opened. and what had been bahbling
J brook-that had reminded Margaret OF
Men may come and men may go, but
I 20 on forever"-became torrent In
| full spate After the uttering OF that
name Margaret had no need OF further
speech, nor any slight anxiety as TO
Mai. Riccoli's attitude and conduct.
While that subject occupied his mind
no room was left for thoughts OF love
or love-making
"Ah. that was a man, indeed" he
mused. But mad. you know, mad. A
megalomaniac. Through his own
ambitious schemes he fell like Vauroi
again-if he did fall-and Is not at
this very moment great ruler In nus
own right, king, an emperor, IN the
great and unexplored interior OF this
mighty and marvellous continent" :.
"And who was NJ Vauroi?" asked
Margaret, anxious to keep the mind OF
this amorously enterprisfng oficer 10
the one subject that she Judged TO
be more powerful in interest than even
love-
"Vauroi? You know not Of the
brave Capt Vauroi, and his bid Tor
power and wealth and fame? No, be-
ing English. I suppose you would not
have heard of him. The military
authorities. whom he defed. defeated
and outwitted, did not exactly adver-
tise his name to the world.
"Ah! that was a man-such another
as Aureille de Tounens of whom you
have Just spoken: such another as YOU
let and Chanoine, but net so mad.
"vauroi A simple captain of artil-
lery, and now perhaps an emperor.
But as to the truth OF that no man
knows. No European, that is to say.
although the military authorities, and
the French government pretend to
know. No European knows for certain,
but it is my opinion-and believe me,
mademoiselle, nv opinion is worth
having-that millions upon millions OF
Africans know: Arabs, Negroes. Toua-
reg, and possibly races Of whom we
have heard nothing.
otherwise, tell me this. Why Is
there to this dav throughout the South
ern Sahara a persistent and WIDELY
prevalent rumor of white sheikh?
Yes, of a great white sheikh, whose
orders all men obey, and whom they
fear and reverence as the Senussi fear
and reverence their great religious and
political leader, the Sheikh el Senussi
himself
what did vauroi do? I'll tell you.
mademoiselle.
FINDING himself stuck in the desert,
buried alive, forgotten, neglected, lost
In a wretched hole called Mescheria, he
determined to carve out a career for
himself. Why should he, man OF
courage, ability, brains and ambition,
be doomed to rot in Mescheria, while
In Paris, guttersnipe politicians made
themselves figures Of international i'm
portance, masters of Europe-and made
generals of their worthless military
proteges, panders and toadies?
why should he? A man mentally
as great as they, and, indeed, far
greater Why should he consent to
grow gray In obscurity, poverty and
misery while these dogs carved out
careers for themselves?
HE would not consent to it.
Since no brilliant career to fame |
and power lay open to him, he would
carve out one for himself.
"Skilfully and cunningiy he opened |
negotiations with a great Arab sheikh, |
paramount ruler of the Beni-Amama |
and allied tribes-and when his plans |
were made and the time was ripe, he |
departed from Mescheria with the |
whole Of his battery complete and en-
tire, guns, hmbers, ammunition COL |
umn, men. horses, mules and camels.
He was, of course, received with open
arms by the Arabs, who led him deep
into the desert where, perhaps, no white |
man had ever been before.
Deep and ever deeper into the |
desert until they came to the. capital |
of Beni-Amama, q native city which,
as the French military authorities |
afterwardi discovered to their cost-he |
turned into great fortress, real
citadel.
Another crown b offered Margaret,
t0m0rrow