Volume I Part 41 (1/2)
About the year 1843 the Zouave regied, ainst the Kabyles in Beni Djaad
A the feho escaped was the Sheik Sidi ben Abed No one knehere he had disappeared to, and when the call to retreat had been sounded, Coucou declared he would remain behind to find out where the Kabyles were
”They will kill you,” his comrades warned him
”Bah! a Parisian child does not fear the devil!” said Coucou, laughing
In a few minutes he had disappeared The soldiers feared the worst; but, to their astonish the sheik by his long beard behind him The Kabyle was armed to the teeth, but nevertheless Coucou had forced hile
Six han, and, but for the timely interference of a coeant came to the little house in the Allee de Meillan ill relate further on One thing was certain, Mercedes' silence hted up when the door opened, and a small white hand was laid on Mercedes' shoulder, and a clear, bright voice said:
”Good-day, my dear little woman”
CHAPTER xxxV
MISS CLARY
Mercedes treh the possessor of the sirl
A pretty little head with ash-blond hair, deep blue eyes and fresh red lips hteen-year-old girl--a very beautiful picture, and the sergeant drew back respectfully, while Mercedes said:
”Good-day, --always joyful, always happy”
”And you are always sorrowful, and have tears in your eyes Better take me for a model, who, as a consumptive, have far more reason to be ,” said Mercedes, sorrowfully, ”for him, and he will surely come if he lives”
”And who is he?”
”He is a faithful friend in need,” replied Mercedes, solemnly, ”and I love hiht you here to-day?
Curiosity?”
”Ungrateful woirl, ”as if I did not like to come here But if you are so solemn, why--”
”Oh, Clary, I am not solemn--I am melancholy, and at ti?”
”If you had lost everything, as I have, you would understandaboutas my son ith me! Since he has left me the world has no pleasures for ain--”
”But, madam,” interrupted Coucou, ”how can you talk that way! Why should you not see ain? My captain is not one of those who are eaten by Kabyles for supper He defends his life, and if he should be in the bowels of the earth I will find hi to Mercedes, she said:
”You must not despair, little woman As far back as I can remember people always said about --it is terrible--she n all kinds of documents in case of my death What was the use of my fortune if I died, and it was a settled fact I was to die?”