le,--a
lamb."

The General spoke in jest, but the Capitaine was very near losing his
temper. Mary being thus appealed to, thought to extricate herself from
the difficulty by declaring herself half afraid to ride either horse,
being an inexperienced horsewoman. But both the gentlemen had mules, and
both the gentlemen's mules were the best. Poor Mary colored, and looked
at me in despair.

"I think," I said, "the safest plan will be for my sister to try the
horses, and see which suits her the best."

Then the different routes to the water-falls were discussed, and the
different Douars or Arab villages where it would be best to have a
Diffa, or feast, provided,--Mary's judgment being asked in every
instance. All this time the Lieutenant had turned over the leaves of a
newspaper very meekly, and the Commandant had caressed his tame
gazelle. As soon as she could politely free herself, Mary went up to
him.

"How pretty, and playful, and fond it is!" she said, stooping down to
stroke the little creature. The grave face of the Commandant brightened.

"Yes; it would be very _triste_ here without the little thing."

"Do you never go to France, monsieur?"

"I shall perhaps go in two years' time; but you see, mademoiselle, that
is a long time to look forward to; and if my mother should not be
living, I might as well stay here."

"Do you like fighting the Arabs in the Desert, then, monsieur?"

"Mademoiselle, when one takes up the profession of arms, fighting and
exile are _choses entendues_. I often sigh for a settled, domestic life;
but I might have been worse off. I might have gone to Mexico, for
instance."

The Commandant's manner was so simple, so manly, and so tinged with
sadness, that I think any woman would have sympathized with him as much
as my little sister Mary did. She, poor child, having lived all her life
in a school-room, was quite ready to make a hero of any man that smiled
kindly upon her; and here were four heroes, in handsome uniforms, all
smiling upon her at once! There was the sweet sense of youth drawing
her to the Lieutenant; but I think the Commandant stood next in her
favor, and she could not for a moment forget the courteous kindness of
the other two.

"It must all be a dream, Tom," she said, as she gave me her good-night
kiss; "but, oh! if it is a dream, don't let me wake yet."

We dreamed some wonderful things in the next few days. Dominique made us
get up, one morning, very early, and drov