Ouled-Nails.... Enough of
that, it is too unpleasant an idea."

I had reached this point in the prose of this advanced young woman
when a scandalized exclamation of the Sergeant made me look up.

"Lieutenant!"

"Yes?"

"They are up to something at the Ministry. See for yourself."

He handed me the Official. I read:

"By a decision of the first of May, 1903, Captain de Saint-Avit
(Andre), unattached, is assigned to the Third Spahis, and appointed
Commandant of the Post of Hassi-Inifel."

Chatelain's displeasure became fairly exuberant.

"Captain de Saint-Avit, Commandant of the Post. A post which has never
had a slur upon it. They must take us for a dumping ground."

My surprise was as great as the Sergeant's. But just then I saw the
evil, weasel-like face of Gourrut, the convict we used as clerk. He
had stopped his scrawling and was listening with a sly interest.

"Sergeant, Captain de Saint-Avit is my ranking classmate," I answered
dryly.

Chatelain saluted, and left the room. I followed.

"There, there," I said, clapping him on the back, "no hard feelings.
Remember that in an hour we are starting for the oasis. Have the
cartridges ready. It is of the utmost importance to restock the
larder."

I went back to the office and motioned Gourrut to go. Left alone, I
finished Mlle. de C----'s letter very quickly, and then reread the
decision of the Ministry giving the post a new chief.

It was now five months that I had enjoyed that distinction, and on my
word, I had accepted the responsibility well enough, and been very
well pleased with the independence. I can even affirm, without taking
too much credit for myself, that under my command discipline had been
better maintained than under Captain Dieulivol, Saint-Avit's
predecessor. A brave man, this Captain Dieulivol, a non-commissioned
officer under Dodds and Duchesne, but subject to a terrible propensity
for strong liquors, and too much inclined, when he had drunk, to
confuse his dialects, and to talk to a Houassa in Sakalave. No one was
ever more sparing of the post water supply. One morning when he was
preparing his absinthe in the presence of the Sergeant, Chatelain,
noticing the Captain's glass, saw with amazement that the green liquor
was blanched by a far stronger admixture of water than usual. He
looked up, aware that something abnormal had just occurred. Rigid, the
carafe inverted in his hand, Captain Dieulivol was spilling the water
which was run