you another night. Is there a train
to-morrow going out of Touggourt?"

"I think so," said Max warily, beginning to guess the trend of her
questions.

"What time does it start?"

"I don't know precisely."

"In the morning or at night?"

"I really can't tell."

"You mean you won't. But that _does_ tell me, all the same. It goes in
the morning. Soldier, I've made you late. I see now you've been very
anxious all the time about overstaying your leave, but you wouldn't
speak because it was for my sake."

"I've written to the officer in command at Sidi-bel-Abbes, explaining.
It will be all right."

"It won't! You're keeping the truth from me. I see by your face. You've
overstayed your leave already. I calculated it out last night. Even as
it is, you are a day late."

"What of it? There's nothing to worry about."

"Do you suppose I can be a soldier's daughter and not have learned
anything about army life? Soldier, much as I'd want you to stand by me
if it could be right for you, it isn't right, and you must go! Go now,
and be in time for that train this morning. One day late won't be so
bad. But there won't be another train till Monday. By _diligence_, it's
two days to Biskra. That means--oh! go, my friend! Go, and forgive me!
Let us say good-bye now!"

"Not for the world," Max answered. "Not if they'd have me shot at
Bel-Abbes, instead of putting me into _cellule_ for a few days at worst.
Nothing would induce me to leave you until"--he choked a little on the
words--"until you're married."

"_Cellule_" she echoed. "You, in _cellule_! And your corporal's stripe?
You'll lose it!"

"What if I do? I value it more for--for something Colonel DeLisle said
than for itself."

"I know you were an officer in your American army at home. To be a
corporal must seem laughable to you. And yet, the stripe is more than
just a mere stripe. It's an emblem."

"I didn't mean you to think that I don't value it! I do! But I value
other things more."

Day was quickening to life; Sanda's wedding day. In the wan light that
bleached the desert they looked at each other, their faces pale. Max
could not take his eyes from hers. She held them, and he felt her
drawing from them the truth his lips refused to speak.

"You are like a man going to his death," she sobbed. "Oh, what have I
done? It will be something worse, a thousand times worse, than
_cellule_. _Mon Dieu!_ I know what they do to men of the Legion when
they've deserted--ev