



Produced by David Clarke and the Online Distributed
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  A TATTER OF SCARLET




  A TATTER OF
  SCARLET

  ADVENTUROUS EPISODES OF THE
  COMMUNE IN THE MIDI
  1871

  BY
  S. R. CROCKETT

  SECOND EDITION

  HODDER AND STOUGHTON
  LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO

  _Printed in 1913_




  CONTENTS


                                            PAGE

          CHAPTER I

  HOW THE TRICOLOUR CAME DOWN                 1

          CHAPTER II

  KITH AND KIN                                9

          CHAPTER III

  THE LAUNDRY DOOR                           13

          CHAPTER IV

  THROUGH THE ENEMY'S LINES                  21

          CHAPTER V

  THE DEVENTER GIRLS                         30

          CHAPTER VI

  AN OLD MAN MASTERFUL                       34

          CHAPTER VII

  OUR FIRST COMMUNARD                        44

          CHAPTER VIII

  I SEE THE SCARLET TATTER NEAR AT HAND      50

          CHAPTER IX

  A REUNION OF THE REDS                      57

          CHAPTER X

  JEANNE'S VELVET EYES                       65

          CHAPTER XI

  HOW MEN SEE RED                            73

          CHAPTER XII

  "GOOD-BYE, RHODA POLLY"                    78

          CHAPTER XIII

  WE SEEK GARIBALDI                          84

          CHAPTER XIV

  "THE CHILDREN"                             96

          CHAPTER XV

  FIRST BLOOD                               101

          CHAPTER XVI

  THE COMING OF ALIDA                       107

          CHAPTER XVII

  A DESERT PRINCESS                         117

          CHAPTER XVIII

  THE PRINCESS COMMANDS                     126

          CHAPTER XIX

  KELLER BEY COMES TO ARAMON                132

          CHAPTER XX

  I PLAY "THREE'S COMPANY"                  138

          CHAPTER XXI

  THE GOLDEN HEART OF RHODA POLLY           145

          CHAPTER XXII

  IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW               149

          CHAPTER XXIII

  THE MISGIVINGS OF ALIDA                   156

          CHAPTER XXIV

  PEACE BEFORE STORM                        169

          CHAPTER XXV

  THE PROCLAMATION                          175

          CHAPTER XXVI

  KELLER BEY, INSURGENT                     185

          CHAPTER XXVII

  UNDER WHICH KING, BEZONIAN?               199

          CHAPTER XXVIII

  STORM GATHERING                           208

          CHAPTER XXIX

  WITHIN THE PALE                           216

          CHAPTER XXX

  DEVIL'S TALK                              226

          CHAPTER XXXI

  THE BLACK BAND                            233

          CHAPTER XXXII

  "READY!"                                  239

          CHAPTER XXXIII

  "HELL UPSIDE DOWN!"                       251

          CHAPTER XXXIV

  THE PASSING OF KELLER BEY                 259

          CHAPTER XXXV

  A CAPTAIN OF BRIGANDS                     266

          CHAPTER XXXVI

  LEFT-HANDED MATTHEW                       273

          CHAPTER XXXVII

  LOOT                                      284

          CHAPTER XXXVIII

  THE LAST ADVENTURE OF THE BLACK BAND      291

          CHAPTER XXXIX

  THE CONVERSION OF CHANOT                  306

          CHAPTER XL

  THE LAST OF THE "TATTER OF SCARLET"       312




A TATTER OF SCARLET




CHAPTER I

HOW THE TRICOLOUR CAME DOWN


Deventer and I leaned on the parapet and watched the curious things
which were happening in Aramon across the river. We were the biggest
boys in the school and kept even the Seniors in awe, being "Les Anglais"
to them--and so familiar with the "boxe"--though Deventer was an
Irishman, and I, Angus Cawdor, a Scot of the Scots.

We had explained the difference to them many times by arguments which
may have temporarily persuaded some, but without in the least affecting
the fixed French notion that all English-speaking people are of English
race.

Behind us circulated the usual menagerie-promenade of the "Grands,"
gabbling and whispering tremendous secrets in files of two and three.

Hugh Deventer was a great hulk of a fellow who would take half a dozen
French Seniors and rub their heads together if I told him, laughing
loudly at their protestations