Spaniards—are the most picturesque suburbs
in Algeria. The numerous springs falling
down the rocks, maintain a constant freshness
and verdure, even under the burning breezes
of an African sun.

Another inhabitant of Tlemcen, besides the
Jews and also the shepherd, had seen things
which surprised him. Anglade, the black-
smith, saw, about four seconds after the
departure of the diligence, a couple of horse-
men follow in its wake. One of them rode
a white horse. The gate was not shut, after
the diligence, nor after the horsemen; a most
unusual circumstance. The cavaliers were
richly dressed in beautiful bournouses. The
Arab cloak, or bournous, is a very long cavalry
cloak with a hood; and, when of a fine
quality, costs about forty pounds.

The diligence had arrived at the foot of
the descent near the village of Negrier, and
was passing through a wood of olives, when
musket shots were heard. About a dozen
horsemen, and several men on foot,
approached the carriage. Knowing that the
Agah in the coupé was a personage of great
local importance; that he possessed
considerable wealth, and enjoyed the confidence
both of the Arabian population and of the
French authorities, the passengers in the
diligence fancied that the horsemen were
honouring him with the favourite national
sport (called a fantasia), of a mimic combat,
common on all sorts of occasions;—at
weddings or at funerals; when returning
from the chase; or when welcoming a chief.
The merchant, Valette, had changed places
to oblige Madame Ximenes, who found the
interior of the vehicle stifling and close.

"What is that?" asked Dr. Lenepven.

"It is a fantasia," answered M. Valette, the
merchant.

"I don't believe it."

"But it is. We have the Agah with us."

"Precisely upon that account I believe
that it is something else, and you ought to
do as I do, and lie down," said the doctor.

The words had scarcely been uttered when
M. Valette was struck, and fell upon Dr.
Lenepven, crying, "Ah! I am shot!"

An Arab on foot opened the door, and Dr.
Lenepven cried to him—

"Would you kill a medical man?" In an
instant one of the horsemen who was near to,
and behind the diligence, then said in a
commanding tone:

"Macasch (no), that must not be done,"
and the menacing Arab descended the
steps.

Meanwhile, the young widow Ximenes,
saw that the countenance of the man who had
uttered the Arabic negative "Macash," was
so calm that, she held out her hand to him to
help her down the steps of the diligence.
When Dr. Lenepven and Madame Ximenes
got out, they fled, and hid themselves among
some bushes. Geoffrey, the artilleryman,
followed them, hearing the noise of shots and
stabs in the coupé, but passed through the
assailants without the slightest molestation.

A ball cut the coachman's whip in two while
he was trying to put the horses to the gallop,
to reach the village of Negrier; whereupon a
horseman, dashing in front of the horses of the
diligence, discharged his musket at Vincent
Marchal, the postilion, whose horse recoiled;
and, by throwing down the horses behind,
stopped the carriage. Three of the animals
were mortally wounded. The French postilion,
as a Frenchman, thought his best chance
of safety from an attack of Arabs was under
the protection of the Agah, and he got into the
coupé. At the same instant, a brown man,
dirty and ill-dressed, veiled, and armed with,
a yatighan, threw himself upon the interpreter
Hamadi. The postilion escaped by the opposite
sash, slightly wounded in the knee; while
the assailants discharged their pistols at the
Agah and his interpreter. The postilion
heard as many as twenty shots fired.

This man, the physician, soldier, and guard,
after meeting together at the village of
Negrier, informed the mayor; who aroused all
the inhabitants of the village; and, having
collected as many armed men as he could find,
proceeded to the diligence. On reaching it,
they perceived that six of the horses had been
taken out of harness and were standing by
the roadside. Hamadi was lying upon the
road against the left fore-wheel, in a pool of
blood, covered with wounds, and murmuring
only unintelligible sounds. The Agah Abdallah
was still in his place in the coupé, in the
attitude of a man who resists, but quite dead.
Monsieur Valette was lying between the seats,
alive, quite conscious of his danger, talking
incoherently about his wife and children; but
unable to give any information concerning the
assassins. Dr. Lenepven saw immediately,
that both Hamadi and Valette were beyond
the help of his art. Many balls had been
flattened against the panelling near where the
Agah sat, and one of a large calibre had
passed right through the side of the diligence.
There had been no attempt at robbery. The
only article which had disappeared, was a
cross of the legion of honour, which had been
taken from the breast of Abdallah.

Among the persons aroused by the alarm
at Negrier, was a Frenchman, named Colin;
who, while the diligence, with the corpse and
the wounded men were being taken back to
Tlemcen, went straight to the Arabian
office; where he told what had happened. The
answer he received in French was, "Go
elsewhere; it is no business of ours." He
then went to the justice of the peace.

Dr. Lenepven, on reaching Tlemcen, went
also to the Arabian office, to arouse its chief,
Captain Doineau. He was told that the
captain was in bed, and asleep; but the
doctor went into his chamber.

"The Agah Abdallah has been murdered,"
he cried.