shepherd, and the blacksmith, who had seen
the men watching, and riding out of the town
on the morning of the murder; finishing his
enquiries—which he made in a most artful
and diplomatic manner—at the Arabian
Office. In two or three days Ben Aoud
sent to the Arabian Office a letter
containing a list of suspected persons. There
was in this list an Arabic word, which was at
first translated, Doineau, the proper name of
the chief of the Arabian Office. But, as the
general thought it was impossible that that
gentleman could be meant, he begged the
procureur-général to omit the name from
the informations. The word "si doin" was
subsequently translated assembly or meeting.

Some Arabs, denounced by Ben Aoud,
having been arrested, the commissary of police,
the justice of the peace, and an interpreter
named 'Darmon, went early one morning to
the general, and begged him to assist them in
examining the prisoners. The general
accompanied them to the prison with his son.
There was, among the prisoners, a rascal
named Mamar Morktar, or the jackal,
who had made some avowals respecting the
crime to a sharpshooter. Mamar denied
what he had said at first; but, when he was
confronted with the sharpshooter, his
countenance fell and he confessed that he was one
of the party who murdered the Agah, and
named some of his accomplices.

The avowals of the jackal, or golden wolf,
were obtained by means of "a sheep," or
police-spy; and were the first important
helps towards ascertaining the truth. M.
Henri du Droulin, the justice of the peace,
gave his own account of his sheep: "I used
a well-known means. I placed an individual
in each cell with each prisoner, hoping that
the prisoner would talk. This scheme
succeeded in the case of Mamar el Mocktar,
beside whom I had placed Ben Arbi." Ben
Arbi, the sharpshooter, thief, and sheep,
described his performance himself: "I was,"
he says, "a prisoner. The jailer called me
to him, and gave me a glass of lemonade,
telling me to make up to Mamar and try and
find out what he had done. I went into
his cell, and began by telling him my affair
to gain his confidence. In this I succeeded
so well that he said:

"As for me, I am here for the affair of the
Agah Ben Abdallah, who was assassinated.
Sometime prior to the murder, I was sent to
Sebdou, to try and meet the Agah and do
his business, but I could not find him. It
was then that the 'captain' formed his plan
of attacking the diligence which conveyed
the Agah and his interpreter to Oran." What
captain?

On that point, not only the jackal, but the
other Arab prisoners were obstinately silent.
The justice of the peace, therefore, told
General Montauban that the other Arabs
would never make any confessions whilst
Captain Doineau remained at Tlemcen;
—so thoroughly were they always in dread of
him; but, the protection which Captain
Doineau gave to Bel Hadj, the bad terms
on which he lived with Ben Abdallah, and
the awe in which he kept the Arabs,
appeared to the civil prosecutors sufficient
grounds for requesting his removal from
Tlemcen to Oran; in compliance with a written
request of the procureur-général,
Montauban promoted the captain to the direction
of the Arabian Office at Oran. On the fourth
of October, the captain arrived at Oran
with his Kodja or secretary, and his negro,
Barka.

On his return from Tlemcen to Oran,
General Montauban received a visit from
Captain Doineau. The dialogue which passed
between them was curious.

Captain Doineau: "My general, you have
called me here to take the direction of
Arabian affairs. In present circumstances
this is ruin to me."

General Montauban: "But be calm. Do
you not understand that you are called to a
higher post?"

Captain Doineau: "I fear you are neither
equitable nor impartial in regard to me, before
the governor-general."

General Moutauban: "This, sir, is an
insult; and I place you under arrest for eight
days."

Captain Doineau: "I beg pardon, I am too
warm."

General Montauban: "Very well; the
only punishment I shall inflict upon you is,
to read the notes I have written in your
favour, and the proposal I have made to
raise you to the rank of a chef de bataillon.
Don't be over-anxious. There are people,
who, knowing you to be the friend of Bel
Hadj, might think you would be too favourable
to him." "Look at me, general, do I look
like a highway robber?" These words were
spoken with such an accent of truth, that the
general said to one of his staff: "Captain
Doineau is as white as snow." Nevertheless,
next day, the general received a telegraphic
dispatch. It was in these words: "Arrest
Captain Doineau."

"This is very serious," said the general;
"but it is not upon a telegraphic dispatch
that we arrest a captain. I shall wait for
more distinct and more formal information."

The procureur-général came himself a few
days afterwards with the evidence. He said
to General Montauban:

"This is so clear and precise that I leave
with you the responsibility of the whole
case."

"I do not accept it," answered the general;
"I shall have the captain arrested, only
on condition that you issue the order for
his capture. I only stipulate that he be
arrested with all the respect due to a French
officer."

The warrant was placed in the hands of