November’s pulp story comes from the 15 December 1927 issue of Adventure. Written by J. D. Newsom it takes place just after the Great War when American veteran Alexander Sutton discovers his French war bride he takes back home is a vindictive shrew with a slight mustache he never noticed before. He takes her back to France and gladly leaves her with her family (and almost all of his money). Down and out in the gutter he is almost robbed of his last 16 francs by another vagabond called Armand Cabillot, a former postal officer and embezzler who is on the run from the Gendarmes. Together they decide that the Foreign Legion is the answer to all their problems. For Sutton, enlisting in the Legion is merely something to do that would provide room and board but for Cabillot it is all about redeeming himself by fighting and sacrificing himself in battle for France. Of course, this being a J. D. Newsom tale, there is plenty of action to make up for some weak characterization and slightly stereotypical accounts of the Legion and the French in general.
NOTE: Sorry again for not being as active on this blog as I used to be. I feel guilty for not posting here–like I’m cheating on a long time girlfriend. My Affaire d’amour this past month is actually submarines. Yep, I’m guilty! I’ve been neglecting the Foreign Legion for a while as I have been reading and researching American WWII submarines in the Pacific for the past several weeks. But I assure you this is only a passing fling and my attentions will soon return to the forlorn corps of foreigners fighting for France in far-flung desert fortresses.