On the road to his exotic outpost,a French lieutenant meets a young Russian lady who urges him not to see her again.Later, investigating a series of mysterious deaths, a Russian man he interviews imprisons him for digging too deep.
Professor Ménard and his daughter Madeleine leave Paris for Algeria, in the Hoggar mountain where they meet Aftan who has just left the Army where he was known as Grandconseil.
In 1842, during the conquest of Algeria Sidonie Panache disguised as a Soave runs away with her lover who is doing his military service there.
