Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-12
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
 N N nearing the bungalow Joce- lyn turned aside into the for est where little colony of N huts nestled inca hollow of

N nearing the bungalow Joce lyn turned aside into the for est where little colony o1 N huts nestled inc hollow ol
 the sand dunes.
 "Nala." she cried. "the paddlemaker
 Ask him to come to me-" In a few moments a man emerged from shed of banana leaves. Ht
 was . scraggy man, very lightly clad
 and violent squlnt handicapped hin
 seriously in the matter of first i'm pressions.
 T came to you" said Jocelyn, "be
 cause I know that you are an intel
 ligent man and great traveller"
 Where do you wish me to go?"
 ITO Msala, on the Cgowe river
 When can you leave"
 Now"
 You can hire a dhow," she said, land on the river you, may have as many rowers as you like. You must go very quickly to Msala. There you must ask about the MgIishman's ex- petition. Some of the men are at Msala now. They were going up coun- try to join the other Englishmen far Away-near the mountains They have stopped at Msala. Find out why they have not gone on, and come back very quickly to tell me-"
 She gave him money and rode on home. Before she reached the bunga- low the paddlemaker passed her at q trot, going toward the sea. s
 She waited for three days, and then Victor Durnovo came again. Maurice was still away. There was an awful sense of impending danger in the very air, in the loneliness of her position.
 Yet she was not afraid of Durnovo. She had left that fear behind. She went to the drawing room to see him full of resolution.
 T could not go away" he said after rellnqulshing her hand, without com ing to see you"
 Jocelyn said nothing. The scared look which she had last seen in his face was no longer there, but the eyes were full of lies. .
 "Jocelyn," the man went on, q SUD- pose you know that I love you. Will you marry meT he asked. s
 "Nov'
 "Whyr"
 Because I not only do not care for you. but I despise and dlstrust you.'
 Then" he said, T will be candid with you. I intend you to marry me. I have intended 1t for a long time. am not going down on my knees to ask you to do 1t. That is not my way. But if you drive me to 1t will make your brother Maurice go down on his knees and beg you to marry me"
 ''I don't think that you will do that" answered the girl steadily. Whatever your power over Maurice may be, it Is not strong enough for that. You over rate It."
 Suppose" he said in q low, hissing voice, that I possess knowledge that have only to mention to one or two people to make this place too hot for Maurice Gordon. If he escaped the fury of the natives 1t would be diffi- cult to know where he could go. Eng land would be too hot for him. They wouldn't have him there. could see to that. He would be a ruined man. an outcass, execrated by all the world"
 "What is your knowledge?' asked Jocelyn fin coldly measured voice.
 "If you will have 1t. your brother, Gordon, Is a slave trader"
 She drew back as she might have lone from some unclean animal. She xnew that he was not telling the truth. There might be extenuating circum- stances. The real truth might have Iuite a different sound. spoken in diff 'erent words. but there was enough ,f the truth in it as Victor Durnovo placed 1t before her to condemn before the world.
 "Now will you marry met" he 'neered.
 ''Supposing." said Jocelyn. "for one that there was grain of truth n your fabrication. who would believe -ou? Who on this coast would take Tour word against the word of an English gentleman? Even if the whole tory were true. which 1t is not. could 'ou prove it? You are a liar as we'll | IS coward and traitor. Do you think hat the very servants in the stable would believe youf Do you think that | he incident of the smallpox at Msala s forgotten? Do you think that all .oango, even 10 the boatmen on the | 'cach. ignores the fact that you are lerc in Loaneo now because you are fraid to go through a savage country | O the simiscine plateau. as you are 'ledged to do? You were afraid of the once. There Is something else hat you are afraid of now. I do not inow what 1t Is. hut I will find out. ,oward. Go, Leave the house at once. 'efore I call In the stable boys io turn ou out. and never dare to speak 10 me gain.'
 He heard her close the window after i'm as he walked away beneath the rees.
 Jocelyn went out by the open win ow. and presently Nala came grinning oward her. He was evidently very luch pleased with himself-held him elf erect and sIuinted more violently han usual
 'I have been to Msala." he said, with 1f-r1s- .,f ..mr--~