Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05

and took up In his own the damp black
hand Of offended majesty, and shook II
heartily. He broke out in stream Of flu-
ent Okky, and gradually the potentates
wrath melted. The king still gesticulated
violently, and apparently demanded Car
ter's red head upon a charger as prelude
to truce, but Swizzle-Stick Smith was an
old Coaster and knew his man.
champagne" Mr.. Smith kept on sug-
costing, 'bubbly champagne with plenty of
Angostura bitters in 1t to make it bite.
thirst. Come up into the factory. old Tin
tacks. and We'll break up case in honor
Of the day.
Finally the king who being West Afri-
cided that though vengeance would keep
till another day. Mr.. Smiths champagne
might not; and he let himself be led back
to the factory, and up the stair. He gra-
ciously accepted the most solid-looklng OF
the long chairs in the veranda, sat In 1t
carefully. kicked off his slippers and tuck
ed his feet beneath him. He waved away
Mr.. Smiths further speech. "Oh. Smith.
he said. Il fit for champagne palaver. one
time" and loosened the tuck of his ample
waistcloth to give space for the expected
cargo No d-n use more talk palaver
now
Outside in the sunlight the Hausa SOL
diers had taken the cue from their master,
and dissolved away unobtrusively: the car
riers were dismissed to the krooboys' quar-
tiers under the charge of White Mans
Trouble, who now that the disturbance
was over, BUSTED up with many protesta-
lions of sorrow for his unavoidable alb
sence. and Carter was left for further at
tendance on his distressed damsel.
For the first time he found himself able
to regard her critically; and he was Some
how rather disturbed to find before him a
girl who undeniably beautiful. When
he had rushed blndly in to the rescue he
had taken it for granted that the person
he vaguely through that red mist
English American miSSioparV
woman in distress, and Ito HIMSELF excused
his mad lust for battle by picturing him.
self as the champion of the Christian
martyr beSet by paganS.
The white missionary women of that strip
of the coast occasionally quartered them
selves at Malla-Nulla factory on their
journeyings, in spite of the very niggardy
civility of Mr.. Smith, and Carter had been
much impressed in the way beneficent ma
ture had safeguarded them by homely fea-
lures and unattractfve mfen from attack
by the other sex. He could have taken off
his hat to one of these and said:
Most happy to have been of service to
you. madam. Won't you come into the
factory and have cup of tea?'
But this slim beauty in the frilled white
muslins sent speech further and further
away from him the more that he looked at
her For the first time since landing in
Africa six months before he was ashamed
of mildew-stained pyjamas for afternoon
wear. and Disguised with the yellow smears
hatefully aware too that he had let his
razors rust in the moist Coast climate. and
White-Man s-Trouble's fortnghtly efforts
with the clippers had merely left his chin
and head covered with obscene red
brstle.
80 1t would be ridiculous" the girl
was murmuring, merely to say thank
you for what you did, Mr.. Carter. You
see l know your name. News about new
corners soon spreads among the other fac
tories on the Coast here. If you only knew
how l dread that fearful king, you would
understand my gratitude. You see this ism t
Il wish you'd mentioned it earlier" Car
ter blurted out, 'and I'd have split his dirty
skull, trade or no trade"
She shook her head. mo, that wouldn' t
have done. There's the law to be thought
of even here Besides he's a king and could
let loose, so they say, 10000 fighting men
against the Coast factories, and wipe them
out If only 1 could get away to some
IF I stay on here at my fathers factory.
I'm bound to be caught and taken to Okky
City"
Carter's brown eyes opened in sheer sur
prise. You speak of your fathers fac
tory. Do you mean to say that you live
here on the Coast?"
AT the Smooth River factory
What, SHADES place."
Yes, I'm Laura Slade. Couldn't you
guess?'
How could r. Carter blurted out Mr.
Smith told me that SHADES girl" And
there he stopped, and could have bitten off
his tongue for having said SO much.
She finished his sentence quietly, and,
as it appeared. without resentment. Mr..
Smith, l suppose, described me as a mig
GER
Carter made no reply. His brown eyes
hung upon her pretty face intently.
Mr.. Smith. of course. knew my father.
and my mother, too, for that matter, before
l was born. My mother was a quadroon,
and that makes -eiQ lt IN
African"
You did not arrange your pedigree any
more than l did mine. If you hadn't told
me, 1 should never have guessed you
weren't a full-blooded European. And after
all. what does it matter?"
There speaks the man who has only
been out on the Coast ST months
six months six years. said Carter
stoutly, makes no difference far as 1
am concerned. We're neighbors, 1t ap-
pears, and hope you will let me be one of
your friends. Miss Slade, will you take
compassion on a very lonely man and let
him come over to Smooth River occasional
ly and see you? 1 can't tell you how
CHASTITY the loneliness has been with only
the Krooboys and Mr.-er-SwizzleStick
Smith to talk to, though perhaps you can
guess at it by the way I've let my outward
man run to seed"
She gave him her slim brown hand. Il
take frankly what you Offer she said.
IF you let me become your friend 1 shall
count myself fortunate; you see, after
what you have done for me today we can
hardly start from the ordinary basis"
From there onward their talk flowed
easily. She had come over on a business
errand for her father, and Carter settled
that quickly and promptly She went pres
emily into the factory to rest after her long
hammock ride, and Carter seized upon the
chance to dive into his own room. There
from he emerged an hour later with chin
half raw from recent shaving with a rusty
razor. and wearing creased white drill
clothes and a linen collar that sawed his
neck abominably.
I've arranged" he said when next he
saw her, that you and 1 dine tete-a-tete,
If you don't mind down under those palm
trees yonder. The mosquitoes don't trouble
White-Man' s-Trouble, only tastes things
when they're going back to the cook house.
dts mere prejudice to say he's had his
filthy paw in every dish before 1t comes
to me. Oh, by the way, Mr.. Smith and
his majesty of Okky ask you to excuse
them, as they have still more business to
discuss before they can break up their
meeting"
She laughed and understood him to a
nicely. They slipped off into light, easy
talk as though they had known one an
other all their lives, and there was neither
that narrow escape from tragedy behind
them, nor Africa and possible tragedy
ahead The girl was good comrade. The
man was hardly that. He too frankly de-
voured her with his eyes. And certainly.