Bridgeton pioneer., 1907-05-16

INGLY ILL.
he said, Il held up the little clock, so
it was not harmed when l fell. The
other things are on the floor" He
placed the watch and purse upon tn
bed and moved toward the entrance.
There he paused.
Does the sahib want some one to
look after his things?'' he insinuated.
7 would ike to be the sahib's man"
sNo, I do not need you" was the
answer. Now get along, and mind
don't let me hear of you being in this
sort Of work again"
The next day the man had returned,
as composed and imperturbable as
though he had not been caught in a
questionable act He ingratiated him
self with the boys by telling them
stories Of the jungles and of his own
wild life, and he watched for oppor-
tunities of making himself useful, es-
pecially if DR.. Graylie was anywhere
in sight. This man he never seemed
weary Of looking at, though generally
his gaze rested on the arm and slender
ironlike fingers which had dropped up
on his shoulder. He was like a natu-
ralist investigating some new discov-
cry or philosopher debating his own
philosophy, and after few days COM
panionship with the two manly,
straightforward boys he seemed in
clined to let them, too, come under his
Investigation, as bearing directly upon
the discovery of the philosophy. It
was then that he offered his services
IN whatsoever capacity the sahib
might wish. The next day he was en-
gagged as hunter and guide, and the
following morning the small party SET
out for the new mission on the Some.
The third day the rains struck them
and they We're obliged to go into camp
| There Kach-cha became suddenly and
alarmingly i'll with some type of ma
ngnant fever. He did not make tn
| fact known himself, but stole off into
| the bushes to die. That was the proper
way. His experience was that they
| would abandon him as a matter Of
course as he would do in their place
| So when one of the boys sought hin
out and went back for help to bear hin
| to the most comfortable bed in camI
| the puzzled look which had come int
his eyes many times during these las
| few days grew yet more puzzled ant
wondering.
| DR.. Graylie was at first for sendin.
| the boys on to the mission and re
naming behind himself to nurse tn,
sick man, but the thought that the,
had already been exposed and nigh
come down with the fever while ava,
from him caused him to allow them t
remain. Thus they all took turns a
nursing, and during the ten days o
illness and convalescence Kach-cha'
deep, inscrutable eyes roved frequentl.
from one face to another, as thougl
they would solve the problem of hu
manity which to him was so strang
and incomprehensible.
The rain was now intermittent
sometimes coming down for a fey
hours only, sometimes during most o
the day. But still they hurried on, TO
they felt they must reach the missio
| us SOOn us pQSSlplC. W ACAi l1IS AASAl
were clear they did not even go int
camp, but marched steadily on, eatin
their lunches as they walked.
At length the mission was but fou
hours away, three hours, two, the
suddenly they came to branch of tn
Sone-wild, turbid, apparently ~in
passable. DIR. Graylie shuddered as
looked out upon the swirling water:
He had heard that a white trader ha
BEEN drowned here the rainy seaso
before and that natives were frequen
ly lost in attempting to swim the foo
or to paddle themselves across on logs
But it was even more dangerous t
remain where they were, for th
ground was soft and spongy and reel
ing with fever. So they spent tw
days in building raft, making it a
strong and secure as possible an
launching it at a point where the ws
tiers seemed less swollen and turbit