La Junta tribune., 1908-02-01

he said. II held up the little clock. so
it was not harmed when fell. The
other things are OH the fioor.' lie
placed the watch and purse upon the
bed and moved toward the entrance,
There he paused.
Does the sahib want some one TO
look after his things;" he insinuated.
Il would like to be the sahib's man"
NO, l 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 lie 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
tnnities OF making himself useful. es-
peclally II DIR. Graylie was anywhere
In sight. TliIs 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 a philosopher debating his own
philosophy, and after a few days COM
panionship with the two manly.
straightforward boys he seemed In
clIned to let them, too. come under his
Investigation. ms bearing directly upon
the discovery Of the philosophy. II
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
alnrmingly i'll with some type of ma
lignant fever. He did not make the
fact known himself. but stole on into
the bushes to die. That WAS the proper
way His experience was that they
would abandon him as matter OF
course. as he would do in their place.
So when one Of the boys sought him
out and went back for help to bear him
TO the most comfortable bed in camp
the puzzled look which had come into
ILLS eyes many times during these last
few days grew yet more puzzled and
wondering.
DIR. Graylie was at first for sending
the boys on to the mission and re-
manning behind himself to nurse the
sick man, but the thought that they
had already been exposed and might
come down with the fever while away
from him caused him TO allow them to
81. Ill N,.rr ~
nursing. and during the ten days OF
illness and cOnvalescence kach-cha1
deep. inscruialle eyes rOved frcquenti!
from one face to another, as though
they would solve the problem OF hu-
manity which to him WAS so strange
and lncomprebensible.
The rain was now Intermittent.
sometimes coming down for few
hours only. sometimes during most OF
the day. But still they hurried on. for
they felt they must reach the mission
as soon ~ possible. When the nights
were clear they did not even go into
camp. but marched steadily on. eating
their lunches as they walked.
At length the mission was but four
hours away. three hours. two. then
suddenly they came to a branch OF the
eone-wild, turbld, apparently i'm
psssabIe. DR.. Graylie shuddered as he
looked out upon the swirling waters.
He had heard that white trader had
been drowned here the rainy season
before and that natives were frequent
" lost in attempting to swim the nood
or to paddle themselves across on logs
But 1t was even more dangerous to
remain where they were. for the
ground was soft and spongy and reek
Ing with fever. So they spent two
days In building raft. making It a.
strong and secure as possible and
launching 1t at point where the VS.
tsrY seemed less swollen and turbid