The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-28


 she had been. Lucille's knees sank rushes she kneit. shaking with inco- .herent sobs. alled with joy so great the tears refused to flow
 How long she knelt she did not know, was never to know. But mer ;ciful s1umber came to her and she was. avgakened by the tender touch of aseal-, loused hand upon her shoulder. Startled she spfang to her feet. then laughed at. her alarm as she looked at the chief and saw from the expression upon his face that he knew his child was out of danger
 She turned to the patient still sleep ing Yes, no one could faH to see that the crisis was reached and passed. She is going to get well.i' said Izl- ellie, and the chief smiled at her tone.
 From outside came sudden clash of sound, ripp1ing. drumming sound that diminished to almost an echo only 10 rise slowly. gradually Into a perfect thing unsteady triumphant about it which seemed to her to tibe with fhe majestic tones of huge organ
 Slowly the chief right hand reached out, his head slowly bending in obei-. sance. Lucille wonderingly placed her fingers upon the forearm of the man and emerged into the open, her eyes rounded in wondermentf at the sight $ that greeted her.
 Gorgeously caparisoned in scarlet and gold, a wonderfuI throne Of the same coIors upon his back, a bronzed native astride his head. knelt a milk white elephant almost at her feet. Be fore f1le hufs stood the natives their wide shields held acfoEs the forearms sf their right hands, while they drumu1ed out the chorus she had ob- served before by siappAng their spears agafnst the lightly drawn surfaces The old chief stood motfonless beside the eIep5aa1ts and she realized slowly that lie meant her to take the seat
 She shook her head in negation She was too utterly fired and worn ont to do anything Before she had time to regret her decision tine old man step ped toward her, u1winding curiously shaped a1huIet from about his neck. Came erowding forward Of the na- lives G0m every d1recdon, the men in the forefrent, the woman and children ln the Fear Something in the silence that succeeded fdae drumming noise. In the sober faces of the orderly fhfong
 
 the chief rather expectantly.
 sGRavely as any king bestowing an order upon loyal subject, the old man lifted the amulet by it's two golden threads and dropped it about her neck. an amulet of curious milky stone carved into the sefnb1ance of an. elephant and giittermg with tiny pre- cious stones, so set as to spell out cer- tain native words F
 LncIlIe looked about, smiling at what she knew to be a sign of these peopae's belief in her. And then the smile died upon her lips. faded from her eyes and was succeeded by one of fear.
 For behind the throng, arms folded. his saturnine face impasstve.s cold, de- ternined, stood Hugo Loubeque, his eyes fastened undevfatingly upon her
 What followed the ceremonial at g tendant upon the presentation of the white elephant to Lucille was all a 2 blur to her. She Remembered being taken to some temple, the triumphant z return in the chair upon the back of the sacred beast. but always before her eyes loonaed the figure of Hugo Lou beque. This afternoon, when she had 2 come back to the hut which the chief assigned to her. she felt certain relief at knowing the man was about.
 Vaguely she had dreaded his coming before but always had she thought 1t iaev1tahle thak he would come moon