The Washington herald., 1914-05-10
I'm go to sulyma with you and see you

IN so to Sulyma with you and see you
safe aboard
You needn't" said Pollock. II can
go alone. From here"
mot far" said waterhouse. You
don't understand this Porroh business"
How should I know she belonged to
Porroh man" said Pollock. bitterly.
well. she did," said Warehouse: "and
you can't undo the thing. Go alone, in
deed. I wonder what they'd do to you.
You don't seem to understand that this
Porroh hokey-pokey rules this country.
is its law. religion. constitution. medicine.
magic They appoint the chiefs. The
Inquisition, at its best, couldn't hold q
candle to these chaps. He probably will
set Awajale, the chief here, on to US. It's
lucky our porters are Mendis. We shall
have to shift this little settlement of
ours Confound you. Pollock And. Of
course, you must 60 and miss him."
He thought, and his thoughts seemed
disagreeable. Presently he stood up and
took his rife. I'D keep close for a bit.
IL were you," he said. over his shoulder,
as he went out. I'm going out to see
what / can find out about it."
Pollock remained sitting in the tent,
meditating. II was meant for a civilized
life," he said to himself regretfully, as
he filled his pipe. THE sooner get back
to London or Paris the better for me-"
His eye fell on the sealed case in which
waterhouse had put the featherless poi
soned arrows they had bought in the
Mendi country. II wish I had hit the
beggar somewhere vital" said Pollock
viciously.
Warehouse came back after a long in
terval. He was not communicative. though
Pollock asked him questions enough: The
Porroh man, it seems, was a prominent
member of that mystical society. The
village was interested. but not threaten
ing. No doubt the witch doctor had gone
into the bush. He was a great witch doc
tor ''Of course, he's up to something"
said Warehouse. and became silent.
But what can he do?" asked Pollock,
unheeded.
Il must get you out Of this. There's
something brewing or things would not be
so quiet" said Waterhouse, after a gap
of silence. Pollock wanted to know what
the brew might be. Dancing in a circle
of skulls" said Waterhouse: brewing a
stink in a copper pot" Pollock wanted
particulars. Warehouse lost his temper.
How the devil should know" he said
to Pollock's twentieth inquiry what the
Porroh man would do. He tried to kill
you offhand in the hut. Now, I fancy he
will try something more elaborate. But
you'll see fast enough. I don't want to
help unnerve you. It's probably all nom
sense
That night. as they were sitting at their
fire, Pollock again tried to draw Water
house out on the subject Of Porroh
methods. Better get to Sleep" said
Warehouse, when Pollock's bent became
apparent; I'VE start early tomorrow. You
may want all your nerve about you"
But what line will he take?'
Cant say. They're versatile people.
They know lot Of rum lodges. You'd
better get that copper devil. Shakespear.
to talk"
There was a flash and heavy bang out
of the darkness behind the huts and .
clay bullet came whistling close to Pol
locks head. This. at least. was crude
enough. The blacks and halfbreeds sit
jumped up, and some one fired into the
dark
Better go into one of the huts." said
Waterhouse. quietly, still sitting un-
moved.
Pollock stood up by the fire and drew
his revolver. Fighting, at least, he was
not afraid Of But a man in the dark is
in the best Of armor. Realizing the WIS
dom of Warehouses; advice, Pollock
went into the tent and lay down there.
What little sleep he had was disturbed
by dreams. variegated dreams, but chief
ly of the Porroh mans face. upside down,
as he went out of the hut, and looked up
under his arm. It was odd that this tran
STORY impression should have stuck so
firmly in Pollock,s memory. Moreover,
he was troubled by queer pains in his
limbs.
In the white haze OF the early morning,
as they were loading the canoes, a barbed
arrow suddenly appeared quivering in the
ground close to Pollocks foot. The boys
made a perfunctory effort to clear out the
thicket, but it led to no capture.
After these two occurrences there was
a disposition on the part of the expedi-
ton to leave Pollock to himself, and
Pollock became, for the first time in his
life, anxious to mingle with blacks.
Warehouse took one canoe. and Pollock,
in spite of friendly desire to chat with
Waterhouse. had TO take the other He
was left all alone in the front part of the |
canoe, and he had the greatest trouble |
to make the men-who did not love him
keep to the middle of the river. a clear
hundred yards or more from either shore |
However. he made Shakespear, the Free |
town halfbreed, come up to his own end |
of the canoe and tell him about Porroh, |
which Shal1espear. failing in his attempts |
to leave Pollock alone, presently did with |
freedom and gusto
The day passed. The canoe glided swift |
ly along the ribbon Of lagoon water be- |
tween the drift of water figs, fallen trees, |
papyrus, and palm-wine palms, and with |
the dark mangrove swamp to the left. |
which one could hear now and |
then the roar of the Atlantic surf. Shake !,
spear told, in his soft blurred English, Of |
how the Porroh could cast spells: how |
men withered up under their malice; how |
they could send dreams and devils; how
they tormentcd and killed the sons of |
Ijibu; how they kidnapped a white trader !
from Suiyma who had maltreated one of |
the sect, and how his body looked when |
1t was found.
The next day they reached Sulyma. and |