The Irish standard., 1916-02-26

\ S4aA.e>l
Gave Himself Up to Memory.
cleared. A babble of voices arose.
There was cracking of twigs, a
shutting of feet, here and there high,
excited cry, and then the men poured
into camp. A din of talk, held in
check for hours, arose. Glistening
black bodies danced to jerky, fantastic
steps. Songs, shouts and impatient
cries to the cooks swelled the medley
of sound. Through the camp stole the
acrid odor Of toiling Africa.
Behind the men marched the fore.
man, McDougal; behind him came
Alan. At sight Of him the Zanziban
sprang into action. He poured tn
Of hot water into the bath tub and
laid out an old flannel suit. Beside
the suit he placed clean underwear,
fresh socks and, on the ground, pair
Of slippers.
Alan stripped, bathed and dressed.
The Zanzibari handed him a cup Of
hot tea. BY the time the tea was drunk
the table was freshly laid and Alan
sat down to steaming bowl Of broth,
and dinner.
After dinner McDougal Joined him
for smoke. For full half hour they
sat wordless. Darkness fell and
brought out the lights Of their fitfully
glowing pipes. From the mems camp
came subdued chatter. The men
were feeding. AS they finished they
lit fires-a fire for every little group
The smell of the wood dres triumphed
over every other odor.
McDougal had met Alan first in a
bare room at an African seaport. The
room was furnished with chair and
q table. At the table sat Alan, busy
with final estimates and plans for sup
plies for his little army. The interview
was short. McDougal had asked for a
job and Alan had answered, "Get out :"
McDougal had repeated his request
,, and the rest of the story he told the
next morning before the resident mag
istrate in the chair and Alan in the
dock.
"Aweel, your honor, it was this way:
went into Mr.. Wayne's office and
asked him for worruk and he said, Get
OUT I asked him again and he said,
I'll give you two to get out-One-
Two,' and with that he cooms on to
the table and flying through the air.
had joost considered that it was best
I should let him hit me first aimee that
I might break him with justice when
he struck me face with both fists, and
his knee in the pit of me stummick.
And that's all, your honor, savin' the
Kafir that woke up to find watering
me and a rose bush, turin by turn
ABBOTT
II suppose said the magistrate,
covering his twitching mouth with his
hand, that was the Kafir 1 signed a
hospital pass for last night"
1T may weel be-" replied McDougal
dreamily. 1T may weel be-"
"Well, McDougal, I think this is
matter that can be settled out of
court"
McDougal held up vast hand in
interruption. Begging your pardon,
your honor, there'll be nae settling of
this matter out Of coort between Mr..
Wayne and myself. Aimee is enough"
Justice and the prisoner in the dock
surrendered to laughter. McDougal
stood grave and unperturbed.
"What 1 meant" said the magis-
trate when he recovered, sis that Mr..
Wayne will probably give you a job
and call it all square,"
That's it," said Alan.
II asked Mr.. Wayne for worruk and
IL it's worruk he is giving me I'll nae
be denying it is fair answer" replied
McDougal, and forthwith became Ten
Percent Wayne's gang boss and under
study in the art Of driving men with
both fists and a knee.
McDougal knocked out his third
pipe. 1.-THE dell of a country is this"
he said; "in the seas of it life-pre-
server holds you up handy for sharks
and in the rivers does swimming save
your life? Nae. It gives you a meal
to the crocs."
AASy AOu AOSI q OluCh ludt
had slipped from the bridge into the
water. He had started to swim to
shore and then suddenly disappeared
In swirl.
Conversationally, McDougal limited
himself to sentence day in which
he summed up the one event that had
struck him as worthy of notice. Hav-
ing delivered himself of his observa-
ton for the night he lit his pipe once
more and relapsed into silence.
McDougal's was companionable ST.
!; lence. Alan could feel him sitting
there in the dark, raw-boned and dour
but ready at the word Of command.
1t was after eight when Alan called
for light and drew from worn let
ter case the correspondence that a