Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-02
/ -1OM F. - 4
THE NOVEL OF THE YEAR 64SnsaSGlssi& ExG10RGs& % TY1

and impatient cries to the cooks svs,,o.
the medley of sound Through tho arnr
stole the acrid odor of tolling Africa
Behind the men marched the foreman
| McDougal; behind him came Alan At
sight of him the Zanzibari sprang int
action. He poured a tin of hot waite,
into the bath tub and laid out an old
flannel suit. Beside the suit he nlaced
| clean underwear, fresh socks and. on tbe
ground, pair of slippers.
Alan stripped bathed and drossod
The Zanzibari handed him a Gun of hn,
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
n smoke. For full half hour thew sal
wordless. Darkness fell and brought oui
the lights of their ftfuiiy glowing mines
From the mems camp came a subdued
chatter. The men were feeding AS
they finished they lit flres-a fire for
every little group. The smell of the
wood fires trlumphed over every other
odor
McDougal had met Alan first In n hare
room at an African seaport. The room
was furnished with a chair and a table.
At the table sat Alan, busy with final
estimates and plans for supplies for his
little army. The interview was short
MCDougal had asked for Job and Alan
had answered, Get out" McDoupal
had repeated his request and the rest
of the story he told the next morning
before the Resident Magistrate in the
chair and Alan in the dock
"Aweel, your honor, it was this way:
1 went into Mr.. Wayne's office and
asked him for worrult and he said, Get
out 1 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. l had ioost
considered that 1t was best 1 should let
him hit me first since 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 Kafiir that l
woke up to find watering me and rose
bush, turn by turn ABBOTT
II suppose" said the Magistrate, COW
ering his twltching mouth with his hand
that was the Kaffir signed hospital
pass for last night"
TT may weel be- replied McDougal
dreamily, ut may weel be-"
well, McDougal, I think this is a
matter than can be settled out of
court"
McDougal held up vast hand in in
terruptlon. Begging your pardon, your
honor, there1l 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 magistrate
when he recovered, sis that Mr. Wayne
will probably give you a job and call it
all square"
That's it," said Alan.
81 asked Mr. Wayne for worruk and II
it's worruk he is giving me I'll nae be
denying it is a fair answer" replied Nc
Dougal, and forthwith became Ten Per-
cent Wayne's gang-boss and understudy
in the art of driving men with both fists
and a knee.
McDougal knocked out his third pipe
1.-THE Dell of n country is this" he said /:
'ln the seas of 1t a life-preserver holds
you up handy for sharks, and in the
river does swimming save your life? Nae.
1t gives you meal to the crocs."
They had lost black that day. He had
slipped from the bridge into the water.
He had started to swim to shore and
then suddenly disappeared in a swirl
Conversationally, McQougal limited
himself to a sentence n day in which he
summed up the one event that had struck
him as worthy of notice, Having delivered
himself of his observation for the night