Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20

IL looked again at those two tents,
and lay there long time that night.
"The next day Quasi and his two hum
dred porters arrived, marching in with the
beat of drums and much acclamation of
Hawke-'Luala Ntaka, as they called
him, Lord of the Waters, from his
discovery of the inland seas. A days de-
lay, and we were off.
"Perhaps that time at the wireless sta
ton, listening to those messages clicking
out of nowhere, had made me imaginative;
but there were hours when | seemed to
feel the very spirit of the land itself.
Africa has never parted easily with her
secrets, and could understand her desire
to keep one last place of mystery.
"Oh-I am talking nonsense, know"
Trent cried "But Sulimao still remains I'M
discovered, and sometimes wonder-did
the land find that unguarded door in my
mind, steal in its mysterious fingers, and
Use me?"
In Trent's voice was the desperate APP
peal of one who feels his nationality slip
ping from him; but Carroll found himself
unable to answer it. He knew those
African nights, pits of silent blackness.
1t was sheer imagination, of course, but
THEY had forgotten the city, the tide of
civilization, and those waiting presses.
They were back together in that land they
both knew so we'll, their minds mingling
in complete comprehension. Perhaps
that was why Hawke had so insisted on
this interview, Carroll thought Hawke
had known he would understand.
Hawke was right, Trent went on. al
,cas the weakest link. But it was not as
he thought. There was none really more
devoted to him than was. But he sus-
pected something.
III won't bore you with the journey
you will find it all in any ono of Hawkes.
books, even to the illustrations. You
know them-'Our Camp on the Wan
zam'-river, tents, baggage, natives, and
Hawke. The rest of us in the background.
They are rather significant, those illus
trations; but then, everything becomes
significant when one looks back on it.
al had been keeping diary also.
was open about it, knew no reason FOR
not being so,-but it happened that none
of the others had seen it. We were so
busy or tired all the time; then again,
there was that barrier between us. |
didn't really belong.
"Then Hawke came upon me one day,
during the noon rest, as | was writing.
He was so furious that | was aghast. He
took the stand that had been dclber-
ately concealing it from all the party, and
he launched at me my contract and its
iron-clad clause of not a word in writing,
then or thereafter, not photograph, not
even sketch by any other hand than his
own. | had never heard of tiny hasty
engagement had been verbal only, The
same terms as the others and | had
been so eager to go that ! would have
agreed to anything.
III explained, and he seemed satisfied.
But could not help thinking it over, and
| found that, for all my reading of his az
counts of his previous journeys, could
not recall the names of any of his ASSOC
ciates except the one who, on each occa-
sion, had seemed to incur his displcasurc.
ave were nearing our goal then, in the
midst of sodden, broken country that
we thought must lead up to the hidden
SHOWS of Sulimao. But things had been
going badly. Hawkes. marvellous luck