Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-05

had gathered TO watch Us pass. Never did
] see hate more savage than was written
on those faces as they shook their fists at
us and muttered curses not loud but deep.
No wonder for they were all ruined.
poor folk. with nothing to look forward
to but starvation until long months hence
the harvest came again for those who
would live to gather II. Also, they were
convinced that we, the white magacian and
the prophet OF their enemy the Child, had
brought this disaster on them. Had II not
been for the escort / believe they would
have fallen on us and torn ua 90 pieces.
Considering them | understood for the first
time how disagreeable real unpopularity
can be. But when ! saw the actual condi-
tlon OF the fruitful gardens without in
the waning daylight, ! confess tnat | wat
moved to some sympathy with their own
crs. 1t was appalling. Not a handful OF
grain was thcro left to gather, for the
corn had been not only laid" but literally
cut to ribbons by the hail.
After running for some miles through
the cultivated land the road entered the
forest Here II was dark as pitch, so dark
that ! wondered how our guides found
their way. In that backness dreadful
apprchensons seized me. for became con-
WINGED that we had been brought here to be
murdered. Every minute / expected 70 feel
knife thrust in my back. | thought of
digging my heels into the horses sides and
trying TO gallop Off anywhere, but ahan-
doned the idea, first because | could not
desert Marut Of whom ] had lost touch in
the gloom, and secondly because | was
hemmed in by the escort. For the same
reason did not try TO slip from the horse
and glide away into tho forest. There
was nothing 20 be done save to go on and
await the end.
1t came at last some hours later We
were out Of the forest now, and there was
tgtV O.,
bright. Her light showed me that we were
on wild moorand. swampy with scat
tered trees growing here and there. across
which what seemed to be a game track
ran down hill That was all l could make
out, Here the escort halted, and Smba
the King said in "A sullcn voice.
"Dismount and go your ways. evil spirlts,
for we travel no further across this place
which is haunted. Follow the track and
II viii lead you to q lake. Pass the Lake
and by morning you will come TO the river
beyond which lies the country Of your
friends May its waters swallow you If
you reach them. For learn. there is one
who watches on this road whom few care
to meet"
As he finished speaking men sprang nj us
and, pulling us from the horses, thrust us
out OF their company. Then they turned
and in another minute were lost in the
darkness. leaving us alone.
nat now friend Marut?' ] asked,
Now. Lord all we can do is to go for
ward, for If we stay here Simba and his
people will return and kill us at the day
light. One of them said SO to me-"
Then. come on, Macduff,'" | exclaimed
stepping out brislily, and though he had
never read Shakespeare, Marut understood
and followed.
What did Simba mean about 'one on the
road whom few care to mcet'?" I asked
over my shoulder when we had done half
a mile 'or so.
think he meant the elephant Jana, ="
replied Marut with II Eroan
Then hope Jana isn't at home. Cheer
up. Marut The chances are that we shall
never meet single elephant in this big
place"
yet many elephants have been here.
Lord, and he pointed to the ground 1T
is SAID that they come to die by the waters
or the lake and this is one Of the roads
they follow on their death journey, n road
that no other living thing dare travel"
on ] exclaimed. Then after all that