Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-11-28
90 M rs

~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Sa 1 SsSl
sullen wonder into the culprit's face,
whereupon the white man would
promptly call halt and demand more
evidence. Such gases were then al
lotted half an hour and even an hour
each, and without exception resulted
in the acquittal of the prisoner at the
bar.
Andrea was suddenly aware OF
M'sungo's voice indubitably addressed
to her though lie kept his eyes to the
front and spoke In toneless mono
logue as If he were communing with
himself. Behold! Psychology on the
job" he said. watch their faces.
Every native that knows his sentence
to be just. takes it with an apologize
smile; If he looks sullen, the chances
are a hundred to one that he's inno-
cent. I've never gone wrong. They
think I'm wonder. Nextw
One case alone that day was appar-
emily interminable. When at last it
was completed M'sungo dropped his
eyes for the first time and sat for a
long while with bowed head: then he
drew erect, looked the prisoner In the
eye and spoke three words. A gray
hue crept into the blacks fa,e as he
turned away. II have surrendered him
to the justice of his tribe" murmured
M'sungo. Poor devilw And Andrea
knew that she had witnessed the pre-
cursor to an inevitable sentence of
death.
That night M'sungo was too tired to
talk and excused himself Immediately
after dinner. Andrea read until her
eyes ached and then went to bed won
dering If she were feeling only slight
ed or If existence were actually be-
coming monotonous. She shrank from
the latter admission for she knew
that. once made. 1t would shatter the
longest run of sheer peace of spirit
which she had experienced in her short
but much bored life. She need not
nave worried. When she stepped out
early next morning dressed for the
field in compliance with a message
from M'sungo to put on her toughest
and toughest she was so excited that
even the memory of her doubt was
plotted from her mind. Something was
IN the air of the craal that could be
felt rather than heard, the sort of
something that one could imagine Dos
sessing hive just before 1t began to
| hum.
M'sungo was already sitting under
the dining tree engaged In diminu-
tive palaver with three wiZened blacks
VINO squatted on the ground squint-
ing up at him and speaking In turn
IN answer to his patient questioning.
Around them but at respectful dis
lance were gathered various members
OF the camps personal staff. On the
faces of the wizened three and also on
Msungo's was the same look of
fanatical exaltation, the look that pro-
claims any group of diverse men
brothers at heart.
What is it?" asked Andrea, breath
less from hurrying.
Elephant" replied M'sungo. He
drew chair to his side. "Sit down. ="
he said softly as one whose mind is
haif-narcotized and fearful of losing
the dream, watch and listen, for
these men bring great tidings." He
smiled almost like a boy.
One of the wizened produced a thin
wand, about twenty inches in length.
freshly broken at one end. He passed
1T to his companions; who stared at It
as though they saw II for the first in
stead or the hundredth time, fingered
1t, gurgled over II and finally gravely
handed 1t to M'sungo. He went through
more or less the same process and re-
turned 1t to the man who first pro-
duced 1t with what was apparently a
sighting remark.
The man glanced up with a pained
look on his face. arose. laid the wand
on the ground as a measure and with
laboripus fingers began to trace a
mighty oval. M'sungo leaned across
the table and gazed with fascinated
eye; Andrea. watching him, could see
the pulse throbbing at his temples. He
was new M'sungo somebody young,
approachable. lovable, an eager boy.
she leaned close to his shoulder
PLEASE. White Man." she murmured
please tell me-"
). without turning he put one hand
out and grasped her wrist as though
to still her. "The little man." he ex.
planned, lis drawing the spoor of a
mighty beast. Look at 1t and learn II
ny heal for 1t will be photograph. .
Having completed the circumference
OF his oval. the native was making
various tracings on its face. dividing II
as with maze of tracks. When he
had apparently finished, he sank back
on his heels and gazed critically at hi,
handiwork.
watch. said M'SungO. Before he