The Lamar register., 1919-10-15

He Settled Back Tensely and Made
For II.
far ahead. He settled back tensely
and made for 1t. The engine back
fired with the ripping report of gat-
ling gun. coughed and stopped. The
man gripped the steering gear tightly
and tipped the machines nose down
for long, reaching volplane. On the
backs of his hands Andrea saw little
cleaning bulbs of sweat. Swerving
to escape the crest of tree. he made
reasonably successful landing. In
spite of his agitation. The airplane
took the ground in the wide beaten.
circle of a native kraal. shot across 1t
and then came to u violent stop with
wings buried In the mud-plastered
walls of two separate huts.
The shock cast Andrea forward: In
stinctlvely she threw her arms around
the mans neck. She felt the CULVER
ing of his whole body as though IL
We're shaking with an ague. To her
astonIshment he became for an in
stant almost pitlable. But only for
an instant; then he neryed himself.
climbed out of the machine and helped
her down. She gave long sigh Of
relief and looked up at him with a
half smile on her face. He had taken
of his goggles. His eyes were gray
and large. They stared mt without
seeing her and in them was visible
.rouble as OF some deep and hidden
struggle.
Andrea gazed at him. her lips parted
In wonder. AT last he felt her eyes
upon him and deep flush mounted
from his neck and swept upward.
lighting the tan of his face with
subdued glow.
"If shat happened to me-" thought
Andrea. I'D be as red as n field of
POI pies
III bog your PARDON" stammered
lhc man and started walking up and
down with luics strides. Andren
sne,v bsiin iivcly tint he was warm
.ng VI muscles that Ind been sud
denly frozen steailying shaking knee
ind ,i'aky heart,
She ,usned aeT eyes from him ind
..as.ed aIodnu To get her first glimpse
"It means O whip Of raw rhino
hide" said the man. "An implement
that draws blood with whisper"
Andrea went white; her eyes blazed.
$50 you whip your servaDtsr' she
said with curlcu lips.
81 have whipped boy once" an
swered the man coolly. "They have
never forgotten He turned to her.
"This boy. Bathtub. is yours. If he
ever fails you | shall thrash him with
in an inch of his nine lives" He dis
missed the boy with a nod.
BathtuD stepped before his mis-
tress, saluted. grinned the broadest.
most friendly grin Andrea had ever
seen. and without waiting for the
smiling answer of her eyes was on
like an arrow.
So taken up was Andrea with watch
Ing the white man as he issued rapid
fire of orders to his remaining lieu
tenants that when Bathtub returned,
saluted. and led her beneath the les
ser of the acacia trees she could not
believe her eyes. for they showed her
canvas wash basin on stilts. clean
towel laid over the back of a chair, an
other chair before a camp table laid
with clean cloth and burdened with
two sizzling fried eggs. hot toast, mar
malade. pot of tea and an absurd
squat bottle with the stems Of wild
flowers rammed down Its throat.
She took of her cloak and Bathtub
promptly hung 1t to air over a low
branch of the tree; then. while she
bathed her face and hands. he stood
by with the towel. and when she was
through with that he drew Ler chair
for her and poured her tea. Children
began crowding around. He drove
them back, and. dragging bis toe,