The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-11-29

swcro1. "But if YOU knew all the facts
Won wouldn't find il 50 wonderful In
the first place this spot is cut off on
nearly AL sides by waterleSs wilder
ness. In the only direction that isn't
I true which is straight down the river,
I there. is II wild zone that in four hun
! dred years has never been pacfied by
the European dominance of the prov
/ ince. Those unsubdued tribes have
been my friends IN times past and are
my !. lies today. No white man but my
self has ever crossed their boundaries
and lived; consequently they can tell
no tales to my harm. Do You begin to
sce?"
Andrea nodded.
''rheu ut the coast" he continued.
'tjust within the mouth of the river,
| have blind in the way of n sisal
plantation. That gives the excuse for
q steamer with machinery. say. to
come IN without arousing suspicion"
$50 YOU are profiteer on the way
to making war fortune" commented
Andrea.
He flushed more deeply than she had
yet seen him. "If you stay here long
enough" he said stoutly, you may
understand
He turned from her aud plunged ut
right angles into the forest She fol-
lowed him into the chill air under the
great trees. All too soon Andrea came
out with him into a wide clearing
which. simultaneously with their ar
rival. began to ring TO the blows of
many axes. Through all its length it
swarmed with blacks at work some
Telling trees. some stripping them of
bark, others gathering it, and still
others stacking the barred wood and
cleaning up the general litter accord
ing to the most approved rules of mod
ern forestry.
They walked up the wide swath of
the clearing slowly, with many stops
on the part of M'sungo to encourage.
direct or criticize. They passed be
yond the ringing of the axes into a
region pungent with the smell of burn
ing greenwood. Along one side. the
side away from the fringe of the for
est. was "a long line of smoke sprals.
He waved at them. Cd you see what
they're doing? Our axes ran out, so
here we're telling in the old native
way with ring of fire at the foot of
each doomed tree"
BY eight O'Clock the sun was Mt its
full strpuptb and AuIrpa yvaS thankful
indeed for her pth helmet; by ten she
was thinking that noontme would
never come. Msungo was too en-
crossed with his work to notice her.
She kept on. riding her nerve, until she
felt that in another moment she must
topple over; then she laid a quivering
hand on his arm He turned quickly,
looked at her face gone white in spite
Of the heat and cursed himself aloud.
He led her through the fringe of the
forest to the deep shade at its open
edge. made her lie down and showed
her that a helmet. right side up on the
ground makes an excellent pillow.
"Tm off. Promise you won't be
lonely for it will be hours before i
get back"
Andrea's lower lip trembed.. aren't
you coming for lunch?'
He looked down at her and shook
his head. There may come days of
picnics, youngster, but they're Il long
way Off
Please come back" she insisted
He met her eyes with a hardened
gaze. There's not woman living"
he said slowly 'that will let man
work when she's around-if she can
help it.
you're thinking of people in love-"
said Andrea to start an argument and
gain time.
"Of course ! was" said the man on
the instant. Cant you let me work 2"
Beast" said Andrea and rolled over
on her side. one moist hand for Il pill
low in place of the hard pelmet. She
did not watch him go, SHE did not see
Bathtub and another boy arrive with
table. chair and lunch basket. all in
a single small load. for before it hap
pened she was far away in the land
of Nod When she awoke she was
sorry for awake the hot hours passed