Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1919-12-05
IIilIIIIIHIllI.iIIlllilIIIlIIIIIIiIlIIIIIlIIIi

that never dies" he went on, his eyes
narrowing to peculiar look she had
never seen in them before, such a look
as one is apt to connect only with
mystics. fanatics, ardent believers, and
thoroughly out of keeping with the
conception Of the White Man she haG
builded for herself
"Why, White 8Ianip she cried,
"what do you mean? What's come
over yOul"
He looked away and then back at
her. well" he said, quizzical CLEAN
creeping into his eyes, ''who's afraid?
Why shouldn't I tell once more a thing
that's been written a hundred times
by greater adopts than I and never be-
lieved? It's this, Andrea Pellor. Don't
set yourself too high above the native
and his worship of the greatest of
beasts, for he knows what you can't
even believe and that is that elephants
are killed, they never die. In all the
centuries that blacks, Arabs and
whites have padded the myriad trails
of Africa, no man has ever seen or
heard Of an elephant dying from old
age or any other natural cause"
His eyes hardened on her face you
see?" he whispered. you can't be-
lieve it. Elephants never die"
Leading the march home over the
back trail, M'sungo set pace that kept
Marguerite at a jogging trot. Andrea
protested but to no avail. Msungo,
comfortably smoking pipe after pipe,
had withdrawn into one of those male
Ravens of the mind that remains mar
velously untroubled by the tongues Of
women. Andrea sulked.
When they arrived at the river,
there being but three natives in their
reduced following, M'sungo promptly
took his place as one of the four pall-
bearers to Marguerite. There was
something about being carried even in
part by white man that seemed to
appeal TO the old rOgue's sense Of hui
NOR. He threw up his barrel-long head
and brayed an accompaniment to his
triumphal progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than MSungo
seized his tail and bore down on il (
with all his weight. The music sud
denly ceased.
But Andrea's clear laughter still
rang out oh" she cried when she
could speak, she is clever. I didn't
realize how ridiculous you were until
he Iaughedl' She let herself go
again. M'sungo glared at her
"And you were brutal" she contin-
ued. You pulled his tall
81 pulled his tail to make him shut
up" said M'sungo. 81 wish" he
paused.
"Say it," cried Andrea. "You wish
you could make me shut Up. Wen, you
can't. I'm going to laugh all like.
Listen"
She opened wide her mouth for
stage "Ha. Ha Ha - but it never got (
out. Nrsungo threw his arms around
her and snatched her to him. His lips
came closer and closer to hers. In his
eyes was an exasperated twinkle
"Please don't he begged
Andrea glanced down her nose at
his lips, saw that they had halted in
their advance on hers and decided to
struggle free from his embrace. Why
shouldn't II" she asked argumenta-
lively. what is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
bluffed?"
"A lot of things" began M'sungo,
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him Shrewdly.
'ATell me, White Man." she concluded /
''what is the one reasonT
She saw a doubt and then a sudden /,
decision come into his face. "An
right" he said. .I'll tell you tonight. =
They reached the home craai at the :
setting of the sun. In rapid succession :
came tea, a hot bath, fresh clothes !
and dinner. With the first puff at her ,
cigarette Andrea settled back in her I
chair and said. '"Now..
The man did not pretend TO be at ,
loss for her meaning. He nodded. lit I
bis cigar and SAT down. "All right" 4
he said, "lu trust you. Here's the G
cat out of the bag I'm not the {
only White man in this bit of eoun- !
try. There's another who came in
across the wilderness and has his camp b
about forty miles up the river. His "
business and mine have one thing and g
one thing only. thank God, in common 5
They are both elandestine. As it hap Il
pens. l don't think he knows or cares o
what I'm up TO. but I know all about Il
him, because en- those rare occasions I,
when he comes down the river he is Il
invariably roaring drunk. His tongue Il
seyer stops" Il
Does he-eversn asked Andrea b
You mean does he stop hereg' o.
She nodded. d
"Tes, he does" said MSungo. Il II
wish he didn't. but he always does" u
sand what had you intended TO DO Il
sith me on his first viSitg' she asked. II
wei" said Msungo. his brows o.