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

sawed-of shotgun. Only HIS long traiT
ing to look twice before he fired save
Andrea when his eyes brought him Oh
startling conviction thar besides hin
self she was the only other living thin
in the room. She stared at him, wide
eyed and trembling. She saw his fig
ure, keyed TO one sort OF combat, rela,
only 10 grow slowly tense again. Ill
turned laid the shotgun aside ant
came toward her with swift SURF
strides. For an instant his eye
wavered but as he drew nearer the,
steadied 10 transnx and hold hel
pinned against the wall.
She felt herself struggling as against
an unjust accusation. Under her
trembling hands, her heart beat with
great irregular throbs A lump rose
in her throat and It seemed as though
It must strangle her il she did not let
IL out. In her desperation she hurled
herself forward. threw her arms about
MsungO's neck, pressed her face
against him and sobbed.
"Oh. White Man" she gasped, ~
The embrace of woman Is one
thing; the clinging OF child quite an
other. The sternness in M'sungos eyes
died suddenly; the hard look in his
face faded. vanished and gave place to
one of great tenderness. He gathered
Andrea up I'm his arms and carried
her quickly through the covered way.
He told himself there was every rea-
son TO hasten. for he could feel her
soft warm body, shaken with sobs,
wrapping itself round his heart and
crushing II beyond repair. He laid her
on the couch In his room, made a nest
for her In the many pelts with which
1t was covered, pillowed her head in
bundle of furs and drew over her
gayly figured sarong.
you were cold" he said, as he
tucked her in; then he knelt beside
her. took her hand In both of his and
suddenly laid his face in her open
palm, stIll moist with her tears.
Andrea drew long whimpering
sigh and nestled down against the
warm furs. Her eyes gazed imperson-
ally and little wonderingly at Msun-
go's bowed head; then they wandered
about the room. So this was where he
had lived and worked during many |
months 1t was a bachelors room,
arranged at once for comfort, utility |
and sloth. On one side was his cot, |
permanently inciosed In mosquito net |
ting and having at its head a lantern +
for reading In bed. Next to 1t, came
high draughtsmans desk roughly
made of packing cases. On each end
of It, guttering candles, still lighted.
rose from mysterious pedestals, empty
bottles. disguised under cascades of
molten wax.
In the shadow of the high desk stood
the one utterly incongruous bit of fur
niture, glistening mahogany phono-
graph. Andrea's eyes passed 1t and
then went back to linger for an in
slant In vague wonder. Why had
N'sungo never BROUGHT II out? Never
played it? She was not interested
enough to ask aloud.
Andrea's eyes finished their slow
he white mans bowed head. He had
lot moved and she herself had lain
'ery still, more through languor than
" volition. She had been in that state
II subdued consciousness which
weeps troubled humanity back to the
'orderland of childhood. but now her
mind awole. A deep flush stained her
leck and crept up through her cheeks,
arrylng with it to her eyes a look OF
udden age. Her hand, imprisoned
Inder the mans cheek, doubled and
ontracted into a hard little fist. He
ooked up quickly and saw the transit
Ion that had come to her face. Don't
i've In TO it." he said, throwing one
RIM across her knees. Don't give in .,
0 age. Do you think am so blind
hat don't know where l found you?
Why do you think ! am on my knees? o
IS in reverence before the glimpse n
nat 7 caught Of the girlhood Of An Y
rea Pellor. My arms are trembling
ecause they have dared to carry her II
can youth, soft and warm as it was l.
efore the touch Of the world and s.
EARS, and my heart is aching with a 81
emory that will never die"
white Man." said Andrea, her face q
lsoftened, would you pay three w
FUNDS for me?" fl
He stared at her. leaped to his feet pl
I'd started pacing up and down be-
de the couch. look of thunder on al
5 brow. NO" he said Il wouldn't" re
ithout looking at her he went to the III
'okcase and, after a moment. drew dc
t worn volume; then he placed 1t
air close TO the couch so that the kI
int Of the lantern would fall over his tn
ouldcr. sat down and began to read til
bud.
Very gradually the hardened and
eapened look in Audrea's eyes died
{. They grew wide again and dwelt
eamily on the mans slim figure. She
" many things about him she had
yer noted before. His hair was I