The Lamar register., 1919-11-26

anu MS worship OF l1e Breutest Oh
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 1t. Elephants never die"
Leading the march home over the
back trail, M'sungo set pace that kept
Marguerite at jogging trot. Andrea
protested but to no avail. Msungo,
comfortably smoking pipe after pipe,
had withdrawn into one of those male
havens 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 enc of the four pail.
bearers to Marguerite. There was
something about being carried even in
part by u white nan that seemed to
appeal 10 the old rogue's sense of hu-
NOR. He threw up his barrel-long head
and brnyed an accompaniment to his
triumphal progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than M'sungo
seized his tail and bore down on II
with all his weight. The music sud-
denly ceased.
But Andrea's clear laughter still
rang out "Oh," she cried when she
could speak. ''he is clever. ] didn't
realize how ridiculous you were until
he laughedr' She let herself go
again. Msungo glared Mt her.
"And you were brutal" she contin-
ued. "You pulled his tail"
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. Well. you
can't. I'm going to laugh all like.
Listenr"
She opened wide her mouth for a
stage 'Ha Ha Ha !" but it never got
out. .Msungo 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 IT, she asked argumenta-
lively. what is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
bIuffed?"
"a lot Of things" began Msungo,
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him shrewdly.
''Tell me. White Man." she concluded
"whnt is the one reasonT'
She saw a doubt and then a sudden
decision come into his face. "All
right" he said. "Tll tell you tonight"
They reached the home craal at the
setting Of the sun. In rapid succession
came tea, hot bath, fresh clothes
and dinner. With the first pun at her
cigarette Andrea settled back in her
chair and said, "Now."
The man did not pretend to be at 4
loss for her meaning. He nodded, lit
his cigar and sat down. "All right"
he said. "T1l trust you. Here's the
cat out of the bag. I'm not the
only Yh.te man in this bit-of coun-
try. There's another who came in
across the wilderness and has his camp
about forty miles up the river. His
business and mine have one thing and
one thing only, thank God, In common.
They are both clandestine. As II hap
pens, don't think he knows or cares
what I'm up TO. but l know all about
him, because on those rare occasions
when he comes down the river he Is
invariably roaring drunk. His tongue
never stops"
Does he-ever?" asked Andrea.
'You mean does he stop here?"
She nodded.
''Yes. he does" said M'sungo. 81
wish he didn't, but he always does"
"And what had you intended TO do
with me on his first visit?" she asked.
WELL" said M'sungo, his brows
"rve had III mind to tell
Won all about 1t just as I'm doing, and
trust you. But If it hadn't come to
that, was going to gng YOU and lock
you up"
"Oh, were your" said Andrea, her
eyes narrowing. Let me tell you at
A. n