The Lamar register., 1919-11-05

luen HI tne COAST, Nc continued
"just within the mouth of the river
have a blind In the way of sisal
plantation. That gives the excuse for
a steamer with machinery. say. to
come in without arousing suspicion"
so you are II pro6teer on the way
to making a 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 and plunged AT
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 wide clearing
which. simultaneously with their ar
rival, began to ring to the blows Of
many axes Through all Its length 1t
swarmed with blacks at work; some
Telling trees. some stripping them Of
bark, others gathering 1t. 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 Msungo to encourage,
direct or criticize. They passed be-
yond the ringing OF the axes into Q
region pungent with the smell of burn
ing greenwood. Along one side, the
side away from the fringe of the for.
est, was long line Of smoke spirals.
He waved at them. "D' you see what
they're doing7 Our axes ran out. 50
here we're Telling in the old native
way with a ring Of fire at the foot of
each doomed tree"
By eight O'Clock the sun was at its
full strength and Andrea was thankful
Indeed for her pith helmet; by ten she
was thinking that noontime would
never come. Msungo was too en-
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 . helmet, right side up on the
ground. makes an excellent pillow.
"rm OF. Promise you won't be
onely. for 1t will be hours before I
get back"
Andrea's lower lip trembled. Aren't
you coming for Iunch7"
He looked down at her and shook
ais head. There may come days Of
oicnIcs. youngster. but they're a long
way on"
please come back" she insisted.
He met her eyes with hardened
.aze. There's not a woman living"
he said slowly. "that will let a man
work when she's around-if she can
help It,"
You're thinking of people In love-"
,aid Andrea to start an argument and
gain time.
"Of course was" said the man on
the instant. Cant you let me work."
Beast" said Andrea and rolled over
On her side. one moist hand for q pill
low In place of the hard helmet. She
did not watch him go. she did not see
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
on laggard feet. At midday she ate:
then she tried to read. but by four In
the afternoon she was desperate for
to do. She determined to
sleep again. and just as she was doing
OF whisper came to her-one of those
carefully measured whispers that
reach tho Intended ear and go no far
ther
'8fissisi''
She turned. what is itr' she
asked.
"Gashlyi Missis." breathed Bathtub.
and the agony In his appeal to her
to go slow was so eloquent that she
caught the spirit, II not the meaning
Of the word.
She raised her head ever so care
fully and looked out over the plain.
"Ohr' she murmured.
A-Quarter of a mile away a band of
sable were grazing. and In a moment
she could tell that they were feeding
directly toward her. ''Ohr she
breathed again. "oh, you beautiesI''
Closer and closer grazed the herd.
stepping daintily from tuft to tuft of