The Mena weekly star., 1920-01-01
lIlIIllIIIlIIIIiIIlIIIIIIIIlIIIIIlIlIIiiiIlIIi ,opyright, 1919, The Bobbs-Merrin Company

nfo her face and down over one-half
 he length of her bare arms. She
 hrew up a hand to her cheek and
 nessed 1t there. Her eyes were afiame.
 U ever I can hurt you" she said
 aowly, "if-ever-I-can--"
 ghe man looked surprised; then con-
 rife and finally grave.
 tLet me assure you" he said, 'that
 gou will inevitably have 1t in your
 D0wer."
 KTn not forget when that day sornes," she said and arose. With her hand still pressed to her face, she hur- tied from him across the kraal into Der room and slammed and barred the tfttr behind her. She went straight To the mirror and took her hand away. Such trifie that tiny spot had seemed last night, the night of party-just an excuse for beauty patch of black nlaster-and tonight it was immeas- urably ugly
 With bed so near she could not stop to cry just yet. She went about her preparation deliberately, subconscious- Iy secure in the thought that she could soon soak her pillow in aching com f0rt. Throughout her maneuvering she was aware of a presence in the room, inan.mate but terrifyingly per. Sonal. However she turned, 1t still ls1rked in the corner of her eye, ac- cused her of dallying and almost said aloud, Eventually why not now?'' Finally she slipped of the rest of her dainty clothes and with eyes screwed fight shut. groped for the presence, seized 1t and put it on in two parts.
 F'Oh!" she gasped in rage. 'that should have to wear that beasts silk pajamas !" She put out the light, hurled herself at the cot curled up ike a kitten. drew the sheet over her head, cuddled into the pillow and sobbed, Poor Andrea Poor Andrea Pel-Pe-"
 Brutal. elemental sleep had choked the words in her throat.
 There is DO telling when Andrea would have awaked had 1t not been for Bathtub, who thundered on her door at the scandalously late hour in {hat cline of eight in the morning.
 Bath ready, Missis Bath ready, Missis!" he was chanting monoto. npusly. She arose. put on her cloak, opened the door and rubbed her eyes at the shock of monday glare.
 The boy grinned from ear to ear. Bath ready" he exclaimed with hAppy finality and bearing towels and soap led her to the newly constructed little hut in the yard. He placed the on a chair set close to a collapsible canvas tub and from neighboring smoldering fire fetched big tin of water.
 Hot wateri" cried Andrea. "Why, I'm boiling myself. Bring me cold water"
 Cold water no good" affirmed Bath tub as he emptied the tin.
 But I wish cold water" said An drea.
 Cold water plenty no good for white Missis," reaffirined Bathtub and withdrew, carefully closing the door behind him.
 Andrea enjoyed the bath and learned in ten minutes the soundness of the tropical rule that it had taken some old-timer ten years to evolve: The hot ter the day the hotter the water. Feel Ing refreshed, almost cool. she started back to her room, but stopped on the veranda, her eyes held by sundry things m the table, mans soft shirt, freshly lroned. roll of khaki cloth, scissors, 8 thimble and one of those pepper-pot uns of assorted needles. She stared at them long and helplessly. her lower Hp trembling; then she went in, put on her things except her frock and Fovered Its lack with her cloak. She did her hair last of all, by way of change, and just as she finished heard Bathtub's call to breakfast. %% Neither white man nor black was in epidence, but even so the day passed Swiftly so many were the new features of the kraal's changing scene. She chose book at random had her ham, nock-chair dragged into the shade of fhe dining tree and stretched out to Ter first lesson in lazy content. Grad lally she grew drowsy with the heat, but not so sleepy that she failed to bear from away off the far-carrying report, six times repeated, of a high lowered rifle.
 Bathtub, squatted near by. looked np with beatific smile. Master" he stated.
 1t was two hours later when the Incident was repeated in every detail save that the shots came from still farther away; and about three hours liter, once more the thing happened. Bathtub rolled his eyes and hugged himself in gormandizing anticipation ls he breathed the word. "Masterr' Andrea was vaguely interested until the sequel to those eighteen shots began to arrive and then she was with horror. Amid the shouts Df men and the shrill ulululooing Of he women they began to come in, peasr after beast, each trussed to pole and borne by six. sometimes eight, naked and straining blacks.
 First to arrive were five sable ante Iope, beautiful even in death. the proud sweep of their glorious horns inverted. thick tongues dragging in the dust. The bearers did not stop within the