The Mena weekly star., 1920-02-12

gunbearers quietly picked them up.
 Msungo turned to Andrea. "Get on the donkey he ordered. When she was mounted her eyes were on level with his own. "Llsten." he said. "YouH ride now, because when we strike the bush you can't Please lis- ten. because from now until the kill nobody is going to speak to you and | if you should say a word out loud you might get six Inches of spear in the excitement of the moment"
 "Go ahead: I won't speak" said An drea. and pressed her lips together. When you begin to get hot" con tinued Msungo, "just take off what you don't want and drop it. We peo- pie ahead can't lose anything if we try. The boys used to pick up my dead matches until stopped them. When you come to the bush, shed your skirt get off Marguerite and leave him. Walk lightly and hang on till you drop. If you last long enough, you'll see me take the big gun. That's the beginning of the end and when it happens you are to do just one thing. Look around you. Somewhere near you are bound to see big tree loom ing out of the bush. Go to it, hug it, stay with it whatever happens till l call you"
 A moment later they were off at a terrific pace, the tracker in the lead, Msungo next. then the gunbearers, Andrea, and after her the tagging rest. For hours they kept on with out break or pause. Andrea watched M'sungo's long stride, fascinated by its unvarying pendulum swing. The gunbearers took shorter steps. They walked pivotIng on the ball of the foot; just before each step, their heels jerked inward sharply for the thrust back. She leaned forward; Marguerite had his eyes wide open. He seemed to be breathing softly, as though he, too, were bent on playing the game.
 Quite suddenly they came out of the forest into broken mangy space. The heat and glare was terrific. Here and here were Scraggy groups of thorn, apparently burnt up by the sun. but in reality very much alive. To one side. m enormous acacia cast fts grateful blot of shade. The tracker pausing at last, looked straight up transfixed ia an eloquent pose.
 Andrea followed his gaze. At an incredible height she saw a branch. freshly broken Her reason battled with incredulity; it told her that only one thing could have reached the branch and snapped it--the up-hung trunk of the rearing beast they were following. For the first time in her life, measuring again that height, she felt actual awe M'sungo cast glance over his shoulder His face was alight {; his eyes shone with a swimming bril- Iiance.
 A few minutes later they came to the ragged edge of the elephant bush. The tracker east left and right with quick, ierlSy steps Here the three bulls had separated; joyful sign, for it showed intention to feed. The traeker came to . halt, dropped the tip of his assegai shaft to chosen spoor. Msungo looked back at Andrea impa- tiently. Sine threw herself from Mar guerites back and hastily stripped off her jersey. unhuttoned her skirt and let it fall. She stood in helmet, khaki shirt and brooches, puttees and tight, ly laced boots--an adorable study in brown But M'sungo had no time for artistic effects he turned from her with nod and plunged into the bush in the wake of the tracker.
 Fortunately for Andrea the going was now much slower. It was not that the spoor was harder to follow-in fact, 1t was much easier, for through the jungle of stunted sapling no man could pass save where an elephant had plowed way---but that now every indication of the games progress had to be read. studied and accurately val ued. Here began the exercise of that finished science which Msungo had placed so high giving due credit to those forerunners who had marked its stages with their iife's blood.
 The state of parted vine. or a half- mastieated leaf. bore some message upon the true reading of which hung the delicate balance of success or fail ure. Slower and slower fell the pace and i'll measured proportion silence was born and seemed to grow and spread and throb till 1t hung in the air like some stifling all-permeating mist. Beneath it the heart beat with an irregular rat-tat-tat and breath came in hurried gnsps In spite of the men before her, Andrea felt alone, adrift on q sea of unseen but lowering perils. She looked over her shoulder. Only Bathtub was in sight behind her, tense, one foot in air. waiting for her to take her next step before he placed his foot. His naked body, exposed to the merciless sun. streamed with sweat
 Andrea's shoulders ached from holding her arms before her face to ward on the interminably encroaching vines and branches that seemed to op- pose the way, but invariably parted at her touch. Her tongue was parched, all her clothing laid hands on her every motion with clammy grip and her body quiyered on the fine edge of ex-