The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-02-27

narrowing to a peculiar look she had
never seen in them before, such a look
as one is apt to connect only with
mystics, fanatics, ardent believers, and
thoroughly out of keeping with the
conception Of the White Man she had
builded for herself.
"Why, White Mani" she cried,
what do you mean? What's come
over your"
He looked away and then back at
her. SWELL" he said, a Quizzical CLEAN
creeping into his eyes, "who's afraid?
Why shouldn't tell once more thing
that's been written a hundred times
by greater adopts than I and never be-
lieved2 It's this, Andrea Pellor. Don't
set yourself too high above the native
and his worship Of the greatest Of
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
sect" 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had withdrawn into one of those male
Ravens 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, Msungo promptly
took his place as one of the four pail
bearers to Marguerite. There was
something about being carried even in
part by a white man that seemed to
appeal to the old rogue's sense of hu-
NOR. He threw up his barrel-long head
and brayed an accompaniment to his
triumphal progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than Msungo
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. "0h." she cried when she
could speak. 'he is clever. I didn't
realize how ridiculous you were until
he laughedp She let herself 60
again. Msungo glared at her.
"And you were brutal" she contin-
ued. "You pulled his tail"
~ pulled his tail to make him shut
up" said Msungo. Il 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 I like.
ListenP
She opened wide her mouth for a
stage 'Ha Hai Hal" but 1t never got
out. M'sungo 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 II" she asked argumenta-
lively. "what is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
bluffedT
"A lot of things" began Msungo,
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him shrewdly.
Tell me, White Man." she concluded
"what Is the one reasonf'
She saw q doubt and then q sudden
decision come into his face. IAN
right" he said. 'Tn tell you tonight"
They reached the home craal at the
setting Of the sun. In rapid succession
came tea. a hot bath. fresh clothes
and dinner. With the first pun at her
cigarette Andrea settled back In her
chair and said, snow"
The man did not pretend to be at a
loss for her meaning. BE nodded, lit
his cigar and sat down. -All right"
he said. IN trust jon. Here's the
cat out OF the bag. I'm not the
only white 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 I know ali about
him. because on those rare occasions
when he comes down the river he Is
invariably roaring drunk. His tongue
never stops"
eTl-.- ~. .---~s -Aa -