The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-03-19

came TO disturb their purpose |
full silence. Trevor Strengthened In his |
chair and leaned forward. his whole |
body tense In the effort OF listening. |
1t came again. ghost of a SQUAD that !
gradually assumed substance and |
rhythmic form until after five long
minutes 1t was recognizable as the |
cadenced rumble Of an African river
chantey.
Instantly Trevor was on his feet. He
issued orders to Bathtub. who imme-
diately began TO clear the table and
eliminate every item Of furniture that
would indicate dual occupancy Of the
white portion of the camp. They had
dressed that night for dinner, not as q
celebration or any special event, but
because they were both bored with
too much time on their hands. Trevor
now excused himself to Andrea and
withdrew. to his room. In few min
utes he reappeared CARRIED in his
toughest khaki shirt and trousers. His
face was grave as he advanced on
Andrea with nod toward her hut.
Manchester will be here In half an
hour" he stated. II ask you to go to
your room, close and bar both doors
and stay there until call you"
Without waiting for her comment,
he turned and left her. She sat on.
with narrowed eyes, until she had fin
ished her cigarette, and then, with a
glance around to see II Trevor were
watching, she arose and walked slowly
across the open court of the craal. In
her breast was a great rebellion at
the curt manner in which he had made
his request, but she had to admit to
herself that no other form of address,
coming from him, could have impressed
her so deeply, moved her so quickly.
| She went to her room, closed the
book and sat down to make a pretense
Of reading. The sound Of the chantey
rumbled near and then wavered afar
according to the bends Of the river, but
in spite Of this variation the sum of
its volume swelled steadily In an
ominous approach until it died quite
suddenly at the boat landing.
| There was distant rattle of q
dozen punting-poles dropped across
the thwarts, spoken word or two
that carried marvelously across the
still night, and then a long silence sud.
denly shattered by believing voice
"Ship ahoy Show your port and star.
board lights, d you. How in the
h dyou think I'll make the chan.
nell"
Andrea rose quickly and laid her
ear to a crack in the door. Her pulse
was beating fast, but she was smiling
She heard Trevor come out and pres
emily she heard him speak. His voice
was almost unrecognizable, 1t was sc
cold and SO incisive like sharpened
steel. In strange incongruity, the
words he let fall were like drops OF
molten metal.
"Hello, Manchester, you dirty, drunk
en- brute! What's your price to e
away from here tonight? l can Offer
you case of Bols and all the kaflil
dogs in the craal to see you Off"
The words and their manner as
founded Andrea; for a moment /
seemed to her that these two mel
must be joking. Then she felt the i'm
pact of an undercurrent of malevolenc
such as she had never in her life i'm
agined, much less encountered Sh
quvered to the thought that here wa
Trevor absolutely without gloves a
last, every word an Intentionally make,
blow.
Trevor" said Manchester in an oil
voice that was strangely softened an
indescribably aggravating, Il like yor
l can't help likin' you; you're so d
unbiblical. Not a whisper about
sanguinary fatted calf. You go RICH
to my heart with case of gin. l az
cept; bring it out"
mo" said Trevor, 'Tll send it ur
I'll have it waiting for you by the tim
you get back if you don't rot and fal
apart on the way"
"There you CO." said MacClostel
pleasantly, ALWAYS cheerful, war;
welcome on your tongue" Then, wit
a change that was like a thunder-clap
"Send 1t up, you dunghill bantam
Why the h haven't you sent m
music box?"
Andrea pressed her hands, her fac
and her whole body against the doc
She was trembling slightly, but sh
was not frightened; her Intelligent
was too busy. 1t had leaped to an III
Outstanding Of Trevor's part in wha
was going on outside. She forgot tina
she had ever thought 1t mere battl
of tongues. She could imagine thi
man, Manchester, as a mountain G
Drawn and sinew against which TIRE
vor was deliberately opposing all tn
moral weight of the old fighting slt
gan, Bully bully!'
More than that; she could now fec
that the suppressed hatred she ha
guessed at their words had come bolt
ly into the open and that it was in
sense labored and forced only becaus
its intensity was beyond actual e,
preston. These men were Stripe
RI oil