The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-01-14

great irregular throbs. a lump rose
in her throat and it seemed us though
it must strangle her if she did not let
herself forward, threw her arms about
Msungos neck, pressed her face
against him and sobbed.
ooh, White Man." she gasped, "I
was so loncly-I am so lonely"
The embrace of Il woman is one
thing; the clinging Of child quite an
other. The sternncSs in Arsungo's eyes
died suddenly; the hard look in his
face faded, vanished and gave place to
one OF great tenderness. He gathered
Andrea up in his arms and carried
her quickly through the covered way.
He told himself there was every rea-
son TO hasten, for he could feel her
soft warm body, shaken with sobs,
wrapping itself round his heart and
crushing it beyond repair. Hc laid her
on the couch in his room, made n nest
for her in the many pclts with which
tt was covered, pillowed her head in a
bundle of furs and drew over her
goyly figured sarong.
"You were cold" he said, as he
tucked her in; then he knelt beside
her took her hand in both of his and
suddenly laid his face in her open
palm, still moist with her tears.
Andrea drew long whimperihg
sigh and nestled down against the
warm furs. Her eyes gazcd ilppcrson-
ally and q little wonderingly at Mslm-
COS bowed head; then they wandered
about The room. SO this was where he
had lived and worked during many
months 1t was bachelors room,
arranged ut once for comfort, utility
ana Sloth. On one side was his cot,
permanently incloscd in mosquito net
ting and having ut its head lantern
for reading in bed. Next to it, came a
high draughtSman's desk roughly
made of packing cases. On each end
OF II, guttcring cpndlcS, still lighted,
rose from mysterious pcdcstals, empty
bottles disguiecd under cascades of
molten wax.
In the shadow OF the high desk stood
the one utterly incongrnous bit of fur
niturc, glist cning mahogany phono-
graph. Andrca's eyes passed it and
then went back to lingcr for an in
slant in vague wonder Why had
M'sungo never brought 1t out? Never
played it? She was not interested
enough to ask aloud
.indrca's eyes finished their slow
circuit Of the room and came back TO
the white mans bowed head. He had
not moved and she herself had lain
very still, more through languor than
by Voition. She had been in that state
of subducd consciousness which
sweeps troubled humanity back to the
bordcrand Of childhood, but now her
mind awoke. A deep flush stained her
neck and crept up through her checks,
carrying with it to her eyes n look of
suddcN age. Her hand, imprisoned
under the mans cheek, doubled and
contracted into n hard little fist. He
looked up quickly and saw the transit
ton that had come to her face. Don't
give in to it, he said, throwing one
arm across her knees. Don't give in
10 age. Do YOU think l am so blind
that | don't know where found YOU ?
Why do YOU think am on my knees?
It's in reverence before the glimpse
that | caught Of the girlhood OF An
drca Pcllor. My arms are trembling
because they have dared to carry her
clean youth, soft and warm rs it was
before The touch of the world and
years, and my heart is aching VITA a
memory that will never die"
White Man" said Andrea, her face
uMsolr"rcd. would you pay three
pounds fug mnT
I!e stared ut her, lcapcd TO his feet
und'Slarted pacing up and down be-
&!Gn ia" cpuoh, Il look Of thunder on
he brow no. he said ~ wouldn't"
y l'h"@i o"k,r;r ~ her lie went to the
I,i""raS" ui.t, after 4 lnoncNt drew
ont Il Wen volume; then he placed 4
o,iir close 10 the couch SO that the
."At 81! The lantern would fall over his
ahGu!Gc" SAT- down and began to read
,ai"ud.
VERY g:.idi;ally tlc hardened and
nuap"uct 'ooli in Andrca's eyes died
out. 'rlcy @cW wide again and dwclt
ircaiNii% on ihc man slim figure. She
iIw tn!y ,hings uhGur Him She had
ltcYGr lotcd before. Ills hair was
riSD ;UlI touched Win premature
gray ~ tlo temples; his shoulders
were broad and his hips very narrow
lie had II good boot leg" but his feet
were small enough 20 preserve bn'
'Iicc even there. III spite Of his hei"ht
nc was wcll-lint by grace of The lift
nc had led.