The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-02-21

lieved? 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 tnat 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
seer he whispered. "You can't be-
neve IT. Elephants never die"
Lending the march home over the
back trail, Msungo 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had withdrawn into one of those male
havens 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, M'sungo 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 hui
NOR. He threw up his barrel-lOng head
and brayed an accompaniment to his
trlumphal progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than M'sungo
seized his tail and bore down on it
with all his weight. The music sud
denly ceased.
But Andrea's clear laughter still
rang out. "Oh," she cried when she
could speak, che is clever. 1 didn't
realize how ridiculous you were until
he laughed" She let herself ,go
again. Msungo glared at her.
sand you were brutal" she contin-
ued. You pulled his tail"
81 pulled his tail to make him shut
up" said Rsungo. 81 wish" he
paused.
Say it," cried Andrea. "You wish
you could make me shut up. Well, you
can't. I'm going to laugh al l like.
Listen 90
She opened wide her mouth for n
stage "Ha Ha Ha ~ but it never got
out. Msungo 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 IY' she asked argumenta-
lively. "What is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
bluffed?
"A lot of things" began Msungo.
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him shrewdly.
Tell me. White Man." she concluded
''what is the one reasonT'
She saw a doubt and then a sudden
decision come into his face. "All
right" he said. an tell you tonight.
They reached the home craal at the
setting of the sun. In rapid succession
came tea, hot bath. fresh clothes
and dinner. With the first puff at her
cigarette Andrea settled back in her
chair and said. "Now.'
The man did not pretend to be at
loss for her meaning. He nodded. lit
his cigar and sat down. "All right =
he said, "lll trust you. Here's the
cat out Of the bag. I'm not the
only White man in tIas 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 1t hap
pens. don't think he knows or cares
what I'm up to, but / know all about
him. because on those rare occasions
when he comes down the river he is
invariably roaring drunk. His tongue
never stops"
Does he-ever?" asked Andrea.
You mean does he stop here?"
She nodded.
"Yes, he does" said M'sungo. 81
wish he didn't. but he always does"
"And what had you intended TO do
with me on his first visit?'' she asked.
well" said M'sungo. his brows
I've had in mind TO tell
you all about IT just as Tn doing. and
trust you. But if it hadn't come to
that. l was going to gag you and lock
you up"
'Oh, were you?" said Andrea. her
eyes narrowing. "Let me tell you at
once that l do not consider myself I'M
der parole. / don't mean by that that
I'm going to sit on the river bank wait
ing for this man to come along. hut
when he comes would be fool to
miss the chance of telling him just
what my situation is. He might not
be able to get me out. but at least l
would no longer be totally in your
power. If my disappearance should
be completed there would be cred
iDle witness TO the incredible fact that
l had really been here"
A dark flush spread over Msungo's
face. AT the risk of further arousine |
your curiosity" he said, "Iet me as
sure you that you are a thousand
times safer In my sole power than in
that Of one or dozen Closters."