Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1920-05-14
By
GEORGE AGNEW
CHAMBERLAIN

Itself away from the sentlent sent OF
pain.
rs II as bad MS thnt2" snid M'sungo.
Into his voice had already come the
calm Of n man accustomed to the face
OF danger. I'm going to leave you
for n moment" he continued. "when
come I'll take the pain away"
lie stepped toward the barred door
and tried TO open II. SO intent was he
on getting to his room that he glanced
at the cord and saw only that Il was
hinderlng him. He drew out his knife,
cut the bur FREQ and hurried on. The
three minutes he was gone seemed nm
eternity to Andrea. When he came
back he carried In one hnnd a medl-
cine case and In the other n hypo-
dermlc syringe already filled. He set
the case down carefully, grnsped and
barred Andrews forearm. rubbed It with
alcohol and quickly gave her an In
lection. skip the next Ave minutes"
he said. "Fnsten your mind TO five
minutes from now" She only monned
to show that she heard him.
But even before the five minutes
were up she could feel peace coming
to her body slowly and from far away,
ms though II feared TO pounce upon her
suddenly. When Il settled upon her IL
brought with II n 1rowsy and lneffnble
relief. Her eyes could move once more
In their sockets. They followed the
white man us he made his rapid prep
a%rntion for n long siege. She heard
him call Bathtub and Issue a string
Of orders; then he brought a chair
close TO the cot and sat down.
"ArH.rea," he said quietly. "we're I'D
against 1t, you and I. | can't say Just
what 1t Is. 1t may he ptomalne. you
mny have been s%lckenlng for nppen-
dlcitls, but I'm almost afraid Il isn't
either of those. II It's fever. It Is per
nlcious." Her eyes stared at him.
hung upon his face.
He took n OF her hands In his.
"Im breaking all the rules by fright
enlng you" he went IN, 'and | do II
purposely. ] do II because I've learned
that you and | are brothers In one
thing. We're fighters. All the blood
In our veins flows one wny-up hill to
battle. We don't know when 10 quit
No d. fever can show us where to
get OF. It's going 10 be shoulder TO
shoulder, and II you 20 back on me
TIL go back on God, for I trust you MS
I've never trusted any living thing"
Her hands twisted In his and gripped
his fingers. you're great. White
Man." she said softly. you're like
that--n hghter-and It's sweet OF you
TO ring me In. No d. fever can
show you-no d." She crumpled
up and cried.
Good for you" snid Msungo
promptly. "cry now. II can't do you u
bit Of harm and It will probably put
you to sleep. But when you wake, II
you want TO cry then, please come up
crying mad and ready to set your teeth
In the throat Of pain. For he'll have
you. KlddIe. he'll have you in n half.
Nelson and / can't always stick him
with the needle"
II was even as he said. All day ana
nl night the brittle ragged, and there
were moments when Andrea forgot
that she was n Fighter. begged with
gnsplng, henrtrendlng NOM for opium
and relief, and when he refused, her
tongue turned bitter, sharp as n ser
pent's tooth. Ench word she said was
chosen TO wound, Herself the most
fnlr-mlnded OF women. she became
unjust, u%ngenerous and cruel as dead
love.
He was giving her the treatment for
pernlcious malaria. Together with
every other white man who has served
apprenticeship to Afrlcn he had nm
extraordinary store OF rough and rendy
medical knowledge. To such men only
six drugs are essential, all others being
classed as furbelows OF the pampered
sick room, and with these they work
ms with elementnls. XIII or cure Is
their motto, the saving idea being that
II the patient can't stand punishment.
he would go under In any case.
On those rare occasions when An.
drea's spasfns conquered his reluctance
10 use the needle he would watch her
until the oplate stilled her and then
fall into his chair and to sleep. II am
here" he would say ever as his lids
closed. "Never forget, I'm here for
you. Touch me or speak to me and
I'll awake." II was true. In spite OF
his long vigil he kept deep slumber
nt n distance by an effort OF the will
like a man who sets n clock IN his
mind and trusts to his subconsclous
self to call him at the hour marked.
The afternoon Of the second day
found Andrea unusually subdued and
still, but he was not deceived, He