The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-03-04

narrowing TO a peculiar look she had
never seen In them before, such a look
as ms Is apt to connect only with
mystics, fanatics. ardent believers, and
thoroughly out of keeping with the
conception of the White Man she hal
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. "Well," he said, a quizzical CLEAN
creeping into his eyes. "who's afraid?
Why shouldn't I tell once more a thing
that's been written q hundred times
by greater adopts than I and never be-
lieved? It's this, Andres Pellor. Don't
act 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 cid
age or any other natural cause"
His eyes hardened On her face. .you
seey he whispered. "You can't be-
lieve II. Elephants never die"
Leading the march home over the
back trail, M'sungo set a pace that kept
Marguerite at a jogging trot. Andrea
protested but to no avail. M'sungo,
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had withdrawn into one of those male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 ut the river,
there being but three natives In their
reduced following. M'sungo promptly
took his place as n Of the four pail
bearers to Marguerite. There was
something about being carried ever in
part by a white man that seemed to
appeal to the old rogue's sense Of hui
MOI. He threw up his barrel-long head
aud brayed an accompaniment to his
iriumphai progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than M'sungo
seized his tail and bore down on 1t
with all his weight The music sud-
denly ceased.
But Andrea's clear laughter still
rang out. "Oh." she cried when she
could speak, "he is clever. I didn't
realize how ridiculous you we're until
he laughedr" She let herself go
again, M'sungo glared at her.
And you were brutal" she contin-
ued. 'You pulled his tall"
II pulled his tail to make him shut
up" said M'sungo. II 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 / like.
Listen! :"
She opened wide her mouth for a
stage "Ha! Hal Hai" 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. nj
his lips, saw that they had halted In
their advance on hers and decided to
struggle free from his embrace. "NWhy
shouldn't II" she asked argumenta-
lively. "What Is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
biuffed7"
"A lot OF things" began M'sungo,
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him snrewdly.
'Tell me. White Man. she concluded
.what Is the one reasonr
She saw a doubt and then a sudden
decision come into his face. All
right" he said. .'Ill tell you tonight
They reached the home craal at the
setting Of the sun. In rapid succession
] came tea, q hot bath. fresh clothes
and dinner. With the first pun at her
cigarette Andrea settled back In her
chair and said, "Now."
The man did not pretend 10 be Mt u
loss for her meaning. He nodded, III
his cigar and sat down. "An Right ("
lie said. I'm trust you. Here's the
cat out Of the bag. I'm not the
only White tuun 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 c~landestine. As It hap
pens, ! don't think he knows or cares
what I'm up 20, but ! know all about
hsms Q ON those rare 0ccasions
when he comes down the river he Il
invariably roaring drunk. His tongue
never stopa,"
srkao. h.-.v.-sv .sknA