The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-02-05

lurked In the corner OF her eye, ac-
cused her Of dallying and almost said
aloud, Eventually! why not now2'
Finally she slipped off the rest of her
dainty clothes and with eyes screwed
tight shut, CROPPED for the presence,
seized 1t and put 1t on In two parts.
"Ohl" she gasped in q rag "that
should have to wear that beasts silk
paiamas" She put out the light,
hurled herself at the cot, curled up
like a kitten. drew the sheet over her
head, cuddled into the pillow and
sobbed. "Poor Andrea! Poor Andrea
Pel-Pe-"
Brutal, elemental sleep had choked
the words In her throat.
There Is no telling when Andrea
would have awaked had it not been
for Bathtub, who Numbered on her
door at the s~candalously late hour In
that cline of eight In the morning.
bath ready. Mlssis! Bath ready,
Missis" he was chanting monoto-
nously. She arose, put on her cloak.
opened the door and rubbed her eyes
at the shock of a MONDAY glare.
The boy grinned from ear to ear.
bath ready" he exclaimed with a
happy finality and bearing towels and
soap led her to the newly constructed
little hut in the yard. He placed the
paraphernaiia on a chair set close to
n collapsible canvas tub and from a
neighboring smoidering fire fetched a
| big tin OF water.
"Hot water!" cried Andrea. "Why.
I'm boiling myself. Bring me cold
| water"
"Cold water no good" affirmed Bath
tub as he emptied the tin.
SHUT ! wish cold water. said An
drea.
"Cold water plenty no good for
white Missis." reafirmed Bathtub aud
withdrew. carefully closing the door
behind him.
Andrea enjoyed the bath and learned
IN ten minutes the soundness of the
tropical rule that IL had taken some
old-tlmer ten years to evolve: The hot
ter the day the hotter the water. Feel
ing refreshed. almost cool she started
back to her room. but stopped on the
veranda. her eyes held by sundry things
on the table. a mans soft shirt. freshly
ironed, a roll or Khaki cloth, scissors,
a thimble and n of those pepper-pot
tins of assorted needles. She stared
at them long and helplessly. her lower
lip trembling; then she went In, put
on her things except her frock and
covered its lack with her cloak. She
did her hair last of all, by way If
change. and just as she finished heard
Bathtub's cali to breakfast.
Neither white man nor black vas in
evidence, but even so the day passed
swiftly, so many were the new features
of the craai's changing scene. She
chose a book at random had her ham
mock-chalr dragged into the shade Of
the dining tree and stretched out to
her first lesson in lazy content. Grad
ually she grew drowsy with the heat.
but not so sleepy that she failed TO
hear from away off the far-carrying
report. six times repeated. of a high
powered rifle.
Bathtub. squatted near by. looked
up with a beatific smile. master" he
stated.
1t was two hours later when the
incident was repeated In every detail
save that the shots came from still
farther away; and about three hours
after, once more the thing happened.
Bathtub rolled his eyes and Rugged
himself In gormandizing anticipation
as he breathed the word. master"
Andrea was vaguely interested until
the sequel to those eighteen shots
began to arrive and then she was
! stunned with horror. Amid the shouts
of men and the shrill ululuIooing of
the women they began TO come in,
beast after beast. each trussed to a
pole and borne by six. sometimes eight,
naked and straining blacks.
First to arrive. were i've sable ante
lope. beautiful even in death. the proud
sweep OF their glorious horns inverted,
thick tongues dragginti in the dust.
The bearers did not stop within the
craal. but passed through 1t. chant
ing wildly as though they were en-
gagged In n perverted B~acchanalian
pageant OF blood. Women and chill
dren streamed after them, and even
Bathtub looked lonringly In the direc-
ton they had rene.