The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-01-24

"When you begin to get hot" con-
tinued M'sungo, "juSt take off what
you don't want and drop it. We peo-
pie ahead can't lose anything IL we
try. The boys used Ia pick up my
dead matches until | stopped them.
When you come to the bush, shed your
skirt. get off Marguerite and leave
him. Walk lightly and hang on till
you drop. If you last long enough,
you'll see me take the big gun. That's
the beginning of the end and when il
happens you are to do just one thing.
Look around you. Somewhere near
you are bound to see Il big tree loom
ing out of the bush. Go to il, hug it,
stay with it whatever happens till
call you"
A moment later. they were off at n
terrific pace, the tracker in the lead.
MsungO next, then the gunbearerS,
Andrea, and after her the tagging rest.
For hours they kept on with
out break or "A pause.
Andrea watched MSungo's long stride,
fascinated by its unvarying pendulum
swing. The gunbearers took shorter
steps. They walked pivOting on the
ball of the foot; just before each step,
their heels jerked inward sharply for
the thrust back. She leaned forward ;
Marguerite had his eyes wide open.
He seemed to be breathing softly, rs
though he. too, were bent on playing
the game.
Quite suddenly they came out Of the
forest into broken NANCY space. The
heat and glare was terrific. Here ana
there were scrdggy groups of thorn
apparently burnt up by the sun, but in
reality very much alive. To one side.
an enormous acacia cast its grateful
blot of shade. The tracker, pausing
at last. looked straight up, transtiXed
in an eloquent pose.
Andrea followed his gaze. AT an
incredible height she saw branch,
freshly broken. Her reason battled
with Incredibly: it told her that only
one thing could have reached the
branch and snapped 1.-THE up-fiung
trunk of the rearing beast they were
following. For the first time in her
life. measuring again that height, she
felt actual awe. Msungo cast glance
over his shoulder His face was alight
his eyes shone with a swimming bril-
lance.
A few minutes later they came to
the ragged edge of the elephant bush
The tracker cast left and right with
quick, jerky steps. Here the three
bulls had separated; joyful sign, for il
showed intention to feed. The tracker
came to halt, dropped the Zip of his
assegai shaft to chosen spoor
Msungo looked back at Andrea impa
tiently. She threw herself from Mar
guerite's back and hastily stripped of
her jersey, unbuttoned her skirt anC
let ii fall. She stood in helmet, KHAKI
shirt and breeches, puttees and tight
ly laced bOOts-an adorable study In
brown. But Msungo had no time fol
artistic effects; he turned from hel
with nod and plunged into the busl
i'm the wake of the tracker.
Fortunately for Andrea the going
was now much slower. 1t was not thai
the spOOr was harder to fOllOw-iI
fact, it was much easier. for through
the jungle of stunted sapling no mar
could pass save where an elephant
had plowed a way-but that now ever!
indication of the games progress haC
to be read, studied and accurately val
ued. Here began the exercise of tha
| finished science which M'sungO haC
placed so high, giving due credit Il
those fOrerunners who had marked 1t:
stages with their life's blood.
The state of parted vine, or half
masHcated leaf. bore some messag,
upon the true reading of which huns
the delicate balance Of success or fail
ure. Slower and slower fell the pac,
and In measured proportion silenc,
was born and seemed to grow anC
spread and tbrob till ii hung in tn,
air like some sitting all-permeatins
| mist. Beneath Ii the heart beat witt
an irregular rat-tat-tat and breatl
came in hurried gasps. In spite of tn,
men before her, Andrea felt alone
adrift on a sea of unseen but hOverin.
perils. She looked over her shoulder
Only Bathtub was in sight behind her
! tense, one foot in air, waiting for hel
to take her next step before he PLACED
his foot. His naked body, exposed t.
the merciless sun, streamed will
sweat.
Andrea's shoulders ached from
holding her arms before her face Il
ward off the unfortunately encroachins
vines and branches that seemed to op
pose the way. but invariably parted a
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