Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-02-13
CHAPTER vI.-continued.

y
| in his topic. Exchanged where
there's another daughter available
/ where there isn't, money is refunded
| BIZ order of the courts. But what
was driving at is that in spite of the
contention mentioned above, wherever
woman is concerned black can
never get it out of his head that she
can be replaced at the regular market
/ price. Now you've got the kernel OF
his whole attitude toward women.
$50 if 1t had been you they wouldn't
have laughed and yelled"
'In this case, yes" he said. "They
most certainly would, because they
had no direct responsibility. But
where responsibility attaches the rule
for rlen is life for life, end it's
rule that has no exceptions. Anyone
can brain a woman if he feels like it
and get away with the identical obolo
her husband paid for her.
"You seem to be a great admirer of
the native social system" said Andrea
quietly.
Il am" answered M'sungo. For
natives, of course"
"Are you sure you're not bit faint
ed with it for yourself?'
Sure" he answered promptly.
That's part of the secret of my grip
on every country I've shot over. I'm
aloof. I've never turned my back on
| the White Mans God. Circular A is
not for me-"
whats Circular Az"
He hesitated "Circular A" he said
finally, lis the regulation that governs
the relations between British officials
under the colonial Office and the Wom-
en- of the tribes they govern"
I'm British" said Andrea, after a
pause, "and blush for the necessity"
''You are prompt, like most of us, "
said M'sungo, ito sit in Judgment be-
| fore any force of nature that you've
never felt. Poor devils of clean-bred
youngsters! Take one that / knew.
Three weeks training under his prede-
cessor, crazy to leave; hundred
| thousand natives under his sole rule;
one, perhaps two, bearded white faces
year. The long, long days after the
sportsman has been swallowed by the
pot-hunter, when game becomes just
meat! And then, the fatal hour at
dusk when passing native girl-any
| girl-looks to him like some woman at
home! He marries, not by canonicals
| perhaps, but by the common law of
the land, and the people at home
shout cruelty him. but in the end it's
God alone that will judge his agony
and measure the price"
He stopped speaking and for long
time they travelled in silence. The sun
was sinking fast-so fast that 1t
seemed to be dropping by jerks, like
the loose hand of grandfathers
| clock.
"There is no twilight in the tropics, .
said M'sungo, "by the deliberate judg-
ment of God who knows the capacity
of the Chart of man and would not
have It burst"
II can feel what you mean," an.
swered Andrea, "even though you
haven't really said it in words. The
heart can hold just so much beauty
and no more; and even now, mine is
aching!"
andrea Pellor," said M'sungo, "you
have the faculty Of your sex. You
have pinned the butterfly"
| She felt a sudden revulsion, a rage
at this man, this stranger, who talked
as she imagined he would fight, with
out gloves. Her eyes narrowed. "By
the way, when Marguerite bolted, just
what was it you shouted at me?"
| He paused in his stride so suddenly
that the doing donkey butted into him
and almost knocked him over. "Eh
| What?" he asked to gain time.
"Cofne on,A persisted Andrea. "Just
say it again-what you shouted"
"Well," lied Msungo, II may not
remember the exact words, but it was
10 the effect that you'd better head
ksGa off or jump Off"
Something like that" said Andrea
1leisively, "only shorter. You yelled,
Marry him or jump off,"
81 believe you're right" said M'suLr
co. and added, apologetically, ''You
see, / didn't have much time to think"
Exactly" said Andrea 'Instinc-
lively all you saw was joke like
every niger in the line. You didn't
care what happened to me. l might
have been Drained under that tree
and you knew it and all you could
.hink Of was that you just had time to
get n one more nasty bit of cleverness
before-before died!"
"Oh, no." protested Msungo "Go
easy, now. Why, Marguerite has done
that dozens of times. He knows ex-
actly how to slice off his rider. And
besides, he always stops"
But what if he hadn't-what if he
had?" continued Andrea holly. "Oh,
you know what l mean. What if he
had killed me?"
"But he wouldn't" insisted the man
weakly. "He wouldn't think of it."
Andrea pounded the horn of her sad
Sic. what-if-he-had?"
M'sungo suddenly whirled, thereby
w1nding tie e3iescent neck Of Mar