The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-01-31

set 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 old
age or any other natural cause"
His eyes hardened on her face. you
see?" he whispered. "YOu can't be-
lieve 1t. Elephants never die"
Leading the march home over the
back trail, Msungo set pace that kept
Marguerite at jogging trot. Andrea
protested but TO no avail. MsungO,
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had withdrawn into one of those male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 at the river,
there being but three natives in their
reduced following, Msungo promptly
took his place as one of the four pail
bearers to Marguerite. There was
something about being carried even in
part by white man that seemed to
appeal to the old rogue's sense of hu-
NOR. He threw up his barrel-lOng head
and brayed an accompaniment to his
triumphal progress into the scow. No
sooner was he deposited than Msungo
seized his tail and bore down on ii
| 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. didn't
realize how ridiculous you were until
he laughedl'' She let herself 60
again. M'sungo glared at her.
"And you were brutal" she contin-
ued. you pulled his tall
81 pulled his tail to make him shut
up" said M'sungo. 81 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 l like.
Listen!"
She opened wide her mouth for a
stage "Ha Ha Hal" but 1t never got
out M'suneo 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 at
his lips, saw that they had halted in
their advance on hers and decided to
struggle free from his embrace. "Why
shouldn't II" she asked arguments
lively. "What is there about this
muggy old river that has you-has you
bluffed?"
, "a lot of things" began Msungo
his eyes shifting.
Andrea watched him shrewdly
TEL me, White Man." she concluded
"what is the one reasonT
She saw a doubt and then sudden
, decision come into his face. al
| right" he said. I'll tell you tonight.
, They reached the home craal at the
setting of the sun. In rapid succession
: came tea. hot bath, fresh clothe:
and dinner. With the first puff at hel
: cigarette Andrea settled back in he
chair and said, "Now."
: The man did not pretend to be at ;
loss for her meaning. He nodded, Ii
e his cigar and sat down. "All right
e he said, an trust you. Here's thu
q cat out Of the bag. I'm not tn'
0 only Nh tie man in this bit Of coun
g try. There's another who came II
n across the wilderness and has his cam
:. about forty miles up the river. Hi
e business and mine have one thing an
S one thing only. thank God, in common
: They are both clandestine. AS 1t haT
: pens, don't think he knows or care
II what I'm up to, but know ALI abou
s him, because on those rare occasion
e when he comes down the river he
invariably roaring drunk. His tongu
d never stops"
l. Does he-ever?" asked Andrea.
a You mean does he stop herer
Is She nodded.
II YES, he does" said Msungo. .
IF wish he didn't, but he always does"
lie "And what had you intended to
E. with me on his first visit?" she aske
lie "Well," said Msungo, his brow
lie pickering. I've had in mind to tie
e. you all about it just as I'm doing. an
I'd trust you. But If II hadn't come
a that. | was going to gag you and loo
K, you up"
"Oh, were your" said Andrea, b,
TX eyes narrowing. "Let me tell you
d. once that / do not consider myself n
lg der parole. don't mean by that TIL
es I'm going to sit on the river bank wa
nd ing for this man to come along. b
ok when he comes l would be fool
tn miss the chance of telling him ju
nd what my situation is. He might n
he be able TO get me out, but at least
A. would no longer be totally In 20
power. If my disappearance shou
ID, be completed there would be a ere
ne ible witness to the incredible fact tn
I had really been here"
at A dark flush spread over Msung,
I'm face. "At the risk of further arousi
d? your curiosity" he said, ''let me /;
lg sure you that you are a thousa
les times safer In my sole power than
)e- that of one or a dozen MacClosters.