Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-03-22

ActOSs AHt Tree ueHEIA RidHSppl Ncu MN
20 the seventh heaven Of happiness.
The Hottentot had disappeared; they
were alone; he believed that within
an hour he would have solved the mys-
terry and proved It nothing.
Yet even then he was vaguely CON
scious that something in his brain
checked the impulses Of his heart,
warning him, counsellng prudence,
questioning even his love.
The girl said nothing, and Winton
did not break the silence. The miles
were reeled off behind them: Winton
did not know how long they Travelled,
but Il was not yet dawn when the
desert began to give place 20 range
Of broken hills They assembled a defile
between two boulder-strewn elevations.
Now the character Of the country had
changed Imperceptibly the desert fell
away. There was green grass under
foot, an occasional cactus raised it's
Eplny joints among the rocks, here and
there were clusters Of acaclas.
A man baboon barked at them from
among the rocks, in challenge Of their
invasion Of his domain, hurled a stone
at them, and fed scrambllng into his
cave. Though no life was In evidence,
there was that indefinite stirring
around them that betokens the prep
Rratlons Tor day. A breeze came up;
then line OF amber appeared under
the cloud banks in the east
Dawn was at hand as they rode
into the broken hills. Their horses
climbed steep slopes, dislodgng show
ers OF stones, then began to descend
into fertile valley.
In the distance Winton could see 2
cluster OF beehive huts, The headquar-
teri of the native tribe. And stln
neither he nor Sbella had spoken.
The Hotteutot who had set off afoot
had arrived before them He APP
peared out Of cleft in the mountains
and indicated TO Winton that he was
10 dismount Wlnton and Shela as
cended little slope afoot. toward
the village
In the center was o clearing, already
occupied by a number Of natives. They
were naked. except for their loin
cloths, and carried long throwing
spears and white OK hide shields. AS
the two approached the chattering
ceased.
Wiuton perceived In the middle OF
them a very old woman wearing the
whist cloth and gaudlly-colored
blanket over her shoulders.
The natives sprang to their feet as
sheila drew near ana uttered deep
voiced sautatton She spoke few
words, and silently they filed away into
the huts. The old woman. WintOn.
and Shella were alone in front of
kmodering fire
The aged woman raised her eyes
ami fixed them on Wlnton's face.
Winton looked al her intently. She
was not unprepossesSing, and he could
Eee now that, like most Of her race,
abe had aged more quickly than the
years of white woman would have
warranted. Perhaps she was about sixty. /
Her skin was the color of a dark
Europeans sdnburned rather than pig
mented. and The features were regu-
lar; the eyes lacked the semiohllque
setting OF the IIottentots. 1t was clear
the; she had considerable. perhaps
a preponderating proportion Of eau
cAsian blood
Sheiia turned to Wlnton. and. in
Splte Of his minimizing Of her prom
ised revelation he felt a chill ut his
heart at the sight Of her face.
This is my mother" she said. and, I
bending, kissed the old woman.
Winton stood perfectly stir. The
revelation had stunned him. As IN
dream he looked into the old creatures
wrinkIed face, conscious OF Shela'S /
Eyes liked on his own. A bird broke
into song; the tops of the mountains
were silhouetted against the red of the /
aky nothing seemed "a stir, and the
bird went on singing.
SheIla beckoned to Winton and he
followed her to the summit of the ele- 1
vHtiou They were quite alone. look
ing down on the ring Of native huts
and the doll-like figure Of the old queen
Of the tribe. who had not stirred Evil
IDENTIFY she had net understood what
sheila had said
Sheila faced Winton calmly. 1T Ia
your doing she said quietly. Il
wanted you TO leave me. Yes. am
che daughter Of white man and
ha6 breed native woman.
after my father ran away from
civilization. fearing capture by the 10
lice. he made his way into these fer
ritorlcs. So much he Witt told YOU.
He wanted 10 tell you the rest. Per
haps It would have been better II he
had done so. but I could not have
borne It then. ! had been Aanored BY
you, MS by none Of the men in Malopo
who know who am. A native woman.
sne Wit the east speck OF black blood
~ her is always a native IN their ewes.
y Il not SO In your own landT"
Yea" answered Winton.
+, '&ag ss&lsaF became a natiws eAlss !,