The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-01-10

considerably in advance Of those in
Taungs, hurried into the first store he
saw which did not seem to nave a ma
tive clientele. There he threw himself
upon the mercy OF the proprietor who
equipped him with a sensible outfit con
sisting of a small tin trunk-the white
ants would eat through his leather
suitcase in one night, Winton was told
and a correct %up-country costume.
Winton sent for his baggage, which the
proprietor ~obligingly agreed to store
for him, and presently strolled in sensi-
Bile khaki, with a wide-brimmed felt hat
rising into a peak, and high boots. He
took his seat among the miscellaneous
crowd of passengers, and, while the
mob outside cried fantastic offers for
seats through the window, the mules,
now ten in number, started.
On the box sat the Hottentot driver,
cracking his twenty-foot whip of hip
popotamus hide, ard ficking the slack
est mules with a dexterity that was
never at fault. On rolled the coach
through the infested streets, into the
SiCdh hCoC1t, hidhllS Ill llC I'LL
of a ridge of pale-blue mountains west
ward.
1t swayed and creaked upon its way,
the baggage humping in the boot, the
mules dancing over the sand, the pas
sengers spontaneously jostling one
another at every movement. 1t began
to pass the travellers Of the morning
men riding thirsty Basuto ponies, carts
with thin %donkeys, crawling at a snail's
pace between heaven and sand; daring
and resolute pedestrians walking be-
side d%onkeys, their only friends, laden
with baggage and water-bags.
Winton turned his attention to his
man and the girl there were a number {
of prospectors and mining men, evil
IDENTIFY old residents Of the country, to
judge from their tanned faces and the
brick-red arms disclosed under the up
rolled shirt sleeves. There were two or
three clerks or storekeepers, and one
man seated in a corner, with his hat
over MS eyes, whose insolent demeanor
and fashy clothes arrested Winton's
attention.
WintOn sat rather uncOmfortably
against the strap that ran across the
width of the coach in the center, di-
viding it into two portions, and fur
nishing an inconvenient, swinging sup
port for two rows of passengers, back
to back. There was another row at
either end of the coach; thus there
were four lines of seats, the occupants
of the first and second, and those of
the third and fourth facing each other. |
Opposite Winton sat the girl and her
father. The old man, who had taken
several pulls at a flask In his pocket,
was lying back half asleep. AS Win
ton watched him, he saw his eyes open
travel from face to face, and suddenly
fix themselves upon some occupant of
the farthest row with a look of terror
and abasement.
~Involuntarily Winton turned, to per-
ceive that the man with his hat over
his eyes had pushed it up and was
watching the older one with a smile Of
amusement. Winton thought his face
was one of the most sinister that he
had ever seen. He was about forty
years of age, and not Unlocking but
the smile on his countenance was a
wolfish snarl. There was greed there,
and cruelty, and utter h-eartlessness.
Yawning, the man rose, and, without
a word of apology, strobe over the
strap, pushing between the seated pas
sengers. He went over to the girl. Be
side her was an i~noffensive little clerk.
He jerked him by the arm
"TIl change places with you," he
said peremptorily.
The little clerk rose ob%ediently and
his way across the strap, the
other passengers, who had not dared to
resent the first disturbance, remon-
strating vehemently as they dislodged
themselves to allow him passage.
"Well, Sheila, my DEAR" said the
grinning into the girls face,
"glad to see you. I'd been wondering
how you could stay away from you old
friend De Witt so long,"
He was referring evidently to him
self. Winton started at the name. He
had an Introduction to De Witt in his
pocket, but now he hardly felt like
presenting it.
De Witt sat down beside the girl.
was nothing in the mans words
need be especially offensive in a
free-and-easy community, but the IA
miliarity of the coarse tones, which
made the girl vince, stung Winton to
fury.
well, who'd have thought to see you
here, Daddy Seaton?' the man Goa
Come to try your luck on the
fields? It's never too late to strike it
rich. You and 1 have been old friends,
daddy, since those days down at Sand
The old man, who had been watching
other like a fascinated rabbit, put
one hand with an involuntary ges-
which seemed to be warding off a