Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-26

a frog. the shrill chirp of cricket.
the Shrek of some hoarse voiced
biped in the thickness overhead
She glanced at her watch. Nearly
6 O'Clock. No wonder a dull gray
mist was drawing around her, She
sprang to her feet with "a frightened
gasp. Suppose she had to spend the
night in this place of subdued
lswhisperings, of sinister rustlings
suppose She was running
then. in hurried steps that tripped
against clumpy heaps of grass in the
path, through bog that reached with
sucking grip up to her ankles. till
each step was dragging effort. Some
where far away she heard night
prowiing beast send its hungry call
across the solitary country.
A strange noise from not far be-
hind her made her throw a scared
glance back. Something was following
her again Not stalking her quietly.
half afraid. but blatantly. openly fol
lowing her. Something big; leap
ing grayish smudge. Fear sripped her
by the throat. then unreasoninS ter
ror. With trembling fingers she poised
her rifle and sent haSty shots into the
half gloom behind shots that We're
followed by bowling half human
wall
Then she was off again. stumbling.
tripping. her heart pounding in agon-
lied thumps at her very throat every
nerve straining in the effort to be out
of the dreadful menacing blackness
that was drawing about her. blunder-
ing bindly on till every step was
agony till every breath came like A
knife thrust through her pulsinS body.
till things swan in swirling gray
mist before her sight running in
uncertain ierky movement, some
times stumbling TO her very knees
upon the rough path till her tender
flesh was scored and torn in II hum
dred places running till al length
a. merciful though tardy Providence
brought her suddenly 10 where she
broke through the rim of the forest
to a wide eXpause of moon-bathed
plain.
She stood for an instant. blinded
by the shimmering silver of il. then
| came to her ears the welcome rlack
of native voices
Tribesmen, She distrusted them
with the distrust of the newcomer to
tropic lands. but even the wild folks
bwere safer than the watching. follow
ing unknown things of the forest be-
hind; safer than the hungry beasts
that must already be beginning the
nightly search for food on the plain In
front. She made her way Ia the hive
shaped hutS close at hand.
"Hodi." Her call brought a score
of wondering folk. craning heads
through low apertures which served
the places as doors: then. through
those openings, bodies followed the
heads. bodies half naked. rank with
the odor Of clay, oil and the smoke or
the green wood fires. Men. women.
children-even babies who could but
| toddle--one and all turned out TO hold
clacking converse regarding the
strange. slim, white faced visitor wh"
paid this unusual call upon them.
They eyed her amazedly. with teeth
still working from their evening re
past of baked Inealie pOrridge and
sweet potatoes.
Want Abnani?" Richenda's aues
| ton came mechanically.
| Abnrani. she gathered vaguely from
| the riot Of answer that came. was
| still far away.
Mali" she demanded. then: Mai,
! chukula." urged by the pang of hun
ger and the dr-yness of her swollen
| tongue. SO food and waSer the kindly
brown people quickly brought to her
| -meaie porridge. tastoles1 and han
cooked; few coarse. overripe
ba ma mas gourd of goats milk.
She was in one of the smoky dwell
| ings nova place hunS fouUu WIN "
medley of strange articles and rank
with the odor OF sun-drfed hides from
recently killed victims of the native
| hunt.
| A great WEAKNESS wa% upon her.
| Body. brain and spirit ~ We're heid
| i'm that overpowering desire for rest.
| And rest she must. though falrwaHS
was but half II mile behind her
could not move ii step farther TIL she
mad req.
| A few nickel pieces from her purse
sent the chattering crowd. delighted
! from the tent. Somehow she had IN
olcated her desire that she would be
alone. would sleep. Hurting drter
their retreating forms she sent the
i evil smelling drapery of the place.
other things that offended her sensi-
| tive nostriIs: then rife cuddled In inc
crook of her arm, she stretched her-
self on the bare earth and fell instant
" into the slumber of sheer fatigue.
continued in SATURDAYS starr