Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-24

SplSIluot w IuelA ioPiS sui NA0" "
shimmering. scintillating haze up
from meandering ,watercourse.
Far away In the distance a little
train painted at set hours along
winding course and lost itself among
the hills.
Night fell swiftly and the loneliness
of the strange, wide silences seemed
a tangible thing.
"Ugh--it's VERDI Lucille shivered.
ITS wonderful breathed Rich
enda. Wonderful She stood at
the tent door by Pathways side,
watching the moon rise. 1t came like
a rudy melon from behind the
Jagged black peaks that cut the
sapphire skyline. They saw 1t climb
rapidly into the heights, then slower,
slower, till II shrank and turned sill
yer as it's course grew less.
The two gazed, fascinated by the
sheer beauty Of the tropic night.
Down in the valley a solitary tom-tom
began to beat a strang, wild chant,
which came up to them in chorus.
Then things began to stir across the
hillside night bird shrieked in the
ravine.
A moment later a strange, blood
curdling wall cut through the dark
ness. 100000. Up the scale it went,
again.
''Are there lost spirits near?" whis-
pered Richenda.
''No," he laughed. "Only a hungry
hyena yowling his grace before meat. :"
Somewhere below them a wilde
beeste sflorted uneasily--a zebra gave
it's sharp, barking cry. Then sud.
denly a tense silence closed on the
countryside.
Hard on the heels of a snarling
gr1Int from far across the plain it
came. Again-bigger throated. It
rose and swelIed till they held their
breath in wonder at the volume OF 1t.
1.-THE king of beasts is abroad to-
night" said Pathways.
Richenda raised her eyes to his as
Good hunting!"
He took her fingers between MS
own in q gentle grip.
Thank you, little comrade, ne
said. THANK you"
The night welcome of the distant
beast had fallen to a throbbing echo
nova cricket chirped shrilly in the
grass at their feet-a mother bird
crooned in the branches Of a nearby
tree. Africa was at peace again.
Brett Pathways still held Richenda's
hand. He seemed to have forgotten 1t
was there.
She stole g. glance at his face in
the moonlight. Then her eyes widen
ed suddenly. Ills mouth was set
tight, his chin thrust forward IN a.
hard line. His brows were drawn to-
Rether in a puckered, frowning ridge.
Every trace Of careless gayety had
gone-every soft line had frightened.
Suddenly she saw that In his race
which had led him to force his way
across uncharted lands. This moon
light showed Brett Pathways at his
best-showed her, too, line by line,
the face of the man of her dreams.
She narveled that he could change
SO. Then, without word, he drop
ped her hand and strobe across to his
own tent, leaving her standing alone.
The next two days they spent
quietly.
bones after that awful mule cart,
Lucille complained, and, laughingly,
the others complied with her wishes.
Fairways' sleeping tent was sepa-
rated from that of the two women by
a third, which made the common
room of the party.
1--WE must share, Dickie," Lucille
had said. "I'd never dare to sleep
alone in this awful wilderness"
: Some so yards further distant was
the canvas apartment Of the four ma
tive boys.
One of these stood guard as night
Waterman and tended the two blazing
fires which Lucille insisted should be
kept on either side of the encamp-
ment.
"My dear girl, If you keep your tent
flap fastened at night nothing on
earth will attempt to get inside, -
Brett assured her.
"But I haven't read books of adj
venture for nothing" she answered.
81 know all about the big hungry
eyes that CLEAN across the freight
and the angry snuffiings Of baffled
beasts who dare not approach too near
the glare and :"
'Stuff and nonsensei There isn't a
thing on the countryside that won't
make off as fast as it can at the first
crack Of pistol" he laughed.
But Lucille got her fires.
The two women had adopted the
usual dress of the Kenian hunting
camp. The loose, limp blouse suited
Richenda's boyish beauty. Her knees,
showing at first milky white by con-
trast with the khaki shorts she wore,
burned rapidly to healthy tan.
A tall, slim. dark eyed lad she
looked beautiful, brown boy. crown
ed with a mass of ,rioting dark curls.
Brett Pathways saw and wondered
at the new loneliness of her. Lucille,
carefully massaged. whose suggestion
of Bond street perfume hung incon-
gruously about her new attired self,
saw, too, and little evil CLINT came
into the hard blue eyes.
On the third day Pathways and
three Of the boys went out after big
game. Lucille showed no inclination