Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21
We've taken a line, haven't WEI" he
said coldly, and passed on.
~ q X

=
DEFIANTLY now, Sallie turned to
~ the table and made pretense of
breakfasting. She felt that even Bob,
at present, was inclined in his thoughts
to put her in the wrong.
For comfort Sallie went to her tent
and locked at the child she had saved
from death. Always the girl said some
thing to her, in her unknown tongue,
with a plaintive, rising infection, but
no one could interpret. She touched
no food. Kamau, guarding the tent,
said anxiously, mo good, Memsahib.
Very bad. Girl better CO."
MOI said Sallie imperiously, and
laid stout commands upon him, but I'M
certainty and suspense were now in
her veins.
Uneasiness lay like a pail over the
camp. The boys sat about, their voices
lowered. The guns were cleaned and
loaded. Two boys who started for the
river with pals came back without wa
ter. They had been turned back. Their
revolvers were only for protection, not
for challenge. The water supply was
moved to Lovett's tent.
The heat grew. Steadily, slowly the
sun rose on its upward climb, and
brighter and hotter the rays poured
down. The sky was cloudless, the air
brazen. Heat waves shimmered between
them and the village, and the green of
the bananas grew incredibly brilliant.
as II done with fresh paint, while the
shadows of encircling forest were like
caverns, dark and sinister. The cool
ness of that forest became a tantaliz-
ing memory.
The drums were throbbing again with
an altered rhythm rally
ing. insistent-like the throb of
wound. And over the drums came the
wall Of a chant. louder and louder,
"Ai-ai-aip
Once Lovett made a trip to the vii
lage. He came back without reporting,
and Sallie did not ask. She felt like
a child In disgrace, muttnous, but
vaguely ashamed.
Suddenly she went up to him and
told him so. But I think did the
right thing" she added.
THE question always is. with the
right thing" he said slowly, whether
you are prepared to pay for it."
Noon came. The sun stood overhead:
the shadows skulked underfoot like
black cats. The village noises sank. The
drums died in torpor. The very air was
heavy with heat.
Bob's temperature had risen a little
and he talked of going down to force
the chief to send in their porters. Per-
enptorily Lovett forbade any village ex-
cursions on his part.
HE thinks he's little tin god" said
the boy sulkily to his sister. and she
flashed: HE is. as far as We are con-
cerned. What can we do?"
Apparently nothing. Lovett suggested
that the brother and sister go on with
- he h4r oy1I Trylaof things thew
could carry and make camp farther on,
then try next day for the next village.
But there was no guide; the bows were
panickv; it was too late to march, any
way. And Sallie refused to bulge from
her girl. At least. she'd take her own
medicine, she told herself.
ct would be darned good sense to
give that girl back" said Bob suddenly.
Sallie looked at him in silence. Well,
Africa was an eye-opener!
Rather late to think about it." said
Lovett. He was looking es If days in
stead of hours had gone by. His lean
brown young face was fairly gaunt un-
der his helmet; the shadows showed
heavily in the temples.
THE drums. They sounded again
in the reviving cool of the afternoon.
The tl1rob of them dominated the camp.
Now crash came, louder than
the rest. "Boon-boon1-boom!" The
three whites were on their feet.
The blacks were coming again, wild
surge of them through the village
streets. a hoarsely yelling mob that
broke into a run as 1t neared the tents.
Guns ready-but don't shoot!" Low
EFT commanded urgently.
At the head Of the oncoming mob
mad figure was whirling. the specter OF
sinister omen they had seen the day
before, the witch doctor in his monkey
fur and feathers Now every inch OF
skin between his decoration was painted
green and white and great red smears
obscured any human resemblance IN his
face. A long stick, from which charms
dangled, was held aloft in his clenched
grip, and brandishing 1t, whirling and
shrieking. he came on like some fren-
zied creature in nightmare.
Behind them surged the CHIEF with
his spearmen and the villagers storm
ing after, the drummer in their midst.
Straight out to meet them went Low
EFT, not gun in his hands, his arm up
raised. He shouted something and the
mob slackened to a pause, and the
witch doctor hesitated, half crouching,
facing Lovett.
Bring out the GIRL called the Eng
lishman.
sallie's heart turned to lead, but she
made no sign. She knew now-they
could do nothing. She did not stir as
Lovett's boy went to her tent and led
out the pitiful captive.
At sight of that little figure howl
went up from the crowd, wolfish howl
of terrible expectancy and rending fe-
rocity.
, Lovett seized the girl with one arm,
and gesturing for silence with the other
he began to speak. AS his words rang
out the cries about him ceased and the
people crowded more and more closely
to hear. He was making formal
speech; his infections had the ring OF
studied eloquence.
what does he say?" Sallie was de-.
manding helplessly of her boy.
Kamau was gray with terror under
the dusk of his skin. He muttereo,
without taking his eyes from that tense
scene: HE say he big medicine man,
too. He say he got magic about TINS
girl. He say his spirit tell him MAKE
her die-not the way they make her
die"
THEY saw Lovett draw out from his
! coat and hold aloft large bottle.
He held it there for the mob to see.
Then he released his hold on the girl
and pulled out handkerchief, which
he drenched with the contents OF the
bottle. Then he stopped swiftly 70 the
girl and crushed the wet handkerchief
over her face.
A moment he held It there, then the
little creature crumpled and collapsed,
sinking to the ground beside him.
Quickly he flung the handkerchief PACK
on her face. drenching 1t again from
the bottle.
1.-THE chloroforml' Bob was gasping.
THAT birds used the chloroform on
herl"