Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-13

The three men stood StOck-Stlll. Drew and
Barton had their guns in readiness Sloane
hastily slipped In fresh cartridges. The next
instant the elephant burst in sight at the left
they could see the great ears over the bushes,
wide out, like monster fans to catch the least
noise, the trunk hed high to test the air, the
small cleaning eyes turning under the wrinkled
lids.
was coming not in the blind fury Of
charge, scent-directed, from which quick foot
work might them, but coming cold, as
hunters say, hunting them with quiet fury and
intelligence i'll every sense.
THEIR guns roared out tOgether-nO time to
stand on any ceremony of first shots. They
were none OF them in a good position and they
fired desperately as best they might. two shots
EACH emptying their guns-then leaped back
ward INTO the impeding jungle. The elephant
came as il he had not been tOuched-a
desperately wounded elephant often seems i'm
mune to later shots that would have killed If
they had been the first.
IL all happening at once-the head
towering over them the roar OF the guns, the
confusion OF helpleSSneSS and attempted flight
Drew turned in his thorny thicket. Juggling out
fresh cartridges from his belt-and saw that
Sloane was caught. The beast was lunging at
him-the man was behind a tree. dOdging-the
Snake-like trunk ieaped out, coied about him
-. The man was held in wise that frightened
and tightened-he was being crushed in against
the tree. Barton was somewhere in the path,
fumbng in his cartridge pouch. The boy on
whom he relied for reloadng had fed.
moment more and Sloane would be bloody pulp
against that tree.
Drew had his cartridges in and he ran out
around the elephant that had swung its back
, to him. There at the shoulder, he sent his
shot up behind the lifted ear, straight through
the opening in the skull to speak its message
of death to the brain.
Like a ship sinking, the massive bulk settled
the four feet doubling under. The head Scraped
forward against the tree until the heavy tuSkS
caught In the earth and upheld it. Not q
sound OF death; not a shudder; only that leaden
impaSSivty
8ehlnd the tree lay collapsed figure Drew
found himself standing over it. There was
blood trickling from Sloane'S mouth. His face
was black. The native boys had suddenly
msterialized from the forest and were standing
about. He heard Barton's voice, shaken from
its wonted quiet
is he alive? A moment more"
moment more-and Peggy would have been
free. moment more.
Sloane was gaSping out something. The
blood was clearing Splotchily from his face.
'Not-got me- he said. Maybe couple
ribs" His opened eyes roved upward, and
Drew could have sworn that there was sar-
donic raillery in them they rested on him.
Drew shot him." Barton babbled on. "A
near thing moment more"
A moment more-the moment Drew had
hoped for! And he-what had he done?
Oh fool, foolI Slave of tradition Had
Africa taught him no more than that? Sloane
was unfit to live; yet Drew had not been able
to stand by and see him done TO death. :.
He had saved that vile hulk for Peggy to nurse
~oolr naIfk ffnv all ~ acnlVtn .fx
no man knew himself till his hour came.
Hastily they improvised litter, of coats and
Sap.ings md, with the blacks bearing It, the
slow procession made its way back along he
trail, until it met the porterS waiting i'll
glade. There they made a hurried camp Drew
got up tents, hammered in the pegs, frightened
the ropes unlocked boxes and set out their
contents. He set up SloaneS cot, spread out
his blankets; then he and Barton lifted the
wounded man or it, drew off his boots, fed
him whisky and hot water, and then lea.
Movement was agony to Sloane. Undoubted-
ly there was some sort OF internal injury
ribs broken, Sloane insisted, with his CUSTOM
airy authority. Breathing was extremely pain
full. but no other bones than ribs seemed
brokcE.
We can't move the chap-uness he's
ma. SADLY improved in the morning" said Bar
ton TO Drew, as the two withdrew to the boxes
in front of the tent for a haSty meal
we q petter SEM OF runner TAT dawn
Sabul sana,' he went on, Ito try TO get doc
tor from the mission to come out-if he can
leave his patients This is awkward you
know
DREW nodded He had taken off his helmet
and the red mark of it across his fore
head looked livid against the white skin above.
He seemed oddly shaken, now the thing was
over, Barton thought-he looked actually ghast-
ly. Well, it had been a near thing! Barton
wondere little over his apparent attachment
to this Sloane. For himself he must say that
what he'd seen on this safari hadn't made him
like the fellow. good deal of bounder, I'M
derneath. Or was it the surface? He might
be diamond in the rough--must be or Drew
wouldn't take so much from him.
"Well have to stand watch with him To.