Richmond planet., 1930-11-22

ing with gentle sweetness.
Gradually he became conscious OF
his surroundings. Directly above his
head were the heavy rafters of a low
roof. Across the room a bright fire
cracked in a wide fireplace, and its
resinous fragrance vas a pleasant
part of the strange rooms charm.
The steady drumming of rain beat
a rhythmic tattoo on the roof, and
brought to his mind the queer feeling
of Joy which pervaded him. His
mind CROPPED for an instant, then a
realization of where he was swept
over him. He remembered his fight
with Bogo the previous night. After
that Toto had led him through the
woods and to this secluded cabin.
And after that . . . his mind reeled
at the remembrance. -.
The Love Nest
He raised his head from the old
fashioned feather pillow upon which
it lay. He was alone in the bed. He
sat upright, seeking Toto. She was
nowhere to be seen. A sudden panic
possessed him, and he leaped up, call
ing her name wildly. A gust of cold
damp wind struck him. He turned.
Toto came through the door carry
ing an oaken bucket filled with wat
er. She had a large red shawl around
her shoulders, and the rain lay on
her dusky hair like cleaning jewels.
why, Carl, honey" she cried in
quick alarm. whats tn matter?
You look like you'd seen a ghosti"
WordlesSly the man crushed her to
him. He kissed her upturned lips
hungrily. II thought was afraid
you were gone away" he told her
breathlessly.
Would you have cared?" Toto ask
ed softly.
st would rather have died!" he
vowed, holding her to him fiercely.
az love you SOL"
The woman pushed him away
gently. Get back in tn bed, honey
lamb" she ordered, before you
catch your death of cold"
But I don't want to leave you
even for an instant!" Carl told her
~passionately.
"Just wait till I get these wet
clothes off-and you won't have to
my mani" Toto promised, her grey
eyes Smouldering with hidden fires.
II.
For Carl the ensuing month glided
by with a smooth, dreamlike quality.
His unpleasant experiences of the
past weeks were completely forgot
ten in the new and rapturouS hap
piness which now possessed him with
all-enveloping sweetness.
Toto had kept him at her cabin
for three days following his fight with
Bogo. She had stayed by his side
with watchful tenderness, anticipat-
ing his every desire. However, she
was like a tigress too, in her fear
that someone would come to take him
away from her. At the least sound
near the hidden little cabin, she was
instantly alert lest anyone take them
unaware.
BOgo Vanished
On the fourth day HotShot had
managed to find them. He vas pa
thetically glad to find Carl well and
unhurt. He related that when he
returned from his shack with his gun
the fight was over, and everyone had
gone. Some of the men had carried
Bogo to one of the cabins where he
had been given rude first aid by the
women. Bogo seemingly was possess
ed of enormous vitality, because in
spite of his many wounds received at
Carl's hands, he had recovered
enough to leave the place two days
after the fight. Colonel Barre had
ridden down to the cabins and Or
dered him off the plantation, and had
warned him that if he ever returned,
dire punishment would be his re-
ward.
Such had been the little mans
news, and for once Toto seemed gen.
timely glad to see him, although she
gave him no opportunity to talk pri-
vately with Carl.
The next day following HotShot's