CHAPTER XVII

"SUS-MARIE-HOSEP!"

Terry was happily engaged in remaking the Major's old pack for his own
use when the Major entered the torchlit shack. It lacked an hour till
dawn. Outside, the main clearing was dark, but the big fires which
illuminated the surrounding trees revealed the excited natives still
celebrating Ahma's nuptials in the clearing around Ohto's house.

Terry straightened up from his task and studied the face of his
friend: fatigue and happiness had softened the serious lines that had
given the Major an appearance of age beyond his years.

"Major, isn't the ceremony finished yet?"

"No, it takes forty-eight hours to get married up here--and only two
hours to get buried! But a month ago I would have said that it was
about the correct ratio, at that."

Terry grinned as he finished the pack and threw it on the floor near
the door, then sat beside the Major on the cot.

"Major, I want to send up a gift for Ahma by the first runner the
postoffice people send through. It's hard to decide what to give her,
because she is entirely different from other girls, and the usual
bridal gifts would hardly do. Can't you help me out?"

For a minute the Major pondered heavily: "How about a mirror? She is
twenty years old and has never seen her own reflection."

"Just the thing! Enter the civilizing influence of vanity in the Hill
Country!"

Terry drew a notebook from his shirt pocket. "Major, I have jotted
down a list of things we are going to need for this work up here. I
thought it would be better if I had a definite program to submit to
the Governor, with estimate of appropriations necessary, and so on.
First I listed those things you will need in order to build and
furnish your house: cook stoves, lamps, dishes, window glass, and so
on. I think I have included everything, so just run over those things
you will need to begin this work."

For an hour earnestly they discussed the problems the Major would
confront pending Terry's return to take up the work. They listed a
wide variety of needs--pigs, chickens, medicines, books, tools, seeds:
contingent upon the Governor's approval, they outlined several months
of planting, trail making, establishment of regular communication with
the lowlands, selection of school teachers, of a health officer--all
of the varied instruments needed for the initial work of elevating the
tribesmen out of their barbarism.

Dawn had dimmed their torches when they finished.