harm than good in sendin' you away.
She ought to marry some time, and she couldn't do better than a fine
young gentleman like you."

Baynes, who had at first felt inclined to take offense at the mention
of his private affairs by this common fellow, was mollified by Hanson's
final remark, and immediately commenced to see in him a man of fine
discrimination.

"He's a darned bounder," grumbled the Hon. Morison; "but I'll get even
with him. He may be the whole thing in Central Africa but I'm as big
as he is in London, and he'll find it out when he comes home."

"If I was you," said Hanson, "I wouldn't let any man keep me from
gettin' the girl I want. Between you and me I ain't got no use for him
either, and if I can help you any way just call on me."

"It's mighty good of you, Hanson," replied Baynes, warming up a bit;
"but what can a fellow do here in this God-forsaken hole?"

"I know what I'd do," said Hanson. "I'd take the girl along with me.
If she loves you she'll go, all right."

"It can't be done," said Baynes. "He bosses this whole blooming
country for miles around. He'd be sure to catch us."

"No, he wouldn't, not with me running things," said Hanson. "I've been
trading and hunting here for ten years and I know as much about the
country as he does. If you want to take the girl along I'll help you,
and I'll guarantee that there won't nobody catch up with us before we
reach the coast. I'll tell you what, you write her a note and I'll get
it to her by my head man. Ask her to meet you to say goodbye--she
won't refuse that. In the meantime we can be movin' camp a little
further north all the time and you can make arrangements with her to be
all ready on a certain night. Tell her I'll meet her then while you
wait for us in camp. That'll be better for I know the country well and
can cover it quicker than you. You can take care of the safari and be
movin' along slow toward the north and the girl and I'll catch up to
you."

"But suppose she won't come?" suggested Baynes.

"Then make another date for a last good-bye," said Hanson, "and instead
of you I'll be there and I'll bring her along anyway. She'll have to
come, and after it's all over she won't feel so bad about
it--especially after livin' with you for two months while we're makin'
the coast."

A shocked and angry protest rose to Baynes' lips; but he did not utter
it, for almost simultaneously came the realization that this was
practically th