Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-02
By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
n Autbor of the Tarzan Tales
CHAPTER xvIII-Continued


U1HE Hon. Morrison Baynes would never
i be considered degenerate.
He was sitting one evening with Meriem
,,pon the veranda one evening after the
others had retired Earlier they had been
playing tenns---a game in which the Hon
Morrison shone to advantage, as, in truth
he did In most all manly sports. He vas
telling her stories OF London and Paris, OF
halls and banduets, of the wonderful wo-
men and their wonderful gowns, of the
pleasures and pastmes of the rich and pow
erful.
The Hon. Morrison was a past master in
the art of insidlous boastlng His egotlsm
was never fragrant or tiresome--he was
never crude In II, for crudeness was a
plebeianism that the Hon. Morrison studious-
ly avoided yet the impression derived by
n listener to the Hon. Morrison was one
that was not at all calculated to detract
from the glory Of the house OF Baynes. or
from that of it's representative here present
Meriehn was entranced. His tales were
like fairy stories to this little jungle maid
The Hon. Morrison doomed large and won
derfu and magnificent in her minds eye.
He fascinated her and when he drew closer
TO her after a short silence and took her
hand she thrilled as one might thrill be-
meath the touch of deity--a thrill of ex-
altaton-not unmlxed with fear.
He bent his lips close to her ear.
''Meriem!" |" he whispered. My little
Meriem May l hope to have the right to
call you my little Meriem'7"
The girl turned wide eyes upward to his
face; but It was In shadow, She trembled.
but she did not draw away. The man put
an arm about her and drew her closer
''I love you !" he whispered.
She did not reply. She did not know
what to say. She knew nothing of love.
She had never given It a thought but she
did know that 1t was very nice to be loved.
whatever II meant 1t was nice to have
people kind to one. She had known so little
of kindness or affection.
Tell me-" he said, that you return my
love"
His lips came steadily closer to hers.
They had almost touched when vision
of Korak sprang like a miracle before her
eyes She saw Koraks face close to hers,
she felt his lips hot against her lips, and
then for the first time she guessed what
love meant.
She drew away, gently.
II am not sure" she said, that love
you. Let us walt. There is plenty Of time.
am too young to marry yet, and am not
sure that I should be happy in London or
Paris--they rather frighten me-"
How easily and naturally she had con-
nected his avowal of love with the idea OF
marriage! The Hon. Morrison was perfectly
sure that he had not mentioned marriage
do so.
And then, she was not sure that she
loved him That, too. came rather In the
nature of a shock to his vanity. 1t seemed
Incredible that this little barbarian should
have any doubt whatever as to the desir-
ability of the Hon. Morrison Baynes.
The first flush Of passion cooled, the Hon
Morrison was enabled to reason more logical
ly. The start had been all wrong II
would be better now to walt and prepare
her mind gradually for the only proposition
which his exalted estate would permit him
TO offer her. He would go slow.
He glanced down Mt the girls profile. II
was bathed in the sllvery light of the great
tropic moon. The Hon. Morrison BayneE
wondered II Il were to be so easy a matter
to ''go slow" She was most allurlng.
Meriem rose The vision of Korak was
still before her
Good night" she said. 'It Is almost toe
beautiful to leave" She waved her hant
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