Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-20
CHAPTER IX
Yl,n Grant Anes

A YEAR had passed since the two Swedes
"A had been driven In terror from the
savage country where the sheik held sway.
Little Meriem still played with Geekh, Law
shng all her childish love upon the now
almost hopeless ruin of what had never
even in its palmiest days, possessed even
slight degree of loveliness.
But to Meriem Geeka was all that was
sweet and adorable, She carried to the
deaf ears ofIthe battered ivory head all her
sorrows all her hopes, all her ambitions; !;
for even in the face of hopelessness in the
clutches of the dread authority from which
there was no escape, little Meriem yet
cherished hopes and ambitions,
1t Is true that her ambitions were rather
nebulous in form. consisting chiefly of
desire to escape with GeelIa to some remote
and unknown spot where there were no
sheils, no Mabunus-where el adrea could
find no entrance and where she might play
ali day surrounded only by flowers and
birds and the harmless little monkeys play
ing In the treetops.
The sheik had been away for a long time,
conducting n caravan of ivory, skins ana
rubber far into the north. The interim had
been one of great peace for Meriem, 1t Is
true that Nahum had still been with her.
to mich or beat her as the mood seized
the villainoua old hag !; but Nahum was
only one When the sheilS was there also
there were two of them and the shelk was
stronger and more brutal even than Ma
bunu, tr.
Little Meriem often wondered why the
grim old man hated her so, 1t is true that
ho was cruel and unjust to all with whom
no came In contact but to Meriem he re-
served his greatest crueltles, his most stu
died inJustIces,
Today Merem was suuatting at the toot
of a large tree which grew inside the pals
nJc olase 10 the edge of the village She
III leaves
BEFORE the tent were some pieces or WOOD
nnd small leaves and few stones. These
were the household utensils Gseka was
cooking dinner.
AS the little girl played, she prattled con-
tiutously 10 her companion, propped IN
sitting nosition with q couple of twigs, she
was totally absorbed In the domestic du-
80 If Geeka--so much SO that she did NOT
note the gentle swaylng or the branehes
os tho tree above her as they bent 10
the hody Of creature that had ehtereu
them stealthily from the jungle
N nanny Ignorance the llttle girl played
on = while from above two steady eyes
looked down upon her--unnhhklns, uh-
wavering. There was none other thah the
little girl in this part q ,he E.nAse. "J hai.t
SaS left long months before upon his Jour
nd out in the Jungle an hours march
from the village, the sheik vas Leading ms
returning caravan honleNafu'
vaar had paased since the white men
ia f,red upon the lad and driven him
hscL INTO the jungle 10 take UP his search
- ths only remaining creatures TO whom
~ ~ ,,sight look for companionship-the
.',.sst apes For months the. two haa wan
dered eastward, deeper and deeper INTO 'he
J1asss snhs wear had done much for the boy
.,rning his already mighty muscles 70
,,,a,vs Of steel. developing MS ~ooaclaIt %
3tnoint where II verged upon the uicahhy
nerfeetlug his arboreal instincts ana tram
~, Aim IN the use Of both natural anu ar
!, ee,ai weapons of oftense and defense
He had became at last creature OF
p,aryelous physical poNerF ana nnshesi , eu.'.
nine Tie was still but a boy, ". 80 sssa' 81
us us MS strength that the p9wertui ahthfo-
nrid with which he often engaged ~ miilis mn
hsttle was no match for him Akat hsa
nAsshs, .,isth, him 10 fght as the bull ape hghts :
sses ssSs-s sver was there teacher better ntted
@ saet ,r5tr,,et IN the savage warfare OF pri-
nsardiaI man. or pupil Dexter equipPea
.iiS- -,,.eat M the lessons OF q master.
" = re Two searched for band OF the
,eest extinct species Of ape TO which
Ahu.,t haionged. they lived upon the best the
4sssla afforded Antelope and zebra fell
- shs boyis spear. or were dragged down
- ~ ne two powerful beasts. OF prey VINO
s.easd upon Them from some oserhsnging
-, ~ from the ambush Of ths under
s.ss,s - beside the uan 20 the vaterzhoie O.
Fhe fera. ..z -. .st...