Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-01
The SONOF TARZAN

His blacks looked al MIN in astonish.
ment.
would you know me9" he asked.
The hyena that bore you would not
know you, Bwana," replied one.
The man aimed heavy fist at the blacks
face; but long experience in lodging similar
blows saved the presumptuous one.
Meriem returned slowly toward the tree
In which she had left her skirt. shoes and
stockings She was singing blithely; but
| her song came to sudden stop when she
came within sight OF the tree, for there
disporting themselves with glee, and pulling
and hauling upon her belongings, were n
number of balloons
When they saw her they showed no signs
of terror. Instead, they barred their fangs
and growled ut her What was there to
fear in a single she-Tarrnangan? Nothing
absolutely nothing.
In the open plain beyond the forest the
hunters were returning from the days
sport. They were widely separated, hoping
to raise wandering lion on the homeward
journey across the plain. The Hon. Morrison
Baynes rode closest to the forest. AS his
eyes wandered back and forth across the
undulatng, shrub-sprlnkled ground they
fell upon the form of a creature close be-
side the thick jungle where II terminated
abruptly at the plains edge.
He refined his mount in the direction of
his discovery. 1t was yet too far away for
his unframed eyes to recognize It; but as he
came closer he saw that Il was a horse and
was about to resume the original direction
of his way when he thought that he dis.
cerned a saddle upon the beasts back.
He rode little closer. Yes. the animal
was saddled. The Hon. Morrison approached
yet nearer, and as he did SO his eyes ex.
pressed pleasurable emotion of anticipa-
ton for they had now recognized the pony
as the especial favorlte of Meriem.
He galloped to the animals side. Meriem
must be within the woodl'
The man shuddered little at the thought
of an unprotected girl alone in the Jungle
that was still, to him. a fearful place of
terrors and stealthily stalking death. He
dismounted and left his horse beside Mer.
iem's On foot he entered the jungle. He
knew that she was probably safe enough,
and he wished to surprise ner by coming
suddenly upon her
He had gone but short distance into
the wood when he heard great jabbering
in nearby tree. Coming closer, he saw
q band of balloons snarling over something
Looking intently, he saw that one of them
held woman's riding skirt and that others
had shoes and stockings.
His heart almost ceased to beat as he
quite naturally placed the most direful ex-
planation upon the scene. The balloons had
killed Meriem and stripped this clothing
from her body! Morrison shuddered.
He was about to call aloud in the hope
that after all the girl still lived. when he
saw her IN tree close DeSlde tnat occupied
by the balloons, and now he saw that they
were snarling and jabbering at her To his
amazement he saw the girl swing. apelike,
into the tree below the huge beasts. He
saw her pause upon a branch but few
feet from the nearest baboon.
He was raising his rifle to put bullet
through the hideous creature that seemed
about to leap upon her, when he heard the
girl speak. He almost dropped, his ritlc
from surprise as strange Jabbering. identi'
cal with that of the apes, broke from
Meriem's lips
The balloons stopped their snarling and
listened. 1t was quite evident that they
were as much surprised the Hon. Mori.
son Baynes. Slowly, and one by one they
approached the girl.
She gave not the slightest evidence of
fear of them. They quite surrounded her
now, so that Baynes could not have fired
without endangering the girls life; but he
no longer desired to fire. He was consumed
with curiosity.
For several minutes the girl carried on
what could be nothing less than CONVEX
sation with the balloons, and then, with