The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-27
CHAPTER VII.
A Rescue.

h savage country where the sheik
held sway. Little Meriem still played
with her doll Geeka, lavishing all her
childish love upon the now almost
hopeless ruin of what had lever, even
In Its pallnlest days. possessed even Il
slight degree of loneliness.
The Sheik had been way for a long
time, conducting II caravan of ivory,
skins and rubber far into the north.
The interim had been one of great
peace for Meriem. 1t is true that Ma
bunu had still been with her, To pinch
or beat her as the mood seized the vii
famous old hag. but Nahum was only
one. When the sheik was there also
there We're W. Of them, and the sheik
was stronger and more brutal even
than Nahum.
Little Meriem often wondered why
the grim old man hated her so. 1t is
true that he was cruel and unjust to
all with whom he came in contact, but
TO Meriom he reserved his greatest
cruelticS, his most studied injustices.
AS the little girl played she pratt.
tied continuously to her companion,
propped in "A sitting position with a
couple of twigs. She was totally alb
Sorbed In Geeka-SO much so that h
did not note the gentle Swaying of the
branches of the tree above her as they
bent to the body Of a creature that had
entered them stealthily from the jun
gle.
In happy ignorance the little girl
played on, while from above two steady
eyes looked down upon her, unblink-
ing, ~unwavering. There was none 9th
er than the little girl in this part OF
the village. which had been almost de-
serted since the sheik had left long
months before upon his journey to-
ward the north.
And out in the jungle, an hours
march from the village, the sheik "a
leading his returning caravan home
ward.
A year had passed since the white
men had fired upon the lad and driven
him back into the jungle to take up
his search for the only remaining crea-
lures to whom ne might look for COM
paniOnship-the great apes. For
months the two had wandered east
ward, deeper and deeper into the jun
gle.
The year had done much for the boy
turning his already mighty muscles
70 thews OF steel, developing his wood
craft TO a point where ii verged upon
the uncanny, perfecting his arboreal
instincts and training him in the use
Of both natural and artificial weapons
Of offense and defense.
He had become at last a creature of
marvellous physical powers and mental
cunning. He was still but a boy, yet
so great was his strength that the
powerful anthropoid with which he
often engaged in mimic battles was
no match for him. Akut had taught
him to fight as the bull ape fights, nor
ever was there q teacher better fitted
TO instruct in the savage warfare OF
primordial man or q pupil better
equipped to profit by the lessons of a
master.
As the two searched for a band OF
the almost extinct species Of ape to
which Akut belonged they lived upon
the best the jungle afforded. Antelope
and zebra fell to the boys spear or
were dragged down by the two power
full beasts of prey, who leaped upon
them from some O~verhanging limb or
from the ambush Of the underground
beside the trail to the water hole or
the ford.
Akut and Jack, now called KOrak in
down the wind, and warily. because
the advantage was with whatever
beast might chance to be hunting
ahead Of them, where their scent spoor
was beinV borne by the light breeze.
Suddenly the two halted Simultaneous
~, Two heads We're cooked upon one
side. Like creatures hewn from solid
rorh they stood i~mmovable, listening.
Not a muscle quivered.
For several seconds they remained
thuS. Then Korak advanced cautiously
a few yards and leaped nimbly into
q tree. Akut followed close upon his
heels. Neither had made 81 sound that
would have been appreciate to hu-
man ears at a dozen PAGES.
Stopping often to listen, they crept
forward through the trees. That both
were greatly puzzled was apparent
from the questioning looks they cast
at one another from time to time.
Finally the lad caught n glimpse OF
Il palisade q hundred yards ahead and
beyond it the tops Of some goat skin
tents and a number Of matched huts.
His lip upcurled in a savage snarl.
Blacks! How he hated them. lie
signed to Akut to remain where he
was while he advanced to r%econnoiter.
He heard a voice beyond the pail
SADIE, and toward that he made his
way. A great tree overhung the in
closure at the very point from which
the voice came. Into this Korak crept.
His e was ready in his hand.