Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-31

darkness. TO her sensitive ears came
sounds that the others in the camp
could not hear. sounds thai she inter
preted H. We might interpret the
speech of Il friend, hut moi once came
Il single noie that bet0kened the pres
ence of koruk. But she knew that he
would come. Soothing short of death
itself could prevent her korak fNbm
returning to her.
What delayed him. though?
When morning came again and the
night had brought no Succoring korak
Meriem's faith and loyalty We're still
uns.iaken though misgiylngs began tn
assail her as 10 The safety of her
friend. 1t seemed unbelievable thar
serious nlshnp could have oyertuken
her wonderful korak, who daily passed
uIiscathed through all the terrors OF
The jungle. iet morning came. the
morning meal WAS eaten. the camp
broken, and the disreputable Safari Of
the Swedes was again on the move
northward with still no sign of the
rescue by korak the girl momentarily
expected.
All that day they marched and the
next and uie next. Nor did korak
even So much as show himself 10 the
patient little waiter moving, silent and
stately. beside her hard captors.
II was on the fourth day that Mer.
lem began definitely to give up hope.
Something had happened to kolak
She knew il. He would never come
now, and these men would take her
away. Presently they would Kill her
She would never see her korak again.
On this day the Swedes rested foS
they had marched rapidly and their
men were tired. Malbhn and Jensen
had gone from camp to hunt, takina
different directions.
They had beel gone about an hour
when the door of MeritAn's tent WAS
lifted and Malbhn entered, His look
portended no good to the gill.
Out in the jungle Jensen had
brought down TWO bucks His hunting
had not carried him far afeld, nor
was he prone To permit it To do 50. He
was suspicious of Malbihn. The very
fact that his companion had refused to
accompany him and elected instead Ia
hunt alone in another direction would
Al
have seemed frausht with sinister sue
gestion, but Jensen knew Malbhn
well, and 80, having secured meat, he
turned Immediately back toward camp
while his boys brought in his kill.
He had covered about half the re.
turn journey when scream came
family to his ears from the direction
Of camp. He halted to listen. 1t was
repeated twice. Then silence.
With Il muttrred curse Jensen
broke into II rapid run. What Il fool
Mhlbhn was, indeed, thus to chance
Jeopardizing ii fortune,
Further away from camp than Jens.
sen and upon the opposite side an
other heard Mcrcm's ScreamS--a
stranger vino was moi even aware OF
the proximity oI white men other than
himself, Il hunter with II handful OF
sleek, black warriors.
He too, listened intcntly for It mo-
ment That the voice Was that Of Il
woman ia distress he could not doubt.
and SO he also haslcied at II run IN
the direction at the aitrighted voice.
bul he was much farther away lhun
Jensen, SO that the latter reached the
tent FIRST
What the SWede found there reused
no pity within his call0uscd heart. only
anger against his fellow scoundrel
Mcrlem was fighting of her attacker
Mubihu was shoWering blows upon
h2r.
Jensen. streaming foul curses upon
his erslwldlc friend, burst into the
tent. Mulbilin, Interrupted. dropped
his victim and turned to meet Jens.
sens infatuated charge
He whipped Il revolver from his hip
Jensen, anticipating the lightning
move of the others hand, drew almost
simultaneously and both men fired al
once.
Jensen was still moving toward
Malhihn ut the time but AT the flash
of the explosion he stopped. His ri.
Nolver dropped from nerveless fingers
For Il moment he staggered drunkenly
Deliberately Malhihn pun two NOR,
bullets into his friends body AZ close
range.
Even in The midSt Of the excitement
and her terror Meriem found herself
wondering at the tcnacliy Of life
which the hit man displayed. Iii,
eyes were closed. his head droppct
forward upon his breast. his hand,
hung Imply before him. YET still h,
stood there upon his feet, though II,
reeled horribly.
II was not until the third bullet hat
found It's mark within his body thai
he hinged forward upon his face. Thpl
Malbhn approached him and, with N
onth, kicked him vicously. Then h,
turned once more to Meriem.
AT the same instant the flaps of tn,
ten, opened silently and u. tall whit,