Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-08
hidden his men IN the deserted village

~ 'uptuif !cl.
And when at last the WOMAN had
walked into the trap lie had set for
her and he had recognized her rs the
same little girl he had bfutalized and
maltreated years before his gratih<;-
ton had been huge. Now he lost no
time In establishing the old relations
Of father aud daughter that had ex-
listed between Them in the past.
4! two days march brought Them Mt
last to the familiar scenes of her
childhood. and the first face upon
which she sci her eyes as she was
driven through the gates into the
strong stockade was that Of the Doth
less, hideous Nahum. her II time
nurse. II WAS as though all the years
that had interviewed We're but a dream.
Had it not been for her clothing and
the fact thai She had grown in stature
she might well have believed 1t so,
For a time the inhabitants OF the
sheik's village who had not been upon
the march with him amused them
selves by Inspecting the strangely clad
white girl whom some of them had
known as u little child.
Among the Arabs who had com In
her absence was 4 tall young fellow
of twenty, a handsome. sinister, look
ing youth. who stared at her in open
admiration until the sleik came and
ordered him away. and Abdul kamak
went, seoMling.
AT last. their curiosity satisfied, Me-
riem was left alone. As of old. she
was permitted the freedom of the VII
lage. for the stOckade was high and
strong and the only gates We're well
guarded by day and night. But, AS OF
old. She cared NOT for the companion.
ship of the cruel Arabs and the de-
! graded blacks who formed the follow
ing of the slieik, and 81, as had been
her want in the sad days of her child
hood, she skunk down TO an mnfreQuent.
I'd corner Of the Enclosure where she
had often played at housekeeping witt
her beloved Geeka.
Meriem pressed her hand above hel
heart and sliied "A sigh, and rs she dit
so she felt the hard outlines Of til,
photographs she had hidden There ~
she skunk from Malbiln'S tent. Now
she drew II forth and commenced Il
re-exalnine ii more carefully than sht
had had time to do before.
As she sat gazing at the picture she
suddenly became aware that she was
close behind her, some one who haC
approached her noiselessly. Guiltill
she thrust the picture back into hel
waist. A hand fell upon her shoulder
She was sure that it was the sheik
and size awaited in dumb terror The
blow that she knew would immediate
~ follow.
30 blow came, and she looked up
ward oven her shoulder-lntu the eyes
Of Abdul Kamak, the young Arab.
IL saw" he said, "tle picture tina
YOU have just hidden. II is you When
you were II child. q very young child
May ! see 1t againI"
Meriem drew away from him.
Il will give it back" he said. 81
have heard of YOU. and | know tina
YOU have M love for the shcik. y0Gl
father. Neither have |. | will no,
betray YOU. Let me see the picture.
She drew the Photograph from IT.
hiding place and handed it to him.
lie turned til" picture over, aud aS
his eyes fell upon the old newspaper
cutting they went wide. He coult
read Freneh-wiih difficulty. it is true
hut he could read il. He had been I,
Paris. He had spent six months there
on exhibition with Il troop Of his des
ert fellows.
Slowly. lahoriously. he read the vel
lowed cutting. His eyes were no long
or wide. Instead. they narrowed Il
two Sits of cunning. When he hat
done he looked at the girl.
You have read lhis:' he asked.
II have not had the opportunity,
SHE replied.
A wonderful idea had sprung TO Alb
dul Kamak's mind. 1t was an ide;
that might be fnrthered il the CIR
we're kept In ignorance Of the content
of that newspaper cutting. II wo,ll'
certainly be doomed should she lear
It's contents.
'Meriem,' he whispered. "never M
I'll today have my eyes beheld YOU
vet ut once they told my heart that
must ever be your servant. You d
not know me, nut | ask that YOU lrus
me. can help YOU. You hate til
sleik. So do |. Let me take 70
away from him. Come with me I'm
!. we viii 20 back to the great leseI
where my father Is a slieik mightle
than i, yours. win you Gomez
Nierism sat IN silence. She hated |
t wound the only one who had OfYere'
her protection and friendship, but sh
did not wan, Abdul Kamak's love. DE-
ceived by her silence. the man seize
. her and strained her. to him. but Mel
! lem struggled TO free herself.
1 II do not love your she cried. "Ot
please do not make me hate you! Yo
are the only one who has shown Kline
ness toward me, and want to lik