Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-06

She stopped and picked up the enyel.
ope. Tearing IL open, she read the con
tents easily by The moons brilliant
light.
Il was, as she had guessed, from
Baynes:
10 cannot go without seeing you
again. Come To- the clearing early to-
morrow morning and, say goodby to-
me. Come alone
There was II little more--wOrds that
made her heart beat faster and Il hap
by flush mount her cheek.
II was still dark when the Hon.
Morrison Baynes SET forth for the tryst-
Ing place. He insisted upon having Il
guide, saying that he was not sure that
he could find his way back TO the little
clearing.
As Il natter of fact the thought Of
that lonely ride through the darkness
before the sun rose had been too much
for his courage, and he craved com
pany.
A black. therefore. preceded him on
foot Behind and above him came ko
rak, whom the noise in the camp had
awakened.
II was nine o'clock before Baynes
drew rein in the clearing. Merlem had
not yet arrived. The black lay down
to rest. Baynes lolled in his saddle.
korak stretched himself comfortably
upon n lofty limb. where he could
watch those beneath him without being
seen.
An hour passed. Bayles gave evil.
dence of nervousness. korak had al
ready guessed that the young English
man had come here to meet another.
Presently the sound of an approach.
Ing horse came to kOrak's ears. Me-
riem was coming. She had almost
reached the clearing before Baynes
became aware of her presence, and
then as he looked up The foliage part
ed to the head and shoulders Of her
mount, and Meriem rode into view
Bayncs spurred to meet her.
Korak Locked searchingly down upon
her, mentally anathemalizing Tho
broad-brimmed hat that hid .her fca-
lures from his eyes. She was abreast
the EngliShnan now
korak saw the man take both her
hands and draw her close to his breast
He saw the mans face concealed fm
n moment beneath the same broad brinl
that hid the girls.
When he looked again they had
drawn apart and were cOnversng earn
estly. korak could see the man urg-
ing something. 1t was equally evident
that the girl was holding back. There
were many of her gestures. and the
way in which she tossed her head up
and to the right Uplifting her chin,
that reminded korak strongly of Me-
riem. And then the conversation was
over. and the man took the girl in his
arms again 10 kiss her goodby.
She turned and rode toward the
point from which she had come. The
man sat his horse watching her. Al
The edge of the jungle she turned to
wave him II final farewell.
Tonight She cried throwing back
her head rs she called the words to
him across the little distance which
separated misunderstanding back her
head and revealing her face for the
first time to the eyes Of the Killer in
the tree above.
KoNk started as though pierced
through the heart with an arrow. He
tremhed and shook like leaf. lie
closed his eyes. pressing his palms
across them. and then he opened them
again and looked.
But the girl was gone. Only tho
waving foliage Of the iungle's rim
marked where she had disappeared.
II was impossible II could not be
true. And yet with his own eyes h,
had seen his Meriem--oldcr n little
with figure more rounded by nearer
maturity, and sublly changed in Other
ways: more beautiful than ever, ye
| sIil his little Mercm. Yes, he ha,
seen the dead alive again he had seci
! Ids Meriem in the flesh. She lived
She had not died.
He had seen hcr---hc had seen hi,
Merlcm-in the arms Of another man
| Ana that nun sat below him now with
in easy reach.
Korak the Killer fonded his heav,
spear. He played with the grass rop,
dangling from his gee string. II,
strokcd the hunting knife ut his hin
And the man beneath him called To hi.
drowsy guide, bent the rein to hi
pony's neck and moved off toward tn,
north.
Still sat Korak the Killer alon,
among the trees, Now his hands hun,
idly 1T his sides. His weapons an,
what he had intended were forgotten
for the moment K0rak was thinking
He had noted that subtle chnnge II
Merlem. when last he had seen he
she had been his little, half nake'
Mnngani-wild, savage and uncouth
She had not seemed uncoutIl TO hin
then. But now. In the change that lut
come over her, he knew that such sh'
had been, yet no more uncouth thu
he, and he was stlll uncouth.