Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-11-10

) them-thcy were to her as much enc
| mics as the black men. She hated and
feared them all. Malbihn spoke to her
in Arabic.
| ave are fricnds,' he said. Would
| you like to have us take YOU away from
herc?'
| Slowly and dimly, rs though from II
, great distance, recollection of the once
| familiar tongue returned to her
Il should like to 20 free" she said,
! and go back to Korak."
"Iou would like to 20 with u.s." per-
| sisted Malbihn.
( NO. said Mcricm.
! Malbihn turned to Kovudoo. "She
! does not wish to 20 with U.S." lie said
! You are men," returned the black.
Can you not take her by forcc?'
/ at would only add to our troubles"
,, replied the Swcdc. NO, Kovudoo, we
! do not wish her, though, il YOU wish
| To be rid Of her. we will take her away
| because of our friendship for YOU"
Now, Kovudoo knew that he had
made II sale. They wanted her So he
| commenced to bargain, and in the end
| the person of Mrricm passed from the
! possession Of the black chicftnin into
that of the two SwcdcS in consideration
of six yards OF American, three empty
/ brass cartridge shells and Il shiny new
| jackknife from Now Jersey
| And all but Mcricm were more than
pleased with the bargain.
| kovudoo stipulated but Il single con
'lition, and that was that the Euro
! EranS were 10 leave his village and take
, the girl with them rs early the next
morning Us they could get started.
After the sale he did not hesitate to
explain his reasons for this demand.
, lie told them of the strenuous attempt
! OF the girls savage mate to rescue her,
, and suggested that the sooner they got
her out of the country the more likely
they We're 10 rctaiu possession {of her. i.
! Meriem was again bound and placed
iunder guard, but this time In the tent
OF the SwedcS. NInlbihn talked to her
trying to persuade her to accompany
them willingly. lie told her that they
| would return her TO her own village
| but when he discovered that she would
| rather die than go back to the old shcik
lie assured her that they would not take
| her there-nor, as matter Of fact, had
they any intention Of so doing.
All that night Mcriem my listening
for signal from Korak. All about
the jungle life moved through the
darkness. TO her sensitive ears came
sounds that the others In the camp
could not hear, sounds that she in
! tcrpretcd rs we might interpret the
speech of friend, but not once came
a single note that betokcncd the pres
cnce of Korak. But she knew that he
would come. Nothing short OF death
itself could prevent her Korak from
returning for her
What delayed him. though?
When morning came again and the
night had brought no Succoring Korali
hAlcriem's faith and loyalty were stin
B.! mistaken, though misgivings began to
aSsail her as to the safety of her
friend. 1t seemed unbelievable that
serious misEap could have ovcrtakcn
her wonderful Korak. who daily pass
ed unscathcd through all the icrrors of
the jungle~ Yet morning came. the
morning meal was eaten. the camp
broken, and the disreputabIe safari of
the Swcdes was again on the move
northward with still no sign of the
rescue by Korak the girl momcntarily
expected.
All that day they marched and the
next and the next Nor did Korak
even so much us show himself to the
patient little waiter moving, silent and
stately, beside her hard cnptors.
1t was OH the fourth day that Mer-
lem began definitely to give up hope
Something had happened to Korak
She knew it, lie 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 Swcdcs rested, for
they had marched rapidly and their
men were tired. Malbihn and Jensen
had gone from camp to hunt. taking
different directions.
They had been gone about an hour
when the door of Mericms tent was
lifted and Malbihn entered Ills look
portcnded no good to the girl.
Out In the jungle Jensen had brought
down two bucks. His hunting had not
carried him far aicld, nor was he
prone to permit II to do so. He was
suspicious of Malbihn. The very fact
that his companion had refused to
accompany him and elected instead
to hunt alone in another direction
would not, under ordinary circum.
, stances, have seemed frauSht with sin.
lister suggestion, but Jensen knew
Malbihn well, and so, having secured
meat, he turned Immediately back to.
ward camp, while his boys brought In
his kill.
lie had covered about half the re.
turn journey when Il scream came
family TO his ears from the direction
Of camp. lie halted to listen. 1t was
repeated twice. Then silence.
| With IL muticrcd curse Jensen broke
( into rapid run. What II fool Nal.
] bim was, indeed, thus to chance
jeopardizing Il fortune