The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-21

Straight INTO the DTaucneS or Z 0ef
she went, true to the arbOreai instinct.
Of the little Mansani she had been. and
there she stripped off her riding skirt
her shoes and her stockings. for .'.e
knew that she had before her jour.
ney and flight which would not brook
the burden of these garments.
She had not gone far before she COM
menced to realize how slight were her
| chances for survival without means 0f
defense or weapon to bring down
meat Why had she not thought ID
strip the cartridge belt from Malbihns
waist before she had left his tent
| With cartridges for the revolver she
might hope to bag small game and to
| protect herself from all but the most
| ferOciOuS of the enemies that would
beSet her way back to the beloved
hearthstone Of Bwana and Ny Dear.
With the thought came determine
ton to return and obtain the coveted
ammunition. She realized that she
was taking great chances Of recapture.
But without means of defense and OF
obtaining meat she felt that she could
never hope to reach safety. And so
she turned her face back toward the
camp from which she had but just es-
capped.
She thought Malbihn dead, so ter
rife blow had she dealt him, and she
hoped to find All opportunity after dark
to enter the camp and search his tent
for the cartridge belt. But scarcely
had she found hiding place In a great
tree at the edge of the bona, where
she could watch without danger OF be-
ing discovered, than she saw the
Swede emerge from his tent, wiping
blood from his face and hurting vol
ley OF Oaths and questions at his terri
fed followers.
Shortly after the entire camp set
forth in search Of her, and when Me-
riem was positive that all We're gone
she descended from her hiding place
ard ran quickly across the clearing to
Malbihn's tent. A hasty survey Of the
interior revealed no ammunition, but
in one corner was u box in which were
packed the Swede's personal belong
ings that he had sent along by his
head man to this westerly camp.
Meriem seized upon the receptacle
as the possible conlainer Of extra AM
munitiOn. Quickly she lOOsed the cords
that held the canvas covering about
the box and moment later had raised
the lid and was rummaging through
the heterogeneous accumulation OF
odds and ends within.
There We're letters and papers and
cuttings from old newspapers. and
among other things the photograph of
little girl upon the back Of which
was pasted a Clipping from Paris
daily, a clipping that she had no time
to read, yellOwed and dimned by age
and handling. But something about
the photograph of the little girl which
was also reproduced in the newspaper
clipping held her attention.
Where had she seen that picture be-
fore! And then, quite suddenly. it
came to her that this was picture
Of herself, taken years and years be-
fcre!
Where had it been taken? How
man? Why had it been reproduced in
a newspaper? What was the story
that the faded type told Of it?
Meriem was baffied by the puzzle |
that her search for ammunition had re-
vealed. She stood gazing at the faded |
photograph for u time and then be- |
thought herself Of the ammunition for |
which she had come. Turning again to |
the box, she rummaged TO the bottom,
and there in u corner she came upon |
little box Of cartridges.
A single glance assured her that |
they were intended for the weapon she |
had thrust inside the band Of her rid |
ing breaches, and, slipping them into
her pocket. she turned once more for |
an examination Of the battling likeness
Of herself that she held in her hand.
AS she stood thus in vain endeavOr |
to fathom this inexplicable mystery the
sound Of voices broke upon her ears. |
Instantly she was all alert. They were |
coming closer A second later she rec |
Ognized the lurid profanity Of the
Swede. Malbihn was returning!
She thrust the -phOtograp- INTO her |
waist. Quickly she slipped cartridge |
into each Of the chambers Of the re-
vOlver. Then she backed toward the
end Of the tent, keeping the entrance
covered by her weapon.
The men stopped outside, and Me-
riem could hear Malbihn prOfanely IS
suing instructions. He was long time
about it, and while he talked in his
believing, british vsice the girl sought
some avenue of escape.
STOPPING, she raised the bottom of
the canvas and looked beneath and be-
yOnd. There was no one in sight upon
that side. Throwing herself upon her
stomach, she ,wormed beneath the tent
wall just as Malbihn, with final word
to his men, entered the tent.
Meriem heard him cross the floor.
and then she rose and. STOPPING low,