The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-14
CHAPTER ~.
Vvhon Thieves Fail ovl.

| lucAE uchkNp
Ii Their plans we're we'll made. Their
was no mention Of the white prisoner
They chose to pretend that they wer
not aware that Kovudoa had whit
prisoner. They exchanged gifts wit
the CID chief, haggling with his plepi
potentiaries over the value of VIVA
they were to receive for what the,
gave, as is customary and proper whel
one has no Interior motives. Unwar
ranted generosity would have arouse,
| suspicion.
During the palaver which followed
they retailed the gossip Of the village.
through which they had passed, receiv
/ ing in exchange such news as KOvudO(
/ possessed. The palaver was long and
tiresome, as these native ceremonies
! always are to Europeans. KovudoG
! made no mention Of his prisoner, and
from his generous efforts of guides and
presents seemed anxious to assure
himself of the speedy departure of his
guests.
1t was Malbihn who, quite casually,
near the close of their talk, mentioned
the fact that the sheik was dead. Kov-
udOO evinced interest and surprise.
"You did not know it," asked Mall
bihn. ''That is strange. 1t was during
the last moon. He fell from his horse
when the beast stepped in a hole. The
horse fell upon him. When his men
came up the sheik was quite dead
KOvudoo scratched his head. He was
much disappointed. No sheik meant no
ransom for the white girl.
II know where there is white GIRL"
he said unexpectedly. IF you wish to
buy her she may be had cheap"
Malbihn shrugged. 1--WE have trouble
enough, Kovudodg' he said, without
burdening ourselves with an old,
broken down she hyena, and as for
paying for. one"-Malbihn snapped bis
fingers.
''She is young" said Kovudoo. land
good looking"
The Swedes laughed. ''There are no
good looking white women in the jun
gle, KovudOO," said Jensen. "You
should be ashamed to try to make fun
of old friends"
Kovudoo sprang to his feet. "Come."
he said, Il will show YOU"
Malbihn and Jensen rose to follow
him, and as they did so their eyes met,
and Malbihn slowly dropped one Of
his lids in sly wink. Together they
followed Kovudoo toward his hut. In
the dim interior they discerned the
1gure of woman lying bound upon
4 sleeping mat.
Malbihn took single glance and
turned away. "She must be thou
sand years old. Kovudoo," he said as
he left the hut.
"She is yOung!" cried the savage.
1T is dark in here You cannot see.
! Wait. will have her brought out in
the sunlight" And he commanded the
two warriors who watched the girl to
cut the bonds from her ankles and
Lead her forth for inspection.
Malbihn and Jensen evinced no
eagerness, though both were fairly
bursting with it, not to see the girl,
but to obtain possession Of her. They
cared not If she had the face of mar
mOset or the figure of pot bellied Ko-
vudOo himself. All that they wished
to know was that she was the girl
who had been stolen from the sheik
several years before. They thought
that they would recognize her for such
II she were indeed the same. But even
80. the testimony of the runner Kovu-
doc had sent to the sheik was such a.
to assure them that the girl was the
one they had once before attempted
to abduct.
As Meriem was brought forth from
the darkness Of the hut's interior the
two men turned, with every appear
Gnce Of disinterestedness, to glance at /
her. It was with difficulty that NAL
bihn suppressed an ejaculation Of as
tonishment. The girls beauty fairly |
took his breath from him. But in
stantly he recovered his pOise and
turned to KOvudoo.
"Well?" he said to the old chief.
as she not both young and good
lO0king?" asked kovudOO.
'She is not DID," replied Malbihn.
But, even so, she will be burden.
We did not come from the north after
wives. There are more than enough
therefor U.S."
lderiem stood looking straight at the
whits men. She expected nothing from
them-they were to her as much enc.
mics as ne black men. She hated and
feared Il EN- all. Malbihn spoke to her
in Arabic.
1--WE are friends" he said. "Would
you like to have rs take you away
from here?"
Slowly and disaly, as though from a
great distance, recollection of the once
familiar tongue returned to her.
Il should like to 60 free" she said.
"and 60 back to KOrak." Il
you would like to 60 with usf
persisted Malbihn.
NO." said Meriem.
Malhihn turned t0 K0vudno ss2ha