The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-22
CHAPTER XVI
A Strange Meeting.


solitude, Korak made his way slowly
toward the west and south. He made
but few miles day, for he had u
whole lifetime before him and no place
in particular to go. Possibly he would
have moved more rapidly but for the
thought which continually haunted him
that each mile he Travelled carried him
farther and farther away from Mer-
iem-nO longer his Meriem. as Of yOre,
it is true, but still as dear to him as
ever.
Thus he came upon the trail Of the
from the point where the sheik had
! captured Meriem to its own StOckaded
village. Suddenly he came to the camp
Of the renegade Swede Malbihn, whose
black attendants fed in terror at sight
Of TantOr and Korak.
| Malbihn lay in hammock benea IN
canopy before his tent. His wounds
were painful, and he had lost much
blood. He Was very weak. He looked
up in surprise as he heard the screams
Of his men and saw them running to-
ward the gate.
And then from around the corner OF
| his tent doomed huge bulk, and Tan
| tor. the great tusker, lowered above
him.
Malbihn's boy, feeling neither affec.
ton nor loyalty for his master. broke
and ran at the first glimpse Of the
beast. and Malbihn was left Alone aud
helpless. The elephant stopped a
couple Of PAGES from the wounded
mans hammock. Aalbihn covered.
moaning. He was too weak to escape.
He could only lie there with staring
eyes, gazing In horror into the blood
trimmed. angry little orbs fixed upon
him, and await his death.
Then. to his establishment. 4 man
slid to the ground from the elephants
back. Almost ut once Halbihn recos-
mixed the strange hgure AZ that of the
creature who consOrted with apes and
babO0ns-the white warrior Of the jun
gie. MalbiAn covered still lower.
1t was from Malbihn's dying lips
counter with Baynes and how Aeriem
was again In the camp Of the sheik.
Korak lost no time In seeking her.
When speed was required Korak de-
pended upon no other muscles than his
own. and so 1t was that the moment
TantOr had landed him safely upon
the same side Of the river as lay the
village Of the shsik the ape man de-
serted his bulky cOmrade aud took to
the trees in n rapid race toward the
south and the spot where the Swede
had told him Meriem nigh: be.
It was dark when he came to the
palisade. strengthened considerably
since the day that he had rescued
Meriem from her pitf7ul life within its
cruel confines. No longer did the giant
tree spread its branches above the
wooden rampant, but ordinary man
made defenses were scarce considered
obstacles by KOrak.
LoOsening the rope at his waist. he
tossed the moose over one Of the sharp
ened posts that composed the palisade.
A moment later his eyes were above
the level Of the obstacles. taking In all
within their range beyond. There was
no one In sight close by, and Korak +!
drew himself to the top and dropped
lightly to the ground within the in !
closure.
Then he commenced his stealttv |
search OF the village. First toward the |
Arab tents he made his W.. sniMlne |
and listening. He passed behind them, !
searching fOr some stsn Of Modem.
Not even the Wild Arab ours heard hts !
passage, 20 siiently he went--a shadow !
passing through shadows.
Naked but for his leopard skin and !
his loin cloth, Korak the Killer skunk !
iat0 the shadows ct the back Of the |
tent, where his keen scent told hin, |;
Merism was. His sharp knife Slit
~ foot opening In the tent wall. and
Korak. tail and mighty. sprahx
through upon the astonished visions Of !
the inmates.
4eriom saw and recognized him the
iestant that he entered the apartment.
Her heart leaped In pride and JOY at
the sight Of the noble figure for which
1t had hungered 50 long.
"KOrak!" she cried.
"Meriem" He uttered the single
word as he hurled himself upon the
inmates Of the tent. Three negresses
leaped from their sleeping mats,
screaming. Meriem tried to prevent
them from escaping, but before she
could succeed the terrified blacks had
darted through the hole in the tent
wall made by kOrak's knife and were
gone screaming through the village.
KOrak turned toward Meriem, and +
at the same moment bloody and
apparition leaped into the
apartment.
Morrison" cried the girl.
For it was Baynes. who, despite his
had made his way to the
sheik's village.
kOrak turned and looked at the new