Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-07

fingers encircled the coveted prize and
drew it from its resting place. She
levcled It mt his breast, but the ham
mer fell futilely upon an empty cham
Der.
For moment she euded Malbihn
and ran toward the entrance to the
tent, but AT the very doorway his heavy
hand fell upon her shoulders and drag
ged her back. Wheeling upon him with
the fury of Il wounded lionesS, Mericm
grasped the long revolver by the bar
rel, swung it high above her head
and crashed it down full in Malbihn's
face.
With an oath of pain and rage the
man staggered backward. releasing his
hold upon her, and then sank uncon.
sciOus to the ground. Without back
ward look Meriem turned and fled into
the open.
Several of the blacks saw her and
tried to intercept her flight, but the
menace of the harmless weapon kept
them at distance.
And so she won beyond the encir-
cling boma and disappeared into the
jungle to the south.
Straight into the branches of tree
she went, true to the arboreal instincts
of the little Mangani she had been, and
there she stripped off her riding skirt,
her shoes and her stockings, for she
knew that she had before her a 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 of
defense OF weapon 10 bring d.wn
meat Why had she not thought to
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 My Dear.
With the thought came determine
ton To return and obtain the coveted
ammunition. She realized that she
But without means of defense and of
obtaining meat she felt that she could
never hope to reach safety. And 81
she turned hnr face back toward the
camp from which she had but just es-
capped.
She thought Malhhn dead. so ter
rife blow had she dealt him, and she
hoped to find an opportunity after dark
to enter the camp and search his tent
for the cartridge belt. But scarcely
had she found II hiding place in great
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
fled 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
and ran quickly across the clearing to
Malbihn's tent. A hasty survey of the
interior revealed no ammunition, brt
in one corner was box in which We're
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 contaner of extra am.
muntion Quickly she loosed the cords
that held the canvas covering about
the box and moment later had raised
the lid and was rummaging through
odds and ends within.
There were letters and papers and
| cuttings from old newspapers, and
among other things the photograph Of
u little girl upon the back of which
was pasted Il clipping from a Paris
daily, Il clipping that she had no time
to read. yellowed and dmmed 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, 1t
came TO her that this was a picture
Of herself, taken years and years be-
fore,
Where had it been taken? How
had 1t come into the possession Of this
man! Why had 1t been reproduced IN
Il newspaper? What was the story
that the faded type told of 1t?
Meliem was bailled by the puzzle
that her search 70. ammunition had re.
vealed. She stood gazing at the faded
photograph for n time and then be.
thought herself of the ammuniton for
which she had come. Turning again to
the box. she rummaged to the bottom
and there In n corner she calne upon Il
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 thnt she held in her hand
Az she stood thus In vain endea vor
to fathom this lnexpllcuble mystery the