The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-23
CHAPTER XVII.
TSr-ar Returns
And KOrak?


And Korak?
Tantor carried him deep into tn
Jungle, nor paused until no sount
from the distant village reached hi:
| keen ears. THIN he laid his burdei
gently down. hora@: struggled to fre'
himself from MS bonds. but even hi!
great strength r.is unable to cope witt
the many strands OF hard ilnotted core
that bound hiln.
And while he struggled through the
night with his bonds Baynes and Meri
EN- were riding rapidly northwaro
along the river. The girl had assured
! BayneS that korak was safe in tht
jungle with TantUr. 1t had not oc-
cured to her that the ape man might
/ not be able to burst his bonds. Baynes
| had been wounded by shot from the
| rifle Of one of the Arabs, and the girl
| wanted to get him back to Bwana' S
| home, where he could be properly
| cared for.
Then" she said. 81 shall get Bwana
to come with me and search for 10
rak He must come and live with us.
All night they rode, and the day was
still young when they came suddenly
upon party hurrying southwark. 1t
was Bwana himself and his sleek.
black warriors.
AT sigh, oil Baynes the big English
mans brows contracted in a ScOwl,
but he waited to hear AIeriem's story
before giving vent to the long pent
anger in his breast. When she had
finished he seemed to have forgotten
Baynes His thoughts We're occupied
with another subject.
you say that you found Korak?' he
asked. You really saw him!'
"Yes," replied Meriem; "as plainly
as l see you, and want you to come
with me, Bwana, and help me find him
again.
Did you see him?'' He turned to-
ward the Hon. Morrison.
Yes, SIR replied Baynes; Every
plainly"
what sort of appearing man is he?"
continued BwaIla. about how old
Woult you say
Il should say he was an Englishman
about my own age replied Baynes,
Bwana turned to his head man.
"Take Miss Mericm and Mr.. Baynes
home" he said. Il am going into the
jungle"
Then he m6tioned 10 his head man
to take his horse aud commence the
return journey to the farm. Meriem
slowly mounted the tired horse that
had brought her from the village of
the sheik. 4 litter WAS rigged for the
now feverish Baynvs, and the little
cayalcade was soon slowly winding of
along the river trail.
Bwana stood watching them until ,
they were out of sight.
Slowly he turned toward q nearby
tree. LeapiEg upward, he caught
lower branch and drew himself up
among the branches. His movements
were catlike and agile. High into the |
tree he made his way and there com |
menced to divest himself Of his cloth |
ing.
After Bwana had left his party. !
sending them back toward the farm. !
Meriem had ridden for short dis i
lance with bowed head. What thoughts
passed through that active brain who
may say? Presently she seemed to
come to a decision. She called the !
head man to her side
II am going back with Bwana," she .
announced.
The black shook his head. "NO!" he /
announced. ''Bwana says 1 take you |
home. So I take you home"
Presently her horse passed beneath
a low hanging branch, and the black
head man found himself gazing at the
girls empty saddle He ran forward
to the tree into which she had disap-
peared. He could see nothing of her.
He called, but there was no response
unless it might have been a low. taunt-
ing laugh far to the right. He sent his
men into the jungle to search for her,
but they came back empty handed.
After awhile he resumed his march
toward the farm, for Baynes by this
time was deliriOus with fever.
Merien, shedding the awkward Arab
robe they had given her in the sheik's
douar, raced in riding breeches and
barefoot straight back toward the
point she imagined Tantor would make
for. Il point where she knew the e]e-
plants often gathered deep In the for
est due east Of the sheik's village. She
moved silently and swiftly. From her
mind she had expunged all thoughts
other than that she must reach KOrak
ana bring him back with her. !.
Now there came to her sensitive nos
frils the scent of Tantor. and she knew
nat She was on the right trail and =,
To Oh, !