The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1918-02-07
CHAPTER xll-continued.

The wide heavens above her seemed
to promise Il greater freedom from
doubt and questioning. Baynes had
urged her to tell him that she loved
him. A dozen times she thought that
she might honestly give him the an
swer that he demanded.
korak was fast becoming but men,
Dry. That he was dead she had come
TO believe since otherwise he would
have sought her out. She did not
know that he had even better reason
to believe her dead and that 1t was be-
cause of that belief he had made no
effort to find her after his raid upon
the village of Kovudoo.
Behind a great Towering shrub Han
son lay gazing at the stars and walt
ing. He had lain thus and there many
nights before. For what was he walt
ing or for whom? He heard the girl
approaching and half raised himself to
his elbow. A dozen PAGES away, the
reins Topped over fence post. stood
his pony.
AIeriem, walking slowly, approached
the bush behind which the waiter lay.
Hanson drew large bandanna hand
kerchlef from his pocket and rose
sleulthiy to his knees. A pony neighed
down at the corrals. Far out across
the plain Il lion roared. Hanson
changed his position until he squatted
upon both feet.
Again the pony nelghed, this time
closer. There was the sound of his
body brushing against shrubbery. Han
son heard and wondered how the ami
nal had got from the corral, for 1t was
evident that he was already In the gar
den. The man turned his head in the
direction of the beast.
What he saw sent him to the ground,
huddled close beneath the shrubbery-
man was coming, leading two ponies.
Meriem heard now and stopped to
look and listen. A moment later the
Hon. Morrison Baynes drew near. the
two saddled mounts at his heels.
Meriem looked up at him in surprise.
The Hon. Morrison grlnned sheepishly.
81 couldn't Sleep" he explained,
"and was going for a bit Of ride
when CHANGED to see you out here
and I thought you'd like to join me.
Tipping good sport, you know, night
riding. Come on"
Meriem laughed. The adventure ap-
peuled to her. "All right" she said.
Hanson swore beneath his breath
The two led their horses from the gar
den to the gate and through 1t. There
they discovered Hanson's mount.
why, here's the traders pony" re-
marked Baynes.
He's probably down visiting with
the foreman" said Meriem.
Pretty late for him, isn't it?" re-
marked the Hon. Morrison. aid hate
to have IN ride back through that jun
gle at night to his camp"
A moment later the two had mount
ed and were moving slowly across the
Ihoon-bathed plain.
Their horses were pressed side by
side. Baynes was pressing Meriem's
hand as he poured words of love into
her ear, and Merlem was listening.
Come to London with me-" urged
the Hon. Morrison. II can gather q
safari, and we c6-l be u whole day
upon the way to the coast before they
guess that we have gone"
"Why must We go that way?" asked
the girl. 'Bwana and My Dear would
not object to our marriage"
II cannot marry you just yet" ex
planned the Hon. Morrison. II must IN
form my people, and there are Other
formalities to be attended to first. You
do not understand. 1t will be all right
We will go to London. 1 cannot wait
If you love me you will come"
You love me?" she asked. "You
Will marry me when we have reached
LondonT'