Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-02

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 80 their eyes met.
and Malbihn slowly dropped one Of
his lids in a sly wink. Together they
followed Kovudoo toward his hut. In
the dim interior they discerned the
figure Of a woman lying bound upon
a sleeping mat.
Malbihn took q single glance and
turned away. "She must be a thou
sand years old, Kovudoo," he said az
he left the hut.
She Is young!" cried the savage.
1T is dark In here. You cannot see.
Walt. ! will have her brough: 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.
Malblhn and Jensen evinced no
eagerness, though both were fairly
bursting with 1t, not to see the girl,
but to obtain possession Of her. They
cared not II she had the face of a mar.
moset or tAe 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
so, the testimony Of the runner Kovu-
doc had sent to the sheik was such as
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 huts interior the
two men turned, with every appear
ance Of dislnterestedness, to glance at
her. It was with difficulty that NAL
bihn suppressed an ejaculation Of as
constituent. 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.
us she not both young and good
1ooking?" asked Kovudoo.
"She Is not old" replied Malhihn.
"But, even so. she will be a burden.
We did not come from the north after
wives. There are more than enough
there for u.s."
Meriem stood looking straight at the
white men. She expected nothing from
them-they were to her as much enc
mics as the black men. She hated and
feared them all. Malblhn spoke to her
In Arabic.
I'VE are friends" he said. "Would
you like to have US take you away
from here?"
Slowly and dimly. as though from a
great distance, recollection Of the once
familiar tongue returned to her.
II should like to go free" she said
"and go back to Korak."
y "You would like to 60 with usT
persisted Malbihn. s~
NO." said Meriem-
Malbihn turned to Kovudoo. "Sht
! does not wish to go with u.s." he said
"You are men," returned the black
"Can you not take her by forceT
ut would only add to our troubles
replied the Swede. mo. Kovudoo. w
do not wish her, though, II you wisi
to be rid Of her, we will take her ava,
because Of our friendship for you"
| Now, Kovudoo knew that he hat
made sale. They wanted her. So HI
commenced to bargain, and in the enc
! the person of Meriem passed from thu
possession of the black chieftain int
that of the two Swedes in considera
/ ton of six yards Of American, thre'
empty brass cartridge shells and I
shiny new jackknife from New Jersey
And all but Meriem we're more thar
pleased with tho bargain.
Kovudoo stipulated but single con
dition, and that was that the Euro
peans were to leave his village ant
take the girl with them as early thu
next morning as they could get start
ed. After the sole he did not hesitate
to explain his reasons for this demand
He told them Of strenuous attempts
Of the girls savage mate to rescue her
and suggested that the sooner they go
her out of the country the more likely
they we're to retain possession Of her
Meriem was again bound and placed
under guard, but this time In the tent
of the Swedes. Malbihn talked to her
trying to persuade her to accompany
them willingly. He told her that they
! would return her to herbown village
but when he discovered that she would
rather die than 60 back to the old
sheik he assured her that they would
not take her there-nor, as a matter
Of fact, had they any intention Of Sc
doing.
All that night Meriem lay listening