The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1918-01-24
CHAPTER x-Continued.

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He persuaded them to aid him In
reScuing Meriem and attacking the VII
lage of Kovudoo, calling to mind how
he had saved their king. And so they
came, upon the second day, to the VII
LACE of Kovudoo. 1t was midafter-
noon. The village was sunk In the
quiet of the great equatorial sun heat.
The mighty herd Travelled quietly now.
Beneath the thousands Of padded feet
the forest gave forth no greater sound
than might have been produced by the
Increased soughing of q stronger breeze
through the leafy branches of the
trees.
Korak was in the lead. Close beside
the village they halted until the stray
rlers had closed up. Now utter silence
reigned.
The king of the balloons was anxious
10 revenge himself upon Kovudoo, and
so the band was quickly organized.
Korak, creeping stealthily, entered
the tree that overhung the palisade.
He glanced behind him. The pack
was close upon his heels. The time
had come. He had warned them con-
tinuously during the long march that
no harm must befall the white woman
ape who lay prisoner within the VII
lnge. All others were their legitimate
prey.
Then, raising his face toward the
sky, he gave voice to single cry. 1t
was the signal.
In response 5000 hairy bulls leaped
screaming and barking into the village
of the terrified blacks. Warriors pour
cd from every hut. Mothers gathered
their babies in their arms and fled to-
ward the gates as they saw the horrid
horde pouring into the village street.
Kovudoo marshaled his fighting men
about him and, leaping and yelling to
arouse their courage, offered bris-
Ting. spear-tipped front to the charg-
Ing horde.
Korali, rs he had led the march. led
the charge. The blacks were struck
with horror and dismay at the sight Of
this white-sklnned youth at the head
of pack Of hideous balloons.
For an instant they held their
ground, hurting their spears once at
the advancing multitude. But before
they could fit arrows to their bows
they wavered, gave and turned In ter
rifed rout. Into their ranks, upon
their backs, sinking strong fangs into
the muscles of their necks, sprang the
balloons, and first among them, most
ferocious most bloodthirsty, most ter
rible, was Korak. the Killer.
At the village gates, through which
the blacks poured in panic, Korak left
them to the tender mercies Of his al
lies and turned himself eagerly toward
the hut in which Meriem had been q
prisoner.
1t was empty. One after another
the filthy interiors revealed the same
1isheartening fact-Meriem was In
none of them. That she had not been
taken by the blacks in their flight from
the village Korak knew, for he had
watched carefully for glimpse of her
among the fugitives.
To the mind of the ape man, know
ing as he did the proclivltles of the
savages, there was but a single ex-
planatlon-Meriem had been killed and
eaten. With the conviction that Me-
riem was dead. there surged through
Korak's brain wave of blood-red
rage against those he believed to be
her murderers. In the distance he
could hear the snarllng of the balloons
mixed with the screams of their vic.
trms, and toward this he made his
why.
In the distance Kovudoo was gath,
ering his scattered tribesmen and tax.
ing account of injuries and losses. His
people we're panic-stricken. Nothing
could prevail upon them to remain
longer IN this country. They would
not sFen return to the village for theil