Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-09
The Son of Tarzan !,

ton TO spend month Of hunting ana
exploring with them.
Meriem was all expectancy. What
would these strangers be like? Would
they be-as nice to her as had Bwana
and My Dear, or would they be like
the other white folk she had known
cruel and relentless? My Dear assured
her that they all were gentlefolk and
that she would find them kind, consid-
crate and honorable.
At last the visitors arrived. There
were three men and two women-the
wives Of the two older men. The
youngest member Of the party was
Hon. Morrison Baynes. a young man
OF considerable wealth, who, having
exhausted all the possibilities for pleas.
ure offered by the capitals of Europe,
mad gladly seized upon this opportu-
nifty to turn to another continent for
excitement and adventure.
Nature had favored him with a splen-
did physique and handsome face and
also with sufficient good Judgment to
appreciate that. while he might enjoy
the contemplation Of his superiority to
! the masses. there was little likelihood
OF the masses being equally entranced
BY the same cause. And 80 he easily
maintained the reputation of being q
most democratic and likable fellow,
and, indeed, he was likable. Just q
shade Of his egotism was occasionally
apparent-never sufficient to become a
burden to his associates.
And this, briefly, was the Hon. Mort.
son Baynes Of luxurious European civ.
ilization. What would be the Hon.
Morrison Baynes of central Africa 1t
were difficult to guess.
Meriem at first was shy and reserved
In the presence Of strangers. Her
benefactors had seen fit to ignore men.
ton Of her strange past, and so she
| passed as their ward, whose anteced.
ents. not having been mentioned, were
not to be inquired into. The guests
found her sweet and unassuming
laughing, vivacious and a never-ex.
hausted storehouse Of quaint and in.
teresting jungle lore.
The Hon. Morrison Baynes found
Meriem a most beautiful and charm.
ing companion. He was delighted with
her from the first, particularly So
1t is possible, because he had no,
thought to find companionship Of this
sort upon the African estate Of his
London friends. They were together
great deal, as they were the only un.
married couple in the little company.
Meriem, entirely unaccustomed to the
companiOnship Of such as Baynes, was
fascinated by him. His tales of the
great. gay cities with which he was ia
miliar filled her with admiration ant
with wonder. If the Hon. Morrison nj
ways sh0ne TO advantage in these mar
ratives. Meriem SAW in that fact but
a natural consequence to his presence
upon the scene of his story. Wher
ever Morrison might be he must be q
hero. SO thought the girl. y
With the actual presence and com
partnership of the young EngllshmaI
the image Of Korak became less real
Where before it had been an actually
to her, she now realized that K0ral
was but a memory. To that memory
she still was loyal. But what weight
has a memory in the presence of fas
cinating reality?
And presently she found the features
of Korak slowly dissolving and rlerg
ing into those of another, and the fig
ure of a tanned, half-naked Tarman
gani became Il khaki-clothed and stlr
dy Englishman astride hunting pony
The Hon. Morison Baynes was sit
ting with Meriem upon the verands
one evening after the others had re
tired. Earlier they had been playinl
tennis. a game in which the Hon
Morrison shone to advantage, as, il
| truth. he did in most all manly sports
. He was telling her stories Of Londol
and Paris, Of balls and banquets, 0
, the wonderful women and their won
derful gowns, of the pleasures ant
. pastimes of the rich and powerful.
, Meriem was entranced. His tale
We're like fairy stories to this littl
jungle maid The Hon. Morrison loom
ed large and wonderful and magnif
. cent in her minds eye. He fascinate
her, and when he drew closer to he
after q short silence and took her han
she thrilled as one might thrill beneat
the touch of a deity-a thrill of exalts
ton not unmiyed with fear.
He bent his lips close to her ear.