Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-02-13
CHAPTER xIv-continued.
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

ID
Here we are at last" said Hanson.
He drew his revolver and fired in the
air. Instantly the camp across the riv-
er was astir. Black men ran down to
the rivers bank. Hanson hailed them.
But there was no sign of the Hon.
Morrison Baynes.
In accordance with their masters in
structions the blacks manned canoe
and rOwed across. Hanson placed Me-
riem in the little craft and entered it
himself, leaving two boys to watch the
horses, which the canoe was to return
for and swim across TO the camp side
of the river.
Once in the camp Meriem asked for
Baynes. For the moment her fears
had been allayed by the sight of the
camp. which she had come to look
upon as more or less of myth. Han
son pointed toward the single tent that
stood in the center of the Enclosure.
''There," he said, and preceded her
toward it. Al the entrance he held the
flap aside and motioned her within.
Meriem entered and looked about. The
tent was empty.
She turned toward Hanson. There
was a broad grin on his face.
"Where is MIR Baynes?" she de-
manded.
"He amt here" replied Hanson.
'Leastwise l don't see him, do your
But I'm here, and I'm better man
than that thing ever was. You don't
need him no more-you got me-" and
ne laughed uproariously and reached
for her.
Meriem was looking full into his face
as she fought for freedom when there
came over her a sudden recollection of
a similar scene in which she had been
a participant and with it full recogni-
ton of her assailant. He was the
Swede Aiilbihn, who had attacked her
once before, who had shot his compan-
lon, who would have saved her and
from whom she had been rescued by
Bwana.
His smooth face had deceived her.
but now, with the growing beard ana
the similarity of conditions, recOgni-
ton came swift and sure.
But today there would be no Bwana
to save her!
AS Meriem struggled with Malbihn
hope died within her. She did not
utter a sound, for she knew that there
was none to come to her assistance,
and, besides, the jungle training of her
earlier life had taught her the futility
of appeals for succor in the savage
world of her upbringing.
But as she fought TO free herself one
hand came in contact with the butt
of Malbihns revolver where it rested
in the holster at his hip. Slowly her
fingers encircled the coveted prize and
drew it from its resting place. She
leveled it at his breast, but the ham,
mer fell futilely upon an empty cham
Der.
For a moment she eluded Malbihn
and ran toward the entrance to the
tent but at the very doorway his heavy
hand fell upon her shoulders and drag
ged her back. Wheeling upon him with
the fury of a wounded lioness, Meriem
grasped the long revolver by the bar
rel, swung it high above her head
and crashed it down full in Malbihn's
face.
With an oath of pain and rage the
man staggered backward, releasing his
hold upon her, and then sank uncon-
scious to the ground. Without back
ward look Meriem turned and fed into
the open.
Several of the blacks saw her and
tried to intercept her flight, but the
menace of the harmless weapon kept
them at q distance.
And so she won beyond the encir-
cling bona and disappeared into the
jungle to the south.
Straight into the branches of tree
she went, true to the arboreal instincts
of the little Mangani she had been, and
there she stripped off her riding skirt.
her shoes and her stockings, for she
knew that she had before her a jour-
ney and a flight which would not brook
the burden of these garments.
She had not gone far before she COM
menced to realize how slight were her
chances for survival without means of
defense or a weapon to bring down
meat. Why had she not thought to