The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1918-02-22
!. CHAPTER xl-contlnued.

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 gentletolk ana
that she would find them kind, consld-
crate and honorable.
At last the visitors arrived. 'There
were three men and two women-the
wives of the two older men. Inc
Youngest member of the party was
Hon. Morrison Baynes, a young man
If considerable wealth, who, having
exhausted all the possibilities for pleas
ure offered by the capitals of Europe,
had gladly seized upon this opportu-
rtity to turn to another continent for
excitement and adventure.
Nature had favored him with splen
did physique and handsome face ana
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 so he easily
maintained the reputation Of being
most democratic and likable fellow
and, indeed, he was likable. just u
shade of his egotism was occasionally
apparent-never sufficient to become
burden to his associates.
And this, briefly was the Hon. Mori-
son Baynes of luxurious European civ
ilization. What would be the Hon.
Morrison Baynes of central Africa II
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 not
thought to find companionship of this
sort upon the African estate of his
London friends. They were together
a great deal, as they were the only I'M
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 filed her with admiration and
with wonder. If the Hon. Morrison al
ways shone 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
hero. So thought the girl.
With the actual presence and COM
partnership of the young Englishman
the image of Korak became less real.
Where before 1t had been an actuality
10 her, she now realized that Korak
was but a memory. To that memory
she still was loyal. But what weight
has q memory In the presence Of a fas-
chatting reality7
And presently she found the features
of Korak slowly dissolving and merg-
ing into those Of another, and the fg-
ure of a tanned. half-naked Tarman-
eani became a khaki-clothed and stur-
DIV EngIishman astride a hunting pony.
The Hon. Morrison Bsynes was sit
ding with Meriem upon the veranda