The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1918-01-17
entirely well. If you are we will set
forth in search of Korak."
CHAPTER x.
korak's Vengeance.

AL unQueStlOnhDle assurance Oh Tie
honorableness of their owner, for she
permitted him to lay his palm upon
her forehead and feel her pulse. APP
parently she had no fever.
"How long have you been an apeT
asked the man.
many years ago, and Korak came and
took me from my father, who was
beating me. Since then have lived
In the trees with Korak and Aht."
."Where In the jungle lives Korak"
asked the stranger.
Meriem pointed with sweep of her
hand that took in, generously, half the
continent of Africa.
could you find your way back to
him?"
II do not know" she replied, "but
he will find his way to me-"
"Then have PLAN" said the stran-
ger. II live but few marches from
here. shall take you home, where
my wife will look after you and care
for you until we can find Korak or
Korak finds us. If he could find you
here, he can find you at my village.
Is 1t not so?"
Meriem thought that 1t was so, but
she did not like the idea Of not start
ing Immediately back to meet Korak.
On the other hand, the man had no
intention Of permitting this poor, in
sane child to wander further amid the
dangers of the jungle. Whence she
had come or what she had undergone
he could not guess, but that her Korak
and their life among the apes was but
could not doubt.
He knew the jungle we'll, and he
knew that men had lived alone and
naked among the savage beasts for
years, but n frail and slender girl
No, 1t was not possible.
Together they went outside. NAL
bihn's boys We're striking camp in
preparation for n hasty departure. The
strangers blacks were conversing with
them. Malbihn stood at a distance,
angry and glowering.
The stranger approached one Of his
own men.
Find out where they got this girl"
he commanded.
The negro thus addressed questioned
one of Malbihn's followers. Presently
he returned to his master.
"They bought her from old Kovu-
.doo," he said. "That is all that this
fellow will tell me. He pretends that
he knows nothing more, and I think
that he does not. These two white
many things that their boys knew not
the meanings of. 1t would be we'll,
Bwana, to kill the other"
II wish that l might, but new law
is come into this part of the jungle.
1t Is not rs 1t was in the old day, Mu-
viri." replied the master.
The stranger remained until Malbihn
and his safari had disappeared into
the jungle toward the north. Meriem,
trustful now, stood at his side, Geeka
clutched in one slim, brown hand.
They talked together, the man Won
dering at the faltering Arabic of the
girl, but attributing 1t finally to her
defective mentality. Could he have
known that years had elapsed since
she had used 1t until she was taken
| by the Swedes, he would not have
wondered that she had half forgot.
| ten 1t.
There was yet another reason why
the language Of the sheik had thus
readily eluded her, but of that reason
she herself could not have guessed the
truth any better than could the man.
He tried to persuade her to return
with him to his "village," as he called
1t. or "Iouar" In Arabic, but she was
insistent upon searching Immediately
for Korak. AS last resort he deter
mined to take her with him by force
rather than sacrifice her life to the In
sane hallucination which haunted hel
But, being wise man, he determined
to humor her first and then attempt t.
lead her as he would have her go.
So when they took up their marcel
II was In the direction of the south
though his OWE ranch lay almost du,
east.
BY degrees he turned the direction
of their way more and more eastward
and greatly was he pleased to not,
that the girl failed to discover tina
any change was being made.