The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-01-17
Copyright by Y
Frank A. Munscy Co.
CHAP Err x.
korak's VENGEANCE.

an unq~uestionable assurance Of the
honorableness of their 0Wucr for She
permitted him to lay his palm upon
her forehead and feel her pulse. Ap-
parently She had no fever.
How long have you been an ape?'
asked the man
"Since | was a little girl, many,
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 Ant
"Wherc in the jungle lives korak?'
asked the stranger.
Meriem pointed with a sweep Of her
hand that took in, generously, half the
continent OF Africa.
Gould you find your way back to
him."
Il do not know" she replied. but
ne will find his way TO me"
Then | have Il plan," said the stran-
ger. II live but a few marches from
here. l shall take YOU home, whore
my wife will look after you and care
for you until We can find Korak or
Korak finds us. Ii he could find you
here, he can find you at my village.
Is Ii not so?"
Meriem thought that ii was so, but
she did not like the idea of not start
Ing Immediately back 10 meet korak.
On the other hand, the nan 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
a Pigment of n disordered mind he
could not doubt.
He knew the jungle well, and he
knew hat men had lived alone and
naked among the savage beasts for
years, but d frail II slender girl
No, Ii was not possible.
Together they went outside. Mai.
bihn's boys were striking camp In
preparation Tor "A husty departure. The
strangers blacks We're converSing with
them. Malbihn stood ut ii distance,
angry and glowcring.
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
be returned to his master.
They bought her from old Kovu-
doo,' he said. THAT Is all that his
FELLOW VIII tell me. He pretends that
he knows nothing more, and think
that he does not. These two white
men were very bad men. They did
many things that their boys knew not
the meanings Of. 1t would be well.
Bwana, to kill the other
Il wish that l might, but a new law
is come into this part of the jungle.
1t Is not as 1t was in the old day, Mu-
viri,' replied the master.
The stranger remained until Malbihn
n his safari had disappeared into
the jungle toward the north. Meriem,
trustful now, stood ut his side, Geeka
clutched in II slim, brown hand.
They talked together, the man Won
dering at the faltering Arabic of the
girl, but attributing it finally to her
defective mentality. Could he have
o that years had elapsed since
She had used it until she was taken
Dy the Swedes, he would not have
wondered thar she had half forgot
ten 1t.
There was ~yet'arother reason why
the language of the sheik had thus
readily eluded Ter, but of that reason
she herself could not have guessed the
truth any better than could the man.
lie tried To persuade her to return
with him to his village" as he called
II, or "douar" in Arabic, but she was
insistent upon searching Immediately
Tor korak. AS IA last resort he deter
mined to take her with him by force
rather than sacrifice her life to the in
sane hallucination which haunted her
But, being Il wise man, he determined
10 hunor her first and then attempt to
lead her as he would have her 20.
So when they took up their march
it was IN the direction of the south,
though his own ranch lay almost due
east.
BY degrees he turned the direction
OF their way more and more eastward.
and greatly was he pleased TO note
that the girl failed to discover that
any change was being made.
Little by little she became more
trusting. AT first she had had but her
intuition to guide her belief that this
big Tarmangani meant her no harm.
but as the days passed and she saw
that his kindness and consideration
never faltered she came to compare
him with her KOrak and to be very
fond of him, but did her loyalty
to her ape man flag.
On the fifth day they came suddenly
upon a great plain, and from the edge
Of the forest the girl saw In the dis
lance fenced fields and many build
ings. At the sight she drew back In
establishment.
~Whsre are wef' she asked. point.
ing.