The Connecticut labor press., 1918-02-16
CHAPTER xI-Continued.

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- l 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, had gladly seized upon this Opportu- nifty to turn to another continent for excitement and adventure.
 Nature had favored him with a sp1en- 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 so he easily maintained the reputation of being a most democratic and likable fellow, and, indeed. he was nkable. Just a 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 1lizatton. What would be the Hon. Morrison Baynes of central Africa it 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, it 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 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 fa- miliar filled her with admiration and l with, wonder. If the Hon. Morrison al- +0 oHuo fo in fhoco ratives, Meriem saw in that fact but l a natural consequence to his presence l 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 of the young Englishman the image of KOrak became less real. Where before it had been an actuality to her, she now realized that Korak was but a memory. To that memory she still was loyal. But what weight ! has memory in the presence of fas- reality?
 And presently she found the features of Korak slowly dissolving and merg- ure of a tanned, half-naked Tarman- ganl became 6 khaki-clothed and stur- dy Englishman astride hunting pony.
 
 The Hon. Morrison Baynes was sit ting with Meriem upon the veranda one evening after the others had re- tired. Earlier they had been playing tennis, a game in which the Hon. shOne to advantage. as, in truth he did in most all manly sports. He was telling her stories of London and Paris, of balls and banquets, of the wonderful women and their won derful gowns, of the pleasures and pastImes of the rich and powerful. Meriem was entranced. His tales were like fairys stories to. this little AunRle maid. The Hon. Morrison loon'