Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-01-02

turned TO Kovudoo.
"Well?" he said to the old chief.
lis she not both young and good
lOoking?' asked kovudoo.
"She is not old" replied MalbLhn.
But. even so. she will be a burden.
We did not come from the norm after
wives. There are more than enough
there for us"
Meriem stood looking straight at the
white men. She expected nothing from
them-they We're to her as much enc
mics as the black men. She hated and
feared them all. Maibihn spoke to her
In Arabic.
I'VE are friends" he said would
you like to have us take you away
from here?"
Slowly and dimly, as though from a
great distance, recollection of the once
familiar tongue returned TO her.
II should Ike to go Free" she said,
'and 90 back to Korak."
you would like to go with us?"
persisted Malbihn.
NO" said Meriem.
Malbihn turned to KovudoO. "She
does not wish to go with US" he said.
"You are men," returned the black.
Can you not take her by force"
1T would only add TO our troubles"
replied the Swede. "No, Kovudoo, we
do not wish her, though, If you wish
TO be rid of her, we will take her away
because of our friendship for you"
Now, Kovudoo knew that he had
made sale. They wanted her. So he
commenced to bargain, and in the end
the person of Meriem passed from the
possession of the black chieftain into
that of the two Swedes in considera-
ton of six yards of American, three
! empty brass cartridge shells and a
shiny new jackknife from New Jersey,
And all but Meriem were more than
pleased with the bargain.
kovudoo stipulated but a single con-
dition, and that was that the Euro
peans were to leave his village and
take the girl with them as early the
next morning as they could get start
ed. After the sale he did not hesitate
| to explain his reasons for this demand,
| He told them of strenuous attempts
of the girls savage mate to rescue her,
and suggested that the sooner they got
her out of the country the more likely
they were to retain possession of her.
Meriem was again bound and placed
under guard. but Tins time in the tent
of the Swedes. Maibihn talked to her,
| trying to persuade her to accompany
/ them willingly. He told her that they
would return her to her own village,
but when he discovered that she would
rather die than go back to the old
sheik he assured her that they would
| not take her there-nor, as matter
of fact. had they any intention of so
doing.
All that night Meriem lay listening
for signal from Korak. All about
the jungle life moved through the
| darkness. To her sensitive ears came
sounds that the others in the camp
could not hear, sounds that she inter
preted as we might interpret the
speech of friend. but not once came
a single note that betokened the pres
ence of Korak. But she knew that he
would come. Nothing short of death
! itself could prevent her kOrak from
returning to her.
What delayed him, though?
When morning came again and the
night had brought no succoring korak
Meriem's faith and loyalty We're still
! unshaken, though misglvings began to
assail her as to the safety of her
friend. 1t seemed unbelievable that
| serious mishap could have Overtaken
her wonderful Korak, who daily passed
unscathed through all the terrors of
the jungle. let morning came, the
morning neal was eaten, the camp
broken, and the disreputable safari of
| the Swedes was again on the move
northward with still no sign of the
| rescue by Korak the girl momentarily
expected.
All that day they marched and the
next and the next. Nor did KOFak
| even so much as show himself to the
| patient little waiter moving. silent and
stately, beside her hard captors.
| II was on the fourth day that Mer-
| lem began definitely 10 give up hope.
Something had happened TO korak.
She knew it. He would never come
now. ard these men would take her
away. Presently they would Kill her.
she would never see her Korak again.
gu this DAY the Swedes rested, for
they had marched rapidly and their
men were tired. Malbihn and Jensen
had gone from camp to hunt, taking
! different directions.
! They had been gone about an hour
whom the door of Meriem's tent was
lifted and Malbihn entered. His look
norteaded no good to the girl.
out il the jungle Jensen had
brought down two bucks. His hunting
he'd not carrled him far afeld. nor
was he prone TO permit it TO do 50. He
yras suspicious of Malbihn. The very
farr that his companion had refused to
accoronapv him and elected instead TO
br7r alone In another direction would
rot undsr ordinary circumstances
bsva seemed fraught with sinister sug-
-ss+iop. but Jensen knew Malbihn