The Kendrick gazette., 1919-07-18

working their way slowly out of the
north, they had learned many things
in the no mans land south Of the Sa-
hara, which gave them immunity from
capture through easy avenues of es-
cape that were unknown to those who
pursued them.
Their raids were sudden and swift.
They seized ivory and retreated into
the trackless wastes Of the north be-
fore the guardians of the territory
they raped could be made aware of
their presence. Relentlessly they
slaughtered elephants themselves as
well as stealing ivory from the ma
tives. Their following consisted of
hundred renegade Arabs and negro
slaves, a fierce band of cutthroats.
Remember them, Carl Jensen and
Sven Malbihn, yellow bearded Swedish
giants, for you shall meet them later.
In the heart of the jungle, hidden
away upon the banks of small unex-
plored tributary Of large river that
empties into the Atlantic not so far
from the equator, lay small heavily
palisaded village. Twenty palm
matched. beehive huts sheltered its
black population. while half dozen
goatskin tents In the center Of the
clearing housed the score of Arabs
who found shelter here. while by trad
ing and raiding they collected the car
goes which their ships Of the desert
bore nOrthward twice each year to the
market at Timbuktu.
Playing before one Of the Arab tents
was little girl of ten. a black haired,
black eyed little girl. who with her
nut brown skin and graceful carriage
looked every inch a daughter of the
desert. Her little fingers were busily
engaged in fashioning a skirt of grass
es for much disheveled doll which
kindly disposed slave had made for
her year or two before.
The head of the doll was rudely
Clipped from ivory, while the body
was a rat skin stuffed with grass. The
arms and legs were bits of wood. per-
forated at one end and sewn to the
rat skin torso.
The doll was quite hideous ana alto
gether disreputable and soiled, but
Meriem thought it the most beautiful
and adorable thing in the whole world,
which is not SO strange in view of the
fact that it was the only object within
that world upon which she could be-
stow her condolences and her love.
Every one else with whom. Meriem
came in contact was, almost without
exception, either Indifferent to her or
cruel. There was the old black hag
who looked after her, for example.
Nahum, toOthless, filthy and i'll tenn
pered.
] She lost no opportunity to cuff the
little girl or even intlict minor tortures
upon her. And there was the sheik,
her father. She feared him more than
she did Nahum. He often scolded her
for nothing. quite habitually terminal
ing his TRADES by cruelty beating her
until her little body was black and
blue. -
Little Meriem could scarce recall
any other existence than that of the
stern cruelty of the sheik and Nahum.
| Al thC DuSA Va uCA
memory there lurked q blurred recol-
lection of gentle mother. But Me-
riem was not sure but that even this
was dream picture induced by her
own desire for the caresses she never
received.
Suddenly there arose sounds of al
tercatiOn beyond the village gates.
Meriem listened. With the curiosity of
childhood she would have liked to run
down there and learn what it was that
caused the men to talk SO loudly. 9th
ers of the villagers were already troop
ing in the direction of the noise.
But Meriem did not dare. The sheik
would be there. doubtless. and If he
saw her 1t would be but another op-
portunity to abuse her. SO Meriem lay
still and listened.
Presently she heard the crowd NOV
ing up the street toward the sheik's
tent. Cautiously she stuck her head
around the edge of the tent. She could
not resist the temptation, for the same
ness Of the village life was monotOnous
and she craved diversion.
What she saw was two strangers
white men. They were alone. but as
they approached she learned from the
talk Of the natives that surrounded
them that they possessed q consider.