The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1919-09-12
CHAPTER xIl-continued.

CHAPTER xII-continued.
The wide heavens above her seemed
to promise greater freedom from
doubt and questioning. Baynes had
urged her to tell him that she loved
him. A dozen times she thought that
she might honestly give him the an
swer that he demanded.
Korak was fast becoming but men,
ory. That he was dead she had come
to believe since otherwise he would
have sought her out. She did not
know that he had even better reason
to believe her dead and that it was be-
cause of that belief he had made no
effort to find her after his raid upon
the village of Kovudoo.
Behind q great Towering shrub Han
son lay gazing at the stars and wait
ing. He had lain thus and there many
nights before. For what was he wait
ing or for whom? He heard the girl
approaching and half raised himself to
his elbow. A dozen PAGES. away, the
reins looped over fence post, stood
his pony.
Meriem, walking slowly, approached
the bush behind which the waiter lay.
Hanson drew a large bandanna hand
kerchief from his pocket and rose
Stealthily to his knees. A pony neighed
: down at the corrals. Far out across
the plain a lion roared. Hanson
changed his position until he squatted
upon both feet.
Again the pony neighed, this time
closer. There was the sound of his
body brushing against shrubbery. Han
son heard and wondered how the ami
NAL had got from the corral, for it was
evident that he was already in the gar
den. The man turned his head in the
direction of the beast.
What he saw sent him to the ground,
huddled close beneath the shrubbery-
q man was coming, leading two ponies
Meriem heard now and stopped to
look and listen. A moment later the
Hon. Morrison Baynes drew near, the
two saddled mounts at his heels.
Meriem looked up at him in surprise
The Hon. Morrison grinned sheepishly
II couldn't Sleep" he explained
''and was going for a bit of ride
when l CHANGED to see you out here
and 1 thought you'd like to join me
Ripping good sport, you know, nigh
riding. Come on"
Meriem laughed. The adventure ap
pealed to her. "All right" she said.
Hanson swore beneath his breath
The two led their horses from the gar
- nd thrp,pOh or,
they discovered Hanson's mount.
"Why, here's the traders pony" re
marked Baynes.
"He's probably. down visiting witt
the foreman" said Meriem.
"Pretty late for him, isn't it?" re
marked the Hon. Morrison. "Td hat
to have to ride back through that jun
gle at night to his camp"
A moment later the two had mount
ed and were moving slowly across tn
moon-bathed plain.
Their horses were pressed side b.
side. Baynes was pressing Meriem'
hand as he poured words Of love int
her ear, and Meriem was listening.
'Come to London with me-" urge
the Hon. Morrison. Il can gather
safari, and we can be a whole da
upon the way to the coast before the
guess that we have gone"
"Why must we 60 that way?" aske
the girl. "Bwana and My Dear woul
not object to our marriage"
II cannot marry you just yet" e.
planned the Hon. Morrison. II must il
form my people, and there are oth'
formalities to be attended to first. Yo
do not understand. 1t will be all RICH
We will 60 to London. I cannot wal
II you love me you will come"
"You love mel" she asked. "YC
will marry me when we have reacht
London2"
II swear it." he cried.
II will 60 with you," she whispere
though do not understand why
lay is necessary" She leaned towal
him, and he took her in his arms al
bent to press his lips to hers.
At the bungalow Bwana had m
the returning adventures on the We
anda. Returning from the foreman
quarters, Bwana had noticed that t
corral gate was open, and further
vestigation revealed the fact that M
riem's pony was gone and also the O.
most often used by Baynes.