Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-08-29
CHAPTER discontinued.


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He persuaded them to aid him In
rescuing Meriem and attacking the vii
1age of Kovudoo, calling to mind how
he had saved their king. And SO they
came, upon the second day, to the vii
lage of Kovudoo. 1t was midafter.
noon. The village was sunk in the
quiet of the great equatorial sun heat
The mighty herd Travelled quietly now.
Beneath the thousands of padded feet
the forest gave forth no greater sound
than might have been produced by the
Increased soughing Of a stronger breeze
through the leafy branches Of the
trees.
Korak was in the lead. Close beside
the village they halted until the strag-
glers had closed up. Now utter silence
reigned.
The king Of the balloons was anxious
to revenge himself upon Kovudoo, and
90 the band was quickly organized.
Korak. creeping stealthily, entered
the tree that overhung the palisade
He glanced behind him. The pack
was close upon his heels. The time
had come. He had warned them con-
tinuously during the long march that
no harm must befall the white woman
ape who lay prisoner within the vii
1age. All others were their legitimate
prey.
Then, raising his face toward the
sky. he gave voice to a single cry. 1t
was the signal.
In response 5000 hairy bulls leaped
screaming and barking into the village
OF the terrified blacks. Warriors pour
ed from every hut. Mothers gathered
their babies in their nrms and fed to-
ward the gates as they saw the horrid
horde pouring into the village street.
Kovudoo marshaled his fighting men
about him and, leaping and yelling to
arouse their co age, offered bris-
Ting, spear-tipped front to the charg-
ing horde.
Korak, as he had led the march, led
the charge. The blacks were struck
with horror and dismay at the sight Of
this white-skinned youth at the head
OF pack Of hideous balloons.
For an instant they held their
ground, hurting their spears once at
the advancing multitude But before
they could fit arrows to their bows
they wavered, gave and turned In ter
rif1ed rout. Into their ranks, upon
their backs, sinking strong fangs into
the muscles of their necks, sprang the
balloons, and first among them, most
ferocious, most bloodthlrsty. most ter
rible, was Korak. the Killer.
At the village gates, through which
the blacks poured In panic, Korak left
them to the tender mercies Of his al
lies and turned himself eagerly toward
the hut in which Meriem had been q
prisoner.
1t was empty. One after another
the filthy interiors revealed the same
Aiaheartening fact-Meriem was In
hone Of them. That she had not been
taken by the blacks In their flight from
the village Korak knew. for he had
watched carefully for glimpse Of her
among the fugitivea
To the mind Of the ape man, know
Ing as he did the proclivities Of the
savages, there was but a single e1-
planatiop-Meriem had been killed and
eaten. With the conviction that Ne
fiem was dead, there surged through
'Korak's brain wave Of blood-red
rage against those he believed to be
her murderers. In the distance he
could hear the snarling OF the balloons
mixed with the screams Of their vic
tins, and toward this he made his
way.
In the distance Kovudoo was gath
ering his scattered tribesmen and TAX
Ing account Of injuries and losses. His
people were panic-stricken. Nothing
could prevail upon them to remain
longer in this country. They would
not even return to the village for their
Instead they insisted upon
continuing their flight until they had
put many miles between themselves
and the stamping ground of the white
demon whose hordes had so bitterly
attacked them.
And thus 1t befell that Korak drove
from their homes the only people who
might have aided him in a search for
Aeriem and cut off the only connect
Ing link between him and her from
might come in search of
him from the douar Of the kindly Bwa-
pa who had befriended his little Jungle
sweetheart. |