Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-09-12
CHAPTER xil-continued.

CHAPTER Au-Conttnueo.
~
The wide heavens above her seemed
to promise q greater freedom from
doubt and questioning. Baynes had
urged her to tell him that she loved
him. A dozen times she thought that
abe might honestly give him the an
Swer that he demanded.
KOrak was fast becoming but a 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 1t was be-
cause OF that belief he had made no
effort to find her after his raid upon
the village Of Kovudoo.
Behind a 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 whom7 He heard the girl
approaching and half raised himself to
his elbow. A dozen PAGES away, the
reins looped over a 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 no 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 bit of a ride
when l CHANGED to see you out here,
and I thought you'd like to join me.
Ripping good sport, you know, night
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
den to the gate and through 1t. There
they discovered Hanson's mount.
"Why, here's the traders pony" re-
marked Baynes.
Hes probably down visiting with
the foreman" said Meriem.
pretty late for him. isn't It'll" re-
marked the Hon. Morrison. I'D hate
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 the
mOon-bathed plain.
Their horses were pressed side by
Side. Baynes was pressing Meriem's
hand as he poured words Of love into
her ear. and Merier1 was listening.
"Come to London with me-" urged
the Hon. Morrison. II can gather
safari, and We can be whole day
upon the way to the coast before they
guess that we have gone"
why must we 60 that way?" asked
the girl. "Bwana and My Dear would
not object to our marriage"
II cannot marry you just yet" ex-
planned the Hon. Morrison. II must in
form my people, and there are other
formalities to be attended to first. You
do not understand. 1t will be all right.
We will 60 to London. l cannot wait.
If you love me you will come"
you love me?" she asked. "You
will marry me when we have reached
London?"
II swear it." he cried.
II will go with you," she whispered,
though l do not understand why de-
lay is necessary" She leaned toward
him, and he took her In his arms and
bent to press his lips to hers.
At the bungalow Bwana had met
the returning adventures on the YER
anda. Returning from the foreman's
quarters, Bwana had noticed that the
corral gate was open, and further in
vestigation revealed the fact that Me-
riem's pony was gone and also the one
most often used by Baynes.