Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-08-04
Copyright By
trank A. Munscy Co.
(contInued from last weekl

feminine garb, the soles of her hard
little feet and the palms of her capa-
Die hands remained exceedingly serv-
iceable, nor did her grace and agility
suffer
The report of the head man plunged
Merlem into period of despondency.
Tor ne had found the village of Kovu-
200 deserted, nor, search as he would
could he discover single native any
where In the vicinity. For some time
he had ,camped near the village, spend
Ing the days in Il systematic search Of
the envirOns for traces of Meriem's
horak. But in this quest, too he had
failed. He had seen neither apes nor
ape man.
Meriem at first insisted upon setting
1orth herself in search of Korak. but
Bwana prevailed upon her to wait. He
would go, he assured her, as soon as
he could find the time, and ut last Me-
rem consented 10 abide by his wishes
But II was months before she ceased
to mourn almost hourly for. her Korak
IL was about this time that n runner
N'DNehN lNAA'l lllUl, NiltH she lbtlID-
ed the contents, filed Merlem with
excitement. Visitors were cOmlngi A
number of English ladies and gentle
men had accepted My Bears invita-
ton to spend a month of hunting and
exploring with them.
Meriem was all expectancy. What
would these strangers be like? Would
they be rs nice to her as had Bwana
and My Dear, or would they be like
the other white folk she had known
cruel and relentless? My Dear assured
her that they all were gentlefolk and
that she would find them kind, consld-
crate and honorable.
AT last the visitors arrived. There
were three men and two women-the
wives of the two older men, The
youngest member OF the party was
Hon. Morrison BayneS, young man
of considerable wealth. who, having
exhausted all the possibilities for pleas
ure offered by the capitals of Europe,
had gladly seized upon this OppOrtu-
nifty 10 turn TO another continent for
excitement and adventure.
Nature had favored him with splen-
did physique and handsome face and
also with sufficient good judgment 10
appreciate that, while he might enjoy
the contemplation Of his superiority To
the masses. there was little likelihood
of the masses being equally entranced
by the same cause. And 50 he easily
maintained the reputation of being
most democratic and likable fellow,
and, indeed, lie was likable. Just n
shade of his egotism was occasionally
apparent-never sufficient to become Il
burden 10 his associates.
And this, briefly. was the Hon. MORT
son Baynes of luxurious European civ
ilizatlon. What would be the Hon.
Morrison Baynes OF central Africa il
were difficult to guess.
Meriem at first was shy and reserved
In the presence of strangers. Her
benefactors had seen fit TO ignore men
tion Of her strange past. and so she
passed as their ward, whose antcced-
ents. not having been mentioned were
not TO be inquired into. The guests
found her sweet and unassuming,
laughing, vivacious and never-eX-
hausted storehouse of quaint and In
teresting jungle lore.
The Hon. Morrison, Baynes found
Merem most beautiful and charm
ing companion. He was delighted with
her from the first, particularly SO,
IT is possible, because he had not
thought TO find companionship of this
sort upon the African estate of his
London friends. They We're together
great deal, as they were the only un-
married couple in the little company.
Meriem. entirely unaccustomed to the
companionship of such rs Baynes, was
fascinated by him. His tales of the
great, gay cities with which he was IA
mlliar filed her with admiration and
with wonder If the Hon. Morrison al
ways shone to advantage In these mar
ratives, Meriem saw in that fact but
natural consequence TO his presence
upon the scene of his story. Wher-
ever Morrison might be he must be a
hero. So thought the girl.
With the actual presence and COM
partnership of the young Engishman
the image of Korak became less real.
Where before il had been an actually
to her, she now realized that Korak
was but memory. To that memory
she still was loyal. But what weight
has n memory in the presence of fas-
cinatlng reality?
And presently she found the features
of Korak slo Wy dissolving and merg-
ing into those Of another, and the fig
ure of tanned, half-naked Tarman-
gani became n khaki-clOthed and stur-
DIV Englishman astride hunting pony.
The Hon. Morrison Baynes was sit
ting with Meriem upon the veranda
one evening after the others had re-
tired. Earlier they had been playing
tennis, game in which the Hon.
Morrison shone to advantage, MS, in
truth, he did I'm most all manly sports.
He was telling her stories of London
and Paris, OF balls and banquets, OF
the wonderful women and their won
derful gowns. of the pleasures and