Part 19 (1/2)
The farewell exchanges between the Hon Morison and his host were of the uest rode aana breathed a sigh of relief It had been an unpleasant duty and he was glad that it was over; but he did not regret his action He had not been blind to Baynes' infatuation for Merie man's pride in caste he had never for a uest would offer his naht in color though she was for a full blood Arab, Bwana believed her to be such
He did not ain to Merieirl, while realizing the debt of gratitude she oana and My Dear, was both proud and sensitive, so that Bwana's action in sending Baynes away and giving her no opportunity to explain or defend hurt andain her breast a keen feeling of loyalty toward him
What she had half-mistaken for love before, she noholly ht have told her much of the social barriers that they only too well knew Baynes must feel existed between Meriem and himself, but they hesitated to wound her It would have been better had they inflicted this lesser sorrow, and saved the child the norance
As Hanson and Baynes rode toward the forlish to for that would lead naturally to the proposition he had inas he noted the sullen scowl upon the other's patrician face
”Rather rough on you, wasn't he?” he ventured at last, jerking his head back in the direction of the bungalow as Baynes turned his eyes upon hiirl,” continued Hanson, ”and don't want nobody to h he was doin' her ht togentleman like you”
Baynes, who had at first felt inclined to take offense at the mention of his private affairs by this common felloas mollified by Hanson's final remark, and immediately commenced to see in him a ruet even with hi as he is in London, and he'll find it out when he comes home”
”If I was you,” said Hanson, ”I wouldn't let any irl I want Between you and ot no use for him either, and if I can help you any way just call on ood of you, Hanson,” replied Baynes, war up a bit; ”but what can a fellow do here in this God-forsaken hole?”
”I knohat I'd do,” said Hanson ”I'd take the girl along with ht”
”It can't be done,” said Baynes ”He bosses this whole bloo country for miles around He'd be sure to catch us”
”No, he wouldn't, not withand hunting here for ten years and I know as irl along I'll help you, and I'll guarantee that there won't nobody catch up with us before we reach the coast I'll tell you what, you write her a note and I'll get it to her by oodbye-she won't refuse that In the meantime we can be movin' caeht Tell her I'll meet her then while you wait for us in camp That'll be better for I know the country well and can cover it quicker than you You can take care of the safari and be irl and I'll catch up to you”
”But suppose she won't coested Baynes
”Then ood-bye,” said Hanson, ”and instead of you I'll be there and I'll bring her along anyway She'll have to come, and after it's all over she won't feel so bad about it-especially after livin' with you for two ry protest rose to Baynes' lips; but he did not utter it, for almost simultaneously ca he had been planning upon himself It had sounded brutal and crih trader; but nevertheless the young Englishe of African travel the possibilities of success would be h the Hon Morison were to attelu ride to Hanson's northerly camp was made in silence, for both hts,either coh the wood the sounds of their careless passage cale wayfarer The Killer had deterirl who took to the trees with the ability of long habitude There was a co in the recollection of her that drew hiht of day, to see her features, to see the color of her eyes and hair It see resemblance to his lost Meriem, and yet he knew that the chances were that she did not The fleeting gli fro pony into the branches of the tree above her had shown hiht as his Meriem; but of alazily back in the direction of the spot where he had seen the girl when the sounds of the approaching horseh the branches until he caer nized as the salade just the instant before Nuh there was a faure that puzzled Korak
The ape-ain he would but have to keep in touch with the young English them to Hanson's caave into the keeping of one of his boys who started off forthwith toward the south
Korak re a careful watch upon the Englishirl at the destination of the two riders and had been disappointed when no sign of herback and forth beneath the trees when he should have been resting against the forced ht Hanson lay in his hammock and smoked They spoke but little Korak lay stretched upon a branch ae above them Thus passed the balance of the afternoon Korak becary and thirsty He doubted that either of the , so he withdrew, but toward the south, for there it seearden beside the bungalow Merieht She still smarted from Bwana's, to her, unjust treat had been explained to her, for both Bwana and My Dear had wished to spare her the mortification and sorrow of the true explanation of Baynes' proposal They knew, as Merie her, else he would have co full well that no objection would be interposed if Merierateful to them for all that they had done for her; but deep in her little heart surged the savage love of liberty that her years of untrale hadNow, for the first time since she had coalow of Bwana and My Dear
Like a caged tigress the girl paced the length of the enclosure Once she paused near the outer fence, her head upon one side-listening What was it she had heard? The pad of naked huarden She listened for a moment The sound was not repeated Then she resuarden she passed, turned and retraced her steps toward the upper end Upon the sward near the bushes that hid the fence, full in the glare of the ht, lay a white envelope that had not been there when she had turned almost upon the very spot a moment before
Merie-ress; alert, ready Beyond the bushes a naked black runner squatted, peering through the foliage He saw her take a step closer to the letter She had seen it He rose quietly and following the shadows of the bushes that ran down to the corral was soon gone froht
Meriem's trained ears heard his every e of his identity Already she had guessed that he was a er from the Hon Morison She stooped and picked up the envelope Tearing it open she easily read the contents by the uessed, froain,” it read ”Coood-bye to me Come alone”
There was a little more-words that made her heart beat faster and a happy flush mount her cheek