Part 24 (1/2)
”My God!” he exclaimed ”Are you a man?”
”What did you think I was?” asked Korak
”A gorilla,” replied Baynes, honestly
Korak laughed
”Who are you?” he repeated
”I'lishman by the name of Baynes; but who the devil are you?” asked the Hon Morison
”They call lish translation of the na which the Hon Morison atteli into whose hands he had fallen, ”You are the sareat plain to the East, that tied you?”
”Yes,” replied Baynes
”What are you doing here?”
”The girl was stolen-I a to rescue her”
”Stolen!” The as shot out like a bullet froun ”Who stole her?”
”The Swede trader, Hanson,” replied Baynes
”Where is he?”
Baynes related to Korak all that had transpired since he had coray dawn had relieved the darkness Korak lishman comfortable in the tree He filled his canteen froood-bye
”I a the girl back to you here”
”I shall go, too, then,” insisted Baynes ”It is ht and my duty, for she was to have become my wife”
Korak winced ”You are wounded You could not o much faster alone”
”Go, then,” replied Baynes; ”but I shall follow It is ht and duty”
”As you will,” replied Korak, with a shrug If the man wanted to be killed it was none of his affair He wanted to kill him himself, but for Meriem's sake he would not If she loved him then he must do what he could to preserve hi hiainst it, and this he did, earnestly
And so Korak set out rapidly toward the North, and li, soon far to the rear, came the tired and wounded Baynes Korak had reached the river bank opposite Malbihn's camp before Baynes had covered twowearily along, forced to stop often for rest when he heard the sound of the galloping feet of a horse behind hie of the underbrush and a moment later a white-robed Arab dashed by Baynes did not hail the rider He had heard of the nature of the Arabs who penetrate thus far to the South, and what he had heard had convinced him that a snake or a panther would as quickly befriend hiades from the Northland
When Abdul Kaht toward the North Baynes resuain surprised by the un horses This ti place; but it chanced that he was crossing a clearing which offered little opportunity for concealment He broke into a slow trot-the best that he could do in his weakened condition; but it did not suffice to carry him to safety and before he reached the opposite side of the clearing a band of white-robed horseht of him they shouted in Arabic, which, of course, he could not understand, and then they closed about hiible to hilish At last, evidently out of patience, the leader ordered two of hisThey disarmed him and ordered him to climb to the rump of one of the horses, and then the tho had been detailed to guard him turned and rode back toward the South, while the others continued their pursuit of Abdul Kamak
As Korak came out upon the bank of the river across from which he could see the camp of Malbihn he was at a loss as to hoas to cross He could seethe huts inside the boma-evidently Hanson was still there Korak did not know the true identity of Meriem's abductor
Hoas he to cross Not even he would dare the perils of the river-alht, then wheeled and sped away into the jungle, uttering a peculiar cry, shrill and piercing Now and again he would halt to listen as though for an answer to his weird call, then on again, deeper and deeper into the wood
At last his listening ears were rewarded by the sound they craved-the tru of a bull elephant, and a few h the trees into the presence of Tantor, standing with upraised trunk, waving his great ears