Chapter 26
Meriem, dazed by the unexpected sight of Korak whom she had long givenup as dead, permitted herself to be led away by Baynes. Among thetents he guided her safely to the palisade, and there, followingKorak's instructions, the Englishman pitched a noose over the top ofone of the upright logs that formed the barrier. With difficulty hereached the top and then lowered his hand to assist Meriem to his side.
"Come!" he whispered. "We must hurry." And then, as though she hadawakened from a sleep, Meriem came to herself. Back there, fightingher enemies, alone, was Korak--her Korak. Her place was by his side,fighting with him and for him. She glanced up at Baynes.
"Go!" she called. "Make your way back to Bwana and bring help. Myplace is here. You can do no good remaining. Get away while you canand bring the Big Bwana back with you."
Silently the Hon. Morison Baynes slid to the ground inside the palisadeto Meriem's side.
"It was only for you that I left him," he said, nodding toward thetents they had just left. "I knew that he could hold them longer thanI and give you a chance to escape that I might not be able to havegiven you. It was I though who should have remained. I heard you callhim Korak and so I know now who he is. He befriended you. I wouldhave wronged you. No--don't interrupt. I'm going to tell you thetruth now and let you know just what a beast I have been. I planned totake you to London, as you know; but I did not plan to marry you. Yes,shrink from me--I deserve it. I deserve your contempt and loathing;but I didn't know then what love was. Since I have learned that I havelearned something else--what a cad and what a coward I have been all mylife. I looked down upon those whom I considered my social inferiors.I did not think you good enough to bear my name. Since Hanson trickedme and took you for himself I have been through hell; but it has made aman of me, though too late. Now I can come to you with an offer ofhonest love, which will realize the honor of having such as you sharemy name with me."
For a moment Meriem was silent, buried in thought. Her first questionseemed irrelevant.
"How did you happen to be in this village?" she asked.
He told her all that had transpired since the black had told him ofHanson's duplicity.
"You say that you are a coward," she said, "and yet you have done allthis to save me? The courage that it must have taken to tell me thethings that you told me but a moment since, while courage of adifferent sort, proves that you are no moral coward, and the otherproves that you are not a physical coward. I could not love a coward."
"You mean that you love me?" he gasped in astonishment, taking a steptoward her as though to gather her into his arms; but she placed herhand against him and pushed him gently away, as much as to say, notyet. What she did mean she scarcely knew. She thought that she lovedhim, of that there can be no question; nor did she think that love forthis young Englishman was disloyalty to Korak, for her love for Korakwas undiminished--the love of a sister for an indulgent brother. Asthey stood there for the moment of their conversation the sounds oftumult in the village subsided.
"They have killed him," whispered Meriem.
The statement brought Baynes to a realization of the cause of theirreturn.
"Wait here," he said. "I will go and see. If he is dead we can do himno good. If he lives I will do my best to free him."
"We will go together," replied Meriem. "Come!" And she led the wayback toward the tent in which they last had seen Korak. As they wentthey were often forced to throw themselves to the ground in the shadowof a tent or hut, for people were passing hurriedly to and fro now--thewhole village was aroused and moving about. The return to the tent ofAli ben Kadin took much longer than had their swift flight to thepalisade. Cautiously they crept to the slit that Korak's knife hadmade in the rear wall. Meriem peered within--the rear apartment wasempty. She crawled through the aperture, Baynes at her heels, and thensilently crossed the space to the rugs that partitioned the tent intotwo rooms. Parting the hangings Meriem looked into the front room.It, too, was deserted. She crossed to the door of the tent and lookedout. Then she gave a little gasp of horror. Baynes at her shoulderlooked past her to the sight that had startled her, and he, too,exclaimed; but his was an oath of anger.
A hundred feet away they saw Korak bound to a stake--the brush piledabout him already alight. The Englishman pushed Meriem to one side andstarted to run for the doomed man. What he could do in the face ofscores of hostile blacks and Arabs he did not stop to consider. At thesame instant Tantor broke through the palisade and charged the group.In the face of the maddened beast the crowd turned and fled, carryingBaynes backward with them. In a moment it was all over, and theelephant had disappeared with his prize; but pandemonium reignedthroughout the village. Men, women and children ran helter skelter forsafety. Curs fled, yelping. The horses and camels and donkeys,terrorized by the trumpeting of the pachyderm, kicked and pulled attheir tethers. A dozen or more broke loose, and it was the gallopingof these past him that brought a sudden idea into Baynes' head. Heturned to search for Meriem only to find her at his elbow.
"The horses!" he cried. "If we can get a couple of them!"
Filled with the idea Meriem led him to the far end of the village.
"Loosen two of them," she said, "and lead them back into the shadowsbehind those huts. I know where there are saddles. I will bring themand the bridles," and before he could stop her she was gone.
Baynes quickly untied two of the restive animals and led them to thepoint designated by Meriem. Here he waited impatiently for what seemedan hour; but was, in reality, but a few minutes. Then he saw the girlapproaching beneath the burden of two saddles. Quickly they placedthese upon the horses. They could see by the light of the torture firethat still burned that the blacks and Arabs were recovering from theirpanic. Men were running about gathering in the loose stock, and two orthree were already leading their captives back to the end of thevillage where Meriem and Baynes were busy with the trappings of theirmounts.
Now the girl flung herself into the saddle.
"Hurry!" she whispered. "We shall have to run for it. Ride throughthe gap that Tantor made," and as she saw Baynes swing his leg over theback of his horse, she shook the reins free over her mount's neck.With a lunge, the nervous beast leaped forward. The shortest path ledstraight through the center of the village, and this Meriem took.Baynes was close behind her, their horses running at full speed.
So sudden and impetuous was their dash for escape that it carried themhalf-way across the village before the surprised inhabitants were awareof what was happening. Then an Arab recognized them, and, with a cryof alarm, raised his rifle and fired. The shot was a signal for avolley, and amid the rattle of musketry Meriem and Baynes leaped theirflying mounts through the breach in the palisade and were gone up thewell-worn trail toward the north.
And Korak?
Tantor carried him deep into the jungle, nor paused until no sound fromthe distant village reached his keen ears. Then he laid his burdengently down. Korak struggled to free himself from his bonds, but evenhis great strength was unable to cope with the many strands ofhard-knotted cord that bound him. While he lay there, working andresting by turns, the elephant stood guard above him, nor was therejungle enemy with the hardihood to tempt the sudden death that lay inthat mighty bulk.
Dawn came, and still Korak was no nearer freedom than before. Hecommenced to believe that he should die there of thirst and starvationwith plenty all about him, for he knew that Tantor could not unloosethe knots that held him.
And while he struggled through the night with his bonds, Baynes andMeriem were riding rapidly northward along the river. The girl hadassured Baynes that Korak was safe in the jungle with Tantor. It hadnot occurred to her that the ape-man might not be able to burst hisbonds. Baynes had been wounded by a shot from the rifle of one of theArabs, and the girl wanted to get him back to Bwana's home, where hecould be properly cared for.
"Then," she said, "I shall get Bwana to come with m
e and search forKorak. He must come and live with us."
All night they rode, and the day was still young when they camesuddenly upon a party hurrying southward. It was Bwana himself and hissleek, black warriors. At sight of Baynes the big Englishman's browscontracted in a scowl; but he waited to hear Meriem's story beforegiving vent to the long anger in his breast. When she had finished heseemed to have forgotten Baynes. His thoughts were occupied withanother subject.
"You say that you found Korak?" he asked. "You really saw him?"
"Yes," replied Meriem; "as plainly as I see you, and I want you to comewith me, Bwana, and help me find him again."
"Did you see him?" He turned toward the Hon. Morison.
"Yes, sir," replied Baynes; "very plainly."
"What sort of appearing man is he?" continued Bwana. "About how old,should you say?"
"I should say he was an Englishman, about my own age," replied Baynes;"though he might be older. He is remarkably muscled, and exceedinglytanned."
"His eyes and hair, did you notice them?" Bwana spoke rapidly, almostexcitedly. It was Meriem who answered him.
"Korak's hair is black and his eyes are gray," she said.
Bwana turned to his headman.
"Take Miss Meriem and Mr. Baynes home," he said. "I am going into thejungle."
"Let me go with you, Bwana," cried Meriem. "You are going to searchfor Korak. Let me go, too."
Bwana turned sadly but firmly upon the girl.
"Your place," he said, "is beside the man you love."
Then he motioned to his head-man to take his horse and commence thereturn journey to the farm. Meriem slowly mounted the tired Arab thathad brought her from the village of The Sheik. A litter was rigged forthe now feverish Baynes, and the little cavalcade was soon slowlywinding off along the river trail.
Bwana stood watching them until they were out of sight. Not once hadMeriem turned her eyes backward. She rode with bowed head and droopingshoulders. Bwana sighed. He loved the little Arab girl as he mighthave loved an own daughter. He realized that Baynes had redeemedhimself, and so he could interpose no objections now if Meriem reallyloved the man; but, somehow, some way, Bwana could not convince himselfthat the Hon. Morison was worthy of his little Meriem. Slowly heturned toward a nearby tree. Leaping upward he caught a lower branchand drew himself up among the branches. His movements were cat-likeand agile. High into the trees he made his way and there commenced todivest himself of his clothing. From the game bag slung across oneshoulder he drew a long strip of doe-skin, a neatly coiled rope, and awicked looking knife. The doe-skin, he fashioned into a loin cloth,the rope he looped over one shoulder, and the knife he thrust into thebelt formed by his gee string.
When he stood erect, his head thrown back and his great chest expandeda grim smile touched his lips for a moment. His nostrils dilated as hesniffed the jungle odors. His gray eyes narrowed. He crouched andleaped to a lower limb and was away through the trees toward thesoutheast, bearing away from the river. He moved swiftly, stoppingonly occasionally to raise his voice in a weird and piercing scream,and to listen for a moment after for a reply.
He had traveled thus for several hours when, ahead of him and a littleto his left, he heard, far off in the jungle, a faint response--the cryof a bull ape answering his cry. His nerves tingled and his eyeslighted as the sound fell upon his ears. Again he voiced his hideouscall, and sped forward in the new direction.
Korak, finally becoming convinced that he must die if he remained wherehe was, waiting for the succor that could not come, spoke to Tantor inthe strange tongue that the great beast understood. He commanded theelephant to lift him and carry him toward the northeast. There,recently, Korak had seen both white men and black. If he could comeupon one of the latter it would be a simple matter to command Tantor tocapture the fellow, and then Korak could get him to release him fromthe stake. It was worth trying at least--better than lying there inthe jungle until he died. As Tantor bore him along through the forestKorak called aloud now and then in the hope of attracting Akut's bandof anthropoids, whose wanderings often brought them into theirneighborhood. Akut, he thought, might possibly be able to negotiatethe knots--he had done so upon that other occasion when the Russian hadbound Korak years before; and Akut, to the south of him, heard hiscalls faintly, and came. There was another who heard them, too.
After Bwana had left his party, sending them back toward the farm,Meriem had ridden for a short distance with bowed head. What thoughtspassed through that active brain who may say? Presently she seemed tocome to a decision. She called the headman to her side.
"I am going back with Bwana," she announced.
The black shook his head. "No!" he announced. "Bwana says I take youhome. So I take you home."
"You refuse to let me go?" asked the girl.
The black nodded, and fell to the rear where he might better watch her.Meriem half smiled. Presently her horse passed beneath a low-hangingbranch, and the black headman found himself gazing at the girl's emptysaddle. He ran forward to the tree into which she had disappeared. Hecould see nothing of her. He called; but there was no response, unlessit might have been a low, taunting laugh far to the right. He sent hismen into the jungle to search for her; but they came back empty handed.After a while he resumed his march toward the farm, for Baynes, by thistime, was delirious with fever.
Meriem raced straight back toward the point she imagined Tantor wouldmake for--a point where she knew the elephants often gathered deep inthe forest due east of The Sheik's village. She moved silently andswiftly. From her mind she had expunged all thoughts other than thatshe must reach Korak and bring him back with her. It was her place todo that. Then, too, had come the tantalizing fear that all might notbe well with him. She upbraided herself for not thinking of thatbefore--of letting her desire to get the wounded Morison back to thebungalow blind her to the possibilities of Korak's need for her. Shehad been traveling rapidly for several hours without rest when sheheard ahead of her the familiar cry of a great ape calling to his kind.
She did not reply, only increased her speed until she almost flew. Nowthere came to her sensitive nostrils the scent of Tantor and she knewthat she was on the right trail and close to him she sought. She didnot call out because she wished to surprise him, and presently she did,breaking into sight of them as the great elephant shuffled aheadbalancing the man and the heavy stake upon his head, holding them therewith his upcurled trunk.
"Korak!" cried Meriem from the foliage above him.
Instantly the bull swung about, lowered his burden to the ground and,trumpeting savagely, prepared to defend his comrade. The ape-man,recognizing the girl's voice, felt a sudden lump in his throat.
"Meriem!" he called back to her.
Happily the girl clambered to the ground and ran forward to releaseKorak; but Tantor lowered his head ominously and trumpeted a warning.
"Go back! Go back!" cried Korak. "He will kill you."
Meriem paused. "Tantor!" she called to the huge brute. "Don't youremember me? I am little Meriem. I used to ride on your broad back;"but the bull only rumbled in his throat and shook his tusks in angrydefiance. Then Korak tried to placate him. Tried to order him away,that the girl might approach and release him; but Tantor would not go.He saw in every human being other than Korak an enemy. He thought thegirl bent upon harming his friend and he would take no chances. For anhour the girl and the man tried to find some means whereby they mightcircumvent the beast's ill directed guardianship, but all to no avail;Tantor stood his ground in grim determination to let no one approachKorak.
Presently the man hit upon a scheme. "Pretend to go away," he calledto the girl. "Keep down wind from us so that Tantor won't get yourscent, then follow us. After a while I'll have him put me down, andfind some pretext for sending him away. While he is gone you can slipup and cut my bonds--have you a knife?"
"Yes, I have a knife," she replied. "I'll go now--I think we may beable
to fool him; but don't be too sure--Tantor invented cunning."
Korak smiled, for he knew that the girl was right. Presently she haddisappeared. The elephant listened, and raised his trunk to catch herscent. Korak commanded him to raise him to his head once more andproceed upon their way. After a moment's hesitation he did as he wasbid. It was then that Korak heard the distant call of an ape.
"Akut!" he thought. "Good! Tantor knew Akut well. He would let himapproach." Raising his voice Korak replied to the call of the ape; buthe let Tantor move off with him through the jungle; it would do no harmto try the other plan. They had come to a clearing and plainly Koraksmelled water. Here was a good place and a good excuse. He orderedTantor to lay him down, and go and fetch him water in his trunk. Thebig beast deposited him upon the grass in the center of the clearing,then he stood with cocked ears and attentive trunk, searching for theslightest indication of danger--there seemed to be none and he movedaway in the direction of the little brook that Korak knew was some twoor three hundred yards away. The ape-man could scarce help smiling ashe thought how cleverly he had tricked his friend; but well as he knewTantor he little guessed the guile of his cunning brain. The animalambled off across the clearing and disappeared in the jungle beyond inthe direction of the stream; but scarce had his great bulk beenscreened by the dense foliage than he wheeled about and came cautiouslyback to the edge of the clearing where he could see without being seen.Tantor, by nature, is suspicious. Now he still feared the return ofthe she Tarmangani who had attempted to attack his Korak. He wouldjust stand there for a moment and assure himself that all was wellbefore he continued on toward the water. Ah! It was well that he did!There she was now dropping from the branches of a tree across theclearing and running swiftly toward the ape-man. Tantor waited. Hewould let her reach Korak before he charged--that would ensure that shehad no chance of escape. His little eyes blazed savagely. His tailwas elevated stiffly. He could scarce restrain a desire to trumpetforth his rage to the world. Meriem was almost at Korak's side whenTantor saw the long knife in her hand, and then he broke forth from thejungle, bellowing horribly, and charged down upon the frail girl.