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though that other had not existed。
Korak moved scarcely more than an inch at a time； then he would stand motionless for a moment。 Thus was he worming his way behind the guard when the latter straightened up； opened his cavernous mouth in a wide yawn； and stretched his arms above his head。 Korak stood rigid as stone。 Another step and he would be within the hut。 The black lowered his arms and relaxed。 Behind him was the frame work of the doorway。 Often before had it supported his sleepy head； and now he leaned back to enjoy the forbidden pleasure of a cat nap。
But instead of the door frame his head and shoulders came in contact with the warm flesh of a pair of living legs。 The exclamation of surprise that almost burst from his lips was throttled in his throat by steel…thewed fingers that closed about his windpipe with the suddenness of thought。 The black struggled to ariseto turn upon the creature that had seized himto wriggle from its hold； but all to no purpose。 As he had been held in a mighty vise of iron he could not move。 He could not scream。 Those awful fingers at his throat but closed more and more tightly。 His eyes bulged from their sockets。 His face turned an ashy blue。 Presently he relaxed once morethis time in the final dissolution from which there is no quickening。 Korak propped the dead body against the door frame。 There it sat； lifelike in the gloom。 Then the ape…man turned and glided into the Stygian darkness of the hut's interior。
〃Meriem！〃 he whispered。
〃Korak！ My Korak！〃 came an answering cry； subdued by fear of alarming her captors； and half stifled by a sob of joyful welcome。
The youth knelt and cut the bonds that held the girl's wrists and ankles。 A moment later he had lifted her to her feet； and grasping her by the hand led her towards the entrance。 Outside the grim sentinel of death kept his grisly vigil。 Sniffing at his dead feet whined a mangy native cur。 At sight of the two emerging from the hut the beast gave an ugly snarl and an instant later as it caught the scent of the strange white man it raised a series of excited yelps。 Instantly the warriors at the near…by fire were attracted。 They turned their heads in the direction of the commotion。 It was impossible that they should fail to see the white skins of the fugitives。
Korak slunk quickly into the shadows at the hut's side； drawing Meriem with him； but he was too late。 The blacks had seen enough to arouse their suspicions and a dozen of them were now running to investigate。 The yapping cur was still at Korak's heels leading the searchers unerringly in pursuit。 The youth struck viciously at the brute with his long spear； but； long accustomed to dodging blows； the wily creature made a most uncertain target。
Other blacks had been alarmed by the running and shouting of their companions and now the entire population of the village was swarming up the street to assist in the search。 Their first discovery was the dead body of the sentry； and a moment later one of the bravest of them had entered the hut and discovered the absence of the prisoner。 These startling announcements filled the blacks with a combination of terror and rage； but； seeing no foe in evidence they were enabled to permit their rage to get the better of their terror； and so the leaders； pushed on by those behind them； ran rapidly around the hut in the direction of the yapping of the mangy cur。 Here they found a single white warrior making away with their captive； and recognizing him as the author of numerous raids and indignities and believing that they had him cornered and at a disadvantage； they charged savagely upon him。
Korak； seeing that they were discovered； lifted Meriem to his shoulders and ran for the tree which would give them egress from the village。 He was handicapped in his flight by the weight of the girl whose legs would but scarce bear her weight； to say nothing of maintaining her in rapid flight； for the tightly drawn bonds that had been about her ankles for so long had stopped circulation and partially paralyzed her extremities。
Had this not been the case the escape of the two would have been a feat of little moment； since Meriem was scarcely a whit less agile than Korak； and fully as much at home in the trees as he。 But with the girl on his shoulder Korak could not both run and fight to advantage； and the result was that before he had covered half the distance to the tree a score of native curs attracted by the yelping of their mate and the yells and shouts of their masters had closed in upon the fleeing white man； snapping at his legs and at last succeeding in tripping him。 As he went down the hyena…like brutes were upon him； and as he struggled to his feet the blacks closed in。
A couple of them seized the clawing； biting Meriem； and subdued hera blow upon the head was sufficient。 For the ape… man they found more drastic measures would be necessary。
Weighted down as he was by dogs and warriors he still managed to struggle to his feet。 To right and left he swung crushing blows to the faces of his human antagoniststo the dogs he paid not the slightest attention other than to seize the more persistent and wring their necks with a single quick movement of the wrist。
A knob stick aimed at him by an ebon Hercules he caught and wrested from his antagonist； and then the blacks experienced to the full the possibilities for punishment that lay within those smooth flowing muscles beneath the velvet brown skin of the strange； white giant。 He rushed among them with all the force and ferocity of a bull elephant gone mad。 Hither and thither he charged striking down the few who had the temerity to stand against him； and it was evident that unless a chance spear thrust brought him down he would rout the entire village and regain his prize。 But old Kovudoo was not to be so easily robbed of the ransom which the girl represented； and seeing that their attack which had up to now resulted in a series of individual combats with the white warrior； he called his tribesmen off； and forming them in a compact body about the girl and the two who watched over her bid them do nothing more than repel the assaults of the ape…man。
Again and again Korak rushed against this human barricade bristling with spear points。 Again and again he was repulsed； often with severe wounds to caution him to greater wariness。 From head to foot he was red with his own blood； and at last； weakening from the loss of it； he came to the bitter realization that alone he could do no more to succor his Meriem。
Presently an idea flashed through his brain。 He called aloud to the girl。 She had regained consciousness now and replied。
〃Korak goes；〃 he shouted； 〃but he will return and take you from the Gomangani。 Good…bye； my Meriem。 Korak will come for you again。〃
〃Good…bye！〃 cried the girl。 〃Meriem will look for you until you come。〃
Like a flash； and before they could know his intention or prevent him； Korak wheeled； raced across the village and with a single leap disappeared into the foliage of the great tree that was his highroad to the village of Kovudoo。 A shower of spears followed him； but their only harvest was a taunting laugh flung back from out the darkness of the jungle。
Chapter 13
Meriem； again bound and under heavy guard in Kovudoo's own hut； saw the night pass and the new day come without bringing the momentarily looked for return of Korak。 She had no doubt but that he would come back and less still that he would easily free her from her captivity。 To her Korak was little short of omnipotent。 He embodied for her all that was finest and strongest and best in her savage world。 She gloried in his prowess and worshipped him for the tender thoughtfulness that always had marked his treatment of her。 No other within the ken of her memory had ever accorded her the love and gentleness that was his daily offering to her。 Most of the gentler attributes of his early childhood had long since been forgotten in the fierce battle for existence which the customs of the mysterious jungle had forced upon him。 He was more often savage and bloodthirsty than tender and kindly。 His other friends of the wild looked for no gentle tokens of his affection。 That he would hunt with them and fight for them was sufficient。 If he growled and showed his fighting fangs when they trespassed upon his inalienable rights to the fruits of his kills they felt no anger toward himonly greater respect for the efficient and the fitfor him who could not only kill but protect the flesh of his kill。
But toward Meriem he always had shown more of his human side。 He killed primarily for her。 It was to the feet of Meriem that he brought the fruits of his labors。 It was for Meriem more than for himself that he squatted beside his flesh and growled ominously at whosoever dared sniff too closely to it。 When he was cold in the dark days of rain； or thirsty in a prolonged drouth； his discomfort engendered first of all thoughts of Meriem's welfareafter she had been made warm； after her thirst had been slaked； then he turned to the affair of ministering to his own wants。
The softest skins fell gracefully from the graceful shoulders of his Meriem。 The sweetest…sc