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The softest skins fell gracefully from the graceful shoulders of his Meriem。 The sweetest…scented grasses lined her bower where other soft； furry pelts made hers the downiest couch in all the jungle。
What wonder then that Meriem loved her Korak？ But she loved him as a little sister might love a big brother who was very good to her。 As yet she knew naught of the love of a maid for a man。
So now as she lay waiting for him she dreamed of him and of all that he meant to her。 She compared him with The Sheik； her father； and at thought of the stern； grizzled； old Arab she shuddered。 Even the savage blacks had been less harsh to her than he。 Not understanding their tongue she could not guess what purpose they had in keeping her a prisoner。 She knew that man ate man； and she had expected to be eaten； but she had been with them for some time now and no harm had befallen her。 She did not know that a runner had been dispatched to the distant village of The Sheik to barter with him for a ransom。 She did not know； nor did Kovudoo； that the runner had never reached his destinationthat he had fallen in with the safari of Jenssen and Malbihn and with the talkativeness of a native to other natives had unfolded his whole mission to the black servants of the two Swedes。 These had not been long in retailing the matter to their masters； and the result was that when the runner left their camp to continue his journey he had scarce passed from sight before there came the report of a rifle and he rolled lifeless into the underbrush with a bullet in his back。
A few moments later Malbihn strolled back into the encampment； where he went to some pains to let it be known that he had had a shot at a fine buck and missed。 The Swedes knew that their men hated them； and that an overt act against Kovudoo would quickly be carried to the chief at the first opportunity。 Nor were they sufficiently strong in either guns or loyal followers to risk antagonizing the wily old chief。
Following this episode came the encounter with the baboons and the strange； white savage who had allied himself with the beasts against the humans。 Only by dint of masterful maneuvering and the expenditure of much power had the Swedes been able to repulse the infuriated apes； and even for hours afterward their camp was constantly besieged by hundreds of snarling； screaming devils。
The Swedes； rifles in hand； repelled numerous savage charges which lacked only efficient leadership to have rendered them as effective in results as they were terrifying in appearance。 Time and time again the two men thought they saw the smooth…skinned body of the wild ape…man moving among the baboons in the forest； and the belief that he might head a charge upon them proved most disquieting。 They would have given much for a clean shot at him； for to him they attributed the loss of their specimen and the ugly attitude of the baboons toward them。
〃The fellow must be the same we fired on several years ago；〃 said Malbihn。 〃That time he was accompanied by a gorilla。 Did you get a good look at him； Carl？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Jenssen。 〃He was not five paces from me when I fired at him。 He appears to be an intelligent looking Europeanand not much more than a lad。 There is nothing of the imbecile or degenerate in his features or expression； as is usually true in similar cases； where some lunatic escapes into the woods and by living in filth and nakedness wins the title of wild man among the peasants of the neighborhood。 No； this fellow is of different stuffand so infinitely more to be feared。 As much as I should like a shot at him I hope he stays away。 Should he ever deliberately lead a charge against us I wouldn't give much for our chances if we happened to fail to bag him at the first rush。〃
But the white giant did not appear again to lead the baboons against them； and finally the angry brutes themselves wandered off into the jungle leaving the frightened safari in peace。
The next day the Swedes set out for Kovudoo's village bent on securing possession of the person of the white girl whom Kovudoo's runner had told them lay captive in the chief's village。 How they were to accomplish their end they did not know。 Force was out of the question； though they would not have hesitated to use it had they possessed it。 In former years they had marched rough shod over enormous areas； taking toll by brute force even when kindliness or diplomacy would have accomplished more； but now they were in bad straitsso bad that they had shown their true colors scarce twice in a year and then only when they came upon an isolated village； weak in numbers and poor in courage。
Kovudoo was not as these； and though his village was in a way remote from the more populous district to the north his power was such that he maintained an acknowledged suzerainty over the thin thread of villages which connected him with the savage lords to the north。 To have antagonized him would have spelled ruin for the Swedes。 It would have meant that they might never reach civilization by the northern route。 To the west； the village of The Sheik lay directly in their path； barring them effectually。 To the east the trail was unknown to them； and to the south there was no trail。 So the two Swedes approached the village of Kovudoo with friendly words upon their tongues and deep craft in their hearts。
Their plans were well made。 There was no mention of the white prisonerthey chose to pretend that they were not aware that Kovudoo had a white prisoner。 They exchanged gifts with the old chief； haggling with his plenipotentiaries over the value of what they were to receive for what they gave； as is customary and proper when one has no ulterior motives。 Unwarranted generosity would have aroused suspicion。
During the palaver which followed they retailed the gossip of the villages through which they had passed； receiving in exchange such news as Kovudoo possessed。 The palaver was long and tiresome； as these native ceremonies always are to Europeans。 Kovudoo made no mention of his prisoner and from his generous offers of guides and presents seemed anxious to assure himself of the speedy departure of his guests。 It was Malbihn who； quite casually； near the close of their talk； mentioned the fact that The Sheik was dead。 Kovudoo evinced interest and surprise。
〃You did not know it？〃 asked Malbihn。 〃That is strange。 It was during the last moon。 He fell from his horse when the beast stepped in a hole。 The horse fell upon him。 When his men came up The Sheik was quite dead。〃
Kovudoo scratched his head。 He was much disappointed。 No Sheik meant no ransom for the white girl。 Now she was worthless； unless he utilized her for a feast ora mate。 The latter thought aroused him。 He spat at a small beetle crawling through the dust before him。 He eyed Malbihn appraisingly。 These white men were peculiar。 They traveled far from their own villages without women。 Yet he knew they cared for women。 But how much did they care for them？that was the question that disturbed Kovudoo。
〃I know where there is a white girl；〃 he said； unexpectedly。 〃If you wish to buy her she may be had cheap。〃
Malbihn shrugged。 〃We have troubles enough； Kovudoo；〃 he said； 〃without burdening ourselves with an old she…hyena； and as for paying for one〃 Malbihn snapped his fingers in derision。
〃She is young；〃 said Kovudoo； 〃and good looking。〃
The Swedes laughed。 〃There are no good looking white women in the jungle； Kovudoo；〃 said Jenssen。 〃You should be ashamed to try to make fun of old friends。〃
Kovudoo sprang to his feet。 〃Come；〃 he said； 〃I will show you that she is all I say。〃
Malbihn and Jenssen rose to follow him and as they did so their eyes met； and Malbihn slowly drooped one of his lids in a sly wink。 Together they followed Kovudoo toward his hut。 In the dim interior they discerned the figure of a woman lying bound upon a sleeping mat。
Malbihn took a single glance and turned away。 〃She must be a thousand years old； Kovudoo；〃 he said； as he left the hut。
〃She is young；〃 cried the savage。 〃It is dark in here。 You cannot see。 Wait； I will have her brought out into the sunlight；〃 and he commanded the two warriors who watched the girl to cut the bonds from her ankles and lead her forth for inspection。
Malbihn and Jenssen evinced no eagerness； though both were fairly bursting with itnot to see the girl but to obtain possession of her。 They cared not if she had the face of a marmoset； or the figure of pot…bellied Kovudoo himself。 All that they wished to know was that she was the girl who had been stolen from The Sheik several years before。 They thought that they would recognize her for such if she was indeed the same； but even so the testimony of the runner Kovudoo had sent to The Sheik was such as to assure them that the girl was the one they had once before attempted to abduct。
As Meriem was brought forth from the darkness of the hut's interior the two men turned with every appearance of disinterestedness to glance at her。 It was with difficulty that Malbihn suppressed an ejaculation of astonishment。 The girl's beauty fairly took his breath from him； but instantly he recovered his poise and turned to Kovudo