the son of tarzan-第48节

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〃

〃The　Swede　whom　you　once　chased　away　from　your　country　when　he　and　his　companion　conspired　with　Nbeeda　to　steal　me　from　you；〃　replied　Meriem。

The　Sheik's　eyes　blazed；　and　he　called　his　men　to　approach　the　shore　and　hide　among　the　bushes　that　they　might　ambush　and　annihilate　Malbihn　and　his　party；　but　Malbihn　already　had　landed　and　crawling　through　the　fringe　of　jungle　was　at　that　very　moment　looking　with　wide　and　incredulous　eyes　upon　the　scene　being　enacted　in　the　street　of　the　deserted　village。　　He　recognized　The　Sheik　the　moment　his　eyes　fell　upon　him。　　There　were　two　men　in　the　world　that　Malbihn　feared　as　he　feared　the　devil。　One　was　the　Big　Bwana　and　the　other　The　Sheik。　　A　single　glance　he　took　at　that　gaunt；　familiar　figure　and　then　he　turned　tail　and　scurried　back　to　his　canoe　calling　his　followers　after　him。　　And　so　it　happened　that　the　party　was　well　out　in　the　stream　before　The　Sheik　reached　the　shore；　and　after　a　volley　and　a　few　parting　shots　that　were　returned　from　the　canoes　the　Arab　called　his　men　off　and　securing　his　prisoner　set　off　toward　the　South。

One　of　the　bullets　from　Malbihn's　force　had　struck　a　black　standing　in　the　village　street　where　he　had　been　left　with　another　to　guard　Meriem；　and　his　companions　had　left　him　where　he　had　fallen；　after　appropriating　his　apparel　and　belongings。　　His　was　the　body　that　Baynes　had　discovered　when　he　had　entered　the　village。

The　Sheik　and　his　party　had　been　marching　southward　along　the　river　when　one　of　them；　dropping　out　of　line　to　fetch　water；　had　seen　Meriem　paddling　desperately　from　the　opposite　shore。　The　fellow　had　called　The　Sheik's　attention　to　the　strange　sight　a　white　woman　alone　in　Central　Africa　and　the　old　Arab　had　hidden　his　men　in　the　deserted　village　to　capture　her　when　she　landed；　for　thoughts　of　ransom　were　always　in　the　mind　of　The　Sheik。　　More　than　once　before　had　glittering　gold　filtered　through　his　fingers　from　a　similar　source。　　It　was　easy　money　and　The　Sheik　had　none　too　much　easy　money　since　the　Big　Bwana　had　so　circumscribed　the　limits　of　his　ancient　domain　that　he　dared　not　even　steal　ivory　from　natives　within　two　hundred　miles　of　the　Big　Bwana's　douar。　　And　when　at　last　the　woman　had　walked　into　the　trap　he　had　set　for　her　and　he　had　recognized　her　as　the　same　little　girl　he　had　brutalized　and　mal…treated　years　before　his　gratification　had　been　huge。　　Now　he　lost　no　time　in　establishing　the　old　relations　of　father　and　daughter　that　had　existed　between　them　in　the　past。　　At　the　first　opportunity　he　struck　her　a　heavy　blow　across　the　face。　　He　forced　her　to　walk　when　he　might　have　dismounted　one　of　his　men　instead；　or　had　her　carried　on　a　horse's　rump。　　He　seemed　to　revel　in　the　discovery　of　new　methods　for　torturing　or　humiliating　her；　and　among　all　his　followers　she　found　no　single　one　to　offer　her　sympathy；　or　who　dared　defend　her；　even　had　they　had　the　desire　to　do　so。

A　two　days'　march　brought　them　at　last　to　the　familiar　scenes　of　her　childhood；　and　the　first　face　upon　which　she　set　her　eyes　as　she　was　driven　through　the　gates　into　the　strong　stockade　was　that　of　the　toothless；　hideous　Mabunu；　her　one　time　nurse。　　It　was　as　though　all　the　years　that　had　intervened　were　but　a　dream。　Had　it　not　been　for　her　clothing　and　the　fact　that　she　had　grown　in　stature　she　might　well　have　believed　it　so。　　All　was　there　as　she　had　left　itthe　new　faces　which　supplanted　some　of　the　old　were　of　the　same　bestial；　degraded　type。　　There　were　a　few　young　Arabs　who　had　joined　The　Sheik　since　she　had　been　away。　　Otherwise　all　was　the　sameall　but　one。　　Geeka　was　not　there；　and　she　found　herself　missing　Geeka　as　though　the　ivory…headed　one　had　been　a　flesh　and　blood　intimate　and　friend。　　She　missed　her　ragged　little　confidante；　into　whose　deaf　ears　she　had　been　wont　to　pour　her　many　miseries　and　her　occasional　joysGeeka；　of　the　splinter　limbs　and　the　ratskin　torsoGeeka　the　disreputableGeeka　the　beloved。

For　a　time　the　inhabitants　of　The　Sheik's　village　who　had　not　been　upon　the　march　with　him　amused　themselves　by　inspecting　the　strangely　clad　white　girl；　whom　some　of　them　had　known　as　a　little　child。　　Mabunu　pretended　great　joy　at　her　return；　baring　her　toothless　gums　in　a　hideous　grimace　that　was　intended　to　be　indicative　of　rejoicing。　　But　Meriem　could　but　shudder　as　she　recalled　the　cruelties　of　this　terrible　old　hag　in　the　years　gone　by。

Among　the　Arabs　who　had　come　in　her　absence　was　a　tall　young　fellow　of　twentya　handsome；　sinister　looking　youthwho　stared　at　her　in　open　admiration　until　The　Sheik　came　and　ordered　him　away；　and　Abdul　Kamak　went；　scowling。

At　last；　their　curiosity　satisfied；　Meriem　was　alone。　　As　of　old；　she　was　permitted　the　freedom　of　the　village；　for　the　stockade　was　high　and　strong　and　the　only　gates　were　well…guarded　by　day　and　by　night；　but　as　of　old　she　cared　not　for　the　companionship　of　the　cruel　Arabs　and　the　degraded　blacks　who　formed　the　following　of　The　Sheik；　and　so；　as　had　been　her　wont　in　the　sad　days　of　her　childhood；　she　slunk　down　to　an　unfrequented　corner　of　the　enclosure　where　she　had　often　played　at　house…　keeping　with　her　beloved　Geeka　beneath　the　spreading　branches　of　the　great　tree　that　had　overhung　the　palisade；　but　now　the　tree　was　gone；　and　Meriem　guessed　the　reason。　　It　was　from　this　tree　that　Korak　had　descended　and　struck　down　The　Sheik　the　day　that　he　had　rescued　her　from　the　life　of　misery　and　torture　that　had　been　her　lot　for　so　long　that　she　could　remember　no　other。

There　were　low　bushes　growing　within　the　stockade；　however；　and　in　the　shade　of　these　Meriem　sat　down　to　think。　　A　little　glow　of　happiness　warmed　her　heart　as　she　recalled　her　first　meeting　with　Korak　and　then　the　long　years　that　he　had　cared　for　and　protected　her　with　the　solicitude　and　purity　of　an　elder　brother。　　For　months　Korak　had　not　so　occupied　her　thoughts　as　he　did　today。　　He　seemed　closer　and　dearer　now　than　ever　he　had　before；　and　she　wondered　that　her　heart　had　drifted　so　far　from　loyalty　to　his　memory。　　And　then　came　the　image　of　the　Hon。　Morison；　the　exquisite；　and　Meriem　was　troubled。　　Did　she　really　love　the　flawless　young　Englishman？　　She　thought　of　the　glories　of　London；　of　which　he　had　told　her　in　such　glowing　language。　　She　tried　to　picture　herself　admired　and　honored　in　the　midst　of　the　gayest　society　of　the　great　capital。　　The　pictures　she　drew　were　the　pictures　that　the　Hon。　Morison　had　drawn　for　her。　　They　were　alluring　pictures；　but　through　them　all　the　brawny；　half…naked　figure　of　the　giant　Adonis　of　the　jungle　persisted　in　obtruding　itself。

Meriem　pressed　her　hand　above　her　heart　as　she　stifled　a　sigh；　and　as　she　did　so　she　felt　the　hard　outlines　of　the　photograph　she　had　hidden　there　as　she　slunk　from　Malbihn's　tent。　　Now　she　drew　it　forth　and　commenced　to　re…examine　it　more　carefully　than　she　had　had　time　to　do　before。　　She　was　sure　that　the　baby　face　was　hers。　　She　studied　every　detail　of　the　picture。　　Half　hidden　in　the　lace　of　the　dainty　dress　rested　a　chain　and　locket。　Meriem　puckered　her　brows。　　What　tantalizing　half…memories　it　awakened！　　Could　this　flower　of　evident　civilization　be　the　little　Arab　Meriem；　daughter　of　The　Sheik？　　It　was　impossible；　and　yet　that　locket？　　Meriem　knew　it。　　She　could　not　refute　the　conviction　of　her　memory。　　She　had　seen　that　locket　before　and　it　had　been　hers。　　What　strange　mystery　lay　buried　in　her　past？

As　she　sat　gazing　at　the　picture　she　suddenly　became　aware　that　she　was　not　alonethat　someone　was　standing　close　behind　her　some　one　who　had　approached　her　noiselessly。　　Guiltily　she　thrust　the　picture　back　into　her　waist。　　A　hand　fell　upon　her　shoulder。　　She　was　sure　that　it　was　The　Sheik　and　she　awaited　in　dumb　terror　the　blow　that　she　knew　would　follow。

No　blow　came　and　she　looked　upward　over　her　shoulderinto　the　eyes　of　Abdul　Kamak；　the　young　Arab。

〃I　saw；〃　he　said；　〃the　picture　that　you　have　just　hidden。　　It　is　you　when　you　were　a　childa　very　young　child。　　May　I　see　it　again？〃

Meriem　drew　away　from　him。

〃I　will　give　it　back；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　heard　of　you　and　I　know　that　you　have　no　love　for　The　Sheik；　your　father。　　Neither　have　I。　　I　will　not　betray　you。　　Let　me　see　the　picture。〃

Friendless　among　cruel　enemies；　Meriem　clutched　at　the　straw　that　Abdul　Kamak　held　out　to　her。　　Perhaps　in　him　she　might　find　the　friend　she　needed。　　Anyway　he　had　seen　the　picture　and　if　he　was　not　a　friend　he　could　tell　The　Sheik　about　it　and　it　would　be　taken　away　from　her。　　So　she　might　as　well　grant　his　request　and　hope　that　he　had　spoken　fairly；　and　would　deal　fairly。　She　drew　the　photograph　from　its　hiding　place　and　handed　it　to　him。

Abdul　Kamak　examined　it　carefully；　comparing　it；　feature　by　feature　with　the　girl　sitting　on　the　ground　looking　up　into　his　face。　　Slowly　he　nodded　his　head。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　you；　but　where　was　it　taken？　　How　does　it　happen　that　The　Sheik's　daughter　is　clothed　in　the　garments　of　the　unbeliever？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Meriem。　　〃I　never　saw　the　picture　until　a　couple　of　days　ago；　when　I　found　it　in　the　tent　of　the　Swede；　Malbihn。〃

Abdul　Kamak　raised　his　eyebrows。　　He　turned　the　picture　over　and　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　old　newspaper　cutting　they　went　wide。　　He　could　read　French；　with　difficulty；　it　i