cted a tight little shelter
high among the swaying branches of a giant tree. Here little Meriem
slept in comparative warmth and safety, while The Killer and the ape
perched upon near-by branches, the former always before the entrance to
the lofty domicile, where he best could guard its inmate from the
dangers of arboreal enemies. They were too high to feel much fear of
Sheeta; but there was always Histah, the snake, to strike terror to
one's soul, and the great baboons who lived near-by, and who, while
never attacking always bared their fangs and barked at any of the trio
when they passed near them.

After the construction of the shelter the activities of the three
became localized. They ranged less widely, for there was always the
necessity of returning to their own tree at nightfall. A river flowed
near by. Game and fruit were plentiful, as were fish also. Existence
had settled down to the daily humdrum of the wild--the search for food
and the sleeping upon full bellies. They looked no further ahead than
today. If the youth thought of his past and of those who longed for
him in the distant metropolis it was in a detached and impersonal sort
of way as though that other life belonged to another creature than
himself. He had given up hope of returning to civilization, for since
his various rebuffs at the hands of those to whom he had looked for
friendship he had wandered so far inland as to realize that he was
completely lost in the mazes of the jungle.

Then, too, since the coming of Meriem he had found in her that one
thing which he had most missed before in his savage, jungle life--human
companionship. In his friendship for her there was appreciable no
trace of sex influence of which he was cognizant. They were
friends--companions--that was all. Both might have been boys, except
for the half tender and always masterful manifestation of the
protective instinct which was apparent in Korak's attitude.

The little girl idolized him as she might have idolized an indulgent
brother had she had one. Love was a thing unknown to either; but as
the youth neared manhood it was inevitable that it should come to him
as it did to every other savage, jungle male.

As Meriem became proficient in their common language the pleasures of
their companionship grew correspondingly, for now they could converse
and aided by the mental powers of their human heritage they amplified
the restricted vocabulary of the apes until tal