his knife, the white to
choke the life from the black.

Baynes' fingers shut off the cry for help that the other would have
been glad to voice; but presently the Negro succeeded in drawing his
weapon and an instant later Baynes felt the sharp steel in his
shoulder. Again and again the weapon fell. The white man removed one
hand from its choking grip upon the black throat. He felt around upon
the ground beside him searching for some missile, and at last his
fingers touched a stone and closed upon it. Raising it above his
antagonist's head the Hon. Morison drove home a terrific blow.
Instantly the black relaxed--stunned. Twice more Baynes struck him.
Then he leaped to his feet and ran for the goat skin tent from which he
had heard the voice of Meriem in distress.

But before him was another. Naked but for his leopard skin and his
loin cloth, Korak, The Killer, slunk into the shadows at the back of
Ali ben Kadin's tent. The half-caste had just dragged Meriem into the
rear chamber as Korak's sharp knife slit a six foot opening in the tent
wall, and Korak, tall and mighty, sprang through upon the astonished
visions of the inmates.

Meriem saw and recognized him the instant that he entered the
apartment. Her heart leaped in pride and joy at the sight of the noble
figure for which it had hungered for so long.

"Korak!" she cried.

"Meriem!" He uttered the single word as he hurled himself upon the
astonished Ali ben Kadin. The three Negresses leaped from their
sleeping mats, screaming. Meriem tried to prevent them from escaping;
but before she could succeed the terrified blacks had darted through
the hole in the tent wall made by Korak's knife, and were gone
screaming through the village.

The Killer's fingers closed once upon the throat of the hideous Ali.
Once his knife plunged into the putrid heart--and Ali ben Kadin lay
dead upon the floor of his tent. Korak turned toward Meriem and at the
same moment a bloody and disheveled apparition leaped into the
apartment.

"Morison!" cried the girl.

Korak turned and looked at the new comer. He had been about to take
Meriem in his arms, forgetful of all that might have transpired since
last he had seen her. Then the coming of the young Englishman recalled
the scene he had witnessed in the little clearing, and a wave of misery
swept over the ape man.

Already from without came the sounds of the alarm that the three
Negresses had started. Men were running to