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And so, knowing his master and many of his past deeds, knowing, too, a great deal about the plans of Malbihn and Baynes that had been overheard by himself, or other servants; and knowing well from the gossip of the head-men that half of Malbihn's party lay in camp by the great river far to the west, it was not difficult for the boy to put two and two together and arrive at four as the sum the four being represented by a firm conviction that his master had deceived the other white man and taken the latter's woman to his western camp, leaving the other to suffer capture and punishment at the hands of the Big Bwana whom all feared.
Meriem was looking full into his face as she fought for freedom when there came over her a sudden recollection of a similar scene in which she had been a participant and with it full recognition of her assailant. He was the Swede Malbihn who had attacked her once before, who had shot his companion who would have saved her, and from whom she had been rescued by Bwana.
"I'm not a wooden man," growled Malbihn. "You'd better be," rejoined Jenssen, "at least until we have delivered her over in safety and collected what will be coming to us." "Oh, hell," cried Malbihn. "What's the use? They'll be glad enough to have her back, and by the time we get there with her she'll be only too glad to keep her mouth shut. Why not?" "Because I say not," growled Jenssen.
Much money shall we realize on a corpse especially after the six months beneath the burning sun that will be consumed in carrying it to its destination!" "The fool should have known that we desired her alive," grumbled Malbihn, grasping a corner of the cloth and jerking the cover from the thing that lay upon the litter.
"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 is true; but he could read it. He had been to Paris.
They set the litter down, turned and vanished into the darkness toward the village. Malbihn looked at Jenssen, a crooked smile twisting his lips. The thing upon the litter was covered with a piece of cloth. "Well?" queried the latter. "Raise the covering and see what you have bought.
She did not know, nor did Kovudoo, that the runner had never reached his destination that 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.
Malbihn gave his friend an ugly look, shrugged his shoulders, and left the tent. Jenssen turned to Meriem. "If he bothers you again, call me," he said. "I shall always be near."
Sven Malbihn released his hold upon the girl and turned toward his companion. His face was red with mortification. "What the devil are you trying to do?" growled Jenssen. "Would you throw away every chance for the reward? If we maltreat her we not only couldn't collect a sou, but they'd send us to prison for our pains. I thought you had more sense, Malbihn."
She knew it. He would never come now, and these men would take her far away. Presently they would kill her. She would never see her Korak again. On this day the Swedes rested, for they had marched rapidly and their men were tired. Malbihn and Jenssen had gone from camp to hunt, taking different directions.
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