? ? ? ? Meriem was entranced. His tales were like fairy stories to this little jungle maid. The Hon. Morison loomed large and wonderful and magnificent in her mind's eye. He fascinated her, and when he drew closer to her after a short silence and took her hand she thrilled as one might thrill beneath the touch of a deity--a thrill of exaltation not unmixed with fear.
? ? ? ? He bent his lips close to her ear.
? ? ? ? "Meriem!" he whispered. "My little Meriem! May I hope to have the right to call you `my little Meriem'?"
? ? ? ? The girl turned wide eyes upward to his face; but it was in shadow. She trembled but she did not draw away. The man put an arm about her and drew her closer.
? ? ? ? "I love you!" he whispered.
? ? ? ? She did not reply. She did not know what to say. She knew nothing of love. She had never given it a thought; but she did know that it was very nice to be loved, whatever it meant. It was nice to have people kind to one.
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