? ? ? ? "What was it?" again demanded The Sheik, seizing the girl roughly by the hair and dragging her to her feet, where he shook her venomously. "What was it a picture of?"
? ? ? ? "Of me," said Meriem, "when I was a little girl. I stole it from Malbihn, the Swede--it had printing on the back cut from an old newspaper."
? ? ? ? The Sheik went white with rage.
? ? ? ? "What said the printing?" he asked in a voice so low that she but barely caught his words.
? ? ? ? "I do not know. It was in French and I cannot read French."
? ? ? ? The Sheik seemed relieved. He almost smiled, nor did he again strike Meriem before he turned and strode away with the parting admonition that she speak never again to any other than Mabunu and himself. And along the caravan trail galloped Abdul Kamak toward the north.
? ? ? ? As his canoe drifted out of sight and range of the wounded Swede the Hon. Morison sank weakly to its bottom where he lay for long hours in partial stupor.
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