our way led near my
douar I have brought you here to wait and rest with my wife until my
men can find your ape, or he finds you. It is better thus, little one.
You will be safer with us, and you will be happier."

"I am afraid, Bwana," said the girl. "In thy douar they will beat me
as did The Sheik, my father. Let me go back into the jungle. There
Korak will find me. He would not think to look for me in the douar of
a white man."

"No one will beat you, child," replied the man. "I have not done so,
have I? Well, here all belong to me. They will treat you well. Here
no one is beaten. My wife will be very good to you, and at last Korak
will come, for I shall send men to search for him."

The girl shook her head. "They could not bring him, for he would kill
them, as all men have tried to kill him. I am afraid. Let me go,
Bwana."

"You do not know the way to your own country. You would be lost. The
leopards or the lions would get you the first night, and after all you
would not find your Korak. It is better that you stay with us. Did I
not save you from the bad man? Do you not owe me something for that?
Well, then remain with us for a few weeks at least until we can
determine what is best for you. You are only a little girl--it would
be wicked to permit you to go alone into the jungle."

Meriem laughed. "The jungle," she said, "is my father and my mother.
It has been kinder to me than have men. I am not afraid of the jungle.
Nor am I afraid of the leopard or the lion. When my time comes I shall
die. It may be that a leopard or a lion shall kill me, or it may be a
tiny bug no bigger than the end of my littlest finger. When the lion
leaps upon me, or the little bug stings me I shall be afraid--oh, then
I shall be terribly afraid, I know; but life would be very miserable
indeed were I to spend it in terror of the thing that has not yet
happened. If it be the lion my terror shall be short of life; but if
it be the little bug I may suffer for days before I die. And so I fear
the lion least of all. He is great and noisy. I can hear him, or see
him, or smell him in time to escape; but any moment I may place a hand
or foot on the little bug, and never know that he is there until I feel
his deadly sting. No, I do not fear the jungle. I love it. I should
rather die than leave it forever; but your douar is close beside the
jungle. You have been good to me. I will do as you wish, and remain
here