Even before the rending sound which followed
Meriem knew that she had misjudged the strength of the limb. It
gave slowly at first. Then there was a ripping as it parted from
the trunk. Releasing her hold Meriem dropped among the foliage
beneath, clutching for a new support. She found it a dozen feet
below the broken limb. She had fallen thus many times before, so
that she had no particular terror of a fall--it was the delay which
appalled her most, and rightly, for scarce had she scrambled to a
place of safety than the body of the huge ape dropped at her side
and a great, hairy arm went about her waist.
Almost at once the other ape reached his companion's side. He made
a lunge at Meriem; but her captor swung her to one side, bared his
fighting fangs and growled ominously. Meriem struggled to escape.
She struck at the hairy breast and bearded cheek. She fastened
her strong, white teeth in one shaggy forearm. The ape cuffed her
viciously across the face, then he had to turn his attention to
his fellow who quite evidently desired the prize for his own.
The captor could not fight to advantage upon the swaying bough,
burdened as he was by a squirming, struggling captive, so he
dropped quickly to the ground beneath.
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