Kovudoo stipulated but a single condition and that was that the
Europeans were to leave his village and take the girl with them as
early the next morning as they could get started. After the sale
was consummated he did not hesitate to explain his reasons for
this demand. He told them of the strenuous attempt of the girl's
savage mate to rescue her, and suggested that the sooner they got
her out of the country the more likely they were to retain possession
of her.
Meriem was again bound and placed under guard, but this time in
the tent of the Swedes. Malbihn talked to her, trying to persuade
her to accompany them willingly. He told her that they would return
her to her own village; but when he discovered that she would rather
die than go back to the old sheik, he assured her that they would
not take her there, nor, as a matter of fact, had they had an
intention of so doing. As he talked with the girl the Swede feasted
his eyes upon the beautiful lines of her face and figure. She had
grown tall and straight and slender toward maturity since he had
seen her in The Sheik's village on that long gone day.
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