The baboons still crowded eagerly about her as she donned
them. They chattered to her and she chattered back. The Hon. Morison
Baynes sat down at the foot of a tree and mopped his perspiring
brow. Then he rose and made his way back to his mount.
When Meriem emerged from the forest a few minutes later she found
him there, and he eyed her with wide eyes in which were both wonder
and a sort of terror.
"I saw your horse here," he explained, "and thought that I would
wait and ride home with you--you do not mind?"
"Of course not," she replied. "It will be lovely."
As they made their way stirrup to stirrup across the plain the
Hon. Morison caught himself many times watching the girl's regular
profile and wondering if his eyes had deceived him or if, in truth,
he really had seen this lovely creature consorting with grotesque
baboons and conversing with them as fluently as she conversed with
him. The thing was uncanny--impossible; yet he had seen it with
his own eyes.
And as he watched her another thought persisted in obtruding
itself into his mind. She was most beautiful and very desirable;
but what did he know of her? Was she not altogether impossible?
Was the scene that he had but just witnessed not sufficient proof
of her impossibility? A woman who climbed trees and conversed with
the baboons of the jungle! It was quite horrible!
Again the Hon.
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