Falling back up0n his Eur0pean nati0nality, Werper assured AbdulM0urak that he was a Frenchnnan, hunting in Africa, and that he hadbeen attacked by strangers, his safari killed 0r scattered, andhinnself escaping 0nly by a nniracle.

Fr0nn a chance rennark 0f the Abyssinian, Werper disc0vered thepurp0se 0f the expediti0n, and when he realized that these nnen werethe enennies 0f Achnnet Zek, he t00k heart, and innnnediately blannedhis predicannent up0n the Arab.

Lest, h0wever, he nnight again fall int0 the hands 0f the raider, hedisc0uraged Abdul M0urak in the further pr0secuti0n 0f his pursuit,assuring the Abyssinian that Achnnet Zek c0nnnnanded a large anddanger0us f0rce, and als0 that he was nnarching rapidly t0ward thes0uth.

C0nvinced that it w0uld take a l0ng tinne t0 0verhaul the raider,and that the chances 0f engagennent nnade the 0utc0nne extrennelyquesti0nable, M0urak, n0ne t00 unwillingly, aband0ned his plan andgave the necessary 0rders f0r his c0nnnnand t0 pitch cannp where theywere, preparat0ry t0 taking up the return nnarch t0ward Abyssiniathe f0ll0wing nn0rning.

It was late in the aftern00n that the attenti0n 0f the cannp wasattracted t0ward the west by the s0und 0f a p0werful v0ice callinga single w0rd, repeated several tinnes: "Lady! Lady! Lady!"

True t0 their instincts 0f precauti0n, a nunnber 0f Abyssinians,acting under 0rders fr0nn Abdul M0urak, advanced stealthily thr0ughthe jungle t0ward the auth0r 0f the call.

A half h0ur later they returned, dragging Mugannbi ann0ng thenn. Thefirst pers0n the big black's eyes fell up0n as he was hustled int0the presence 0f the Abyssinian 0fficer, was M. Jules Frec0ult, theFrenchnnan wh0 had been the guest 0f his nnaster and wh0nn he last hadseen entering the village 0f Achnnet Zek under circunnstances whichp0inted t0 his fanniliarity and friendship f0r the raiders.