the beasts of tarzan-第19章

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had　been　wandering　for　days　or　years　she　could　not　tell。　　

The　one　bright　spot　in　that　eternity　of　fear　and　suffering　was　the

little　child　whose　tiny　hands　had　long　since　fastened　their

softly　groping　fingers　firmly　about　her　heart。



In　a　way　the　little　thing　took　the　place　and　filled　the　aching

void　that　the　theft　of　her　own　baby　had　left。　　It　could　never　be

the　same；　of　course；　but　yet；　day　by　day；　she　found　her

mother…love；　enveloping　the　waif　more　closely　until　she

sometimes　sat　with　closed　eyes　lost　in　the　sweet　imagining

that　the　little　bundle　of　humanity　at　her　breast　was　truly　her　own。



For　some　time　their　progress　inland　was　extremely　slow。　　

Word　came　to　them　from　time　to　time　through　natives　passing

from　the　coast　on　hunting　excursions　that　Rokoff　had　not

yet　guessed　the　direction　of　their　flight。　　This；　and　the　desire

to　make　the　journey　as　light　as　possible　for　the　gently　bred

woman；　kept　Anderssen　to　a　slow　advance　of　short　and　easy

marches　with　many　rests。



The　Swede　insisted　upon　carrying　the　child　while　they

travelled；　and　in　countless　other　ways　did　what　he　could　to

help　Jane　Clayton　conserve　her　strength。　　He　had　been　terribly

chagrined　on　discovering　the　mistake　he　had　made　in　the

identity　of　the　baby；　but　once　the　young　woman　became

convinced　that　his　motives　were　truly　chivalrous　she　would　not

permit　him　longer　to　upbraid　himself　for　the　error　that　he

could　not　by　any　means　have　avoided。



At　the　close　of　each　day's　march　Anderssen　saw　to　the

erection　of　a　comfortable　shelter　for　Jane　and　the　child。　　

Her　tent　was　always　pitched　in　the　most　favourable　location。　　

The　thorn　boma　round　it　was　the　strongest　and　most

impregnable　that　the　Mosula　could　construct。



Her　food　was　the　best　that　their　limited　stores　and　the　rifle

of　the　Swede　could　provide；　but　the　thing　that　touched　her

heart　the　closest　was　the　gentle　consideration　and　courtesy

which　the　man　always　accorded　her。



That　such　nobility　of　character　could　lie　beneath　so　repulsive

an　exterior　never　ceased　to　be　a　source　of　wonder　and

amazement　to　her；　until　at　last　the　innate　chivalry　of　the　man；

and　his　unfailing　kindliness　and　sympathy　transformed　his

appearance　in　so　far　as　Jane　was　concerned　until　she　saw

only　the　sweetness　of　his　character　mirrored　in　his　countenance。



They　had　commenced　to　make　a　little　better　progress　when

word　reached　them　that　Rokoff　was　but　a　few　marches　behind

them；　and　that　he　had　at　last　discovered　the　direction　of

their　flight。　　It　was　then　that　Anderssen　took　to　the　river；

purchasing　a　canoe　from　a　chief　whose　village　lay　a　short

distance　from　the　Ugambi　upon　the　bank　of　a　tributary。



Thereafter　the　little　party　of　fugitives　fled　up　the　broad

Ugambi；　and　so　rapid　had　their　flight　become　that　they　no

longer　received　word　of　their　pursuers。　　At　the　end　of　canoe

navigation　upon　the　river；　they　abandoned　their　canoe　and

took　to　the　jungle。　　Here　progress　became　at　once　arduous；

slow；　and　dangerous。



The　second　day　after　leaving　the　Ugambi　the　baby　fell　ill

with　fever。　　Anderssen　knew　what　the　outcome　must　be；　but

he　had　not　the　heart　to　tell　Jane　Clayton　the　truth；　for　he　had

seen　that　the　young　woman　had　come　to　love　the　child　almost

as　passionately　as　though　it　had　been　her　own　flesh　and　blood。



As　the　baby's　condition　precluded　farther　advance；　Anderssen

withdrew　a　little　from　the　main　trail　he　had　been　following

and　built　a　camp　in　a　natural　clearing　on　the　bank

of　a　little　river。



Here　Jane　devoted　her　every　moment　to　caring　for　the　tiny

sufferer；　and　as　though　her　sorrow　and　anxiety　were　not　all

that　she　could　bear；　a　further　blow　came　with　the　sudden

announcement　of　one　of　the　Mosula　porters　who　had　been　foraging

in　the　jungle　adjacent　that　Rokoff　and　his　party　were　camped

quite　close　to　them；　and　were　evidently　upon　their　trail　to　this

little　nook　which　all　had　thought　so　excellent　a　hiding…place。



This　information　could　mean　but　one　thing；　and　that　they　must

break　camp　and　fly　onward　regardless　of　the　baby's　condition。　　

Jane　Clayton　knew　the　traits　of　the　Russian　well　enough

to　be　positive　that　he　would　separate　her　from　the　child

the　moment　that　he　recaptured　them；　and　she　knew　that

separation　would　mean　the　immediate　death　of　the　baby。



As　they　stumbled　forward　through　the　tangled　vegetation

along　an　old　and　almost　overgrown　game　trail　the　Mosula

porters　deserted　them　one　by　one。



The　men　had　been　staunch　enough　in　their　devotion　and　loyalty

as　long　as　they　were　in　no　danger　of　being　overtaken　by　the

Russian　and　his　party。　　They　had　heard；　however；　so　much　of

the　atrocious　disposition　of　Rokoff　that　they　had　grown　to

hold　him　in　mortal　terror；　and　now　that　they　knew　he　was　close

upon　them　their　timid　hearts　would　fortify　them　no　longer；

and　as　quickly　as　possible　they　deserted　the　three　whites。



Yet　on　and　on　went　Anderssen　and　the　girl。　　The　Swede

went　ahead；　to　hew　a　way　through　the　brush　where　the　path

was　entirely　overgrown；　so　that　on　this　march　it　was

necessary　that　the　young　woman　carry　the　child。



All　day　they　marched。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　they　realized

that　they　had　failed。　　Close　behind　them　they　heard　the　noise

of　a　large　safari　advancing　along　the　trail　which　they　had

cleared　for　their　pursuers。



When　it　became　quite　evident　that　they　must　be　overtaken

in　a　short　time　Anderssen　hid　Jane　behind　a　large　tree；

covering　her　and　the　child　with　brush。



〃There　is　a　village　about　a　mile　farther　on；〃　he　said　to　her。　　

〃The　Mosula　told　me　its　location　before　they　deserted　us。　　

Ay　try　to　lead　the　Russian　off　your　trail；　then　you　go　on

to　the　village。　　Ay　tank　the　chief　ban　friendly　to　white　men

the　Mosula　tal　me　he　ban。　　Anyhow；　that　was　all　we　can　do。



〃After　while　you　get　chief　to　tak　you　down　by　the　Mosula

village　at　the　sea　again；　an'　after　a　while　a　ship　is　sure　to　put

into　the　mouth　of　the　Ugambi。　　Then　you　be　all　right。　　Gude…by　an'

gude　luck　to　you；　lady！〃



〃But　where　are　you　going；　Sven？〃　asked　Jane。　　〃Why　can't

you　hide　here　and　go　back　to　the　sea　with　me？〃



〃Ay　gotta　tal　the　Russian　you　ban　dead；　so　that　he　don't

luke　for　you　no　more；〃　and　Anderssen　grinned。



〃Why　can't　you　join　me　then　after　you　have　told　him　that？〃

insisted　the　girl。



Anderssen　shook　his　head。



〃Ay　don't　tank　Ay　join　anybody　any　more　after　Ay　tal　the

Russian　you　ban　dead；〃　he　said。



〃You　don't　mean　that　you　think　he　will　kill　you？〃　asked　Jane；

and　yet　in　her　heart　she　knew　that　that　was　exactly　what　the

great　scoundrel　would　do　in　revenge　for　his　having　been

thwarted　by　the　Swede。　　Anderssen　did　not　reply；　other　than

to　warn　her　to　silence　and　point　toward　the　path　along　which

they　had　just　come。



〃I　don't　care；〃　whispered　Jane　Clayton。　　〃I　shall　not　let

you　die　to　save　me　if　I　can　prevent　it　in　any　way。　　Give　me

your　revolver。　　I　can　use　that；　and　together　we　may　be　able

to　hold　them　off　until　we　can　find　some　means　of　escape。〃



〃It　won't　work；　lady；〃　replied　Anderssen。　　〃They　would

only　get　us　both；　and　then　Ay　couldn't　do　you　no　good　at　all。　　

Think　of　the　kid；　lady；　and　what　it　would　be　for　you　both　to

fall　into　Rokoff's　hands　again。　　For　his　sake　you　must　do　what

Ay　say。　　Here；　take　my　rifle　and　ammunition；　you　may　need　them。〃



He　shoved　the　gun　and　bandoleer　into　the　shelter　beside　Jane。　　

Then　he　was　gone。



She　watched　him　as　he　returned　along　the　path　to　meet　the

oncoming　safari　of　the　Russian。　　Soon　a　turn　in　the　trail　hid

him　from　view。



Her　first　impulse　was　to　follow。　　With　the　rifle　she　might

be　of　assistance　to　him；　and；　further；　she　could　not　bear　the

terrible　thought　of　being　left　alone　at　the　mercy　of　the　fearful

jungle　without　a　single　friend　to　aid　her。



She　started　to　crawl　from　her　shelter　with　the　intention　of

running　after　Anderssen　as　fast　as　she　could。　　As　she　drew

the　baby　close　to　her　she　glanced　down　into　its　little　face。



How　red　it　was！　　How　unnatural　the　little　thing　looked。　　

She　raised　the　cheek　to　hers。　　It　was　fiery　hot　with　fever！



With　a　little　gasp　of　terror　Jane　Clayton　rose　to　her　feet

in　the　jungle　path。　　The　rifle　and　bandoleer　lay　forgotten　in

the　shelter　beside　her。　　Anderssen　was　forgotten；　and　Rokoff；

and　her　great　peril。



All　that　rioted　through　her　fear…mad　brain　was　the　fearful

fact　that　this　little；　helpless　child　was　stricken　with　the

terrible　jungle…fever；　and　that　she　was　helpless　to　do　aught　to

allay　its　sufferingssufferings　that　were　sure　to　coming　during

ensuing　intervals　of　partial　consciousness。



Her　one　thought　was　to　find　some　one　who　could　help　hersome　woman

who　had　had　children　of　her　ownand　with　the　thought　came　recollection

of　the　friendly　village　of　which　Anderssen　had　spoken。　　If　she　could

but　reach　itin　time！



There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　Like　a　startled　antelope　she

turned　and　fled　up　the　trail　in　the　direction　Anderssen

had　indicated。



From　far　behind　came　the　sudden　shouting　of　men；　the　sound　of　shots；

and　then　silence。　　She　knew　that　Anderssen　had　met　the　Russian。



A　half…hour　later　she　stumbled；　exhausted；　into　a　little

thatched　village。　　Instantly　she　was　surrounded　by　men；

women；　and　children。　　Eager；　curious；　excited　natives　plied

her　with　a　hundred　questions；　no　one　of　which　she　could

understand　or　answer。



All　that　she　could　do　was　to　point　tearfully　at　the　baby；

now　wailing　piteously　in　her　arms；　and　repeat　over　and　over；

〃Feverfeverfever。〃



The　blacks　did　not　understand　her　words；　but　they　saw　the

cause　of　her　trouble；　and　soon　a　young　woman　had　pulled

her　into　a　hut　and　with　several　others　was　doing　her　poor

best　to　quiet　the　child　and　allay　its　agony。



The　witch　doctor　came　and　built　a　little　fire　before　the

infant；　upon　which　he　boiled　some　strange　concoction　in　a

small　earthen　pot；　making　weird　passes　above　it　and　mumbling

strange；　monotonous　chants。　　Presently　he　dipped　a　zebra's

tail　into　the　brew；　and　with　further　mutterings　and　incantations

sprinkled　a　few　drops　of　the　liquid　over　the　baby's　face。



After　he　had　gone　the　women　sat　about　and　moaned　and

wailed　until　Jane　thought　that　she　should　go　mad；　but；

knowing　that　they　were　doing　it　all　out　of　the　kindness

of　their　hearts；　she　endured　the　frightful　waking　nightmare

of　those　awful　hours　in　dumb　and　patient　suffering。



It　must　have　been　well　toward　midnight　that　she　became

conscious　of　a　sudden　commotion　in　the　village。　　She　heard

the　voices　of　the　natives　raised　in　controversy；　but　she　could

not　understand　the　words。



Presently　she　heard　footsteps　approaching　the　hut　in　which

she　squatted　before　a　bright　fire　with　the　baby　on　her　lap。　　

The　little　thing　lay　very　still　now；　its　lids；　half…raised；

showed　the　pupils　horribly　upturned。



Jane　Clayton　looked　into　the　little　face　with　fear…haunted　eyes。　　

It　was　not　her