the return of tarzan-第15章

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relish　having　been　cheated　out　of　a　fight。



The　little　battle　so　close　to　Bou　Saada　had　drawn　out　a

company　of　soldiers。　　Tarzan　and　his　party　met　them　just

outside　the　town。　　The　officer　in　charge　halted　them　to　learn

the　significance　of　the　shots。



〃A　handful　of　marauders；〃　replied　Kadour　ben　Saden。

〃They　attacked　two　of　our　number　who　had　dropped　behind；

but　when　we　returned　to　them　the　fellows　soon　dispersed。

They　left　two　dead。　　None　of　my　party　was　injured。〃



This　seemed　to　satisfy　the　officer；　and　after　taking　the

names　of　the　party　he　marched　his　men　on　toward　the　scene

of　the　skirmish　to　bring　back　the　dead　men　for　purposes　of

identification；　if　possible。



Two　days　later；　Kadour　ben　Saden；　with　his　daughter　and

followers；　rode　south　through　the　pass　below　Bou　Saada；

bound　for　their　home　in　the　far　wilderness。　　The　sheik　had

urged　Tarzan　to　accompany　him；　and　the　girl　had　added　her

entreaties　to　those　of　her　father；　but；　though　he　could　not

explain　it　to　them；　Tarzan's　duties　loomed　particularly　large

after　the　happenings　of　the　past　few　days；　so　that　he　could　not

think　of　leaving　his　post　for　an　instant。　　But　he　promised　to

come　later　if　it　lay　within　his　power　to　do　so；　and　they　had

to　content　themselves　with　that　assurance。



During　these　two　days　Tarzan　had　spent　practically　all　his

time　with　Kadour　ben　Saden　and　his　daughter。　　He　was　keenly

interested　in　this　race　of　stern　and　dignified　warriors；　and

embraced　the　opportunity　which　their　friendship　offered　to

learn　what　he　could　of　their　lives　and　customs。　　He　even

commenced　to　acquire　the　rudiments　of　their　language　under　the

pleasant　tutorage　of　the　brown…eyed　girl。　　It　was　with　real

regret　that　he　saw　them　depart；　and　he　sat　his　horse　at　the

opening　to　the　pass；　as　far　as　which　he　had　accompanied

them；　gazing　after　the　little　party　as　long　as　he　could　catch　a

glimpse　of　them。



Here　were　people　after　his　own　heart！　　Their　wild；　rough

lives；　filled　with　danger　and　hardship；　appealed　to　this　half…

savage　man　as　nothing　had　appealed　to　him　in　the　midst　of　the

effeminate　civilization　of　the　great　cities　he　had　visited。　　Here

was　a　life　that　excelled　even　that　of　the　jungle；　for　here　he

might　have　the　society　of　menreal　men　whom　he　could　honor　and

respect；　and　yet　be　near　to　the　wild　nature　that　he　loved。

In　his　head　revolved　an　idea　that　when　he　had　completed　his

mission　he　would　resign　and　return　to　live　for　the　remainder

of　his　life　with　the　tribe　of　Kadour　ben　Saden。



Then　he　turned　his　horse's　head　and　rode　slowly　back　to　Bou　Saada。



The　front　of　the　Hotel　du　Petit　Sahara；　where　Tarzan

stopped　in　Bou　Saada；　is　taken　up　with　the　bar；　two　dining…

rooms；　and　the　kitchens。　　Both　of　the　dining…rooms　open

directly　off　the　bar；　and　one　of　them　is　reserved　for　the　use

of　the　officers　of　the　garrison。　　As　you　stand　in　the　barroom

you　may　look　into　either　of　the　dining…rooms　if　you　wish。



It　was　to　the　bar　that　Tarzan　repaired　after　speeding

Kadour　ben　Saden　and　his　party　on　their　way。　　It　was　yet

early　in　the　morning；　for　Kadour　ben　Saden　had　elected　to

ride　far　that　day；　so　that　it　happened　that　when　Tarzan

returned　there　were　guests　still　at　breakfast。



As　his　casual　glance　wandered　into　the　officers'　dining…

room；　Tarzan　saw　something　which　brought　a　look　of　interest

to　his　eyes。　　Lieutenant　Gernois　was　sitting　there；　and　as

Tarzan　looked　a　white…robed　Arab　approached　and；　bending；

whispered　a　few　words　into　the　lieutenant's　ear。　　Then　he

passed　on　out　of　the　building　through　another　door。



In　itself　the　thing　was　nothing；　but　as　the　man　had　stooped

to　speak　to　the　officer；　Tarzan　had　caught　sight　of　something

which　the　accidental　parting　of　the　man's　burnoose　had

revealedhe　carried　his　left　arm　in　a　sling。







Chapter　9





Numa　〃El　Adrea〃





On　the　same　day　that　Kadour　ben　Saden　rode　south　the

diligence　from　the　north　brought　Tarzan　a　letter　from

D'Arnot　which　had　been　forwarded　from　Sidi…bel…Abbes。

It　opened　the　old　wound　that　Tarzan　would　have

been　glad　to　have　forgotten；　yet　he　was　not　sorry　that

D'Arnot　had　written；　for　one　at　least　of　his　subjects　could

never　cease　to　interest　the　ape…man。　　Here　is　the　letter：



MY　DEAR　JEAN：



Since　last　I　wrote　you　I　have　been　across　to　London　on　a

matter　of　business。　　I　was　there　but　three　days。　　The　very　first

day　I　came　upon　an　old　friend　of　yoursquite　unexpectedlyin

Henrietta　Street。　　Now　you　never　in　the　world　would　guess　whom。

None　other　than　Mr。　Samuel　T。　Philander。　　But　it　is　true。

I　can　see　your　look　of　incredulity。　　Nor　is　this　all。

He　insisted　that　I　return　to　the　hotel　with　him；　and　there

I　found　the　othersProfessor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter；　Miss

Porter；　and　that　enormous　black　woman；　Miss　Porter's　maid

Esmeralda；　you　will　recall。　　While　I　was　there　Clayton

came　in。　　They　are　to　be　married　soon；　or　rather　sooner；　for

I　rather　suspect　that　we　shall　receive　announcements　almost

any　day。　　On　account　of　his　father's　death　it　is　to　be　a

very　quiet　affaironly　blood　relatives。



While　I　was　alone　with　Mr。　Philander　the　old　fellow　became

rather　confidential。　　Said　Miss　Porter　had　already　postponed

the　wedding　on　three　different　occasions。　　He　confided

that　it　appeared　to　him　that　she　was　not　particularly　anxious

to　marry　Clayton　at　all；　but　this　time　it　seems　that　it　is

quite　likely　to　go　through。



Of　course　they　all　asked　after　you；　but　I　respected　your

wishes　in　the　matter　of　your　true　origin；　and　only　spoke　to

them　of　your　present　affairs。



Miss　Porter　was　especially　interested　in　everything　I　had

to　say　about　you；　and　asked　many　questions。　　I　am　afraid　I

took　a　rather　unchivalrous　delight　in　picturing　your　desire

and　resolve　to　go　back　eventually　to　your　native　jungle。

I　was　sorry　afterward；　for　it　did　seem　to　cause　her　real

anguish　to　contemplate　the　awful　dangers　to　which　you　wished

to　return。　　〃And　yet；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　know。　　There　are

more　unhappy　fates　than　the　grim　and　terrible　jungle　presents

to　Monsieur　Tarzan。　　At　least　his　conscience　will　be　free

from　remorse。　　And　there　are　moments　of　quiet　and　restfulness

by　day；　and　vistas　of　exquisite　beauty。　　You　may　find　it

strange　that　I　should　say　it；　who　experienced　such　terrifying

experiences　in　that　frightful　forest；　yet　at　times　I　long　to

return；　for　I　cannot　but　feel　that　the　happiest　moments　of

my　life　were　spent　there。〃



There　was　an　expression　of　ineffable　sadness　on　her　face

as　she　spoke；　and　I　could　not　but　feel　that　she　knew　that　I

knew　her　secret；　and　that　this　was　her　way　of　transmitting

to　you　a　last　tender　message　from　a　heart　that　might　still

enshrine　your　memory；　though　its　possessor　belonged　to　another。



Clayton　appeared　nervous　and　ill　at　ease　while　you　were

the　subject　of　conversation。　　He　wore　a　worried　and　harassed

expression。　　Yet　he　was　very　kindly　in　his　expressions　of

interest　in　you。　　I　wonder　if　he　suspects　the　truth　about　you？



Tennington　came　in　with　Clayton。　　They　are　great　friends；

you　know。　　He　is　about　to　set　out　upon　one　of　his　interminable

cruises　in　that　yacht　of　his；　and　was　urging　the　entire　party

to　accompany　him。　　Tried　to　inveigle　me　into　it；　too。

Is　thinking　of　circumnavigating　Africa　this　time。　　I　told　him

that　his　precious　toy　would　take　him　and　some　of　his　friends

to　the　bottom　of　the　ocean　one　of　these　days　if　he　didn't　get

it　out　of　his　head　that　she　was　a　liner　or　a　battleship。



I　returned　to　Paris　day　before　yesterday；　and　yesterday　I

met　the　Count　and　Countess　de　Coude　at　the　races。　　They

inquired　after　you。　　De　Coude　really　seems　quite　fond　of　you。

Doesn't　appear　to　harbor　the　least　ill　will。　　Olga　is　as

beautiful　as　ever；　but　a　trifle　subdued。　　I　imagine　that　she

learned　a　lesson　through　her　acquaintance　with　you　that　will

serve　her　in　good　stead　during　the　balance　of　her　life。　　It　is

fortunate　for　her；　and　for　De　Coude　as　well；　that　it　was　you

and　not　another　man　more　sophisticated。



Had　you　really　paid　court　to　Olga's　heart　I　am　afraid　that

there　would　have　been　no　hope　for　either　of　you。



She　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　Nikolas　had　left　France。

She　paid　him　twenty　thousand　francs　to　go　away；　and　stay。

She　is　congratulating　herself　that　she　got　rid　of　him　before

he　tried　to　carry　out　a　threat　he　recently　made　her　that　he

should　kill　you　at　the　first　opportunity。　　She　said　that　she

should　hate　to　think　that　her　brother's　blood　was　on　your

hands；　for　she　is　very　fond　of　you；　and　made　no　bones　in

saying　so　before　the　count。　　It　never　for　a　moment　seemed　to

occur　to　her　that　there　might　be　any　possibility　of　any　other

outcome　of　a　meeting　between　you　and　Nikolas。　　The　count

quite　agreed　with　her　in　that。　　He　added　that　it　would　take　a

regiment　of　Rokoffs　to　kill　you。　　He　has　a　most　healthy

respect　for　your　prowess。



Have　been　ordered　back　to　my　ship。　　She　sails　from　Havre　in

two　days　under　sealed　orders。　　If　you　will　address　me　in　her

care；　the　letters　will　find　me　eventually。　　I　shall　write　you

as　soon　as　another　opportunity　presents。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　sincere　friend；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PAUL　D'ARNOT。





〃I　fear；〃　mused　Tarzan；　half　aloud；　〃that　Olga　has　thrown

away　her　twenty　thousand　francs。〃



He　read　over　that　part　of　D'Arnot's　letter　several　times

in　which　he　had　quoted　from　his　conversation　with　Jane

Porter。　　Tarzan　derived　a　rather　pathetic　happiness　from

it；　but　it　was　better　than　no　happiness　at　all。



The　following　three　weeks　were　quite　uneventful。　　On

several　occasions　Tarzan　saw　the　mysterious　Arab；　and　once

again　he　had　been　exchanging　words　with　Lieutenant　Gernois；

but　no　amount　of　espionage　or　shadowing　by　Tarzan　revealed

the　Arab's　lodgings；　the　location　of　which　Tarzan　was

anxious　to　ascertain。



Gernois；　never　cordial；　had　kept　more　than　ever　aloof

from　Tarzan　since　the　episode　in　the　dining…room　of　the

hotel　at　Aumale。　　His　attitude　on　the　few　occasions　that

they　had　been　thrown　together　had　been　distinctly　hostile。



That　he　might　keep　up　the　appearance　of　the　character

he　was　playing；　Tarzan　spent　considerable　time　hunting　in

the　vicinity　of　Bou　Saada。　　He　would　spend　entire　days　in

the　foothills；　ostensibly　searching　for　gazelle；　but　on　the

few　occasions　that　he　came　close　enough　to　any　of　the

beautiful　little　animals　to　harm　them　he　invariably　allowed

them　to　escape　without　so　much　as　taking　his　rifle　from　its

boot。　　The　ape…man　could　see　no　sport　in　slaughtering　the

most　harmless　and　defenseless　of　God's　creatures　for　the

mere　pleasure　of　killing。



In　fact；　Tarzan　had　never　killed　for　〃pleasure；〃　nor　to

him　was　there　pleasure　in　killing。　　It　was　the　joy　of　righteous

battle　that　he　lovedthe　ecstasy　of　victory。　　And　the　keen

and　successful　hunt　for　food　in　which　he　pitted　his　skill

and　craftiness　against