the return of tarzan-第22章

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〃Monsieur　Thuran　has　been　explaining　some　of　the　mysteries

of　navigation　to　me；〃　explained　the　girl。



Tarzan　paid　little　heed　to　the　conversation　that　ensuedhe

was　attempting　to　recall　where　he　had　met　Monsieur　Thuran　before。

That　it　had　been　under　peculiar　circumstances　he　was　positive。

Presently　the　sun　reached　them；　and　the　girl　asked　Monsieur

Thuran　to　move　her　chair　farther　back　into　the　shade。

Tarzan　happened　to　be　watching　the　man　at　the　time；

and　noticed　the　awkward　manner　in　which　he　handled

the　chairhis　left　wrist　was　stiff。　　That　clew　was

sufficienta　sudden　train　of　associated　ideas　did　the　rest。



Monsieur　Thuran　had　been　trying　to　find　an　excuse　to

make　a　graceful　departure。　　The　lull　in　the　conversation

following　the　moving　of　their　position　gave　him　an　opportunity

to　make　his　excuses。　　Bowing　low　to　Miss　Strong；　and　inclining

his　head　to　Tarzan；　he　turned　to　leave　them。



〃Just　a　moment；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃If　Miss　Strong　will　pardon　me

I　will　accompany　you。　　I　shall　return　in　a　moment；　Miss　Strong。〃



Monsieur　Thuran　looked　uncomfortable。　　When　the　two　men　had

passed　out　of　the　girl's　sight；　Tarzan　stopped；　laying　a

heavy　hand　on　the　other's　shoulder。



〃What　is　your　game　now；　Rokoff？〃　he　asked。



〃I　am　leaving　France　as　I　promised　you；〃　replied　the　other；

in　a　surly　voice。



〃I　see　you　are；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃but　I　know　you　so　well

that　I　can　scarcely　believe　that　your　being　on　the　same　boat

with　me　is　purely　a　coincidence。　　If　I　could　believe　it　the

fact　that　you　are　in　disguise　would　immediately　disabuse

my　mind　of　any　such　idea。〃



〃Well；〃　growled　Rokoff；　with　a　shrug；　〃I　cannot　see　what　you

are　going　to　do　about　it。　　This　vessel　flies　the　English　flag。

I　have　as　much　right　on　board　her　as　you；　and　from　the

fact　that　you　are　booked　under　an　assumed　name　I　imagine

that　I　have　more　right。〃



〃We　will　not　discuss　it；　Rokoff。　　All　I　wanted　to　say　to

you　is　that　you　must　keep　away　from　Miss　Strongshe　is　a

decent　woman。〃



Rokoff　turned　scarlet。



〃If　you　don't　I　shall　pitch　you　overboard；〃　continued　Tarzan。

〃Do　not　forget　that　I　am　just　waiting　for　some　excuse。〃

Then　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and　left　Rokoff　standing

there　trembling　with　suppressed　rage。



He　did　not　see　the　man　again　for　days；　but　Rokoff　was

not　idle。　　In　his　stateroom　with　Paulvitch　he　fumed　and

swore；　threatening　the　most　terrible　of　revenges。



〃I　would　throw　him　overboard　tonight；〃　he　cried；　〃were　I

sure　that　those　papers　were　not　on　his　person。　　I　cannot

chance　pitching　them　into　the　ocean　with　him。　　If　you　were

not　such　a　stupid　coward；　Alexis；　you　would　find　a　way　to

enter　his　stateroom　and　search　for　the　documents。〃



Paulvitch　smiled。　　〃You　are　supposed　to　be　the　brains　of　this

partnership；　my　dear　Nikolas；〃　he　replied。　　〃Why　do　you　not

find　the　means　to　search　Monsieur　Caldwell's　stateroomeh？〃



Two　hours　later　fate　was　kind　to　them；　for　Paulvitch；　who

was　ever　on　the　watch；　saw　Tarzan　leave　his　room　without

locking　the　door。　　Five　minutes　later　Rokoff　was　stationed

where　he　could　give　the　alarm　in　case　Tarzan　returned；　and

Paulvitch　was　deftly　searching　the　contents　of　the　ape…

man's　luggage。



He　was　about　to　give　up　in　despair　when　he　saw　a　coat

which　Tarzan　had　just　removed。　　A　moment　later　he　grasped　an

official　envelope　in　his　hand。　　A　quick　glance　at　its　contents

brought　a　broad　smile　to　the　Russian's　face。



When　he　left　the　stateroom　Tarzan　himself　could　not　have

told　that　an　article　in　it　had　been　touched　since　he　left

itPaulvitch　was　a　past　master　in　his　chosen　field。

When　he　handed　the　packet　to　Rokoff　in　the　seclusion　of

their　stateroom　the　larger　man　rang　for　a　steward；　and

ordered　a　pint　of　champagne。



〃We　must　celebrate；　my　dear　Alexis；〃　he　said。



〃It　was　luck；　Nikolas；〃　explained　Paulvitch。　　〃It　is　evident

that　he　carries　these　papers　always　upon　his　personjust

by　chance　he　neglected　to　transfer　them　when　he　changed

coats　a　few　minutes　since。　　But　there　will　be　the　deuce　to

pay　when　he　discovers　his　loss。　　I　am　afraid　that　he　will

immediately　connect　you　with　it。　　Now　that　he　knows　that

you　are　on　board　he　will　suspect　you　at　once。〃



〃It　will　make　no　difference　whom　he　suspectsafter　to…night；〃

said　Rokoff；　with　a　nasty　grin。



After　Miss　Strong　had　gone　below　that　night　Tarzan　stood

leaning　over　the　rail　looking　far　out　to　sea。　　Every　night　he

had　done　this　since　he　had　come　on　boardsometimes　he

stood　thus　for　an　hour。　　And　the　eyes　that　had　been　watching

his　every　movement　since　he　had　boarded　the　ship　at

Algiers　knew　that　this　was　his　habit。



Even　as　he　stood　there　this　night　those　eyes　were　on　him。

Presently　the　last　straggler　had　left　the　deck。　　It　was

a　clear　night；　but　there　was　no　moonobjects　on　deck

were　barely　discernible。



From　the　shadows　of　the　cabin　two　figures　crept　stealthily

upon　the　ape…man　from　behind。　　The　lapping　of　the　waves

against　the　ship's　sides；　the　whirring　of　the　propeller；

the　throbbing　of　the　engines；　drowned　the　almost　soundless

approach　of　the　two。



They　were　quite　close　to　him　now；　and　crouching　low；　like

tacklers　on　a　gridiron。　　One　of　them　raised　his　hand　and

lowered　it；　as　though　counting　off　secondsonetwothree！

As　one　man　the　two　leaped　for　their　victim。　　Each　grasped　a

leg；　and　before　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　lightning　though　he　was；

could　turn　to　save　himself　he　had　been　pitched　over　the　low

rail　and　was　falling　into　the　Atlantic。



Hazel　Strong　was　looking　from　her　darkened　port　across

the　dark　sea。　　Suddenly　a　body　shot　past　her　eyes　from

the　deck　above。　　It　dropped　so　quickly　into　the　dark　waters

below　that　she　could　not　be　sure　of　what　it　wasit　might

have　been　a　man；　she　could　not　say。　　She　listened　for　some

outcry　from　abovefor　the　always…fearsome　call；　〃Man　overboard！〃

but　it　did　not　come。　　All　was　silence　on　the　ship　aboveall

was　silence　in　the　sea　below。



The　girl　decided　that　she　had　but　seen　a　bundle　of　refuse

thrown　overboard　by　one　of　the　ship's　crew；　and　a　moment

later　sought　her　berth。







Chapter　13





The　Wreck　of　the　〃Lady　Alice〃





The　next　morning　at　breakfast　Tarzan's　place　was　vacant。

Miss　Strong　was　mildly　curious；　for　Mr。　Caldwell　had

always　made　it　a　point　to　wait　that　he　might　breakfast

with　her　and　her　mother。　　As　she　was　sitting　on　deck　later

Monsieur　Thuran　paused　to　exchange　a　half　dozen　pleasant

words　with　her。　　He　seemed　in　most　excellent　spiritshis

manner　was　the　extreme　of　affability。　　As　he　passed　on　Miss

Strong　thought　what　a　very　delightful　man　was　Monsieur　Thuran。



The　day　dragged　heavily。　　She　missed　the　quiet　companionship

of　Mr。　Caldwellthere　had　been　something　about　him

that　had　made　the　girl　like　him　from　the　first；　he　had　talked

so　entertainingly　of　the　places　he　had　seenthe　peoples

and　their　customsthe　wild　beasts；　and　he　had　always　had　a

droll　way　of　drawing　striking　comparisons　between　savage

animals　and　civilized　men　that　showed　a　considerable

knowledge　of　the　former；　and　a　keen；　though　somewhat　cynical；

estimate　of　the　latter。



When　Monsieur　Thuran　stopped　again　to　chat　with　her　in

the　afternoon　she　welcomed　the　break　in　the　day's　monotony。

But　she　had　begun　to　become　seriously　concerned　in　Mr。

Caldwell's　continued　absence；　somehow　she　constantly

associated　it　with　the　start　she　had　had　the　night　before；

when　the　dark　object　fell　past　her　port　into　the　sea。

Presently　she　broached　the　subject　to　Monsieur　Thuran。

Had　he　seen　Mr。　Caldwell　today？　　He　had　not。　　Why？



〃He　was　not　at　breakfast　as　usual；　nor　have　I　seen　him

once　since　yesterday；〃　explained　the　girl。



Monsieur　Thuran　was　extremely　solicitous。



〃I　did　not　have　the　pleasure　of　intimate　acquaintance

with　Mr。　Caldwell；〃　he　said。　　〃He　seemed　a　most　estimable

gentleman；　however。　　Can　it　be　that　he　is　indisposed；

and　has　remained　in　his　stateroom？　　It　would　not　be　strange。〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃it　would　not　be　strange；　of　course；

but　for　some　inexplicable　reason　I　have　one　of　those　foolish

feminine　presentiments　that　all　is　not　right　with　Mr。　Caldwell。

It　is　the　strangest　feelingit　is　as　though　I　knew　that

he　was　not　on　board　the　ship。〃



Monsieur　Thuran　laughed　pleasantly。　　〃Mercy；　my　dear

Miss　Strong；〃　he　said；　〃where　in　the　world　could　he　be　then？

We　have　not　been　within　sight　of　land　for　days。〃



〃Of　course；　it　is　ridiculous　of　me；〃　she　admitted。　　And　then：

〃But　I　am　not　going　to　worry　about　it　any　longer；　I

am　going　to　find　out　where　Mr。　Caldwell　is；〃　and　she

motioned　to　a　passing　steward。



〃That　may　be　more　difficult　than　you　imagine；　my　dear　girl；〃

thought　Monsieur　Thuran；　but　aloud　he　said：　　〃By　all　means。〃



〃Find　Mr。　Caldwell；　please；〃　she　said　to　the　steward；　〃and　tell

him　that　his　friends　are　much　worried　by　his　continued　absence。〃



〃You　are　very　fond　of　Mr。　Caldwell？〃　suggested　Monsieur　Thuran。



〃I　think　he　is　splendid；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃And　mamma　is

perfectly　infatuated　with　him。　　He　is　the　sort　of　man　with

whom　one　has　a　feeling　of　perfect　securityno　one　could

help　but　have　confidence　in　Mr。　Caldwell。〃



A　moment　later　the　steward　returned　to　say　that　Mr。　Caldwell

was　not　in　his　stateroom。　　〃I　cannot　find　him；　Miss　Strong；

and〃he　hesitated〃I　have　learned　that　his　berth　was　not

occupied　last　night。　　I　think　that　I　had　better　report　the

matter　to　the　captain。〃



〃Most　assuredly；〃　exclaimed　Miss　Strong。　　〃I　shall　go

with　you　to　the　captain　myself。　　It　is　terrible！　　I　know　that

something　awful　has　happened。　　My　presentiments　were　not

false；　after　all。〃



It　was　a　very　frightened　young　woman　and　an　excited　steward

who　presented　themselves　before　the　captain　a　few　moments　later。

He　listened　to　their　stories　in　silencea　look　of　concern

marking　his　expression　as　the　steward　assured　him　that　he

had　sought　for　the　missing　passenger　in　every　part　of　the

ship　that　a　passenger　might　be　expected　to　frequent。



〃And　are　you　sure；　Miss　Strong；　that　you　saw　a　body　fall

overboard　last　night？〃　he　asked。



〃There　is　not　the　slightest　doubt　about　that；〃　she　answered。

〃I　cannot　say　that　it　was　a　human　bodythere　was　no　outcry。

It　might　have　been　only　what　I　thought　it　wasa　bundle　of　refuse。

But　if　Mr。　Caldwell　is　not　found　on　board　I　shall　always　be

positive　that　it　was　he　whom　I　saw　fall　past　my　port。〃



The　captain　ordered　an　immediate　and　thorough　search

of　the　entire　ship　from　stem　to　sternno　nook　or　cranny　was

to　be　overlooked。　　Miss　Strong　remained　in　his　cabin；　waiting

the　outcome　of　the　quest。　　The　captain　asked　her　many

questions；　but　she　could　tell　him　nothing　about　the　missing

man　other　than　what　she　had　herself　seen　during　their　brief

acquaintance　on　shipboard。　　For　the　first　time　she　suddenly

realized　how　very　little　indeed　Mr。　Caldwell　had　told　her　about

himself　or　his　past　life。　　That　he　had　been