the return of tarzan-第23章
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realized how very little indeed Mr。 Caldwell had told her about
himself or his past life。 That he had been born in Africa
and educated in Paris was about all she knew； and this
meager information had been the result of her surprise that
an Englishman should speak English with such a marked
French accent。
〃Did he ever speak of any enemies？〃 asked the captain。
〃Never。〃
〃Was he acquainted with any of the other passengers？〃
〃Only as he had been with methrough the circumstance
of casual meeting as fellow shipmates。〃
〃Erwas he； in your opinion； Miss Strong； a man who
drank to excess？〃
〃I do not know that he drank at allhe certainly had not
been drinking up to half an hour before I saw that body
fall overboard；〃 she answered； 〃for I was with him on deck
up to that time。〃
〃It is very strange；〃 said the captain。 〃He did not look
to me like a man who was subject to fainting spells； or
anything of that sort。 And even had he been it is scarcely
credible that he should have fallen completely over the
rail had he been taken with an attack while leaning upon it
he would rather have fallen inside； upon the deck。 If he is
not on board； Miss Strong； he was thrown overboardand
the fact that you heard no outcry would lead to the assumption
that he was dead before he left the ship's deckmurdered。〃
The girl shuddered。
It was a full hour later that the first officer returned to
report the outcome of the search。
〃Mr。 Caldwell is not on board； sir；〃 he said。
〃I fear that there is something more serious than accident
here； Mr。 Brently；〃 said the captain。 〃I wish that you would
make a personal and very careful examination of Mr。 Caldwell's
effects； to ascertain if there is any clew to a motive either
for suicide or murdersift the thing to the bottom。〃
〃Aye； aye； sir！〃 responded Mr。 Brently； and left to commence
his investigation。
Hazel Strong was prostrated。 For two days she did not
leave her cabin； and when she finally ventured on deck she was
very wan and white； with great； dark circles beneath her eyes。
Waking or sleeping； it seemed that she constantly saw that
dark body dropping； swift and silent； into the cold； grim sea。
Shortly after her first appearance on deck following the
tragedy； Monsieur Thuran joined her with many expressions
of kindly solicitude。
〃Oh； but it is terrible； Miss Strong；〃 he said。 〃I cannot rid
my mind of it。〃
〃Nor I；〃 said the girl wearily。 〃I feel that he might have
been saved had I but given the alarm。〃
〃You must not reproach yourself； my dear Miss Strong；〃
urged Monsieur Thuran。 〃It was in no way your fault。
Another would have done as you did。 Who would think that
because something fell into the sea from a ship that it must
necessarily be a man？ Nor would the outcome have been
different had you given an alarm。 For a while they would
have doubted your story； thinking it but the nervous
hallucination of a womanhad you insisted it would have been
too late to have rescued him by the time the ship could have
been brought to a stop； and the boats lowered and rowed
back miles in search of the unknown spot where the tragedy
had occurred。 No； you must not censure yourself。 You have
done more than any other of us for poor Mr。 Caldwellyou
were the only one to miss him。 It was you who instituted
the search。〃
The girl could not help but feel grateful to him for his
kind and encouraging words。 He was with her oftenalmost
constantly for the remainder of the voyageand she
grew to like him very much indeed。 Monsieur Thuran had
learned that the beautiful Miss Strong； of Baltimore； was an
American heiressa very wealthy girl in her own right； and
with future prospects that quite took his breath away when he
contemplated them； and since he spent most of his time in that
delectable pastime it is a wonder that he breathed at all。
It had been Monsieur Thuran's intention to leave the ship at
the first port they touched after the disappearance of Tarzan。
Did he not have in his coat pocket the thing he had
taken passage upon this very boat to obtain？ There was
nothing more to detain him here。 He could not return to
the Continent fast enough； that he might board the first
express for St。 Petersburg。
But now another idea had obtruded itself； and was rapidly
crowding his original intentions into the background。
That American fortune was not to be sneezed at； nor was
its possessor a whit less attractive。
〃SAPRISTI！ but she would cause a sensation in St。 Petersburg。〃
And he would； too； with the assistance of her inheritance。
After Monsieur Thuran had squandered a few million dollars；
he discovered that the vocation was so entirely to his
liking that he would continue on down to Cape Town； where
he suddenly decided that he had pressing engagements
that might detain him there for some time。
Miss Strong had told him that she and her mother were to
visit the latter's brother therethey had not decided upon the
duration of their stay； and it would probably run into months。
She was delighted when she found that Monsieur Thuran
was to be there also。
〃I hope that we shall be able to continue our acquaintance；〃
she said。 〃You must call upon mamma and me as
soon as we are settled。〃
Monsieur Thuran was delighted at the prospect； and lost
no time in saying so。 Mrs。 Strong was not quite so favorably
impressed by him as her daughter。
〃I do not know why I should distrust him；〃 she said to
Hazel one day as they were discussing him。 〃He seems a
perfect gentleman in every respect； but sometimes there
is something about his eyesa fleeting expression which
I cannot describe； but which when I see it gives me a
very uncanny feeling。〃
The girl laughed。 〃You are a silly dear； mamma；〃 she said。
〃I suppose so； but I am sorry that we have not poor Mr。
Caldwell for company instead。〃
〃And I； too；〃 replied her daughter。
Monsieur Thuran became a frequent visitor at the home of
Hazel Strong's uncle in Cape Town。 His attentions were very
marked； but they were so punctiliously arranged to meet
the girl's every wish that she came to depend upon him more
and more。 Did she or her mother or a cousin require an
escortwas there a little friendly service to be rendered；
the genial and ubiquitous Monsieur Thuran was always available。
Her uncle and his family grew to like him for his unfailing
courtesy and willingness to be of service。 Monsieur Thuran
was becoming indispensable。 At length； feeling the moment
propitious； he proposed。 Miss Strong was startled。
She did not know what to say。
〃I had never thought that you cared for me in any such
way；〃 she told him。 〃I have looked upon you always as a
very dear friend。 I shall not give you my answer now。
Forget that you have asked me to be your wife。 Let us go
on as we have beenthen I can consider you from an entirely
different angle for a time。 It may be that I shall discover
that my feeling for you is more than friendship。 I certainly
have not thought for a moment that I loved you。〃
This arrangement was perfectly satisfactory to Monsieur Thuran。
He deeply regretted that he had been hasty； but he had
loved her for so long a time； and so devotedly； that he
thought that every one must know it。
〃From the first time I saw you； Hazel；〃 he said； 〃I have
loved you。 I am willing to wait； for I am certain that so great
and pure a love as mine will be rewarded。 All that I care to
know is that you do not love another。 Will you tell me？〃
〃I have never been in love in my life；〃 she replied； and he
was quite satisfied。 On the way home that night he purchased
a steam yacht； and built a million…dollar villa on the Black Sea。
The next day Hazel Strong enjoyed one of the happiest surprises
of her lifeshe ran face to face upon Jane Porter as she was
coming out of a jeweler's shop。
〃Why； Jane Porter！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Where in the world
did you drop from？ Why； I can't believe my own eyes。〃
〃Well； of all things！〃 cried the equally astonished Jane。
〃And here I have been wasting whole reams of perfectly good
imagination picturing you in Baltimorethe very idea！〃 And
she threw her arms about her friend once more； and kissed
her a dozen times。
By the time mutual explanations had been made Hazel
knew that Lord Tennington's yacht had put in at Cape Town
for at least a week's stay； and at the end of that time was to
continue on her voyagethis time up the West Coastand so
back to England。 〃Where；〃 concluded Jane； 〃I am to be married。〃
〃Then you are not married yet？〃 asked Hazel。
〃Not yet；〃 replied Jane； and then； quite irrelevantly； 〃I wish
England were a million miles from here。
Visits were exchanged between the yacht and Hazel's relatives。
Dinners were arranged； and trips into the surrounding
country to entertain the visitors。 Monsieur Thuran was a
welcome guest at every function。 He gave a dinner himself to the
men of the party； and managed to ingratiate himself in the
good will of Lord Tennington by many little acts of hospitality。
Monsieur Thuran had heard dropped a hint of something
which might result from this unexpected visit of Lord
Tennington's yacht； and he wanted to be counted in on it。
Once when he was alone with the Englishman he took occasion to
make it quite plain that his engagement to Miss Strong was
to be announced immediately upon their return to America。
〃But not a word of it； my dear Tenningtonnot a word of it。〃
〃Certainly； I quite understand； my dear fellow；〃 Tennington
had replied。 〃But you are to be congratulatedripping
girl； don't you knowreally。〃
The next day it came。 Mrs。 Strong； Hazel； and Monsieur
Thuran were Lord Tennington's guests aboard his yacht。
Mrs。 Strong had been telling them how much she had enjoyed
her visit at Cape Town； and that she regretted that a letter
just received from her attorneys in Baltimore had necessitated
her cutting her visit shorter than they had intended。
〃When do you sail？〃 asked Tennington。
〃The first of the week； I think；〃 she replied。
〃Indeed？〃 exclaimed Monsieur Thuran。 〃I am very fortunate。
I； too； have found that I must return at once； and now
I shall have the honor of accompanying and serving you。〃
〃That is nice of you； Monsieur Thuran；〃 replied Mrs。 Strong。
〃I am sure that we shall be glad to place ourselves under
your protection。〃 But in the bottom of her heart was
the wish that they might escape him。 Why； she could not
have told。
〃By Jove！〃 ejaculated Lord Tennington； a moment later。
〃Bully idea； by Jove！〃
〃Yes； Tennington； of course；〃 ventured Clayton； 〃it must
be a bully idea if you had it； but what the deuce is it？
Goin' to steam to China via the south pole？〃
〃Oh； I say now； Clayton；〃 returned Tenn
