the return of tarzan-第9章
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surprised； but not displeased。
〃If there is a drop of red blood in the man the count
will break in upon a very pretty love scene in about fifteen
minutes from now。 I think we have planned marvelously； my
dear Alexis。 Let us go out and drink to the very good
health of Monsieur Tarzan in some of old Plancon's
unparalleled absinth； not forgetting that the Count de Coude
is one of the best swordsmen in Paris； and by far the best
shot in all France。〃
When Tarzan reached Olga's； Jacques was awaiting him at
the entrance。
〃This way； Monsieur；〃 he said； and led the way up the broad；
marble staircase。 In another moment he had opened a door；
and； drawing aside a heavy curtain； obsequiously bowed
Tarzan into a dimly lighted apartment。 Then Jacques vanished。
Across the room from him Tarzan saw Olga seated before
a little desk on which stood her telephone。 She was tapping
impatiently upon the polished surface of the desk。 She had
not heard him enter。
〃Olga；〃 he said； 〃what is wrong？〃
She turned toward him with a little cry of alarm。
〃Jean！〃 she cried。 〃What are you doing here？
Who admitted you？ What does it mean？〃
Tarzan was thunderstruck； but in an instant he realized
a part of the truth。
〃Then you did not send for me； Olga？〃
〃Send for you at this time of night？ MON DIEU！ Jean； do
you think that I am quite mad？〃
〃Francois telephoned me to come at once； that you were
in trouble and wanted me。〃
〃Francois？ Who in the world is Francois？〃
〃He said that he was in your service。 He spoke as though
I should recall the fact。〃
〃There is no one by that name in my employ。 Some one
has played a joke upon you； Jean；〃 and Olga laughed。
〃I fear that it may be a most sinister ‘joke；' Olga；〃 he replied。
〃There is more back of it than humor。〃
〃What do you mean？ You do not think that〃
〃Where is the count？〃 he interrupted。
〃At the German ambassador's。〃
〃This is another move by your estimable brother。
Tomorrow the count will hear of it。 He will question
the servants。 Everything will point toto what Rokoff
wishes the count to think。〃
〃The scoundrel！〃 cried Olga。 She had arisen； and come close
to Tarzan； where she stood looking up into his face。
She was very frightened。 In her eyes was an expression that the
hunter sees in those of a poor； terrified doepuzzledquestioning。
She trembled； and to steady herself raised her hands to his
broad shoulders。 〃What shall we do； Jean？〃 she whispered。
〃It is terrible。 Tomorrow all Paris will read of
ithe will see to that。〃
Her look； her attitude； her words were eloquent of the age…
old appeal of defenseless woman to her natural protectorman。
Tarzan took one of the warm little hands that lay on his
breast in his own strong one。 The act was quite involuntary；
and almost equally so was the instinct of protection that
threw a sheltering arm around the girl's shoulders。
The result was electrical。 Never before had he been so close
to her。 In startled guilt they looked suddenly into each
other's eyes； and where Olga de Coude should have been
strong she was weak； for she crept closer into the man's arms；
and clasped her own about his neck。 And Tarzan of the Apes？
He took the panting figure into his mighty arms； and covered
the hot lips with kisses。
Raoul de Coude made hurried excuses to his host after he
had read the note handed him by the ambassador's butler。
Never afterward could he recall the nature of the excuses
he made。 Everything was quite a blur to him up to the
time that he stood on the threshold of his own home。
Then he became very cool； moving quietly and with caution。
For some inexplicable reason Jacques had the door open before
he was halfway to the steps。 It did not strike him at the
time as being unusual； though afterward he remarked it。
Very softly he tiptoed up the stairs and along the gallery
to the door of his wife's boudoir。 In his hand was a
heavy walking stickin his heart； murder。
Olga was the first to see him。 With a horrified shriek she
tore herself from Tarzan's arms； and the ape…man turned just
in time to ward with his arm a terrific blow that De Coude
had aimed at his head。 Once； twice； three times the heavy
stick fell with lightning rapidity； and each blow aided in the
transition of the ape…man back to the primordial。
With the low； guttural snarl of the bull ape he sprang for
the Frenchman。 The great stick was torn from his grasp and
broken in two as though it had been matchwood； to be flung aside
as the now infuriated beast charged for his adversary's throat。
Olga de Coude stood a horrified spectator of the terrible
scene which ensued during the next brief moment； then
she sprang to where Tarzan was murdering her husband
choking the life from himshaking him as a terrier might
shake a rat。
Frantically she tore at his great hands。 〃Mother of
God！〃 she cried。 〃You are killing him； you are killing him！
Oh； Jean； you are killing my husband！〃
Tarzan was deaf with rage。 Suddenly he hurled the body
to the floor； and； placing his foot upon the upturned breast；
raised his head。 Then through the palace of the Count de
Coude rang the awesome challenge of the bull ape that has
made a kill。 From cellar to attic the horrid sound searched
out the servants； and left them blanched and trembling。
The woman in the room sank to her knees beside the body
of her husband； and prayed。
Slowly the red mist faded from before Tarzan's eyes。
Things began to take formhe was regaining the perspective of
civilized man。 His eyes fell upon the figure of the kneeling woman。
〃Olga；〃 he whispered。 She looked up； expecting to see the
maniacal light of murder in the eyes above her。
Instead she saw sorrow and contrition。
〃Oh； Jean！〃 she cried。 〃See what you have done。 He was
my husband。 I loved him； and you have killed him。〃
Very gently Tarzan raised the limp form of the Count de
Coude and bore it to a couch。 Then he put his ear to the
man's breast。
〃Some brandy； Olga；〃 he said。
She brought it； and together they forced it between his lips。
Presently a faint gasp came from the white lips。
The head turned； and De Coude groaned。
〃He will not die；〃 said Tarzan。 〃Thank God！〃
〃Why did you do it； Jean？〃 she asked。
〃I do not know。 He struck me； and I went mad。 I have
seen the apes of my tribe do the same thing。 I have never
told you my story； Olga。 It would have been better had you
known itthis might not have happened。 I never saw my father。
The only mother I knew was a ferocious she…ape。 Until I was
fifteen I had never seen a human being。 I was twenty before
I saw a white man。 A little more than a year ago I was a
naked beast of prey in an African jungle。
〃Do not judge me too harshly。 Two years is too short a time
in which to attempt to work the change in an individual that
it has taken countless ages to accomplish in the white race。〃
〃I do not judge at all； Jean。 The fault is mine。
You must go nowhe must not find you here when he
regains consciousness。 Good…by。〃
It was a sorrowful Tarzan who walked with bowed head
from the palace of the Count de Coude。
Once outside his thoughts took definite shape； to the end
that twenty minutes later he entered a police station not
far from the Rue Maule。 Here he soon found one of the
officers with whom he had had the encounter several weeks
previous。 The policeman was genuinely glad to see again
the man who had so roughly handled him。 After a moment
of conversation Tarzan asked if he had ever heard of
Nikolas Rokoff or Alexis Paulvitch。
〃Very often； indeed； monsieur。 Each has a police record；
and while there is nothing charged against them now； we
make it a point to know pretty well where they may be found
should the occasion demand。 It is only the same precaution
that we take with every known criminal。 Why does monsieur ask？〃
〃They are known to me；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃I wish to see
Monsieur Rokoff on a little matter of business。 If you can
direct me to his lodgings I shall appreciate it。〃
A few minutes later he bade the policeman adieu； and；
with a slip of paper in his pocket bearing a certain address
in a semirespectable quarter； he walked briskly toward the
nearest taxi stand。
Rokoff and Paulvitch had returned to their rooms； and were
sitting talking over the probable outcome of the evening's
events。 They had telephoned to the offices of two of the
morning papers from which they momentarily expected
representatives to hear the first report of the scandal
that was to stir social Paris on the morrow。
A heavy step sounded on the stairway。 〃Ah； but these
newspaper men are prompt；〃 exclaimed Rokoff； and as a knock
fell upon the door of their room： 〃Enter； monsieur。〃
The smile of welcome froze upon the Russian's face as
he looked into the hard； gray eyes of his visitor。
〃Name of a name！〃 he shouted； springing to his feet；
〃What brings you here！〃
〃Sit down！〃 said Tarzan； so low that the men could barely
catch the words； but in a tone that brought Rokoff to his
chair； and kept Paulvitch in his。
〃You know what has brought me here；〃 he continued； in
the same low tone。 〃It should be to kill you； but because
you are Olga de Coude's brother I shall not do thatnow。
〃I shall give you a chance for your lives。 Paulvitch does
not count muchhe is merely a stupid； foolish little tool；
and so I shall not kill him so long as I permit you to live。
Before I leave you two alive in this room you will have done
two things。 The first will be to write a full confession of
your connection with tonight's plotand sign it。
〃The second will be to promise me upon pain of death that you
will permit no word of this affair to get into the newspapers。
If you do not do both； neither of you will be alive when I
pass next through that doorway。 Do you understand？〃
And； without waiting for a reply： 〃Make haste； there is ink
before you； and paper and a pen。〃
Rokoff assumed a truculent air； attempting by bravado to
show how little he feared Tarzan's threats。 An instant later
he felt the ape…man's steel fingers at his throat； and Paulvitch；
who attempted to dodge them and reach the door； was
lifted completely off the floor； and hurled senseless into a
corner。 When Rokoff commenced to blacken about the face
Tarzan released his hold and shoved the fellow back into
his chair。 After a moment of coughing Rokoff sat sullenly
glaring at the man standing opposite him。 Presently Paulvitch
came to himself； and limped painfully back to his chair
at Tarzan's command。
〃Now write；〃 said the ape…man。 〃If it is necessary to handle
you again I shall not be so lenient。〃
Rokoff picked up a pen and commenced to write。
〃Se
