the beasts of tarzan-µÚ27ÕÂ
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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¡£
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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¡£
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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¡£¡¡¡¡
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how¡¡dear¡¡the¡¡tiny£»¡¡helpless¡¡thing¡¡had¡¡become¡¡to¡¡her¡£¡¡¡¡
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of¡¡her¡¡captivity¡¡aboard¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡£
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at¡¡contemplation¡¡of¡¡her¡¡loss£»¡¡still¡¡she¡¡hoped¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would
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bestial¡¡countenance¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡more¡¡gorilla
than¡¡human¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡converse¡¡with¡¡her£»¡¡but¡¡without¡¡success£»
and¡¡finally¡¡he¡¡called¡¡to¡¡some¡¡one¡¡without¡£
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of¡¡very¡¡different¡¡appearance¡¡from¡¡M'ganwazamso¡¡different£»
in¡¡fact£»¡¡that¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡immediately¡¡decided¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was
of¡¡another¡¡tribe¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡man¡¡acted¡¡as¡¡interpreter£»¡¡and¡¡almost
from¡¡the¡¡first¡¡question¡¡that¡¡M'ganwazam¡¡put¡¡to¡¡her£»¡¡Jane¡¡felt
an¡¡intuitive¡¡conviction¡¡that¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡was¡¡attempting¡¡to
draw¡¡information¡¡from¡¡her¡¡for¡¡some¡¡ulterior¡¡motive¡£
She¡¡thought¡¡it¡¡strange¡¡that¡¡the¡¡fellow¡¡should¡¡so¡¡suddenly
have¡¡become¡¡interested¡¡in¡¡her¡¡plans£»¡¡and¡¡especially¡¡in¡¡her
intended¡¡destination¡¡when¡¡her¡¡journey¡¡had¡¡been¡¡interrupted
at¡¡his¡¡village¡£
Seeing¡¡no¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡withholding¡¡the¡¡information£»¡¡she¡¡told
him¡¡the¡¡truth£»¡¡but¡¡when¡¡he¡¡asked¡¡if¡¡she¡¡expected¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡her
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the¡¡interpreter¡£
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by¡¡the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡water£»¡¡that¡¡your¡¡husband¡¡followed
you¡¡up¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡¡for¡¡several¡¡marches£»¡¡when¡¡he¡¡was¡¡at¡¡last
set¡¡upon¡¡by¡¡natives¡¡and¡¡killed¡£¡¡¡¡Therefore¡¡I¡¡have¡¡told¡¡you¡¡this
that¡¡you¡¡might¡¡not¡¡waste¡¡your¡¡time¡¡in¡¡a¡¡long¡¡journey¡¡if¡¡you
expected¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡your¡¡husband¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡but¡¡instead
could¡¡turn¡¡and¡¡retrace¡¡your¡¡steps¡¡to¡¡the¡¡coast¡£¡¨
Jane¡¡thanked¡¡M'ganwazam¡¡for¡¡his¡¡kindness£»¡¡though¡¡her¡¡heart
was¡¡numb¡¡with¡¡suffering¡¡at¡¡this¡¡new¡¡blow¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡who¡¡had
suffered¡¡so¡¡much¡¡was¡¡at¡¡last¡¡beyond¡¡reach¡¡of¡¡the¡¡keenest
of¡¡misery's¡¡pangs£»¡¡for¡¡her¡¡senses¡¡were¡¡numbed¡¡and¡¡calloused¡£
With¡¡bowed¡¡head¡¡she¡¡sat¡¡staring¡¡with¡¡unseeing¡¡eyes¡¡upon
the¡¡face¡¡of¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡in¡¡her¡¡lap¡£¡¡¡¡M'ganwazam¡¡had¡¡left¡¡the¡¡hut¡£¡¡¡¡
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up¡¡the¡¡hut's¡¡interior¡¡as¡¡though¡¡by¡¡magic¡£
The¡¡flame¡¡disclosed¡¡to¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton's¡¡horrified¡¡gaze¡¡that¡¡the¡¡baby
was¡¡quite¡¡dead¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡long¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡so¡¡she¡¡could¡¡not¡¡guess¡£
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silent¡¡misery¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡little¡¡bundle¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡caught
suddenly¡¡to¡¡her¡¡breast¡£
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Then¡¡the¡¡native¡¡woman¡¡broke¡¡into¡¡a¡¡hideous¡¡wail¡£
A¡¡man¡¡coughed¡¡close¡¡before¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡and¡¡spoke¡¡her¡¡name¡£
With¡¡a¡¡start¡¡she¡¡raised¡¡her¡¡eyes¡¡to¡¡look¡¡into¡¡the¡¡sardonic
countenance¡¡of¡¡Nikolas¡¡Rokoff¡£
Chapter¡¡13
Escape
For¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡Rokoff¡¡stood¡¡sneering¡¡down¡¡upon¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton£»
then¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡fell¡¡to¡¡the¡¡little¡¡bundle¡¡in¡¡her¡¡lap¡£¡¡¡¡Jane¡¡had
drawn¡¡one¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blanket¡¡over¡¡the¡¡child's¡¡face£»¡¡so¡¡that
to¡¡one¡¡who¡¡did¡¡not¡¡know¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡but¡¡to¡¡be¡¡sleeping¡£
¡¨You¡¡have¡¡gone¡¡to¡¡a¡¡great¡¡deal¡¡of¡¡unnecessary¡¡trouble£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Rokoff£»
¡¨to¡¡bring¡¡the¡¡child¡¡to¡¡this¡¡village¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡you¡¡had¡¡attended¡¡to¡¡your
own¡¡affairs¡¡I¡¡should¡¡have¡¡brought¡¡it¡¡here¡¡myself¡£
¡¨You¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡spared¡¡the¡¡dangers¡¡and¡¡fatigue¡¡of¡¡the¡¡journey¡£
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¡¨This¡¡is¡¡the¡¡village¡¡to¡¡which¡¡the¡¡child¡¡was¡¡destined¡¡from
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¡¨Again¡¡I¡¡thank¡¡you¡¡for¡¡bringing¡¡him¡¡here¡¡for¡¡me£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡I¡¡must¡¡ask¡¡you
to¡¡surrender¡¡him¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡that¡¡I¡¡may¡¡turn¡¡him¡¡over¡¡to¡¡his¡¡foster¡¡parents¡£¡¨
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vindictiveness¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡lips¡£
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laid¡¡the¡¡little¡¡bundle¡¡in¡¡his¡¡arms¡£
¡¨Here¡¡is¡¡the¡¡child£»¡¨¡¡she¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Thank¡¡God¡¡he¡¡is¡¡beyond
your¡¡power¡¡to¡¡harm¡£¡¨
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from¡¡the¡¡child's¡¡face¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡confirmation¡¡of¡¡his¡¡fears¡£¡¡¡¡
Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡watched¡¡his¡¡expression¡¡closely¡£
She¡¡had¡¡been¡¡puzzled¡¡for¡¡days¡¡for¡¡an¡¡answer¡¡to¡¡the¡¡question
of¡¡Rokoff's¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡child's¡¡identity¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡she¡¡had
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looked¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡face¡¡of¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡and¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡at
the¡¡last¡¡moment¡¡his¡¡dearest¡¡wish¡¡for¡¡vengeance¡¡had¡¡been
thwarted¡¡by¡¡a¡¡higher¡¡power¡£
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Rokoff¡¡stamped¡¡up¡¡and¡¡down¡¡the¡¡hut£»¡¡pounding¡¡the¡¡air¡¡with¡¡his
clenched¡¡fists¡¡and¡¡cursing¡¡terribly¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡last¡¡he¡¡halted¡¡in¡¡front
of¡¡the¡¡young¡¡woman£»¡¡bringing¡¡his¡¡face¡¡down¡¡close¡¡to¡¡hers¡£
¡¨You¡¡are¡¡laughing¡¡at¡¡me£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡shrieked¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨You¡¡think¡¡that
you¡¡have¡¡beaten¡¡meeh£¿¡¡¡¡I'll¡¡show¡¡you£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡have¡¡shown¡¡the
miserable¡¡ape¡¡you¡¡call¡¡¡®husband£»'¡¡what¡¡it¡¡means¡¡to¡¡interfere
with¡¡the¡¡plans¡¡of¡¡Nikolas¡¡Rokoff¡£
¡¨You¡¡have¡¡robbed¡¡me¡¡of¡¡the¡¡child¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡make¡¡him¡¡the
son¡¡of¡¡a¡¡cannibal¡¡chief£»¡¡but¡¨and¡¡he¡¡paused¡¡as¡¡though¡¡to
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mother¡¡the¡¡wife¡¡of¡¡a¡¡cannibal£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡doafter¡¡I
have¡¡finished¡¡with¡¡her¡¡myself¡£¡¨
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sign¡¡of¡¡terror¡¡he¡¡failed¡¡miserably¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡beyond¡¡that¡£
Her¡¡brain¡¡and¡¡nerves¡¡were¡¡numb¡¡to¡¡suffering¡¡and¡¡shock¡£
To¡¡his¡¡surprise¡¡a¡¡faint£»¡¡almost¡¡happy¡¡smile¡¡touched¡¡her¡¡lips¡£¡¡¡¡
She¡¡was¡¡thinking¡¡with¡¡thankful¡¡heart¡¡that¡¡this¡¡poor¡¡little
corpse¡¡was¡¡not¡¡that¡¡of¡¡her¡¡own¡¡wee¡¡Jack£»¡¡and¡¡thatbest¡¡of¡¡all
Rokoff¡¡evidently¡¡did¡¡not¡¡know¡¡the¡¡truth¡£
She¡¡would¡¡have¡¡liked¡¡to¡¡have¡¡flaunted¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡in¡¡his¡¡face£»
but¡¡she¡¡dared¡¡not¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡he¡¡continued¡¡to¡¡believe¡¡that¡¡the¡¡child
had¡¡been¡¡hers£»