the beasts of tarzan-第9章

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When　the　sun　rose　the　next　morning　he　saw　that　it　lay　almost

directly　to　his　right　as　he　stood　upon　the　beach　instead

of　straight　out　across　the　water　as　heretofore；　and　so　he

reasoned　that　the　shore　line　had　trended　toward　the　west。　　

All　the　second　day　he　continued　his　rapid　course；　and　when

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　sought　speed；　he　passed　through　the　middle

terrace　of　the　forest　with　the　rapidity　of　a　squirrel。



That　night　the　sun　set　straight　out　across　the　water　opposite

the　land；　and　then　the　ape…man　guessed　at　last　the　truth　that

he　had　been　suspecting。



Rokoff　had　set　him　ashore　upon　an　island。



He　might　have　known　it！　　If　there　was　any　plan　that　would

render　his　position　more　harrowing　he　should　have　known

that　such　would　be　the　one　adopted　by　the　Russian；　and　what

could　be　more　terrible　than　to　leave　him　to　a　lifetime　of

suspense　upon　an　uninhabited　island？



Rokoff　doubtless　had　sailed　directly　to　the　mainland；　where

it　would　be　a　comparatively　easy　thing　for　him　to　find　the

means　of　delivering　the　infant　Jack　into　the　hands　of　the　cruel

and　savage　foster…parents；　who；　as　his　note　had　threatened；

would　have　the　upbringing　of　the　child。



Tarzan　shuddered　as　he　thought　of　the　cruel　suffering　the

little　one　must　endure　in　such　a　life；　even　though　he　might

fall　into　the　hands　of　individuals　whose　intentions　toward

him　were　of　the　kindest。　　The　ape…man　had　had　sufficient

experience　with　the　lower　savages　of　Africa　to　know　that　even

there　may　be　found　the　cruder　virtues　of　charity　and　humanity；

but　their　lives　were　at　best　but　a　series　of　terrible　privations；

dangers；　and　sufferings。



Then　there　was　the　horrid　after…fate　that　awaited　the　child

as　he　grew　to　manhood。　　The　horrible　practices　that　would

form　a　part　of　his　life…training　would　alone　be　sufficient

to　bar　him　forever　from　association　with　those　of　his　own　race

and　station　in　life。



A　cannibal！　　His　little　boy　a　savage　man…eater！　　It　was　too

horrible　to　contemplate。



The　filed　teeth；　the　slit　nose；　the　little　face　painted　hideously。　　

Tarzan　groaned。　　Could　he　but　feel　the　throat　of　the　Russ　fiend

beneath　his　steel　fingers！



And　Jane！



What　tortures　of　doubt　and　fear　and　uncertainty　she　must

be　suffering。　　He　felt　that　his　position　was　infinitely　less

terrible　than　hers；　for　he　at　least　knew　that　one　of　his

loved　ones　was　safe　at　home；　while　she　had　no　idea　of　the

whereabouts　of　either　her　husband　or　her　son。



It　is　well　for　Tarzan　that　he　did　not　guess　the　truth；　for　the

knowledge　would　have　but　added　a　hundredfold　to　his　suffering。



As　he　moved　slowly　through　the　jungle　his　mind　absorbed

by　his　gloomy　thoughts；　there　presently　came　to　his　ears　a

strange　scratching　sound　which　he　could　not　translate。



Cautiously　he　moved　in　the　direction　from　which　it　emanated；

presently　coming　upon　a　huge　panther　pinned　beneath　a　fallen　tree。



As　Tarzan　approached；　the　beast　turned；　snarling；　toward　him；

struggling　to　extricate　itself；　but　one　great　limb　across

its　back　and　the　smaller　entangling　branches　pinioning　its

legs　prevented　it　from　moving　but　a　few　inches　in　any　direction。



The　ape…man　stood　before　the　helpless　cat　fitting　an　arrow

to　his　bow　that　he　might　dispatch　the　beast　that　otherwise

must　die　of　starvation；　but　even　as　he　drew　back　the　shaft　a

sudden　whim　stayed　his　hand。



Why　rob　the　poor　creature　of　life　and　liberty；　when　it　would

be　so　easy　a　thing　to　restore　both　to　it！　　He　was　sure　from

the　fact　that　the　panther　moved　all　its　limbs　in　its　futile

struggle　for　freedom　that　its　spine　was　uninjured；　and　for

the　same　reason　he　knew　that　none　of　its　limbs　were　broken。



Relaxing　his　bowstring；　he　returned　the　arrow　to　the　quiver　and；

throwing　the　bow　about　his　shoulder；　stepped　closer　to

the　pinioned　beast。



On　his　lips　was　the　soothing；　purring　sound　that　the　great

cats　themselves　made　when　contented　and　happy。　　It　was　the

nearest　approach　to　a　friendly　advance　that　Tarzan　could

make　in　the　language　of　Sheeta。



The　panther　ceased　his　snarling　and　eyed　the　ape…man　closely。　　

To　lift　the　tree's　great　weight　from　the　animal　it　was

necessary　to　come　within　reach　of　those　long；　strong　talons；

and　when　the　tree　had　been　removed　the　man　would　be　totally

at　the　mercy　of　the　savage　beast；　but　to　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

fear　was　a　thing　unknown。



Having　decided；　he　acted　promptly。



Unhesitatingly；　he　stepped　into　the　tangle　of　branches　close　to　the

panther's　side；　still　voicing　his　friendly　and　conciliatory　purr。

The　cat　turned　his　head　toward　the　man；　eyeing　him　steadilyquestioningly。

The　long　fangs　were　bared；　but　more　in　preparedness　than　threat。



Tarzan　put　a　broad　shoulder　beneath　the　bole　of　the　tree；

and　as　he　did　so　his　bare　leg　pressed　against　the　cat's　silken　side；

so　close　was　the　man　to　the　great　beast。



Slowly　Tarzan　extended　his　giant　thews。



The　great　tree　with　its　entangling　branches　rose　gradually

from　the　panther；　who；　feeling　the　encumbering　weight　diminish；

quickly　crawled　from　beneath。　　Tarzan　let　the　tree　fall　back　to　earth；

and　the　two　beasts　turned　to　look　upon　one　another。



A　grim　smile　lay　upon　the　ape…man's　lips；　for　he　knew　that　he　had

taken　his　life　in　his　hands　to　free　this　savage　jungle　fellow；

nor　would　it　have　surprised　him　had　the　cat　sprung　upon　him

the　instant　that　it　had　been　released。



But　it　did　not　do　so。　　Instead；　it　stood　a　few　paces　from　the　tree

watching　the　ape…man　clamber　out　of　the　maze　of　fallen　branches。



Once　outside；　Tarzan　was　not　three　paces　from　the　panther。　　

He　might　have　taken　to　the　higher　branches　of　the　trees

upon　the　opposite　side；　for　Sheeta　cannot　climb　to　the　heights

to　which　the　ape…man　can　go；　but　something；　a　spirit　of　bravado

perhaps；　prompted　him　to　approach　the　panther　as　though　to

discover　if　any　feeling　of　gratitude　would　prompt　the　beast

to　friendliness。



As　he　approached　the　mighty　cat　the　creature　stepped

warily　to　one　side；　and　the　ape…man　brushed　past　him　within

a　foot　of　the　dripping　jaws；　and　as　he　continued　on　through

the　forest　the　panther　followed　on　behind　him；　as　a　hound

follows　at　heel。



For　a　long　time　Tarzan　could　not　tell　whether　the　beast

was　following　out　of　friendly　feelings　or　merely　stalking　him

against　the　time　he　should　be　hungry；　but　finally　he　was

forced　to　believe　that　the　former　incentive　it　was　that

prompted　the　animal's　action。



Later　in　the　day　the　scent　of　a　deer　sent　Tarzan　into　the　trees；

and　when　he　had　dropped　his　noose　about　the　animal's　neck　he

called　to　Sheeta；　using　a　purr　similar　to　that　which　he　had

utilized　to　pacify　the　brute's　suspicions　earlier　in　the　day；

but　a　trifle　louder　and　more　shrill。



It　was　similar　to　that　which　he　had　heard　panthers　use　after

a　kill　when　they　had　been　hunting　in　pairs。



Almost　immediately　there　was　a　crashing　of　the　underbrush

close　at　hand；　and　the　long；　lithe　body　of　his　strange

companion　broke　into　view。



At　sight　of　the　body　of　Bara　and　the　smell　of　blood　the　panther

gave　forth　a　shrill　scream；　and　a　moment　later　two　beasts　were

feeding　side　by　side　upon　the　tender　meat　of　the　deer。



For　several　days　this　strangely　assorted　pair　roamed

the　jungle　together。



When　one　made　a　kill　he　called　the　other；

and　thus　they　fed　well　and　often。



On　one　occasion　as　they　were　dining　upon　the　carcass　of　a　boar

that　Sheeta　had　dispatched；　Numa；　the　lion；　grim　and　terrible；

broke　through　the　tangled　grasses　close　beside　them。



With　an　angry；　warning　roar　he　sprang　forward　to　chase　them

from　their　kill。　　Sheeta　bounded　into　a　near…by　thicket；

while　Tarzan　took　to　the　low　branches　of　an　overhanging　tree。



Here　the　ape…man　unloosed　his　grass　rope　from　about　his　neck；　and

as　Numa　stood　above　the　body　of　the　boar；　challenging　head　erect；

he　dropped　the　sinuous　noose　about　the　maned　neck；

drawing　the　stout　strands　taut　with　a　sudden　jerk。