the return of tarzan-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



him　mad。　　As　the　last　note　of　that　fiendish　challenge　died　out

in　the　diminishing　echoes　of　the　distance　the　man　dropped

his　eyes　until　they　rested　upon　the　girl。



Instantly　his　face　was　lighted　by　the　kindly　smile　that　was

ample　assurance　of　his　sanity；　and　the　girl　breathed　freely

once　again；　smiling　in　response。



〃What　manner　of　man　are　you？〃　she　asked。　　〃The　thing

you　have　done　is　unheard　of。　　Even　now　I　cannot　believe

that　it　is　possible　for　a　lone　man　armed　only　with　a　knife　to

have　fought　hand　to　hand　with　EL　ADREA　and　conquered　him；

unscathedto　have　conquered　him　at　all。　　And　that　cryit

was　not　human。　　Why　did　you　do　that？〃



Tarzan　flushed。　　〃It　is　because　I　forget；〃　he　said；　〃sometimes；

that　I　am　a　civilized　man。　　When　I　kill　it　must　be　that　I　am

another　creature。〃　　He　did　not　try　to　explain　further；　for　it

always　seemed　to　him　that　a　woman　must　look　with　loathing

upon　one　who　was　yet　so　nearly　a　beast。



Together　they　continued　their　journey。　　The　sun　was　an

hour　high　when　they　came　out　into　the　desert　again　beyond

the　mountains。　　Beside　a　little　rivulet　they　found　the　girl's

horses　grazing。　　They　had　come　this　far　on　their　way　home；

and　with　the　cause　of　their　fear　no　longer　present　had

stopped　to　feed。



With　little　trouble　Tarzan　and　the　girl　caught　them；　and；

mounting；　rode　out　into　the　desert　toward　the　DOUAR　of

Sheik　Kadour　ben　Saden。



No　sign　of　pursuit　developed；　and　they　came　in　safety

about　nine　o'clock　to　their　destination。　　The　sheik　had　but

just　returned。　　He　was　frantic　with　grief　at　the　absence　of

his　daughter；　whom　he　thought　had　been　again　abducted　by

the　marauders。　　With　fifty　men　he　was　already　mounted　to　go

in　search　of　her　when　the　two　rode　into　the　DOUAR。



His　joy　at　the　safe　return　of　his　daughter　was　only　equaled

by　his　gratitude　to　Tarzan　for　bringing　her　safely　to　him

through　the　dangers　of　the　night；　and　his　thankfulness　that

she　had　been　in　time　to　save　the　man　who　had　once　saved　her。



No　honor　that　Kadour　ben　Saden　could　heap　upon　the　ape…

man　in　acknowledgment　of　his　esteem　and　friendship　was

neglected。　　When　the　girl　had　recited　the　story　of　the　slaying

of　EL　ADREA　Tarzan　was　surrounded　by　a　mob　of　worshiping

Arabsit　was　a　sure　road　to　their　admiration　and　respect。



The　old　sheik　insisted　that　Tarzan　remain　indefinitely　as　his

guest。　　He　even　wished　to　adopt　him　as　a　member　of　the　tribe；

and　there　was　for　some　time　a　half…formed　resolution　in　the

ape…man's　mind　to　accept　and　remain　forever　with　these　wild

people；　whom　he　understood　and　who　seemed　to　understand　him。

His　friendship　and　liking　for　the　girl　were　potent

factors　in　urging　him　toward　an　affirmative　decision。



Had　she　been　a　man；　he　argued；　he　should　not　have　hesitated；

for　it　would　have　meant　a　friend　after　his　own　heart；

with　whom　he　could　ride　and　hunt　at　will；　but　as　it　was　they

would　be　hedged　by　the　conventionalities　that　are　even　more

strictly　observed　by　the　wild　nomads　of　the　desert　than　by

their　more　civilized　brothers　and　sisters。　　And　in　a　little　while

she　would　be　married　to　one　of　these　swarthy　warriors；　and

there　would　be　an　end　to　their　friendship。　　So　he　decided

against　the　sheik's　proposal；　though　he　remained　a　week　as

his　guest。



When　he　left；　Kadour　ben　Saden　and　fifty　white…robed

warriors　rode　with　him　to　Bou　Saada。　　While　they　were

mounting　in　the　DOUAR　of　Kadour　ben　Saden　the　morning

of　their　departure；　the　girl　came　to　bid　farewell　to　Tarzan。



〃I　have　prayed　that　you　would　remain　with　us；〃　she　said

simply；　as　he　leaned　from　his　saddle　to　clasp　her　hand　in

farewell；　〃and　now　I　shall　pray　that　you　will　return。〃

There　was　an　expression　of　wistfulness　in　her　beautiful

eyes；　and　a　pathetic　droop　at　the　corners　of　her　mouth。

Tarzan　was　touched。



〃Who　knows？〃　and　then　he　turned　and　rode　after　the

departing　Arabs。



Outside　Bou　Saada　he　bade　Kadour　ben　Saden　and　his　men

good…by；　for　there　were　reasons　which　made　him　wish　to

make　his　entry　into　the　town　as　secret　as　possible；　and　when

he　had　explained　them　to　the　sheik　the　latter　concurred　in

his　decision。　　The　Arabs　were　to　enter　Bou　Saada　ahead　of

him；　saying　nothing　as　to　his　presence　with　them。

Later　Tarzan　would　come　in　alone；　and　go　directly　to

an　obscure　native　inn。



Thus；　making　his　entrance　after　dark；　as　he　did；　he　was　not

seen　by　any　one　who　knew　him；　and　reached　the　inn　unobserved。

After　dining　with　Kadour　ben　Saden　as　his　guest；　he　went　to

his　former　hotel　by　a　roundabout　way；　and；　coming　in　by　a

rear　entrance；　sought　the　proprietor；　who　seemed　much

surprised　to　see　him　alive。



Yes；　there　was　mail　for　monsieur；　he　would　fetch　it。

No；　he　would　mention　monsieur's　return　to　no　one。

Presently　he　returned　with　a　packet　of　letters。　　One　was　an

order　from　his　superior　to　lay　off　on　his　present　work；

and　hasten　to　Cape　Town　by　the　first　steamer　he　could　get。

His　further　instructions　would　be　awaiting　him　there　in　the

hands　of　another　agent　whose　name　and　address　were　given。

That　was　allbrief　but　explicit。　　Tarzan　arranged　to　leave

Bou　Saada　early　the　next　morning。　　Then　he　started　for　the

garrison　to　see　Captain　Gerard；　whom　the　hotel　man　had　told

him　had　returned　with　his　detachment　the　previous　day。



He　found　the　officer　in　his　quarters。　　He　was　filled　with

surprise　and　pleasure　at　seeing　Tarzan　alive　and　well。



〃When　Lieutenant　Gernois　returned　and　reported　that　he

had　not　found　you　at　the　spot　that　you　had　chosen　to　remain

while　the　detachment　was　scouting；　I　was　filled　with　alarm。

We　searched　the　mountain　for　days。　　Then　came　word　that

you　had　been　killed　and　eaten　by　a　lion。　　As　proof　your

gun　was　brought　to　us。　　Your　horse　had　returned　to　camp

the　second　day　after　your　disappearance。　　We　could　not　doubt。

Lieutenant　Gernois　was　grief…strickenhe　took　all　the

blame　upon　himself。　　It　was　he　who　insisted　on　carrying　on

the　search　himself。　　It　was　he　who　found　the　Arab　with　your　gun。

He　will　be　delighted　to　know　that　you　are　safe。〃



〃Doubtless；〃　said　Tarzan；　with　a　grim　smile。



〃He　is　down　in　the　town　now；　or　I　should　send　for　him；〃

continued　Captain　Gerard。　　〃I　shall　tell　him　as　soon

as　he　returns。〃



Tarzan　let　the　officer　think　that　he　had　been　lost；　wandering

finally　into　the　DOUAR　of　Kadour　ben　Saden；　who　had

escorted　him　back　to　Bou　Saada。　　As　soon　as　possible　he　bade

the　good　officer　adieu；　and　hastened　back　into　the　town。

At　the　native　inn　he　had　learned　through　Kadour　ben　Saden　a

piece　of　interesting　information。　　It　told　of　a　black…bearded

white　man　who　went　always　disguised　as　an　Arab。　　For　a　time

he　had　nursed　a　broken　wrist。　　More　recently　he　had　been

away　from　Bou　Saada；　but　now　he　was　back；　and　Tarzan

knew　his　place　of　concealment。　　It　was　for　there　he　headed。



Through　narrow；　stinking　alleys；　black　as　Erebus；　he　groped；

and　then　up　a　rickety　stairway；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a

closed　door　and　a　tiny；　unglazed　window。　　The　window　was

high　under　the　low　eaves　of　the　mud　building。　　Tarzan　could

just　reach　the　sill。　　He　raised　himself　slowly　until　his

eyes　topped　it。　　The　room　within　was　lighted；　and　at　a　table

sat　Rokoff　and　Gernois。　　Gernois　was　speaking。



〃Rokoff；　you　are　a　devil！〃　he　was　saying。　　〃You　have　hounded

me　until　I　have　lost　the　last　shred　of　my　honor。　　You　have

driven　me　to　murder；　for　the　blood　of　that　man　Tarzan　is　on

my　hands。　　If　it　were　not　that　that　other　devil's　spawn；

Paulvitch；　still　knew　my　secret；　I　should　kill　you　here　tonight

with　my　bare　hands。〃



Rokoff　laughed。　　〃You　would　not　do　that；　my　dear　lieutenant；〃

he　said。　　〃The　moment　I　am　reported　dead　by　assassination

that　dear　Alexis　will　forward　to　the　minister　of　war　full

proof　of　the　affair　you　so　ardently　long　to　conceal；　and；

further；　will　charge　you　with　my　murder。　　Come；　be　sensible。

I　am　your　best　friend。　　Have　I　not　protected　your　honor　as

though　it　were　my　own？〃



Gernois　sneered