the return of tarzan-第30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!
I will accompany you。 I shall return in a moment; Miss Strong。〃
Monsieur Thuran looked uncomfortable。 When the two men had
passed out of the girl's sight; Tarzan stopped; laying a
heavy hand on the other's shoulder。
〃What is your game now; Rokoff?〃 he asked。
〃I am leaving France as I promised you;〃 replied the other;
in a surly voice。
〃I see you are;〃 said Tarzan; 〃but I know you so well
that I can scarcely believe that your being on the same boat
with me is purely a coincidence。 If I could believe it the
fact that you are in disguise would immediately disabuse
my mind of any such idea。〃
〃Well;〃 growled Rokoff; with a shrug; 〃I cannot see what you
are going to do about it。 This vessel flies the English flag。
I have as much right on board her as you; and from the
fact that you are booked under an assumed name I imagine
that I have more right。〃
〃We will not discuss it; Rokoff。 All I wanted to say to
you is that you must keep away from Miss Strongshe is a
decent woman。〃
Rokoff turned scarlet。
〃If you don't I shall pitch you overboard;〃 continued Tarzan。
〃Do not forget that I am just waiting for some excuse。〃
Then he turned on his heel; and left Rokoff standing
there trembling with suppressed rage。
He did not see the man again for days; but Rokoff was
not idle。 In his stateroom with Paulvitch he fumed and
swore; threatening the most terrible of revenges。
〃I would throw him overboard tonight;〃 he cried; 〃were I
sure that those papers were not on his person。 I cannot
chance pitching them into the ocean with him。 If you were
not such a stupid coward; Alexis; you would find a way to
enter his stateroom and search for the documents。〃
Paulvitch smiled。 〃You are supposed to be the brains of this
partnership; my dear Nikolas;〃 he replied。 〃Why do you not
find the means to search Monsieur Caldwell's stateroomeh?〃
Two hours later fate was kind to them; for Paulvitch; who
was ever on the watch; saw Tarzan leave his room without
locking the door。 Five minutes later Rokoff was stationed
where he could give the alarm in case Tarzan returned; and
Paulvitch was deftly searching the contents of the ape…
man's luggage。
He was about to give up in despair when he saw a coat
which Tarzan had just removed。 A moment later he grasped an
official envelope in his hand。 A quick glance at its contents
brought a broad smile to the Russian's face。
When he left the stateroom Tarzan himself could not have
told that an article in it had been touched since he left
itPaulvitch was a past master in his chosen field。
When he handed the packet to Rokoff in the seclusion of
their stateroom the larger man rang for a steward; and
ordered a pint of champagne。
〃We must celebrate; my dear Alexis;〃 he said。
〃It was luck; Nikolas;〃 explained Paulvitch。 〃It is evident
that he carries these papers always upon his personjust
by chance he neglected to transfer them when he changed
coats a few minutes since。 But there will be the deuce to
pay when he discovers his loss。 I am afraid that he will
immediately connect you with it。 Now that he knows that
you are on board he will suspect you at once。〃
〃It will make no difference whom he suspectsafter to…night;〃
said Rokoff; with a nasty grin。
After Miss Strong had gone below that night Tarzan stood
leaning over the rail looking far out to sea。 Every night he
had done this since he had come on boardsometimes he
stood thus for an hour。 And the eyes that had been watching
his every movement since he had boarded the ship at
Algiers knew that this was his habit。
Even as he stood there this night those eyes were on him。
Presently the last straggler had left the deck。 It was
a clear night; but there was no moonobjects on deck
were barely discernible。
From the shadows of the cabin two figures crept stealthily
upon the ape…man from behind。 The lapping of the waves
against the ship's sides; the whirring of the propeller;
the throbbing of the engines; drowned the almost soundless
approach of the two。
They were quite close to him now; and crouching low; like
tacklers on a gridiron。 One of them raised his hand and
lowered it; as though counting off secondsonetwothree!
As one man the two leaped for their victim。 Each grasped a
leg; and before Tarzan of the Apes; lightning though he was;
could turn to save himself he had been pitched over the low
rail and was falling into the Atlantic。
Hazel Strong was looking from her darkened port across
the dark sea。 Suddenly a body shot past her eyes from
the deck above。 It dropped so quickly into the dark waters
below that she could not be sure of what it wasit might
have been a man; she could not say。 She listened for some
outcry from abovefor the always…fearsome call; 〃Man overboard!〃
but it did not come。 All was silence on the ship aboveall
was silence in the sea below。
The girl decided that she had but seen a bundle of refuse
thrown overboard by one of the ship's crew; and a moment
later sought her berth。
Chapter 13
The Wreck of the 〃Lady Alice〃
The next morning at breakfast Tarzan's place was vacant。
Miss Strong was mildly curious; for Mr。 Caldwell had
always made it a point to wait that he might breakfast
with her and her mother。 As she was sitting on deck later
Monsieur Thuran paused to exchange a half dozen pleasant
words with her。 He seemed in most excellent spiritshis
manner was the extreme of affability。 As he passed on Miss
Strong thought what a very delightful man was Monsieur Thuran。
The day dragged heavily。 She missed the quiet companionship
of Mr。 Caldwellthere had been something about him
that had made the girl like him from the first; he had talked
so entertainingly of the places he had seenthe peoples
and their customsthe wild beasts; and he had always had a
droll way of drawing striking comparisons between savage
animals and civilized men that showed a considerable
knowledge of the former; and a keen; though somewhat cynical;
estimate of the latter。
When Monsieur Thuran stopped again to chat with her in
the afternoon she welcomed the break in the day's monotony。
But she had begun to become seriously concerned in Mr。
Caldwell's continued absence; somehow she constantly
associated it with the start she had had the night before;
when the dark object fell past her port into the sea。
Presently she broached the subject to Monsieur Thuran。
Had he seen Mr。 Caldwell today? He had not。 Why?
〃He was not at breakfast as usual; nor have I seen him
once since yesterday;〃 explained the girl。
Monsieur Thuran was extremely solicitous。
〃I did not have the pleasure of intimate acquaintance
with Mr。 Caldwell;〃 he said。 〃He seemed a most estimable
gentleman; however。 Can it be that he is indisposed;
and has remained in his stateroom? It would not be strange。〃
〃No;〃 replied the girl; 〃it would not be strange; of course;
but for some inexplicable reason I have one of those foolish
feminine presentiments that all is not right with Mr。 Caldwell。
It is the strangest feelingit is as though I knew that
he was not on board the ship。〃
Monsieur Thuran laughed pleasantly。 〃Mercy; my dear
Miss Strong;〃 he said; 〃where in the world could he be then?
We have not been within sight of land for days。〃
〃Of course; it is ridiculous of me;〃 she admitted。 And then:
〃But I am not going to worry about it any longer; I
am going to find out where Mr。 Caldwell is;〃 and she
motioned to a passing steward。
〃That may be more difficult than you imagine; my dear girl;〃
thought Monsieur Thuran; but aloud he said: 〃By all means。〃
〃Find Mr。 Caldwell; please;〃 she said to the steward; 〃and tell
him that his friends are much worried by his continued absence。〃
〃You are very fond of Mr。 Caldwell?〃 suggested Monsieur Thuran。
〃