the return of tarzan-第32章

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〃I　suppose　so；　but　I　am　sorry　that　we　have　not　poor　Mr。

Caldwell　for　company　instead。〃



〃And　I；　too；〃　replied　her　daughter。



Monsieur　Thuran　became　a　frequent　visitor　at　the　home　of

Hazel　Strong's　uncle　in　Cape　Town。　　His　attentions　were　very

marked；　but　they　were　so　punctiliously　arranged　to　meet

the　girl's　every　wish　that　she　came　to　depend　upon　him　more

and　more。　　Did　she　or　her　mother　or　a　cousin　require　an

escortwas　there　a　little　friendly　service　to　be　rendered；

the　genial　and　ubiquitous　Monsieur　Thuran　was　always　available。

Her　uncle　and　his　family　grew　to　like　him　for　his　unfailing

courtesy　and　willingness　to　be　of　service。　　Monsieur　Thuran

was　becoming　indispensable。　　At　length；　feeling　the　moment

propitious；　he　proposed。　　Miss　Strong　was　startled。

She　did　not　know　what　to　say。



〃I　had　never　thought　that　you　cared　for　me　in　any　such

way；〃　she　told　him。　　〃I　have　looked　upon　you　always　as　a

very　dear　friend。　　I　shall　not　give　you　my　answer　now。

Forget　that　you　have　asked　me　to　be　your　wife。　　Let　us　go

on　as　we　have　beenthen　I　can　consider　you　from　an　entirely

different　angle　for　a　time。　　It　may　be　that　I　shall　discover

that　my　feeling　for　you　is　more　than　friendship。　　I　certainly

have　not　thought　for　a　moment　that　I　loved　you。〃



This　arrangement　was　perfectly　satisfactory　to　Monsieur　Thuran。

He　deeply　regretted　that　he　had　been　hasty；　but　he　had

loved　her　for　so　long　a　time；　and　so　devotedly；　that　he

thought　that　every　one　must　know　it。



〃From　the　first　time　I　saw　you；　Hazel；〃　he　said；　〃I　have

loved　you。　　I　am　willing　to　wait；　for　I　am　certain　that　so　great

and　pure　a　love　as　mine　will　be　rewarded。　　All　that　I　care　to

know　is　that　you　do　not　love　another。　　Will　you　tell　me？〃



〃I　have　never　been　in　love　in　my　life；〃　she　replied；　and　he

was　quite　satisfied。　　On　the　way　home　that　night　he　purchased

a　steam　yacht；　and　built　a　million…dollar　villa　on　the　Black　Sea。



The　next　day　Hazel　Strong　enjoyed　one　of　the　happiest　surprises

of　her　lifeshe　ran　face　to　face　upon　Jane　Porter　as　she　was

coming　out　of　a　jeweler's　shop。



〃Why；　Jane　Porter！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Where　in　the　world

did　you　drop　from？　　Why；　I　can't　believe　my　own　eyes。〃



〃Well；　of　all　things！〃　cried　the　equally　astonished　Jane。

〃And　here　I　have　been　wasting　whole　reams　of　perfectly　good

imagination　picturing　you　in　Baltimorethe　very　idea！〃　　And

she　threw　her　arms　about　her　friend　once　more；　and　kissed

her　a　dozen　times。



By　the　time　mutual　explanations　had　been　made　Hazel

knew　that　Lord　Tennington's　yacht　had　put　in　at　Cape　Town

for　at　least　a　week's　stay；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　was　to

continue　on　her　voyagethis　time　up　the　West　Coastand　so

back　to　England。　　〃Where；〃　concluded　Jane；　〃I　am　to　be　married。〃



〃Then　you　are　not　married　yet？〃　asked　Hazel。



〃Not　yet；〃　replied　Jane；　and　then；　quite　irrelevantly；　〃I　wish

England　were　a　million　miles　from　here。



Visits　were　exchanged　between　the　yacht　and　Hazel's　relatives。

Dinners　were　arranged；　and　trips　into　the　surrounding

country　to　entertain　the　visitors。　　Monsieur　Thuran　was　a

welcome　guest　at　every　function。　　He　gave　a　dinner　himself　to　the

men　of　the　party；　and　managed　to　ingratiate　himself　in　the

good　will　of　Lord　Tennington　by　many　little　acts　of　hospitality。



Monsieur　Thuran　had　heard　dropped　a　hint　of　something

which　might　result　from　this　unexpected　visit　of　Lord

Tennington's　yacht；　and　he　wanted　to　be　counted　in　on　it。

Once　when　he　was　alone　with　the　Englishman　he　took　occasion　to

make　it　quite　plain　that　his　engagement　to　Miss　Strong　was

to　be　announced　immediately　upon　their　return　to　America。

〃But　not　a　word　of　it；　my　dear　Tenningtonnot　a　word　of　it。〃



〃Certainly；　I　quite　understand；　my　dear　fellow；〃　Tennington

had　replied。　　〃But　you　are　to　be　congratulatedripping

girl；　don't　you　knowreally。〃



The　next　day　it　came。　　Mrs。　Strong；　Hazel；　and　Monsieur

Thuran　were　Lord　Tennington's　guests　aboard　his　yacht。

Mrs。　Strong　had　been　telling　them　how　much　she　had　enjoyed

her　visit　at　Cape　Town；　and　that　she　regretted　that　a　letter

just　received　from　her　attorneys　in　Baltimore　had　necessitated

her　cutting　her　visit　shorter　than　they　had　intended。



〃When　do　you　sail？〃　asked　Tennington。



〃The　first　of　the　week；　I　think；〃　she　replied。

〃Indeed？〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Thuran。　　〃I　am　very　fortunate。

I；　too；　have　found　that　I　must　return　at　once；　and　now

I　shall　have　the　honor　of　accompanying　and　serving　you。〃



〃That　is　nice　of　you；　Monsieur　Thuran；〃　replied　Mrs。　Strong。

〃I　am　sure　that　we　shall　be　glad　to　place　ourselves　under

your　protection。〃　　But　in　the　bottom　of　her　heart　was

the　wish　that　they　might　escape　him。　　Why；　she　could　not

have　told。



〃By　Jove！〃　ejaculated　Lord　Tennington；　a　moment　later。

〃Bully　idea；　by　Jove！〃



〃Yes；　Tennington；　of　course；〃　ventured　Clayton；　〃it　must

be　a　bully　idea　if　you　had　it；　but　what　the　deuce　is　it？

Goin'　to　steam　to　China　via　the　south　pole？〃



〃Oh；　I　say　now；　Clayton；〃　returned　Tennington；　〃you

needn't　be　so　rough　on　a　fellow　just　because　you　didn't

happen　to　suggest　this　trip　yourselfyou've　acted　a　regular

bounder　ever　since　we　sailed。



〃No；　sir；〃　he　continued；　〃it's　a　bully　idea；　and　you'll　all

say　so。　　It's　to　take　Mrs。　Strong　and　Miss　Strong；　and　Thuran；

too；　if　he'll　come；　as　far　as　England　with　us　on　the　yacht。

Now；　isn't　that　a　corker？〃



〃Forgive　me；　Tenny；　old　boy；〃　cried　Clayton。　　〃It　certainly

IS　a　corking　ideaI　never　should　have　suspected　you　of　it。

You're　quite　sure　it's　original；　are　you？〃



〃And　we'll　sail　the　first　of　the　week；　or　any　other　time　that

suits　your　convenience；　Mrs。　Strong；〃　concluded　the　big…hearted

Englishman；　as　though　the　thing　were　all　arranged

except　the　sailing　date。



〃Mercy；　Lord　Tennington；　you　haven't　even　given　us　an

opportunity　to　thank　you；　much　less　decide　whether　we　shall

be　able　to　accept　your　generous　invitation；〃　said　Mrs。　Strong。



〃Why；　of　course　you'll　come；〃　responded　Tennington。

〃We'll　make　as　good　time　as　any　passenger　boat；　and　you'll

be　fully　as　comfortable；　and；　anyway；　we　all　want　you；　and

won't　take　no　for　an　answer。〃



And　so　it　was　settled　that　they　should　sail　the　following　Monday。



Two　days　out　the　girls　were　sitting　in　Hazel's　cabin；

looking　at　some　prints　she　had　had　finished　in　Cape　Town。

They　represented　all　the　pictures　she　had　taken　since　she

had　left　America；　and　the　girls　were　both　engrossed　in　them；

Jane　asking　many　questions；　and　Hazel　keeping　up　a　perfect　torrent

of　comment　and　explanation　of　the　various　scenes　and　people。



〃And　here；〃　she　said　suddenly；　〃here's　a　man　you　know。

Poor　fellow；　I　have　so　often　intended　asking　you　about　him；

but　I　never　have　been　able　to　think　of　it　when　we　were　together。〃

She　was　holding　the　little　print　so　that　Jane　did　not　see

the　face　of　the　man　it　portrayed。



〃His　name　was　John　Caldwell；〃　continued　Hazel。　　〃Do　you　recall　him？

He　said　that　he　met　you　in　America。　　He　is　an　Englishman。〃



〃I　do　not　recollect　the　name；〃　replied　Jane。　　〃Let　me

see　the　picture。〃

〃The　poor　fellow　was　lost　overboard　on　our　trip　down　the

coast；〃　she　said；　as　she　handed　the　print　to　Jane。



〃Lost　overWhy；　Hazel；　Hazeldon't　tell　me　that　he　is

deaddrowned　at　sea！　　Hazel！　　Why　don't　you　say　that　you　are　joking！〃

And　before　the　astonished　Miss　Strong　could　catch　her

Jane　Porter　had　slipped　to　the　floor　in　a　swoon。



After　Hazel　had　restored　her　chum　to　consciousness　she

sat　looking　at　her　for　a　long　time　before　either　spoke。



〃I　did　not　know；　Jane；〃　said　Hazel；　in　a　constrained　voice；

〃that　you　knew　Mr。　Caldwell　so　intimately　that　his　death

could　prove　such　a　shock　to　you。〃



〃John　Caldwell？〃　questioned　Miss　Porter。　　〃You　do　not　mean

to　tell　me　that　you　do　not　know　who　this　man　was；　Hazel？〃



〃Why；　yes；　Jane；　I　know　perfectly　well　who　he　washis

name　was　John　Caldwell；　he　was　from　London。〃



〃O