The Return of Tarzan

onds of H

nto the midst of whose affairs his love of fair play had thrust him. And then he came most unexpectedl

y were in heated argument with a woman. Tarzan noted that she was richly appareled, and that her slend

e to them without their being aware of his presence. He noticed that Rokoff seemed to be threatening, the woman

esitated ere the man seized the woman roughly by the wrist, twisting it as though to wring a promise from her through torture. What would have happened next had Rokoff had his way we may only conjecture, s

ff. "What do you mean? Are you a fool th

n a low voice. And then he hurled the fellow from him with

nd, springing to his feet, he rushed upon Tarzan, tugging the meanwhile

, or he will surely kill you!" But instead of flying Tarzan advanced t

d, and now he deliberately raised it to Tarzan's breast and pulled the trigger. The hammer fell with a futile click on an empty chamber-the ape-man's hand

ng one another. Rokoff had regained his s

okoff. The first offense was overlooked on the assumption that monsieur acted through ignorance, but this affair shall not be overlooked. If

of you," and he turned to ask the girl if the man had hurt her, but she had disappeared. Then

e, but as he had not seen her face he could not be sure that he had ever seen her before. The only thing about her that he had particularly noticed was a ring of peculiar workmanship upon a finger of the hand that Rokoff had

lot to witness since that day in the jungle four years since that his eyes had first fallen upon a human being other than himself-the sleek, black Ku

ers of the ARROW; the cruelty of the black warriors and women of Mbonga to their captives; the petty jealousies of the

eaklings. And yet withal bound down by silly customs that make them slaves to their unhappy lot while firm in the belief that they be the lords of creation enjoying the only real pleasures of existence. In the jungl

f civilization, so that Tarzan wheeled about so quickly that the eyes of the young woman who had been surreptitiously regarding him had not even time to drop before the

y good to look upon. Further, there was something rather familiar about her that set Tarzan to wondering where he had seen her before. He resumed his former position, and presently he was

er neck-the peculiarly feminine gesture that admits cognizance of appraising eyes behind her-and Tarzan saw upon a fing

Tarzan wondered in a lazy sort of way whom she might be, and what

the rail watching the play of the moonlight upon the gently rolling waters. He was half hidden by a davit, so that two men who approached along the deck did not see him, and as they passed Tarzan caught eno

ure within him, and so he kept the two men in sight as they walked, briskly now, along the deck. To the smoking-room he followed them, but t

er difficulty in escaping detection, but he managed to do so successfully. As they halted before one of

an's voice asked in

he answer, in Rokoff's now fam

as?" came the voice of the woman from beyon

k a half dozen words with you. I shall not harm you, nor shall I

ce far enough to see what transpired when the door was opened, for he could not but recall the sini

beyond. The door opened. Rokoff half entered the room, and stood with his back against the door, speaking in a low whisper t

ou will, I shall never accede to your demands. Leave the roo

sand times that you had done at once the favor I have asked. In the end I shall win anywa

past Rokoff, who held the door open for him. Then the latter stepped quickly out. The door closed. Tarzan heard the click of the lock as Paulvitch turned it f

e fellow to leave her cabin. "I shall send for my

laugh came through

t, that officer has already been notified that you are entertaining

e woman. "My hu

it a fine story, and so will all your friends when they read of it at breakfast on-let me see, this is Tuesday-yes, when they read of it at breakfast next Friday morning.

inst me, and then you will leave my cabin quickly, nor do I think that ever again will you, at least, annoy me," and there came a moment's silence in which Tarzan could imagine the woman leaning

o intention that his confederate should go that far-he felt that the man's aims were deeper than that-deeper and even more sinister than brutal, cold-blooded murder. Without hesitating to question those within, the ape-man threw his giant shoulder against the frail panel, and in a shower of splin

ringly to a sitting posture upon the couch. One hand was at her throat, and her breath came in little gasps. Although dishe

e instigator of the outrage. The man remained silent, scowling. "Touch the button, please," continue

lost control of himself, that is all. I would not care to have the matter go further, please, monsieur," and there was such a note of pleading in her voice that T

nothing, then, in t

please," s

se two scoundrels should

ppy. Tarzan saw a malicious grin of triumph curl Rokoff's lip. The girl evident

o the end of the voyage I shall take it upon myself to keep an eye on you, and should there chance to come to my notice any act of either one of you that might even r

em forcibly through the doorway, giving each an added impetus down the corridor with the toe of his boo

upon me if you will but let me know if eit

d you attempted. You have made a very wicked and resourceful enemy, who will st

adame, my nam

brave and chivalrous protection you rendered me. Good night, Monsieur Tarzan. I shall never forget the debt I owe you," and, with a m

brought to justice. Before he turned in that night his thoughts reverted many times to the beautiful young woman into the evidently tangled web of whose life fate had so strangely introduced him. It occurred

ace with the young woman as the two approached their deck chairs from opposite directions. She greeted him with a pleasant smile, speaking almost immediately of the affair he had witnessed in her cab

Tuesday evening. I have suffered much on account of it-this is the first time th

day prior to their attack on you, if I recollect it correctly, and so, knowing their methods, I am convinced that their enmity is a su

matter of the card game. My husband told me the entire story. He spoke especially of the stren

repeated Tarza

the Countes

n knowing that I have rendered a serv

not add further to my obligations," and she smiled so sweetly upon him that Tarzan felt that a man might easily atte

mething in the expression of her eyes as they parted on deck the previous day that haunted him. It had been almost wistful as they h

if he should eve