The Return of Tarzan

Du

okoff's. Tarzan did not disturb him, but the following morning he narra

have I returned their friendship? Barely did I escape murdering the count. I have cast a s

lga de Coude?"

ess-it was not love-and it would have left us, unharmed, as suddenly as it had come upon us even though De Coude had not returned. As you know, I have had little experience of women. Olga de Coude is very beautiful; that, and

strictions are irksome. I feel always that I am a prisoner. I cannot endure it, my friend, and so I think that

most 'civilized' men would have under similar circumstances. As to leaving Paris at this time, I ra

as an impressively polite gentleman. With many low bows he delivered Monsieur le Count de Coude's challenge to Monsieur Tarzan. Would monsieur be so very kind as t

of his friend, Lieutenant D'Arnot. And so it was arranged that D'Arnot was to call on Monsieu

alone D'Arnot looked

?" he

elf be killed," said Tarzan. "I am progressing

not. "De Coude is accredited with being a m

enty paces, or spears at the same distance

kill yo

t," replied Tarzan. "

e satisfied with wounding you, and there is less danger

m out of it, but without

conference with Monsieur F

ing at daylight-there is a secluded spot on the road not far from Etamps.

t he wrote several letters before he retired. After sealing and addressing them he placed them all

s positive that when the sun rose the next morning it would look dow

bed in the blackness of the early morning hours. He had slept well, and so it seemed that his head scarcely touched the pillow ere

uring the night. He was nervous, an

ept like a baby a

infer that you rather harbor the fact a

matter with such infernal indifference-it is exasperating. One would think that you wer

sary feature of the expiation is the marksmanship of my opponent. Wherefore, then, should I

e to be killed?" excla

u must admit that there is little reaso

is mind almost from the first intimation that De Coude would call him to acco

as genuinely fond of Tarzan. The great friendship which had sprung up between these two men whose lives and training had been so widely different had but been strengthened by association, for they were

n the table in his dead father's cabin, his little brown body bent over one of the fascinating picture books from which, unaided, he had gleaned the secret of the printed language long before the so

ffairs of the moment. He knew that he was about to die, but there was no fear of death in him. To a denizen of the cruel jungle death is a

ater De Coude, Monsieur Flaubert, and a third gentleman arrived.

e sides of the field. Presently the seconds summoned them. D'Arnot and Monsieur Flaubert had examined both pistols. The two men

ns, their pistols hanging by their sides. When each had proceeded ten paces D'Arnot was to give the final

e from his case, and lighted it. De Coude was the person

ded to D'Arnot, and each man pl

y, gentlemen?" aske

replied

as the men paced slowly apart. Six! Seven! Eight! There were tears in D'Arnot's eyes. He loved Tarzan very much. Nine! A

enced a marksman not to know that he had scored a hit. Still Tarzan made no move to raise his pistol. De Coude fired once more, but the attitude of the ape-man-the utter indifference that was so apparent in every

any of De Coude's three shots. Then he would take his own time about shooting De Coude down deliberately, coolly, and in cold blood. A little shiver ran up t

was gone, and he made a clean miss. Not once had Tarzan

. On Tarzan's face was a pathetic expression of disappointment. On

endure it

Monsieur-shoot

nd when D'Arnot and Monsieur Flaubert, misinterpreting his intention, would

said to them, "I s

halted. Tarzan advanced until

d. "Or monsieur is unstrung. Take mine, monsieur, and try again," and

r!" cried the latt

. It is the only way in which I may atone for the wrong I h

Coude. "But what wrong did you

adow upon her name, and to ruin the happiness of a man against whom I had no enmity. The fault was all mine, and so I hope

lt was all yours?" as

e thing that brought me there was no fault of either the Countess de Coude or myself. Here is a paper which will

They were interested spectators of this strange ending of a strange duel.

rous gentleman," he said. "I tha

m. Monsieur Flaubert embraced D'Arnot. There was no one to embrace the doctor. So possibly it was

t once at least," he s

lesh wounds, I think." But the doctor insisted upon stretching him upon the sward,

d this double assurance of his wife's loyalty that he felt no rancor at all toward Tarzan. It is true that the latter had assumed much more of

oolish and unnecessary, but the doctor and D'Arnot took the matter so to he

still but a little boy, did I have a nice soft bed to lie on? No, only the damp, rotting vegetation of the jungle. Hidden beneath some friendly b

re was no antiseptic bandage-there was nothing that would not have driven our dear doctor mad to have seen. Yet I recovered-recovere

n. Several times De Coude had called, and when he found that Tarzan was anxious for em

out that he received a message from De Coude reques

congratulation that he was once more upon his feet. Neither had ever mentio

which also requires considerably physical courage and prowess. I cannot imagine a man better fitted than you, my dear Monsieur Tarzan,

of war. Come, I will take you to the gentleman who will be your chief. He can explain the d

would be attached if he accepted the position. There the count left him, after a glowing description to t

d. On the morrow he was to return for further instructions, though General Rochere had made it quite

r the good news to D'Arnot. At last he was to be of some value in the wo

rnot's sitting room before he burst out with

, and that we shall not see each other for months, perhaps. T

child. I have a new toy,

lowing day Tarzan left Paris e