The Return of Tarzan

ht in t

e Ouled-Nails they heard the angry cursing of the Arabs in t

not come that way-that we are still within the building, and that those above, being too cowardly to attack us, are attempting to deceive

search, and returned to the cafe. A few rema

ng her for the sacrifice she had

rs who come to the cafe. You did not speak coarsely to me

ed. "You cannot return to the cafe. Can y

d if it might be that I need never return to this or another cafe.

jaculated Tarza

of marauders. They brought me here and sold me to the Arab who keeps this cafe. It has been nearly two years

promise to see you safely so far as Bou Saada at least. There we can

an that you will do so much for a poor Ouled-Nail. But my father can rewa

Kadour ben Saden is in Sidi Aissa this very n

the amazed girl. "Allah be prai

tioned Abdu

shable upon the still night air. Tarzan could not un

had offered money for your slaying lay in the house of Akmed din Soulef with a broken wrist, but that he ha

fe-him and another; and the two went out into the inner court after talking with this girl here. It was

olution of the mystery, appeared at the same time quite improbable. Presently the men in the street went away. The courtyard and the cafe were deserted. Cautiously Tarzan

n as he had done on so many other occasions in his own forest with a burden in his arms. A little cry of alarm was startled

to him for

tive," she cried. "EL ADREA, the b

L ADREA of yours," he said. "

s north of us, and comes down from his lair at night to rob my father's DOUAR. With a single blow of his might

different aspect on the matter, so that a few moments later a servant had started to make the rounds of the lesser native hostelries where it might be expected that a desert sheik would

returned with Kadour ben Saden. The old sheik entered th

e girl. With outstretched arms he crossed the room to meet her. "My daughter!" he

final rescue had been told to Kadour b

riend, even to his life," he said very simply,

est to make an early start in the morning, and attempt to ride all the way to Bou Saada in one day. It

emed to her that she could not quickly enough reach the famil

ss, but suddenly it became only a waste of sand, into which the horses sank fetlock deep at nearly every step. In addition to Tarzan, Abdul, the sheik, and his daughter were four of the wild plainsmen of th

nding country was far from alluring-a vast expanse of rough country, rolling in little, barren hillocks, and tufted here and there with clumps of d

e top of each hillock that they mounted he would draw in his horse and, turning,

"There are six h

no doubt, monsieur," remarked K

urney. At the next village I shall remain and question these gentlemen, while you ride on. There i

ou are safe with your friends, or the enemy has left your tr

for this reason as much as any that Kadour ben Saden had taken to him

ear. They remained always at about the same distance. During the occasional

for darkness," sai

fore dusk made it impossible to distinguish them, had made it apparent that they were rapidly closing up the distance that intervened betwee

Tarzan. "This is my quarrel. I shall wait at the

lied the young Arab, nor would any threa

ish. Here are rocks at the top of this hillock. We shall remain hidden he

its boot and loosened his revolver in its holster. He ordered Abdul to withdraw behind the rocks with the horses, so that they should be shielded from the enemies' bullets should t

e sound of galloping horses came suddenly out of the darkness below him, and a moment later

cried, "o

sound of a whispered council, and like ghosts the phantom riders dispersed in all direction

uietly through the sand to the east of him, to the west, to the north, and to the south. They had been surrounded. Then a shot came fr

at the flashes-they could not yet see their foemen. Presently it became evident that the attackers were circling the

the darkness of the jungle night, than which there is no more utter dar

g, Abdul," said Tarz

a sudden ending of the battle. Both Tarzan and Abdul sprang to the shelter of the rocks, that they might keep the enemy in front of them. There was a mad

along the road to waylay them as they proceeded on toward Bou Saada. But he was not left long in doubt, for now all from one direction came the sound of a new charge. But scarcely had the first

s they dashed by the position which Tarzan and Abdul were holding, they plunged off a

cratch. Not even had their horses been wounded. They sought out the two men who had fa

ose fellows?" asked the sheik in a hurt tone. "We might hav

us presently, and all could have been engaged. It was to prevent the transfer of my own quarrel to another's shoulders that Abdul and I st

houlders. He did not relish hav

soldiers. Tarzan and his party met them just outside the town. The

f our number who had dropped behind, but when we returned to them the fe

he party he marched his men on toward the scene of the skirmish to

any him, and the girl had added her entreaties to those of her father; but, though he could not explain it to them, Tarzan's duties loomed particularly large after the happenings of the past f

which their friendship offered to learn what he could of their lives and customs. He even commenced to acquire the rudiments of their language under the pleasant tutorage of the brown-eyed girl. It was wi

tion of the great cities he had visited. Here was a life that excelled even that of the jungle, for here he might have the society of men-real men whom he could honor and respect, and yet be near to

se's head and rode slo

ms, and the kitchens. Both of the dining-rooms open directly off the bar, and one of them is reserved for the use o

eir way. It was yet early in the morning, for Kadour ben Saden had elected to ride far tha

st to his eyes. Lieutenant Gernois was sitting there, and as Tarzan looked a white-robed Arab approached and, ben

he officer, Tarzan had caught sight of something which the accidental par