the son of tarzan-第23节

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he　fallen　enemy。　　He　growled　and　upcurved　his　long；　flexible　lip。　　His　hair　bristled。　He　was　paying　no　attention　to　Meriem　and　Korak。　　Back　in　the　uttermost　recesses　of　his　little　brain　something　was　stirring　something　which　the　sight　and　smell　of　the　great　bull　had　aroused。　　The　outward　manifestation　of　the　germinating　idea　was　one　of　bestial　rage；　but　the　inner　sensations　were　pleasurable　in　the　extreme。　　The　scent　of　the　great　bull　and　the　sight　of　his　huge　and　hairy　figure　had　wakened　in　the　heart　of　Akut　a　longing　for　the　companionship　of　his　own　kind。　　So　Korak　was　not　alone　undergoing　a　change。

And　Meriem？　　She　was　a　woman。　　It　is　woman's　divine　right　to　love。　　Always　she　had　loved　Korak。　　He　was　her　big　brother。　Meriem　alone　underwent　no　change。　　She　was　still　happy　in　the　companionship　of　her　Korak。　　She　still　loved　himas　a　sister　loves　an　indulgent　brotherand　she　was　very；　very　proud　of　him。　　In　all　the　jungle　there　was　no　other　creature　so　strong；　so　handsome；　or　so　brave。

Korak　came　close　to　her。　　There　was　a　new　light　in　his　eyes　as　she　looked　up　into　them；　but　she　did　not　understand　it。　　She　did　not　realize　how　close　they　were　to　maturity；　nor　aught　of　all　the　difference　in　their　lives　the　look　in　Korak's　eyes　might　mean。

〃Meriem；〃　he　whispered　and　his　voice　was　husky　as　he　laid　a　brown　hand　upon　her　bare　shoulder。　　〃Meriem！〃　　Suddenly　he　crushed　her　to　him。　　She　looked　up　into　his　face；　laughing；　and　then　he　bent　and　kissed　her　full　upon　the　mouth。　　Even　then　she　did　not　understand。　　She　did　not　recall　ever　having　been　kissed　before。　　It　was　very　nice。　　Meriem　liked　it。　　She　thought　it　was　Korak's　way　of　showing　how　glad　he　was　that　the　great　ape　had　not　succeeded　in　running　away　with　her。　　She　was　glad　too；　so　she　put　her　arms　about　The　Killer's　neck　and　kissed　him　again　and　again。　　Then；　discovering　the　doll　in　his　belt　she　transferred　it　to　her　own　possession；　kissing　it　as　she　had　kissed　Korak。

Korak　wanted　her　to　say　something。　　He　wanted　to　tell　her　how　he　loved　her；　but　the　emotion　of　his　love　choked　him　and　the　vocabulary　of　the　Mangani　was　limited。

There　came　a　sudden　interruption。　　It　was　from　Akuta　sudden；　low　growl；　no　louder　than　those　he　had　been　giving　vent　to　the　while　he　pranced　about　the　dead　bull；　nor　half　so　loud　in　fact；　but　of　a　timbre　that　bore　straight　to　the　perceptive　faculties　of　the　jungle　beast　ingrained　in　Korak。　　It　was　a　warning。　　Korak　looked　quickly　up　from　the　glorious　vision　of　the　sweet　face　so　close　to　his。　　Now　his　other　faculties　awoke。　　His　ears；　his　nostrils　were　on　the　alert。　　Something　was　coming！

The　Killer　moved　to　Akut's　side。　　Meriem　was　just　behind　them。　　The　three　stood　like　carved　statues　gazing　into　the　leafy　tangle　of　the　jungle。　　The　noise　that　had　attracted　their　attention　increased；　and　presently　a　great　ape　broke　through　the　underbrush　a　few　paces　from　where　they　stood。　　The　beast　halted　at　sight　of　them。　　He　gave　a　warning　grunt　back　over　his　shoulder；　and　a　moment　later　coming　cautiously　another　bull　appeared。　He　was　followed　by　othersboth　bulls　and　females　with　young；　until　two　score　hairy　monsters　stood　glaring　at　the　three。　　It　was　the　tribe　of　the　dead　king　ape。　　Akut　was　the　first　to　speak。　　He　pointed　to　the　body　of　the　dead　bull。

〃Korak；　mighty　fighter；　has　killed　your　king；〃　he　grunted。　〃There　is　none　greater　in　all　the　jungle　than　Korak；　son　of　Tarzan。　Now　Korak　is　king。　　What　bull　is　greater　than　Korak？〃　　It　was　a　challenge　to　any　bull　who　might　care　to　question　Korak's　right　to　the　kingship。　　The　apes　jabbered　and　chattered　and　growled　among　themselves　for　a　time。　　At　last　a　young　bull　came　slowly　forward　rocking　upon　his　short　legs；　bristling；　growling；　terrible。

The　beast　was　enormous；　and　in　the　full　prime　of　his　strength。　He　belonged　to　that　almost　extinct　species　for　which　white　men　have　long　sought　upon　the　information　of　the　natives　of　the　more　inaccessible　jungles。　　Even　the　natives　seldom　see　these　great；　hairy；　primordial　men。

Korak　advanced　to　meet　the　monster。　　He；　too；　was　growling。　In　his　mind　a　plan　was　revolving。　　To　close　with　this　powerful；　untired　brute　after　having　just　passed　through　a　terrific　battle　with　another　of　his　kind　would　have　been　to　tempt　defeat。　　He　must　find　an　easier　way　to　victory。　　Crouching；　he　prepared　to　meet　the　charge　which　he　knew　would　soon　come；　nor　did　he　have　long　to　wait。　　His　antagonist　paused　only　for　sufficient　time　to　permit　him　to　recount　for　the　edification　of　the　audience　and　the　confounding　of　Korak　a　brief　resume　of　his　former　victories；　of　his　prowess；　and　of　what　he　was　about　to　do　to　this　puny　Tarmangani。　　Then　he　charged。

With　clutching　fingers　and　wide　opened　jaws　he　came　down　upon　the　waiting　Korak　with　the　speed　of　an　express　train。　　Korak　did　not　move　until　the　great　arms　swung　to　embrace　him；　then　he　dropped　low　beneath　them；　swung　a　terrific　right　to　the　side　of　the　beast's　jaw　as　he　side…stepped　his　rushing　body；　and　swinging　quickly　about　stood　ready　over　the　fallen　ape　where　he　sprawled　upon　the　ground。

It　was　a　surprised　anthropoid　that　attempted　to　scramble　to　its　feet。　　Froth　flecked　its　hideous　lips。　　Red　were　the　little　eyes。　Blood　curdling　roars　tumbled　from　the　deep　chest。　　But　it　did　not　reach　its　feet。　　The　Killer　stood　waiting　above　it；　and　the　moment　that　the　hairy　chin　came　upon　the　proper　level　another　blow　that　would　have　felled　an　ox　sent　the　ape　over　backward。

Again　and　again　the　beast　struggled　to　arise；　but　each　time　the　mighty　Tarmangani　stood　waiting　with　ready　fist　and　pile　driver　blow　to　bowl　him　over。　　Weaker　and　weaker　became　the　efforts　of　the　bull。　　Blood　smeared　his　face　and　breast。　　A　red　stream　trickled　from　nose　and　mouth。　　The　crowd　that　had　cheered　him　on　at　first　with　savage　yells；　now　jeered　himtheir　approbation　was　for　the　Tarmangani。

〃Kagoda？〃　inquired　Korak；　as　he　sent　the　bull　down　once　more。

Again　the　stubborn　bull　essayed　to　scramble　to　his　feet。　　Again　The　Killer　struck　him　a　terrific　blow。　　Again　he　put　the　question；　kagodahave　you　had　enough？

For　a　moment　the　bull　lay　motionless。　　Then　from　between　battered　lips　came　the　single　word：　〃Kagoda！〃

〃Then　rise　and　go　back　among　your　people；〃　said　Korak。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　king　among　people　who　once　drove　me　from　them。　　Keep　your　own　ways；　and　we　will　keep　ours。　　When　we　meet　we　may　be　friends；　but　we　shall　not　live　together。〃

An　old　bull　came　slowly　toward　The　Killer。

〃You　have　killed　our　king；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　defeated　him　who　would　have　been　king。　　You　could　have　killed　him　had　you　wished。　　What　shall　we　do　for　a　king？〃

Korak　turned　toward　Akut。

〃There　is　your　king；〃　he　said。　　But　Akut　did　not　want　to　be　separated　from　Korak；　although　he　was　anxious　enough　to　remain　with　his　own　kind。　　He　wanted　Korak　to　remain；　too。　　He　said　as　much。

The　youth　was　thinking　of　Meriemof　what　would　be　best　and　safest　for　her。　　If　Akut　went　away　with　the　apes　there　would　be　but　one　to　watch　over　and　protect　her。　　On　the　other　hand　were　they　to　join　the　tribe　he　would　never　feel　safe　to　leave　Meriem　behind　when　he　went　out　to　hunt；　for　the　passions　of　the　ape…folk　are　not　ever　well　controlled。　　Even　a　female　might　develop　an　insane　hatred　for　the　slender　white　girl　and　kill　her　during　Korak's　absence。

〃We　will　live　near　you；〃　he　said；　at　last。　　〃When　you　change　your　hunting　ground　we　will　change　ours；　Meriem　and　I；　and　so　remain　near　you；　but　we　shall　not　dwell　among　you。〃

Akut　raised　objections　to　this　plan。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　separated　from　Korak。　　At　first　he　refused　to　leave　his　human　friend　for　the　companionship　of　his　own　kind；　but　when　he　saw　the　last　of　the　tribe　wandering　off　into　the　jungle　again　and　his　glance　rested　upon　the　lithe　figure　of　the　dead　king's　young　mate　as　she　cast　admiring　glances　at　her　lord's　successor　the　call　of　blood　would　not　be　denied。　　With　a　farewell　glance　toward　his　beloved　Korak　he　turned　and　followed　the　she　ape　into　the　labyrinthine　mazes　of　the　wood。


After　Korak　had　left　the　village　of　the　blacks　following　his　last　thieving　expedition；　the　screams　of　his　victim　and　those　of　the　other　women　and　children　had　brought　the　warriors　in　from　the　forest　and　the　river。　　Great　was　the　excitement　and　hot　was　the　rage　of　the　men　when　they　learned　that　the　white　devil　had　again　entered　their　homes；　frightened　their　women　and　stolen　arrows　and　ornaments　and　food。

Even　their　superstitious　fear　of　this　weird　creature　who　hunted　with　a　huge　bull　ape　was　overcome　in　their　desire　to　wreak　vengeance　upon　him　and　rid　themselves　for　good　and　all　of　the　menace　of　his　presence　in　the　jungle。

And　so　it　was　that　a　score　of　the　fleetest　and　most　doughty　warriors　of　the　tribe　set　out　in　pursuit　of　Korak　and　Akut　but　a　few　minutes　after　they　had　left　the　scene　of　The　Killer's　many　depredations。

The　youth　and　the　ape　had　traveled　slowly　and　with　no　precautions　against　a　successful　pursuit。　　Nor　was　their　attitude　of　careless　indifference　to　the　blacks　at　all　remarkable。　　So　many　similar　raids　had　gone　unpunished　that　the　two　had　come　to　look　upon　the　Negroes　with　contempt。　　The　return　journey　led　them　straight　up　wind。　　The　result　being　that　the　scent　of　their　pursuers　was　borne　away　from　them；　so　they　proceeded　u