the son of tarzan-第26节

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　though　that　other　had　not　existed。

Korak　moved　scarcely　more　than　an　inch　at　a　time；　then　he　would　stand　motionless　for　a　moment。　　Thus　was　he　worming　his　way　behind　the　guard　when　the　latter　straightened　up；　opened　his　cavernous　mouth　in　a　wide　yawn；　and　stretched　his　arms　above　his　head。　　Korak　stood　rigid　as　stone。　　Another　step　and　he　would　be　within　the　hut。　　The　black　lowered　his　arms　and　relaxed。　　Behind　him　was　the　frame　work　of　the　doorway。　　Often　before　had　it　supported　his　sleepy　head；　and　now　he　leaned　back　to　enjoy　the　forbidden　pleasure　of　a　cat　nap。

But　instead　of　the　door　frame　his　head　and　shoulders　came　in　contact　with　the　warm　flesh　of　a　pair　of　living　legs。　　The　exclamation　of　surprise　that　almost　burst　from　his　lips　was　throttled　in　his　throat　by　steel…thewed　fingers　that　closed　about　his　windpipe　with　the　suddenness　of　thought。　　The　black　struggled　to　ariseto　turn　upon　the　creature　that　had　seized　himto　wriggle　from　its　hold；　but　all　to　no　purpose。　　As　he　had　been　held　in　a　mighty　vise　of　iron　he　could　not　move。　　He　could　not　scream。　Those　awful　fingers　at　his　throat　but　closed　more　and　more　tightly。　　His　eyes　bulged　from　their　sockets。　　His　face　turned　an　ashy　blue。　　Presently　he　relaxed　once　morethis　time　in　the　final　dissolution　from　which　there　is　no　quickening。　　Korak　propped　the　dead　body　against　the　door　frame。　　There　it　sat；　lifelike　in　the　gloom。　　Then　the　ape…man　turned　and　glided　into　the　Stygian　darkness　of　the　hut's　interior。

〃Meriem！〃　he　whispered。

〃Korak！　　My　Korak！〃　came　an　answering　cry；　subdued　by　fear　of　alarming　her　captors；　and　half　stifled　by　a　sob　of　joyful　welcome。

The　youth　knelt　and　cut　the　bonds　that　held　the　girl's　wrists　and　ankles。　　A　moment　later　he　had　lifted　her　to　her　feet；　and　grasping　her　by　the　hand　led　her　towards　the　entrance。　　Outside　the　grim　sentinel　of　death　kept　his　grisly　vigil。　　Sniffing　at　his　dead　feet　whined　a　mangy　native　cur。　　At　sight　of　the　two　emerging　from　the　hut　the　beast　gave　an　ugly　snarl　and　an　instant　later　as　it　caught　the　scent　of　the　strange　white　man　it　raised　a　series　of　excited　yelps。　　Instantly　the　warriors　at　the　near…by　fire　were　attracted。　　They　turned　their　heads　in　the　direction　of　the　commotion。　　It　was　impossible　that　they　should　fail　to　see　the　white　skins　of　the　fugitives。

Korak　slunk　quickly　into　the　shadows　at　the　hut's　side；　drawing　Meriem　with　him；　but　he　was　too　late。　　The　blacks　had　seen　enough　to　arouse　their　suspicions　and　a　dozen　of　them　were　now　running　to　investigate。　　The　yapping　cur　was　still　at　Korak's　heels　leading　the　searchers　unerringly　in　pursuit。　　The　youth　struck　viciously　at　the　brute　with　his　long　spear；　but；　long　accustomed　to　dodging　blows；　the　wily　creature　made　a　most　uncertain　target。

Other　blacks　had　been　alarmed　by　the　running　and　shouting　of　their　companions　and　now　the　entire　population　of　the　village　was　swarming　up　the　street　to　assist　in　the　search。　　Their　first　discovery　was　the　dead　body　of　the　sentry；　and　a　moment　later　one　of　the　bravest　of　them　had　entered　the　hut　and　discovered　the　absence　of　the　prisoner。　　These　startling　announcements　filled　the　blacks　with　a　combination　of　terror　and　rage；　but；　seeing　no　foe　in　evidence　they　were　enabled　to　permit　their　rage　to　get　the　better　of　their　terror；　and　so　the　leaders；　pushed　on　by　those　behind　them；　ran　rapidly　around　the　hut　in　the　direction　of　the　yapping　of　the　mangy　cur。　　Here　they　found　a　single　white　warrior　making　away　with　their　captive；　and　recognizing　him　as　the　author　of　numerous　raids　and　indignities　and　believing　that　they　had　him　cornered　and　at　a　disadvantage；　they　charged　savagely　upon　him。

Korak；　seeing　that　they　were　discovered；　lifted　Meriem　to　his　shoulders　and　ran　for　the　tree　which　would　give　them　egress　from　the　village。　　He　was　handicapped　in　his　flight　by　the　weight　of　the　girl　whose　legs　would　but　scarce　bear　her　weight；　to　say　nothing　of　maintaining　her　in　rapid　flight；　for　the　tightly　drawn　bonds　that　had　been　about　her　ankles　for　so　long　had　stopped　circulation　and　partially　paralyzed　her　extremities。

Had　this　not　been　the　case　the　escape　of　the　two　would　have　been　a　feat　of　little　moment；　since　Meriem　was　scarcely　a　whit　less　agile　than　Korak；　and　fully　as　much　at　home　in　the　trees　as　he。　　But　with　the　girl　on　his　shoulder　Korak　could　not　both　run　and　fight　to　advantage；　and　the　result　was　that　before　he　had　covered　half　the　distance　to　the　tree　a　score　of　native　curs　attracted　by　the　yelping　of　their　mate　and　the　yells　and　shouts　of　their　masters　had　closed　in　upon　the　fleeing　white　man；　snapping　at　his　legs　and　at　last　succeeding　in　tripping　him。　　As　he　went　down　the　hyena…like　brutes　were　upon　him；　and　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet　the　blacks　closed　in。

A　couple　of　them　seized　the　clawing；　biting　Meriem；　and　subdued　hera　blow　upon　the　head　was　sufficient。　　For　the　ape…　man　they　found　more　drastic　measures　would　be　necessary。

Weighted　down　as　he　was　by　dogs　and　warriors　he　still　managed　to　struggle　to　his　feet。　　To　right　and　left　he　swung　crushing　blows　to　the　faces　of　his　human　antagoniststo　the　dogs　he　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　other　than　to　seize　the　more　persistent　and　wring　their　necks　with　a　single　quick　movement　of　the　wrist。

A　knob　stick　aimed　at　him　by　an　ebon　Hercules　he　caught　and　wrested　from　his　antagonist；　and　then　the　blacks　experienced　to　the　full　the　possibilities　for　punishment　that　lay　within　those　smooth　flowing　muscles　beneath　the　velvet　brown　skin　of　the　strange；　white　giant。　　He　rushed　among　them　with　all　the　force　and　ferocity　of　a　bull　elephant　gone　mad。　　Hither　and　thither　he　charged　striking　down　the　few　who　had　the　temerity　to　stand　against　him；　and　it　was　evident　that　unless　a　chance　spear　thrust　brought　him　down　he　would　rout　the　entire　village　and　regain　his　prize。　　But　old　Kovudoo　was　not　to　be　so　easily　robbed　of　the　ransom　which　the　girl　represented；　and　seeing　that　their　attack　which　had　up　to　now　resulted　in　a　series　of　individual　combats　with　the　white　warrior；　he　called　his　tribesmen　off；　and　forming　them　in　a　compact　body　about　the　girl　and　the　two　who　watched　over　her　bid　them　do　nothing　more　than　repel　the　assaults　of　the　ape…man。

Again　and　again　Korak　rushed　against　this　human　barricade　bristling　with　spear　points。　　Again　and　again　he　was　repulsed；　often　with　severe　wounds　to　caution　him　to　greater　wariness。　　From　head　to　foot　he　was　red　with　his　own　blood；　and　at　last；　weakening　from　the　loss　of　it；　he　came　to　the　bitter　realization　that　alone　he　could　do　no　more　to　succor　his　Meriem。

Presently　an　idea　flashed　through　his　brain。　　He　called　aloud　to　the　girl。　　She　had　regained　consciousness　now　and　replied。

〃Korak　goes；〃　he　shouted；　〃but　he　will　return　and　take　you　from　the　Gomangani。　　Good…bye；　my　Meriem。　　Korak　will　come　for　you　again。〃

〃Good…bye！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃Meriem　will　look　for　you　until　you　come。〃

Like　a　flash；　and　before　they　could　know　his　intention　or　prevent　him；　Korak　wheeled；　raced　across　the　village　and　with　a　single　leap　disappeared　into　the　foliage　of　the　great　tree　that　was　his　highroad　to　the　village　of　Kovudoo。　　A　shower　of　spears　followed　him；　but　their　only　harvest　was　a　taunting　laugh　flung　back　from　out　the　darkness　of　the　jungle。



Chapter　13

Meriem；　again　bound　and　under　heavy　guard　in　Kovudoo's　own　hut；　saw　the　night　pass　and　the　new　day　come　without　bringing　the　momentarily　looked　for　return　of　Korak。　　She　had　no　doubt　but　that　he　would　come　back　and　less　still　that　he　would　easily　free　her　from　her　captivity。　　To　her　Korak　was　little　short　of　omnipotent。　　He　embodied　for　her　all　that　was　finest　and　strongest　and　best　in　her　savage　world。　　She　gloried　in　his　prowess　and　worshipped　him　for　the　tender　thoughtfulness　that　always　had　marked　his　treatment　of　her。　　No　other　within　the　ken　of　her　memory　had　ever　accorded　her　the　love　and　gentleness　that　was　his　daily　offering　to　her。　　Most　of　the　gentler　attributes　of　his　early　childhood　had　long　since　been　forgotten　in　the　fierce　battle　for　existence　which　the　customs　of　the　mysterious　jungle　had　forced　upon　him。　　He　was　more　often　savage　and　bloodthirsty　than　tender　and　kindly。　　His　other　friends　of　the　wild　looked　for　no　gentle　tokens　of　his　affection。　　That　he　would　hunt　with　them　and　fight　for　them　was　sufficient。　　If　he　growled　and　showed　his　fighting　fangs　when　they　trespassed　upon　his　inalienable　rights　to　the　fruits　of　his　kills　they　felt　no　anger　toward　himonly　greater　respect　for　the　efficient　and　the　fitfor　him　who　could　not　only　kill　but　protect　the　flesh　of　his　kill。

But　toward　Meriem　he　always　had　shown　more　of　his　human　side。　　He　killed　primarily　for　her。　　It　was　to　the　feet　of　Meriem　that　he　brought　the　fruits　of　his　labors。　　It　was　for　Meriem　more　than　for　himself　that　he　squatted　beside　his　flesh　and　growled　ominously　at　whosoever　dared　sniff　too　closely　to　it。　　When　he　was　cold　in　the　dark　days　of　rain；　or　thirsty　in　a　prolonged　drouth；　his　discomfort　engendered　first　of　all　thoughts　of　Meriem's　welfareafter　she　had　been　made　warm；　after　her　thirst　had　been　slaked；　then　he　turned　to　the　affair　of　ministering　to　his　own　wants。

The　softest　skins　fell　gracefully　from　the　graceful　shoulders　of　his　Meriem。　　The　sweetest…sc