the son of tarzan-第52节

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The　ape…man；　as　unafraid　of　the　mighty　Tantor　as　though　he　had　not　just　witnessed　his　shocking　murder　of　a　human　being；　signalled　the　beast　to　approach　and　lift　him　to　its　head；　and　Tantor　came　as　he　was　bid；　docile　as　a　kitten；　and　hoisted　The　Killer　tenderly　aloft。

From　the　safety　of　their　hiding　places　in　the　jungle　Malbihn's　boys　had　witnessed　the　killing　of　their　master；　and　now；　with　wide；　frightened　eyes；　they　saw　the　strange　white　warrior；

mounted　upon　the　head　of　his　ferocious　charger；　disappear　into　the　jungle　at　the　point　from　which　he　had　emerged　upon　their　terrified　vision。



Chapter　25

The　Sheik　glowered　at　the　prisoner　which　his　two　men　brought　back　to　him　from　the　North。　　He　had　sent　the　party　after　Abdul　Kamak；　and　he　was　wroth　that　instead　of　his　erstwhile　lieutenant　they　had　sent　back　a　wounded　and　useless　Englishman。　　Why　had　they　not　dispatched　him　where　they　had　found　him？　　He　was　some　penniless　beggar　of　a　trader　who　had　wandered　from　his　own　district　and　became　lost。　　He　was　worthless。　　The　Sheik　scowled　terribly　upon　him。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked　in　French。

〃I　am　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　of　London；〃　replied　his　prisoner。

The　title　sounded　promising；　and　at　once　the　wily　old　robber　had　visions　of　ransom。　　His　intentions；　if　not　his　attitude　toward　the　prisoner　underwent　a　changehe　would　investigate　further。

〃What　were　you　doing　poaching　in　my　country？〃　growled　he。

〃I　was　not　aware　that　you　owned　Africa；〃　replied　the　Hon。　Morison。　　〃I　was　searching　for　a　young　woman　who　had　been　abducted　from　the　home　of　a　friend。　　The　abductor　wounded　me　and　I　drifted　down　river　in　a　canoeI　was　on　my　back　to　his　camp　when　your　men　seized　me。〃

〃A　young　woman？〃　asked　The　Sheik。　　〃Is　that　she？〃　and　he　pointed　to　his　left　over　toward　a　clump　of　bushes　near　the　stockade。

Baynes　looked　in　the　direction　indicated　and　his　eyes　went　wide；　for　there；　sitting　cross…legged　upon　the　ground；　her　back　toward　them；　was　Meriem。

〃Meriem！〃　he　shouted；　starting　toward　her；　but　one　of　his　guards　grasped　his　arm　and　jerked　him　back。　　The　girl　leaped　to　her　feet　and　turned　toward　him　as　she　heard　her　name。

〃Morison！〃　she　cried。

〃Be　still；　and　stay　where　you　are；〃　snapped　The　Sheik；　and　then　to　Baynes。　　〃So　you　are　the　dog　of　a　Christian　who　stole　my　daughter　from　me？〃

〃Your　daughter？〃　ejaculated　Baynes。　　〃She　is　your　daughter？〃

〃She　is　my　daughter；〃　growled　the　Arab；　〃and　she　is　not　for　any　unbeliever。　　You　have　earned　death；　Englishman；　but　if　you　can　pay　for　your　life　I　will　give　it　to　you。〃

Baynes'　eyes　were　still　wide　at　the　unexpected　sight　of　Meriem　here　in　the　camp　of　the　Arab　when　he　had　thought　her　in　Hanson's　power。　　What　had　happened？　　How　had　she　escaped　the　Swede？　　Had　the　Arab　taken　her　by　force　from　him；　or　had　she　escaped　and　come　voluntarily　back　to　the　protection　of　the　man　who　called　her　〃daughter〃？　　He　would　have　given　much　for　a　word　with　her。　　If　she　was　safe　here　he　might　only　harm　her　by　antagonizing　the　Arab　in　an　attempt　to　take　her　away　and　return　her　to　her　English　friends。　　No　longer　did　the　Hon。　Morison　harbor　thoughts　of　luring　the　girl　to　London。

〃Well？〃　asked　The　Sheik。

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　Baynes；　〃I　beg　your　pardonI　was　thinking　of　something　else。　　Why　yes；　of　course；　glad　to　pay；　I'm　sure。　How　much　do　you　think　I'm　worth？〃

The　Sheik　named　a　sum　that　was　rather　less　exorbitant　than　the　Hon。　Morison　had　anticipated。　　The　latter　nodded　his　head　in　token　of　his　entire　willingness　to　pay。　　He　would　have　promised　a　sum　far　beyond　his　resources　just　as　readily；　for　he　had　no　intention　of　paying　anythinghis　one　reason　for　seeming　to　comply　with　The　Sheik's　demands　was　that　the　wait　for　the　coming　of　the　ransom　money　would　give　him　the　time　and　the　opportunity　to　free　Meriem　if　he　found　that　she　wished　to　be　freed。　　The　Arab's　statement　that　he　was　her　father　naturally　raised　the　question　in　the　Hon。　Morison's　mind　as　to　precisely　what　the　girl's　attitude　toward　escape　might　be。　　It　seemed；　of　course；　preposterous　that　this　fair　and　beautiful　young　woman　should　prefer　to　remain　in　the　filthy　douar　of　an　illiterate　old　Arab　rather　than　return　to　the　comforts；　luxuries；　and　congenial　associations　of　the　hospitable　African　bungalow　from　which　the　Hon。　Morison　had　tricked　her。　　The　man　flushed　at　the　thought　of　his　duplicity　which　these　recollections　aroused　thoughts　which　were　interrupted　by　The　Sheik；　who　instructed　the　Hon。　Morison　to　write　a　letter　to　the　British　consul　at　Algiers；　dictating　the　exact　phraseology　of　it　with　a　fluency　that　indicated　to　his　captive　that　this　was　not　the　first　time　the　old　rascal　had　had　occasion　to　negotiate　with　English　relatives　for　the　ransom　of　a　kinsman。　　Baynes　demurred　when　he　saw　that　the　letter　was　addressed　to　the　consul　at　Algiers；　saying　that　it　would　require　the　better　part　of　a　year　to　get　the　money　back　to　him；　but　The　Sheik　would　not　listen　to　Baynes'　plan　to　send　a　messenger　directly　to　the　nearest　coast　town；　and　from　there　communicate　with　the　nearest　cable　state；　sending　the　Hon。　Morison's　request　for　funds　straight　to　his　own　solicitors。　　No；　The　Sheik　was　cautious　and　wary。　　He　knew　his　own　plan　had　worked　well　in　the　past。　　In　the　other　were　too　many　untried　elements。　　He　was　in　no　hurry　for　the　moneyhe　could　wait　a　year；　or　two　years　if　necessary；　but　it　should　not　require　over　six　months。　　He　turned　to　one　of　the　Arabs　who　had　been　standing　behind　him　and　gave　the　fellow　instructions　in　relation　to　the　prisoner。

Baynes　could　not　understand　the　words；　spoken　in　Arabic；　but　the　jerk　of　the　thumb　toward　him　showed　that　he　was　the　subject　of　conversation。　　The　Arab　addressed　by　The　Sheik　bowed　to　his　master　and　beckoned　Baynes　to　follow　him。　　The　Englishman　looked　toward　The　Sheik　for　confirmation。　　The　latter　nodded　impatiently；　and　the　Hon。　Morison　rose　and　followed　his　guide　toward　a　native　hut　which　lay　close　beside　one　of　the　outside　goatskin　tents。　　In　the　dark；　stifling　interior　his　guard　led　him；　then　stepped　to　the　doorway　and　called　to　a　couple　of　black　boys　squatting　before　their　own　huts。　　They　came　promptly　and　in　accordance　with　the　Arab's　instructions　bound　Baynes'　wrists　and　ankles　securely。　　The　Englishman　objected　strenuously；　but　as　neither　the　blacks　nor　the　Arab　could　understand　a　word　he　said　his　pleas　were　wasted。　　Having　bound　him　they　left　the　hut。　The　Hon。　Morison　lay　for　a　long　time　contemplating　the　frightful　future　which　awaited　him　during　the　long　months　which　must　intervene　before　his　friends　learned　of　his　predicament　and　could　get　succor　to　him。　　Now　he　hoped　that　they　would　send　the　ransomhe　would　gladly　pay　all　that　he　was　worth　to　be　out　of　this　hole。　　At　first　it　had　been　his　intention　to　cable　his　solicitors　to　send　no　money　but　to　communicate　with　the　British　West　African　authorities　and　have　an　expedition　sent　to　his　aid。

His　patrician　nose　wrinkled　in　disgust　as　his　nostrils　were　assailed　by　the　awful　stench　of　the　hut。　　The　nasty　grasses　upon　which　he　lay　exuded　the　effluvium　of　sweaty　bodies；　of　decayed　animal　matter　and　of　offal。　　But　worse　was　yet　to　come。　　He　had　lain　in　the　uncomfortable　position　in　which　they　had　thrown　him　but　for　a　few　minutes　when　he　became　distinctly　conscious　of　an　acute　itching　sensation　upon　his　hands；　his　neck　and　scalp。　He　wriggled　to　a　sitting　posture　horrified　and　disgusted。　　The　itching　rapidly　extended　to　other　parts　of　his　bodyit　was　torture；　and　his　hands　were　bound　securely　at　his　back！

He　tugged　and　pulled　at　his　bonds　until　he　was　exhausted；　but　not　entirely　without　hope；　for　he　was　sure　that　he　was　working　enough　slack　out　of　the　knot　to　eventually　permit　of　his　withdrawing　one　of　his　hands。　　Night　came。　　They　brought　him　neither　food　nor　drink。　　He　wondered　if　they　expected　him　to　live　on　nothing　for　a　year。　　The　bites　of　the　vermin　grew　less　annoying　though　not　less　numerous。　　The　Hon。　Morison　saw　a　ray　of　hope　in　this　indication　of　future　immunity　through　inoculation。　He　still　worked　weakly　at　his　bonds；　and　then　the　rats　came。　　If　the　vermin　were　disgusting　the　rats　were　terrifying。　　They　scurried　over　his　body；　squealing　and　fighting。　　Finally　one　commenced　to　chew　at　one　of　his　ears。　　With　an　oath；　the　Hon。　Morison　struggled　to　a　sitting　posture。　　The　rats　retreated。　　He　worked　his　legs　beneath　him　and　came　to　his　knees；　and　then；　by　superhuman　effort；　rose　to　his　feet。　　There　he　stood；　reeling　drunkenly；　dripping　with　cold　sweat。

〃God！〃　he　muttered；　〃what　have　I　done　to　deserve〃　　He　paused。　　What　had　he　done？　　He　thought　of　the　girl　in　another　tent　in　that　accursed　village。　　He　was　getting　his　deserts。　　He　set　his　jaws　firmly　with　the　realization。　　He　would　never　complain　again！　　At　that　moment　he　became　aware　of　voices　raised　angrily　in　the　goatskin　tent　close　beside　the　hut　in　which　he　lay。　　One　of　them　was　a　woman's。　　Could　it　be　Meriem's？　　The　language　was　probably　Arabiche　could　not　understand　a　word　of　it；　but　the　tones　were　hers。

He　tried　to　think　of　some　way　of　attracting　her　attention　to　his　near　presence。　　If　she　could　remove　his　bonds　they　might　escape　togetherif　she　wished　to　escape。　　That　thought　bothered　him。　　He　was　not　sure　of　her　status　in　the　village。　　If　she　were　the　petted　child　of　the　powerful　She