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the return of tarzan-第11节

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〃This is another move by your estimable brother。

Tomorrow the count will hear of it。  He will question

the servants。  Everything will point toto what Rokoff

wishes the count to think。〃



〃The scoundrel!〃 cried Olga。  She had arisen; and come close

to Tarzan; where she stood looking up into his face。

She was very frightened。  In her eyes was an expression that the

hunter sees in those of a poor; terrified doepuzzledquestioning。

She trembled; and to steady herself raised her hands to his

broad shoulders。  〃What shall we do; Jean?〃 she whispered。

〃It is terrible。  Tomorrow all Paris will read of

ithe will see to that。〃



Her look; her attitude; her words were eloquent of the age…

old appeal of defenseless woman to her natural protectorman。

Tarzan took one of the warm little hands that lay on his

breast in his own strong one。  The act was quite involuntary;

and almost equally so was the instinct of protection that

threw a sheltering arm around the girl's shoulders。



The result was electrical。  Never before had he been so close

to her。  In startled guilt they looked suddenly into each

other's eyes; and where Olga de Coude should have been

strong she was weak; for she crept closer into the man's arms;

and clasped her own about his neck。  And Tarzan of the Apes?

He took the panting figure into his mighty arms; and covered

the hot lips with kisses。



Raoul de Coude made hurried excuses to his host after he

had read the note handed him by the ambassador's butler。

Never afterward could he recall the nature of the excuses

he made。  Everything was quite a blur to him up to the

time that he stood on the threshold of his own home。

Then he became very cool; moving quietly and with caution。

For some inexplicable reason Jacques had the door open before

he was halfway to the steps。  It did not strike him at the

time as being unusual; though afterward he remarked it。



Very softly he tiptoed up the stairs and along the gallery

to the door of his wife's boudoir。  In his hand was a

heavy walking stickin his heart; murder。



Olga was the first to see him。  With a horrified shriek she

tore herself from Tarzan's arms; and the ape…man turned just

in time to ward with his arm a terrific blow that De Coude

had aimed at his head。  Once; twice; three times the heavy

stick fell with lightning rapidity; and each blow aided in the

transition of the ape…man back to the primordial。



With the low; guttural snarl of the bull ape he sprang for

the Frenchman。  The great stick was torn from his grasp and

broken in two as though it had been matchwood; to be flung aside

as the now infuriated beast charged for his adversary's throat。

Olga de Coude stood a horrified spectator of the terrible

scene which ensued during the next brief moment; then

she sprang to where Tarzan was murdering her husband

choking the life from himshaking him as a terrier might

shake a rat。



Frantically she tore at his great hands。  〃Mother of

God!〃 she cried。  〃You are killing him; you are killing him!

Oh; Jean; you are killing my husband!〃



Tarzan was deaf with rage。  Suddenly he hurled the body

to the floor; and; placing his foot upon the upturned breast;

raised his head。  Then through the palace of the Count de

Coude rang the awesome challenge of the bull ape that has

made a kill。  From cellar to attic the horrid sound searched

out the servants; and left them blanched and trembling。

The woman in the room sank to her knees beside the body

of her husband; and prayed。



Slowly the red mist faded from before Tarzan's eyes。

Things began to take formhe was regaining the perspective of

civilized man。  His eyes fell upon the figure of the kneeling woman。

〃Olga;〃 he whispered。  She looked up; expecting to see the

maniacal light of murder in the eyes above her。

Instead she saw sorrow and contrition。



〃Oh; Jean!〃 she cried。  〃See what you have done。  He was

my husband。  I loved him; and you have killed him。〃



Very gently Tarzan raised the limp form of the Count de

Coude and bore it to a couch。  Then he put his ear to the

man's breast。



〃Some brandy; Olga;〃 he said。



She brought it; and together they forced it between his lips。

Presently a faint gasp came from the white lips。

The head turned; and De Coude groaned。



〃He will not die;〃 said Tarzan。  〃Thank God!〃



〃Why did you do it; Jean?〃 she asked。



〃I do not know。  He struck me; and I went mad。  I have

seen the apes of my tribe do the same thing。  I have never

told you my story; Olga。  It would have been better had you

known itthis might not have happened。  I never saw my father。

The only mother I knew was a ferocious she…ape。 Until I was

fifteen I had never seen a human being。  I was twenty before

I saw a white man。  A little more than a year ago I was a

naked beast of prey in an African jungle。



〃Do not judge me too harshly。  Two years is too short a time

in which to attempt to work the change in an individual that

it has taken countless ages to accomplish in the white race。〃



〃I do not judge at all; Jean。  The fault is mine。

You must go nowhe must not find you here when he

regains consciousness。  Good…by。〃



It was a sorrowful Tarzan who walked with bowed head

from the palace of the Count de Coude。



Once outside his thoughts took definite shape; to the end

that twenty minutes later he entered a police station not

far from the Rue Maule。  Here he soon found one of the

officers with whom he had had the encounter several weeks

previous。  The policeman was genuinely glad to see again

the man who had so roughly handled him。  After a moment

of conversation Tarzan asked if he had ever heard of

Nikolas Rokoff or Alexis Paulvitch。



〃Very often; indeed; monsieur。  Each has a police record;

and while there is nothing charged against them now; we

make it a point to know pretty well where they may be found

should the occasion demand。  It is only the same precaution

that we take with every known criminal。  Why does monsieur ask?〃



〃They are known to me;〃 replied Tarzan。  〃I wish to see

Monsieur Rokoff on a little matter of business。  If you can

direct me to his lodgings I shall appreciate it。〃



A few minutes later he bade the policeman adieu; and;

with a slip of paper in his pocket bearing a certain address

in a semirespectable quarter; he walked briskly toward the

nearest taxi stand。



Rokoff and Paulvitch had returned to their rooms; and were

sitting talking over the probable outcome of the evening's

events。  They had telephoned to the offices of two of the

morning papers from which they momentarily expected

representatives to hear the first report of the scandal

that was to stir social Paris on the morrow。



A heavy step sounded on the stairway。  〃Ah; but these

newspaper men are prompt;〃 exclaimed Rokoff; and as a knock

fell upon the door of their room:  〃Enter; monsieur。〃



The smile of welcome froze upon the Russian's face as

he looked into the hard; gray eyes of his visitor。



〃Name of a name!〃 he shouted; springing to his feet;

〃What brings you here!〃



〃Sit down!〃 said Tarzan; so low that the men could barely

catch the words; but in a tone that brought Rokoff to his

chair; and kept Paulvitch in his。



〃You know what has brought me here;〃 he continued; in

the same low tone。  〃It should be to kill you; but because

you are Olga de Coude's brother I shall not do thatnow。



〃I shall give you a chance for your lives。  Paulvitch does

not count muchhe is merely a stupid; foolish little tool;

and so I shall not kill him so long as I permit you to live。

Before I leave you two alive in this room you will have done

two things。  The first will be to write a full confession of

your connection with tonight's plotand sign it。



〃The second will be to promise me upon pain of death that you

will permit no word of this affair to get into the newspapers。

If you do not do both; neither of you will be alive when I

pass next through that doorway。  Do you understand?〃

And; without waiting for a reply:  〃Make haste; there is ink

before you; and paper and a pen。〃



Rokoff assumed a truculent air; attempting by bravado to

show how little he feared Tarzan's threats。  An instant later

he felt the ape…man's steel fingers at his throat; and Paulvitch;

who attempted to dodge them and reach the door; was

lifted completely off the floor; and hurled senseless into a

corner。  When Rokoff commenced to blacken about the face

Tarzan released his hold and shoved the fellow back into

his chair。  After a moment of coughing Rokoff sat sullenly

glaring at the man standing opposite him。  Presently Paulvitch

came to himself; and limped painfully back to his chair

at Tarzan's command。



〃Now write;〃 said the ape…man。  〃If it is necessary to handle

you again I shall not be so lenient。〃



Rokoff picked up a pen and commenced to write。



〃See that y

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