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ent　of　revenge　in　their　motives；　since　it　must　have　been　apparent　that　she　could　no　longer　be　of　any　possible　military　value。

Bitter　indeed　were　the　Germans　against　that　half…savage　mate　of　hers　who　had　cunningly　annoyed　and　harassed　them　with　a　fiendishness　of　persistence　and　ingenuity　that　had　resulted　in　a　noticeable　loss　in　morale　in　the　sector　he　had　chosen　for　his　operations。　They　had　to　charge　against　him　the　lives　of　certain　officers　that　he　had　deliberately　taken　with　his　own　hands；　and　one　entire　section　of　trench　that　had　made　possible　a　disastrous　turning　movement　by　the　British。　Tarzan　had　out…generaled　them　at　every　point。　He　had　met　cunning　with　cunning　and　cruelty　with　cruelties　until　they　feared　and　loathed　his　very　name。　The　cunning　trick　that　they　had　played　upon　him　in　destroying　his　home；　murdering　his　retainers；　and　covering　the　abduction　of　his　wife　in　such　a　way　as　to　lead　him　to　believe　that　she　had　been　killed；　they　had　regretted　a　thousand　times；　for　a　thousandfold　had　they　paid　the　price　for　their　senseless　ruthlessness；　and　now；　unable　to　wreak　their　vengeance　directly　upon　him；　they　had　conceived　the　idea　of　inflicting　further　suffering　upon　his　mate。

In　sending　her　into　the　interior　to　avoid　the　path　of　the　victorious　British；　they　had　chosen　as　her　escort　Lieutenant　Erich　Obergatz　who　had　been　second　in　command　of　Schneider's　company；　and　who　alone　of　its　officers　had　escaped　the　consuming　vengeance　of　the　ape…man。　For　a　long　time　Obergatz　had　held　her　in　a　native　village；　the　chief　of　which　was　still　under　the　domination　of　his　fear　of　the　ruthless　German　oppressors。　While　here　only　hardships　and　discomforts　assailed　her；　Obergatz　himself　being　held　in　leash　by　the　orders　of　his　distant　superior　but　as　time　went　on　the　life　in　the　village　grew　to　be　a　veritable　hell　of　cruelties　and　oppressions　practiced　by　the　arrogant　Prussian　upon　the　villagers　and　the　members　of　his　native　commandfor　time　hung　heavily　upon　the　hands　of　the　lieutenant　and　with　idleness　combining　with　the　personal　discomforts　he　was　compelled　to　endure；　his　none　too　agreeable　temper　found　an　outlet　first　in　petty　interference　with　the　chiefs　and　later　in　the　practice　of　absolute　cruelties　upon　them。

What　the　self…sufficient　German　could　not　see　was　plain　to　Jane　Claytonthat　the　sympathies　of　Obergatz'　native　soldiers　lay　with　the　villagers　and　that　all　were　so　heartily　sickened　by　his　abuse　that　it　needed　now　but　the　slightest　spark　to　detonate　the　mine　of　revenge　and　hatred　that　the　pig…headed　Hun　had　been　assiduously　fabricating　beneath　his　own　person。

And　at　last　it　came；　but　from　an　unexpected　source　in　the　form　of　a　German　native　deserter　from　the　theater　of　war。　Footsore；　weary；　and　spent；　he　dragged　himself　into　the　village　late　one　afternoon；　and　before　Obergatz　was　even　aware　of　his　presence　the　whole　village　knew　that　the　power　of　Germany　in　Africa　was　at　an　end。　It　did　not　take　long　for　the　lieutenant's　native　soldiers　to　realize　that　the　authority　that　held　them　in　service　no　longer　existed　and　that　with　it　had　gone　the　power　to　pay　them　their　miserable　wage。　Or　at　least；　so　they　reasoned。　To　them　Obergatz　no　longer　represented　aught　else　than　a　powerless　and　hated　foreigner；　and　short　indeed　would　have　been　his　shrift　had　not　a　native　woman　who　had　conceived　a　doglike　affection　for　Jane　Clayton　hurried　to　her　with　word　of　the　murderous　plan；　for　the　fate　of　the　innocent　white　woman　lay　in　the　balance　beside　that　of　the　guilty　Teuton。

〃Already　they　are　quarreling　as　to　which　one　shall　possess　you；〃　she　told　Jane。

〃When　will　they　come　for　us？〃　asked　Jane。　〃Did　you　hear　them　say？〃

〃Tonight；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃for　even　now　that　he　has　none　to　fight　for　him　they　still　fear　the　white　man。　And　so　they　will　come　at　night　and　kill　him　while　he　sleeps。〃

Jane　thanked　the　woman　and　sent　her　away　lest　the　suspicion　of　her　fellows　be　aroused　against　her　when　they　discovered　that　the　two　whites　had　learned　of　their　intentions。　The　woman　went　at　once　to　the　hut　occupied　by　Obergatz。　She　had　never　gone　there　before　and　the　German　looked　up　in　surprise　as　he　saw　who　his　visitor　was。

Briefly　she　told　him　what　she　had　heard。　At　first　he　was　inclined　to　bluster　arrogantly；　with　a　great　display　of　bravado　but　she　silenced　him　peremptorily。

〃Such　talk　is　useless；〃　she　said　shortly。　〃You　have　brought　upon　yourself　the　just　hatred　of　these　people。　Regardless　of　the　truth　or　falsity　of　the　report　which　has　been　brought　to　them；　they　believe　in　it　and　there　is　nothing　now　between　you　and　your　Maker　other　than　flight。　We　shall　both　be　dead　before　morning　if　we　are　unable　to　escape　from　the　village　unseen。　If　you　go　to　them　now　with　your　silly　protestations　of　authority　you　will　be　dead　a　little　sooner；　that　is　all。〃

〃You　think　it　is　as　bad　as　that？〃　he　said；　a　noticeable　alteration　in　his　tone　and　manner。

〃It　is　precisely　as　I　have　told　you；〃　she　replied。　〃They　will　come　tonight　and　kill　you　while　you　sleep。　Find　me　pistols　and　a　rifle　and　ammunition　and　we　will　pretend　that　we　go　into　the　jungle　to　hunt。　That　you　have　done　often。　Perhaps　it　will　arouse　suspicion　that　I　accompany　you　but　that　we　must　chance。　And　be　sure　my　dear　Herr　Lieutenant　to　bluster　and　curse　and　abuse　your　servants　unless　they　note　a　change　in　your　manner　and　realizing　your　fear　know　that　you　suspect　their　intention。　If　all　goes　well　then　we　can　go　out　into　the　jungle　to　hunt　and　we　need　not　return。

〃But　first　and　now　you　must　swear　never　to　harm　me；　or　otherwise　it　would　be　better　that　I　called　the　chief　and　turned　you　over　to　him　and　then　put　a　bullet　into　my　own　head；　for　unless　you　swear　as　I　have　asked　I　were　no　better　alone　in　the　jungle　with　you　than　here　at　the　mercies　of　these　degraded　blacks。〃

〃I　swear；〃　he　replied　solemnly；　〃in　the　names　of　my　God　and　my　Kaiser　that　no　harm　shall　befall　you　at　my　hands；　Lady　Greystoke。〃

〃Very　well；〃　she　said；　〃we　will　make　this　pact　to　assist　each　other　to　return　to　civilization；　but　let　it　be　understood　that　there　is　and　never　can　be　any　semblance　even　of　respect　for　you　upon　my　part。　I　am　drowning　and　you　are　the　straw。　Carry　that　always　in　your　mind；　German。〃

If　Obergatz　had　held　any　doubt　as　to　the　sincerity　of　her　word　it　would　have　been　wholly　dissipated　by　the　scathing　contempt　of　her　tone。　And　so　Obergatz；　without　further　parley；　got　pistols　and　an　extra　rifle　for　Jane；　as　well　as　bandoleers　of　cartridges。　In　his　usual　arrogant　and　disagreeable　manner　he　called　his　servants；　telling　them　that　he　and　the　white　kali　were　going　out　into　the　brush　to　hunt。　The　beaters　would　go　north　as　far　as　the　little　hill　and　then　circle　back　to　the　east　and　in　toward　the　village。　The　gun　carriers　he　directed　to　take　the　extra　pieces　and　precede　himself　and　Jane　slowly　toward　the　east；　waiting　for　them　at　the　ford　about　half　a　mile　distant。　The　blacks　responded　with　greater　alacrity　than　usual　and　it　was　noticeable　to　both　Jane　and　Obergatz　that　they　left　the　village　whispering　and　laughing。

〃The　swine　think　it　is　a　great　joke；〃　growled　Obergatz；　〃that　the　afternoon　before　I　die　I　go　out　and　hunt　meat　for　them。〃

As　soon　as　the　gun　bearers　disappeared　in　the　jungle　beyond　the　village　the　two　Europeans　followed　along　the　same　trail；　nor　was　there　any　attempt　upon　the　part　of　Obergatz'　native　soldiers；　or　the　warriors　of　the　chief　to　detain　them；　for　they　too　doubtless　were　more　than　willing　that　the　whites　should　bring　them　in　one　more　mess　of　meat　before　they　killed　them。

A　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　village；　Obergatz　turned　toward　the　south　from　the　trail　that　led　to　the　ford　and　hurrying　onward　the　two　put　as　great　a　distance　as　possible　between　them　and　the　village　before　night　fell。　They　knew　from　the　habits　of　their　erstwhile　hosts　that　there　was　little　danger　of　pursuit　by　night　since　the　villagers　held　Numa；　the　lion；　in　too　great　respect　to　venture　needlessly　beyond　their　stockade　during　the　hours　that　the　king　of　beasts　was　prone　to　choose　for　hunting。

And　thus　began　a　seemingly　endless　sequence　of　frightful　days　and　horror…laden　nights　as　the　two　fought　their　way　toward　the　south　in　the　face　of　almost　inconceivable　hardships；　privations；　and　dangers。　The　east　coast　was　nearer　but　Obergatz　positively　refused　to　chance　throwing　himself　into　the　hands　of　the　British　by　returning　to　the　territory　which　they　now　controlled；　insisting　instead　upon　attempting　to　make　his　way　through　an　unknown　wilderness　to　South　Africa　where；　among　the　Boers；　he　was　convinced　he　would　find　willing　sympathizers　who　would　find　some　way　to　return　him　in　safety　to　Germany；　and　the　woman　was　perforce　compelled　to　accompany　him。

And　so　they　had　crossed　the　great　thorny；　waterless　steppe　and　come　at　last　to　the　edge　of　the　morass　before　Pal…ul…don。　They　had　reached　this　point　just　before　the　rainy　season　when　the　waters　of　the　morass　were　at　their　lowest　ebb。　At　this　time　a　hard　crust　is　baked　upon　the　dried　surface　of　the　marsh　and　there　is　only　the　open　water　at　the　center　to　materially　impede　progress。　It　is　a　condition　that　exists　perhaps　not　more　than　a　few　weeks；　or　even　days　at　the　termination　of　long　periods　of　drought；　and　so　the　two　crossed　the　otherwise　almost　impassable　barrier　without　real