the son of tarzan-第38部分

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nned　for　herto　be　the　mate　of　an　ape…man；　his　mate；　in　the　savage　jungle。　　Then　he　had　seen　no　wrong　in　it；　for　he　had　loved　her；　and　the　way　he　had　planned　had　been　the　way　of　the　jungle　which　they　two　had　chosen　as　their　home；　but　now；　after　having　seen　the　Meriem　of　civilized　attire；　he　realized　the　hideousness　of　his　once　cherished　plan；　and　he　thanked　God　that　chance　and　the　blacks　of　Kovudoo　had　thwarted　him。

Yet　he　still　loved　her；　and　jealousy　seared　his　soul　as　he　recalled　the　sight　of　her　in　the　arms　of　the　dapper　young　Englishman。　　What　were　his　intentions　toward　her？　　Did　he　really　love　her？　　How　could　one　not　love　her？　　And　she　loved　him；　of　that　Korak　had　had　ample　proof。　　Had　she　not　loved　him　she　would　not　have　accepted　his　kisses。　　His　Meriem　loved　another！　　For　a　long　time　he　let　that　awful　truth　sink　deep；　and　from　it　he　tried　to　reason　out　his　future　plan　of　action。　　In　his　heart　was　a　great　desire　to　follow　the　man　and　slay　him；　but　ever　there　rose　in　his　consciousness　the　thought：　She　loves　him。　　Could　he　slay　the　creature　Meriem　loved？　　Sadly　he　shook　his　head。　　No；　he　could　not。　　Then　came　a　partial　decision　to　follow　Meriem　and　speak　with　her。　　He　half　started；　and　then　glanced　down　at　his　nakedness　and　was　ashamed。　　He；　the　son　of　a　British　peer；　had　thus　thrown　away　his　life；　had　thus　degraded　himself　to　the　level　of　a　beast　that　he　was　ashamed　to　go　to　the　woman　he　loved　and　lay　his　love　at　her　feet。　　He　was　ashamed　to　go　to　the　little　Arab　maid　who　had　been　his　jungle　playmate；　for　what　had　he　to　offer　her？

For　years　circumstances　had　prevented　a　return　to　his　father　and　mother；　and　at　last　pride　had　stepped　in　and　expunged　from　his　mind　the　last　vestige　of　any　intention　to　return。　　In　a　spirit　of　boyish　adventure　he　had　cast　his　lot　with　the　jungle　ape。　　The　killing　of　the　crook　in　the　coast　inn　had　filled　his　childish　mind　with　terror　of　the　law；　and　driven　him　deeper　into　the　wilds。　　The　rebuffs　that　he　had　met　at　the　hands　of　men；　both　black　and　white；　had　had　their　effect　upon　his　mind　while　yet　it　was　in　a　formative　state；　and　easily　influenced。

He　had　come　to　believe　that　the　hand　of　man　was　against　him；　and　then　he　had　found　in　Meriem　the　only　human　association　he　required　or　craved。　　When　she　had　been　snatched　from　him　his　sorrow　had　been　so　deep　that　the　thought　of　ever　mingling　again　with　human　beings　grew　still　more　unutterably　distasteful。　Finally　and　for　all　time；　he　thought；　the　die　was　cast。　　Of　his　own　volition　he　had　become　a　beast；　a　beast　he　had　lived；　a　beast　he　would　die。

Now　that　it　was　too　late；　he　regretted　it。　　For　now　Meriem；　still　living；　had　been　revealed　to　him　in　a　guise　of　progress　and　advancement　that　had　carried　her　completely　out　of　his　life。　Death　itself　could　not　have　further　removed　her　from　him。　　In　her　new　world　she　loved　a　man　of　her　own　kind。　　And　Korak　knew　that　it　was　right。　　She　was　not　for　himnot　for　the　naked；　savage　ape。　　No；　she　was　not　for　him；　but　he　still　was　hers。　　If　he　could　not　have　her　and　happiness；　he　would　at　least　do　all　that　lay　in　his　power　to　assure　happiness　to　her。　　He　would　follow　the　young　Englishman。　　In　the　first　place　he　would　know　that　he　meant　Meriem　no　harm；　and　after　that；　though　jealously　wrenched　his　heart；　he　would　watch　over　the　man　Meriem　loved；　for　Meriem's　sake；　but　God　help　that　man　if　he　thought　to　wrong　her！

Slowly　he　aroused　himself。　　He　stood　erect　and　stretched　his　great　frame；　the　muscles　of　his　arms　gliding　sinuously　beneath　his　tanned　skin　as　he　bent　his　clenched　fists　behind　his　head。　　A　movement　on　the　ground　beneath　caught　his　eye。　　An　antelope　was　entering　the　clearing。　　Immediately　Korak　became　aware　that　he　was　emptyagain　he　was　a　beast。　　For　a　moment　love　had　lifted　him　to　sublime　heights　of　honor　and　renunciation。

The　antelope　was　crossing　the　clearing。　　Korak　dropped　to　the　ground　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　tree；　and　so　lightly　that　not　even　the　sensitive　ears　of　the　antelope　apprehended　his　presence。　He　uncoiled　his　grass　ropeit　was　the　latest　addition　to　his　armament；　yet　he　was　proficient　with　it。　　Often　he　traveled　with　nothing　more　than　his　knife　and　his　ropethey　were　light　and　easy　to　carry。　　His　spear　and　bow　and　arrows　were　cumbersome　and　he　usually　kept　one　or　all　of　them　hidden　away　in　a　private　cache。

Now　he　held　a　single　coil　of　the　long　rope　in　his　right　hand；　and　the　balance　in　his　left。　　The　antelope　was　but　a　few　paces　from　him。　　Silently　Korak　leaped　from　his　hiding　place　swinging　the　rope　free　from　the　entangling　shrubbery。　　The　antelope　sprang　away　almost　instantly；　but　instantly；　too；　the　coiled　rope；　with　its　sliding　noose；　flew　through　the　air　above　him。　　With　unerring　precision　it　settled　about　the　creature's　neck。　　There　was　a　quick　wrist　movement　of　the　thrower；　the　noose　tightened。　　The　Killer　braced　himself　with　the　rope　across　his　hip；　and　as　the　antelope　tautened　the　singing　strands　in　a　last　frantic　bound　for　liberty　he　was　thrown　over　upon　his　back。

Then；　instead　of　approaching　the　fallen　animal　as　a　roper　of　the　western　plains　might　do；　Korak　dragged　his　captive　to　himself；　pulling　him　in　hand　over　hand；　and　when　he　was　within　reach　leaping　upon　him　even　as　Sheeta　the　panther　might　have　done；　and　burying　his　teeth　in　the　animal's　neck　while　he　found　its　heart　with　the　point　of　his　hunting　knife。　　Recoiling　his　rope；　he　cut　a　few　generous　strips　from　his　kill　and　took　to　the　trees　again；　where　he　ate　in　peace。　　Later　he　swung　off　in　the　direction　of　a　nearby　water　hole；　and　then　he　slept。

In　his　mind；　of　course；　was　the　suggestion　of　another　meeting　between　Meriem　and　the　young　Englishman　that　had　been　borne　to　him　by　the　girl's　parting：　　〃Tonight！〃

He　had　not　followed　Meriem　because　he　knew　from　the　direction　from　which　she　had　come　and　in　which　she　returned　that　wheresoever　she　had　found　an　asylum　it　lay　out　across　the　plains　and　not　wishing　to　be　discovered　by　the　girl　he　had　not　cared　to　venture　into　the　open　after　her。　　It　would　do　as　well　to　keep　in　touch　with　the　young　man；　and　that　was　precisely　what　he　intended　doing。

To　you　or　me　the　possibility　of　locating　the　Hon。　Morison　in　the　jungle　after　having　permitted　him　to　get　such　a　considerable　start　might　have　seemed　remote；　but　to　Korak　it　was　not　at　all　so。　　He　guessed　that　the　white　man　would　return　to　his　camp；　but　should　he　have　done　otherwise　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　to　The　Killer　to　trail　a　mounted　man　accompanied　by　another　on　foot。　　Days　might　pass　and　still　such　a　spoor　would　be　sufficiently　plain　to　lead　Korak　unfalteringly　to　its　end；　while　a　matter　of　a　few　hours　only　left　it　as　clear　to　him　as　though　the　makers　themselves　were　still　in　plain　sight。

And　so　it　came　that　a　few　minutes　after　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　entered　the　camp　to　be　greeted　by　Hanson；　Korak　slipped　noiselessly　into　a　near…by　tree。　　There　he　lay　until　late　afternoon　and　still　the　young　Englishman　made　no　move　to　leave　camp。　Korak　wondered　if　Meriem　were　coming　there。　　A　little　later　Hanson　and　one　of　his　black　boys　rode　out　of　camp。　　Korak　merely　noted　the　fact。　　He　was　not　particularly　interested　in　what　any　other　member　of　the　company　than　the　young　Englishman　did。

Darkness　came　and　still　the　young　man　remained。　　He　ate　his　evening　meal；　afterward　smoking　numerous　cigarettes。　　Presently　he　began　to　pace　back　and　forth　before　his　tent。　　He　kept　his　boy　busy　replenishing　the　fire。　　A　lion　coughed　and　he　went　into　his　tent　to　reappear　with　an　express　rifle。　　Again　he　admonished　the　boy　to　throw　more　brush　upon　the　fire。　　Korak　saw　that　he　was　nervous　and　afraid；　and　his　lip　curled　in　a　sneer　of　contempt。

Was　this　the　creature　who　had　supplanted　him　in　the　heart　of　his　Meriem？　　Was　this　a　man；　who　trembled　when　Numa　coughed？　　How　could　such　as　he　protect　Meriem　from　the　countless　dangers　of　the　jungle？　　Ah；　but　he　would　not　have　to。　　They　would　live　in　the　safety　of　European　civilization；　where　men　in　uniforms　were　hired　to　protect　them。　　What　need　had　a　European　of　prowess　to　protect　his　mate？　　Again　the　sneer　curled　Korak's　lip。

Hanson　and　his　boy　had　ridden　directly　to　the　clearing。　　It　was　already　dark　when　they　arrived。　　Leaving　the　boy　there　Hanson　rode　to　the　edge　of　the　plain；　leading　the　boy's　horse。　　There　he　waited。　　It　was　nine　o'clock　before　he　saw　a　solitary　figure　galloping　toward　him　from　the　direction　of　the　bungalow。　　A　few　moments　later　Meriem　drew　in　her　mount　beside　him。　　She　was　nervous　and　flushed。　　When　she　recognized　Hanson　she　drew　back；　startled。

〃Mr。　Baynes'　horse　fell　on　him　and　sprained　his　ankle；〃　Hanson　hastened　to　explain。　　〃He　couldn't　very　well　come　so　he　sent　me　to　meet　you　and　bring　you　to　camp。〃

The　girl　could　not　see　in　the　darkness　the　gloating；　triumphant　expression　on　the　speaker's　face。

〃We　had　better　hurry；〃　continued　Hanson；　〃for　we'll　have　to　move　along　pretty　fast　if　we　don't　want　to　be　overtaken。〃

〃Is　he　hurt　badly？〃　asked　Meriem。

〃Only　a　little　sprain；〃　replied　Hanson。　　〃He　can　ride　all　right；　but　we　both　thought　he'd　better　lie　up　tonight；　and　rest；　for　he'll　have　plenty　hard　riding　in　the　next　few　weeks。〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　the　girl。

Hanson　swung　his　pony　about　and　Meriem　followed　him。　　They　rode　north　along　the　edge　of　the　jungle　for　a　mile　and　then　turned　straight　into　it　toward　the　west。　　Meriem；　following；　payed　little　attention　to　directions。　　She　did　not　know　exactly　where　Hanson's　camp　lay　and　so　she　did　not　guess　that　he　was　not　leading　her　toward　it。　　All　night　they　rode；　straight　toward　the　west。　　When　morning　came；　Hanson　permitted　a　short　halt　for　breakfast；　which　he　had　provided　in　well…filled　saddle　bags　before　leaving　his　camp。　　Then　they　pushed　on　again；　nor　did　they　halt　a　second　time　until　in　the　heat　of　the　day　he　stopped　and　motioned　the　girl　to　dismount。

〃We　will　sleep　here　for　a　time　and　let　the　ponies　graze；〃　he　said。

〃I　had　no　idea　the　camp　was　so　far　away；〃　said　Meriem。

〃I　left　orders　that　they　were　to　move　on　at　day　break；〃　explained　the　trader；　〃so　that　we　could　get　a　good　start。　　I　knew　that　you　and　I　could　easily　overtake　a　laden　safari。　　It　may　not　be　until　tomorrow　that　we'll　catch　up　with　them。〃

But　though　they　traveled　part　of　the　night　and　all　the　following　day　no　sign　of　the　safari　appear