the son of tarzan-第40部分

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mbled　with　apprehension　for　the　girl's　safety。

That　another　contemplated　no　worse　a　deed　than　he　had　contemplated　in　no　way　palliated　the　hideousness　of　the　other's　offense。　　At　first　it　did　not　occur　to　him　that　he　would　have　wronged　Meriem　no　less　than　he　believed　〃Hanson〃　contemplated　wronging　her。　　Now　his　rage　was　more　the　rage　of　a　man　beaten　at　his　own　game　and　robbed　of　the　prize　that　he　had　thought　already　his。

〃Do　you　know　where　your　master　has　gone？〃　he　asked　the　black。

〃Yes；　Bwana；〃　replied　the　boy。　　〃He　has　gone　to　the　other　camp　beside　the　big　afi　that　flows　far　toward　the　setting　sun。

〃Can　you　take　me　to　him？〃　demanded　Baynes。

The　boy　nodded　affirmatively。　　Here　he　saw　a　method　of　revenging　himself　upon　his　hated　Bwana　and　at　the　same　time　of　escaping　the　wrath　of　the　Big　Bwana　whom　all　were　positive　would　first　follow　after　the　northerly　safari。

〃Can　you　and　I；　alone；　reach　his　camp？〃　asked　the　Hon。　Morison。

〃Yes；　Bwana；〃　assured　the　black。

Baynes　turned　toward　the　head…man。　　He　was　conversant　with　〃Hanson's〃　plans　now。　　He　understood　why　he　had　wished　to　move　the　northern　camp　as　far　as　possible　toward　the　northern　boundary　of　the　Big　Bwana's　countryit　would　give　him　far　more　time　to　make　his　escape　toward　the　West　Coast　while　the　Big　Bwana　was　chasing　the　northern　contingent。　　Well；　he　would　utilize　the　man's　plans　to　his　own　end。　　He；　too；　must　keep　out　of　the　clutches　of　his　host。

〃You　may　take　the　men　north　as　fast　as　possible；〃　he　said　to　the　head…man。　　〃I　shall　return　and　attempt　to　lead　the　Big　Bwana　to　the　west。〃

The　Negro　assented　with　a　grunt。　　He　had　no　desire　to　follow　this　strange　white　man　who　was　afraid　at　night；　he　had　less　to　remain　at　the　tender　mercies　of　the　Big　Bwana's　lusty　warriors；　between　whom　and　his　people　there　was　long…standing　blood　feud；　and　he　was　more　than　delighted；　into　the　bargain；　for　a　legitimate　excuse　for　deserting　his　much　hated　Swede　master。　He　knew　a　way　to　the　north　and　his　own　country　that　the　white　men　did　not　knowa　short　cut　across　an　arid　plateau　where　lay　water　holes　of　which　the　white　hunters　and　explorers　that　had　passed　from　time　to　time　the　fringe　of　the　dry　country　had　never　dreamed。　　He　might　even　elude　the　Big　Bwana　should　he　follow　them；　and　with　this　thought　uppermost　in　his　mind　he　gathered　the　remnants　of　Malbihn's　safari　into　a　semblance　of　order　and　moved　off　toward　the　north。　　And　toward　the　southwest　the　black　boy　led　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　into　the　jungles。

Korak　had　waited　about　the　camp；　watching　the　Hon。　Morison　until　the　safari　had　started　north。　　Then；　assured　that　the　young　Englishman　was　going　in　the　wrong　direction　to　meet　Meriem　he　had　abandoned　him　and　returned　slowly　to　the　point　where　he　had　seen　the　girl；　for　whom　his　heart　yearned；　in　the　arms　of　another。

So　great　had　been　his　happiness　at　seeing　Meriem　alive　that；　for　the　instant；　no　thought　of　jealousy　had　entered　his　mind。　Later　these　thoughts　had　comedark；　bloody　thoughts　that　would　have　made　the　flesh　of　the　Hon。　Morison　creep　could　he　have　guessed　that　they　were　revolving　in　the　brain　of　a　savage　creature　creeping　stealthily　among　the　branches　of　the　forest　giant　beneath　which　he　waited　the　coming　of　〃Hanson〃　and　the　girl。

And　with　passing　of　the　hours　had　come　subdued　reflection　in　which　he　had　weighed　himself　against　the　trimly　clad　English　gentleman　andfound　that　he　was　wanting。　　What　had　he　to　offer　her　by　comparison　with　that　which　the　other　man　might　offer？　　What　was　his　〃mess　of　pottage〃　to　the　birthright　that　the　other　had　preserved？　　How　could　he　dare　go；　naked　and　unkempt；　to　that　fair　thing　who　had　once　been　his　jungle…fellow　and　propose　the　thing　that　had　been　in　his　mind　when　first　the　realization　of　his　love　had　swept　over　him？　　He　shuddered　as　he　thought　of　the　irreparable　wrong　that　his　love　would　have　done　the　innocent　child　but　for　the　chance　that　had　snatched　her　from　him　before　it　was　too　late。　　Doubtless　she　knew　now　the　horror　that　had　been　in　his　mind。　　Doubtless　she　hated　and　loathed　him　as　he　hated　and　loathed　himself　when　he　let　his　mind　dwell　upon　it。　He　had　lost　her。　　No　more　surely　had　she　been　lost　when　he　thought　her　dead　than　she　was　in　reality　now　that　he　had　seen　her　livingliving　in　the　guise　of　a　refinement　that　had　transfigured　and　sanctified　her。

He　had　loved　her　before；　now　he　worshipped　her。　　He　knew　that　he　might　never　possess　her　now；　but　at　least　he　might　see　her。　　From　a　distance　he　might　look　upon　her。　　Perhaps　he　might　serve　her；　but　never　must　she　guess　that　he　had　found　her　or　that　he　lived。

He　wondered　if　she　ever　thought　of　himif　the　happy　days　that　they　had　spent　together　never　recurred　to　her　mind。　　It　seemed　unbelievable　that　such　could　be　the　case；　and　yet；　too；　it　seemed　almost　equally　unbelievable　that　this　beautiful　girl　was　the　same　disheveled；　half　naked；　little　sprite　who　skipped　nimbly　among　the　branches　of　the　trees　as　they　ran　and　played　in　the　lazy；　happy　days　of　the　past。　　It　could　not　be　that　her　memory　held　more　of　the　past　than　did　her　new　appearance。

It　was　a　sad　Korak　who　ranged　the　jungle　near　the　plain's　edge　waiting　for　the　coming　of　his　Meriemthe　Meriem　who　never　came。

But　there　came　anothera　tall；　broad…shouldered　man　in　khaki　at　the　head　of　a　swarthy　crew　of　ebon　warriors。　　The　man's　face　was　set　in　hard；　stern　lines　and　the　marks　of　sorrow　were　writ　deep　about　his　mouth　and　eyesso　deep　that　the　set　expression　of　rage　upon　his　features　could　not　obliterate　them。

Korak　saw　the　man　pass　beneath　him　where　he　hid　in　the　great　tree　that　had　harbored　him　before　upon　the　edge　of　that　fateful　little　clearing。　　He　saw　him　come　and　he　set　rigid　and　frozen　and　suffering　above　him。　　He　saw　him　search　the　ground　with　his　keen　eyes；　and　he　only　sat　there　watching　with　eyes　that　glazed　from　the　intensity　of　his　gaze。　　He　saw　him　sign　to　his　men　that　he　had　come　upon　that　which　he　sought　and　he　saw　him　pass　out　of　sight　toward　the　north；　and　still　Korak　sat　like　a　graven　image；　with　a　heart　that　bled　in　dumb　misery。　　An　hour　later　Korak　moved　slowly　away；　back　into　the　jungle　toward　the　west。　He　went　listlessly；　with　bent　head　and　stooped　shoulders；　like　an　old　man　who　bore　upon　his　back　the　weight　of　a　great　sorrow。

Baynes；　following　his　black　guide；　battled　his　way　through　the　dense　underbrush；　riding　stooped　low　over　his　horse's　neck；　or　often　he　dismounted　where　the　low　branches　swept　too　close　to　earth　to　permit　him　to　remain　in　the　saddle。　　The　black　was　taking　him　the　shortest　way；　which　was　no　way　at　all　for　a　horseman；　and　after　the　first　day's　march　the　young　Englishman　was　forced　to　abandon　his　mount；　and　follow　his　nimble　guide　entirely　on　foot。

During　the　long　hours　of　marching　the　Hon。　Morison　had　much　time　to　devote　to　thought；　and　as　he　pictured　the　probable　fate　of　Meriem　at　the　hands　of　the　Swede　his　rage　against　the　man　became　the　greater。　　But　presently　there　came　to　him　a　realization　of　the　fact　that　his　own　base　plans　had　led　the　girl　into　this　terrible　predicament；　and　that　even　had　she　escaped　〃Hanson〃　she　would　have　found　but　little　better　deserts　awaiting　her　with　him。

There　came　too；　the　realization　that　Meriem　was　infinitely　more　precious　to　him　than　he　had　imagined。　　For　the　first　time　he　commenced　to　compare　her　with　other　women　of　his　acquaintance　women　of　birth　and　positionand　almost　to　his　surprisehe　discovered　that　the　young　Arab　girl　suffered　less　than　they　by　the　comparison。　　And　then　from　hating　〃Hanson〃　he　came　to　look　upon　himself　with　hate　and　loathingto　see　himself　and　his　perfidious　act　in　all　their　contemptible　hideousness。

Thus；　in　the　crucible　of　shame　amidst　the　white　heat　of　naked　truths；　the　passion　that　the　man　had　felt　for　the　girl　he　had　considered　his　social　inferior　was　transmuted　into　love。　　And　as　he　staggered　on　there　burned　within　him　beside　his　newborn　love　another　great　passionthe　passion　of　hate　urging　him　on　to　the　consummation　of　revenge。

A　creature　of　ease　and　luxury；　he　had　never　been　subjected　to　the　hardships　and　tortures　which　now　were　his　constant　companionship；　yet；　his　clothing　torn；　his　flesh　scratched　and　bleeding；　he　urged　the　black　to　greater　speed；　though　with　every　dozen　steps　he　himself　fell　from　exhaustion。

It　was　revenge　which　kept　him　goingthat　and　a　feeling　that　in　his　suffering　he　was　partially　expiating　the　great　wrong　he　had　done　the　girl　he　lovedfor　hope　of　saving　her　from　the　fate　into　which　he　had　trapped　her　had　never　existed。　　〃Too　late！　　Too　late！〃　was　the　dismal　accompaniment　of　thought　to　which　he　marched。　　〃Too　late！　　Too　late　to　save；　but　not　too　late　to　avenge！〃　　That　kept　him　up。

Only　when　it　became　too　dark　to　see　would　he　permit　of　a　halt。　　A　dozen　times　in　the　afternoon　he　had　threatened　the　black　with　instant　death　when　the　tired　guide　insisted　upon　resting。　The　fellow　was　terrified。　　He　could　not　understand　the　remarkable　change　that　had　so　suddenly　come　over　the　white　man　who　had　been　afraid　in　the　dark　the　night　before。　　He　would　have　deserted　this　terrifying　master　had　he　had　the　opportunity；　but　Baynes　guessed　that　some　such　thought　might　be　in　the　other's　mind；　and　so　gave　the　fellow　none。　　He　kept　close　to　him　by　day　and　slept　touching　him　at　night　in　the　rude　thorn　boma　they　constructed　as　a　slight　protection　against　prowling　carnivora。

That　the　Hon。　Morison　could　sleep　at　all　in　the　midst　of　the　savage　jungle　was　sufficient　indication　that　he　had　changed　considerably　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours；　and　that　he　could　lie　close　beside　a　none…too…fragrant　black　man　spoke　of　possibilities　for　democracy　within　him　yet　all　undreamed　of。

Morning　found　him　stiff　and　lame　and　sore；　but　none　the　less　determined　to　push　on　in　pursuit　of　〃Hanson〃　as　rapidly　as　possible。　　With　his　rifle　he　brought　down　a　buck　at　a　ford　in　a　small　stream　shortly　after　they　broke　camp；　breakfastless。　　Begrudgingly　he　permitted　a　halt　while　they　cooked　and　ate；　and　then　on　again　through　the　wilderness　of　trees　and　vines　and　underbrush。

And　in　the　meantime　Korak　wandered　slowly　westward；　coming　upon　the　trail　of　Tantor；　the　elephant；　whom　he　overtook　browsing　in　the　deep　shade　of　the　jungle。　　The　ape…man；　lonely　and　sorrowing；　was　glad　of　the　companionship　of　his　huge　friend。　　A