the son of tarzan-第42部分

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ckly　she　ran　from　her　hiding　place　and　dropped　to　the　ground。　　A　dozen　yards　lay　between　her　and　the　canoe。

Up　stream；　beyond　the　bend；　Malbihn　ordered　his　canoes　in　to　shore。　　He　landed　with　his　head　man　and　crossed　the　little　point　slowly　in　search　of　a　spot　where　he　might　watch　the　canoe　he　had　left　at　the　landing　place。　　He　was　smiling　in　anticipation　of　the　almost　certain　success　of　his　stratagemsooner　or　later　the　girl　would　come　back　and　attempt　to　cross　the　river　in　one　of　their　canoes。　　It　might　be　that　the　idea　would　not　occur　to　her　for　some　time。　　They　might　have　to　wait　a　day；　or　two　days；　but　that　she　would　come　if　she　lived　or　was　not　captured　by　the　men　he　had　scouting　the　jungle　for　her　Malbihn　was　sure。　　That　she　would　come　so　soon；　however；　he　had　not　guessed；　and　so　when　he　topped　the　point　and　came　again　within　sight　of　the　river　he　saw　that　which　drew　an　angry　oath　from　his　lipshis　quarry　already　was　half　way　across　the　river。

Turning；　he　ran　rapidly　back　to　his　boats；　the　head　man　at　his　heels。　　Throwing　themselves　in；　Malbihn　urged　his　paddlers　to　their　most　powerful　efforts。　　The　canoes　shot　out　into　the　stream　and　down　with　the　current　toward　the　fleeing　quarry。　　She　had　almost　completed　the　crossing　when　they　came　in　sight　of　her。　　At　the　same　instant　she　saw　them；　and　redoubled　her　efforts　to　reach　the　opposite　shore　before　they　should　overtake　her。　　Two　minutes'　start　of　them　was　all　Meriem　cared　for。　　Once　in　the　trees　she　knew　that　she　could　outdistance　and　elude　them。　　Her　hopes　were　highthey　could　not　overtake　her　nowshe　had　had　too　good　a　start　of　them。

Malbihn；　urging　his　men　onward　with　a　stream　of　hideous　oaths　and　blows　from　his　fists；　realized　that　the　girl　was　again　slipping　from　his　clutches。　　The　leading　canoe；　in　the　bow　of　which　he　stood；　was　yet　a　hundred　yards　behind　the　fleeing　Meriem　when　she　ran　the　point　of　her　craft　beneath　the　overhanging　trees　on　the　shore　of　safety。

Malbihn　screamed　to　her　to　halt。　　He　seemed　to　have　gone　mad　with　rage　at　the　realization　that　he　could　not　overtake　her；　and　then　he　threw　his　rifle　to　his　shoulder；　aimed　carefully　at　the　slim　figure　scrambling　into　the　trees；　and　fired。

Malbihn　was　an　excellent　shot。　　His　misses　at　so　short　a　distance　were　practically　non…existent；　nor　would　he　have　missed　this　time　but　for　an　accident　occurring　at　the　very　instant　that　his　finger　tightened　upon　the　triggeran　accident　to　which　Meriem　owed　her　lifethe　providential　presence　of　a　water…logged　tree　trunk；　one　end　of　which　was　embedded　in　the　mud　of　the　river　bottom　and　the　other　end　of　which　floated　just　beneath　the　surface　where　the　prow　of　Malbihn's　canoe　ran　upon　it　as　he　fired。　　The　slight　deviation　of　the　boat's　direction　was　sufficient　to　throw　the　muzzle　of　the　rifle　out　of　aim。　　The　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　by　Meriem's　head　and　an　instant　later　she　had　disappeared　into　the　foliage　of　the　tree。

There　was　a　smile　on　her　lips　as　she　dropped　to　the　ground　to　cross　a　little　clearing　where　once　had　stood　a　native　village　surrounded　by　its　fields。　　The　ruined　huts　still　stood　in　crumbling　decay。　　The　rank　vegetation　of　the　jungle　overgrew　the　cultivated　ground。　　Small　trees　already　had　sprung　up　in　what　had　been　the　village　street；　but　desolation　and　loneliness　hung　like　a　pall　above　the　scene。　　To　Meriem；　however；　it　presented　but　a　place　denuded　of　large　trees　which　she　must　cross　quickly　to　regain　the　jungle　upon　the　opposite　side　before　Malbihn　should　have　landed。

The　deserted　huts　were；　to　her；　all　the　better　because　they　were　desertedshe　did　not　see　the　keen　eyes　watching　her　from　a　dozen　points；　from　tumbling　doorways；　from　behind　tottering　granaries。　　In　utter　unconsciousness　of　impending　danger　she　started　up　the　village　street　because　it　offered　the　clearest　pathway　to　the　jungle。

A　mile　away　toward　the　east；　fighting　his　way　through　the　jungle　along　the　trail　taken　by　Malbihn　when　he　had　brought　Meriem　to　his　camp；　a　man　in　torn　khakifilthy；　haggard；　unkemptcame　to　a　sudden　stop　as　the　report　of　Malbihn's　rifle　resounded　faintly　through　the　tangled　forest。　　The　black　man　just　ahead　of　him　stopped；　too。

〃We　are　almost　there；　Bwana；〃　he　said。　　There　was　awe　and　respect　in　his　tone　and　manner。

The　white　man　nodded　and　motioned　his　ebon　guide　forward　once　more。　　It　was　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynesthe　fastidious　the　exquisite。　　His　face　and　hands　were　scratched　and　smeared　with　dried　blood　from　the　wounds　he　had　come　by　in　thorn　and　thicket。　　His　clothes　were　tatters。　　But　through　the　blood　and　the　dirt　and　the　rags　a　new　Baynes　shone　fortha　handsomer　Baynes　than　the　dandy　and　the　fop　of　yore。

In　the　heart　and　soul　of　every　son　of　woman　lies　the　germ　of　manhood　and　honor。　　Remorse　for　a　scurvy　act；　and　an　honorable　desire　to　right　the　wrong　he　had　done　the　woman　he　now　knew　he　really　loved　had　excited　these　germs　to　rapid　growth　in　Morison　Baynesand　the　metamorphosis　had　taken　place。

Onward　the　two　stumbled　toward　the　point　from　which　the　single　rifle　shot　had　come。　　The　black　was　unarmedBaynes；　fearing　his　loyalty　had　not　dared　trust　him　even　to　carry　the　rifle　which　the　white　man　would　have　been　glad　to　be　relieved　of　many　times　upon　the　long　march；　but　now　that　they　were　approaching　their　goal；　and　knowing　as　he　did　that　hatred　of　Malbihn　burned　hot　in　the　black　man's　brain；　Baynes　handed　him　the　rifle；　for　he　guessed　that　there　would　be　fightinghe　intended　that　there　should；　or　he　had　come　to　avenge。　　Himself；　an　excellent　revolver　shot；　would　depend　upon　the　smaller　weapon　at　his　side。

As　the　two　forged　ahead　toward　their　goal　they　were　startled　by　a　volley　of　shots　ahead　of　them。　　Then　came　a　few　scattering　reports；　some　savage　yells；　and　silence。　　Baynes　was　frantic　in　his　endeavors　to　advance　more　rapidly；　but　there　the　jungle　seemed　a　thousand　times　more　tangled　than　before。　　A　dozen　times　he　tripped　and　fell。　　Twice　the　black　followed　a　blind　trail　and　they　were　forced　to　retrace　their　steps；　but　at　last　they　came　out　into　a　little　clearing　near　the　big　afia　clearing　that　once　held　a　thriving　village；　but　lay　somber　and　desolate　in　decay　and　ruin。

In　the　jungle　vegetation　that　overgrew　what　had　once　been　the　main　village　street　lay　the　body　of　a　black　man；　pierced　through　the　heart　with　a　bullet；　and　still　warm。　　Baynes　and　his　companion　looked　about　in　all　directions；　but　no　sign　of　living　being　could　they　discover。　　They　stood　in　silence　listening　intently。

What　was　that！　　Voices　and　the　dip　of　paddles　out　upon　the　river？

Baynes　ran　across　the　dead　village　toward　the　fringe　of　jungle　upon　the　river's　brim。　　The　black　was　at　his　side。　　Together　they　forced　their　way　through　the　screening　foliage　until　they　could　obtain　a　view　of　the　river；　and　there；　almost　to　the　other　shore；　they　saw　Malbihn's　canoes　making　rapidly　for　camp。　　The　black　recognized　his　companions　immediately。

〃How　can　we　cross？〃　asked　Baynes。

The　black　shook　his　head。　　There　was　no　canoe　and　the　crocodiles　made　it　equivalent　to　suicide　to　enter　the　water　in　an　attempt　to　swim　across。　　Just　then　the　fellow　chanced　to　glance　downward。　　Beneath　him；　wedged　among　the　branches　of　a　tree；　lay　the　canoe　in　which　Meriem　had　escaped。　　The　Negro　grasped　Baynes'　arm　and　pointed　toward　his　find。　　The　Hon。　Morison　could　scarce　repress　a　shout　of　exultation。　　Quickly　the　two　slid　down　the　drooping　branches　into　the　boat。　　The　black　seized　the　paddle　and　Baynes　shoved　them　out　from　beneath　the　tree。　　A　second　later　the　canoe　shot　out　upon　the　bosom　of　the　river　and　headed　toward　the　opposite　shore　and　the　camp　of　the　Swede。　　Baynes　squatted　in　the　bow；　straining　his　eyes　after　the　men　pulling　the　other　canoes　upon　the　bank　across　from　him。　　He　saw　Malbihn　step　from　the　bow　of　the　foremost　of　the　little　craft。　　He　saw　him　turn　and　glance　back　across　the　river。　　He　could　see　his　start　of　surprise　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　pursuing　canoe；　and　called　the　attention　of　his　followers　to　it。

Then　he　stood　waiting；　for　there　was　but　one　canoe　and　two　menlittle　danger　to　him　and　his　followers　in　that。　　Malbihn　was　puzzled。　　Who　was　this　white　man？　　He　did　not　recognize　him　though　Baynes'　canoe　was　now　in　mid　stream　and　the　features　of　both　its　occupants　plainly　discernible　to　those　on　shore。　　One　of　Malbihn's　blacks　it　was　who　first　recognized　his　fellow　black　in　the　person　of　Baynes'　companion。　　Then　Malbihn　guessed　who　the　white　man　must　be；　though　he　could　scarce　believe　his　own　reasoning。　　It　seemed　beyond　the　pale　of　wildest　conjecture　to　suppose　that　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　had　followed　him　through　the　jungle　with　but　a　single　companion　and　yet　it　was　true。　　Beneath　the　dirt　and　dishevelment　he　recognized　him　at　last；　and　in　the　necessity　of　admitting　that　it　was　he；　Malbihn　was　forced　to　recognize　the　incentive　that　had　driven　Baynes；　the　weakling　and　coward；　through　the　savage　jungle　upon　his　trail。

The　man　had　come　to　demand　an　accounting　and　to　avenge。　　It　seemed　incredible；　and　yet　there　could　be　no　other　explanation。　　Malbihn　shrugged。　　Well；　others　had　sought　Malbihn　for　similar　reasons　in　the　course　of　a　long　and　checkered　career。　　He　fingered　his　rifle；　and　waited。

Now　the　canoe　was　within　easy　speaking　distance　of　the　shore。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　yelled　Malbihn；　raising　his　weapon　threateningly。

The　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　leaped　to　his　feet。

〃You；　damn　you！〃　he　shouted；　whipping　out　his　revolver　and　firing　almost　simultaneously　with　the　Swede。

As　the　two　reports　rang　out　Malbihn　dropped　his　rifle；　clutched　frantically　at　his　breast；　staggered；　fell　first　to　his　knees　and　then　lunged　upon　his　face。　　Baynes　stiffened。　　His　head　flew　back　spasmodically。　　For　an　instant　he　stood　thus；　and　then　crumpled　very　gently　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat。

The　black　paddler　was　at　a　loss　as　to　what　to　do。　　If　Malbihn　really　were　dead　he　could　continue　on　to　join　his　fellows　without　fear；　but　should　the　Swede　only　be　wounded　he　would　be　safer　upon　the　far　shore。　　Therefore　he　hesitated；　holding　the　canoe　in　mid　stream。　　He　had　come　to　have　considerable　respect　for　his　new　master　and　was　not　unmoved　by　his　death。　　As　he　sat　gazing　at　the　crumpled　body　in　the　bow　of　the　boat　he　saw　it　move。　Very　feebly　the　man　essayed　to　turn　over。　　He　still　lived。　　The　bl