The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-06

time to one who cheats at cards, re piled the fellow
 The count leaned across the table and struck the man full in the mouth with his open palm, and then the oth- CTS closed in between them
 .There is some mistake, sir, - cried one of the other players. "Why, this is Count de Coude, of France"
 eff am mistaken, said the aecuser, q shall gladly apologize, but before do so first let monsieur le cOnte ex- plain the extra cards which I saw him drop into his side pocket
 And then the man whom Tarzan had seen drop them there turned to sneak from the room, but found the exit bar red by tall, gray eyed stranger.
 With a low oath he seized Tarzan to push him to one side. The ape-man# but smiled as he twisted the big fel- low about and. grasping him by the collar of his coat, escorted him back to the table. strugg1ng, cursing and striking in futile remonsrance. 1t was Nikolas Rokoff's first experience with the muscles that had brought their savage owner victorious through encounters with Sabor, the tiger; Numa, the lion, and Terkoz, the great bull ape.
 The man V ho had accnsed De Coude and the two s0thers who had been play ing stood looking expectantly at the count
 You ave but to slip your hand in the count coat pocket. said the ac-. cuser And then as the others hesi- tated to do so, Come; shall do it myself if no other will" and he step ped forward toward the count,
 .sNo, monsieur, said De Coude; T will submit to search only at the hands of gentleman 7
 .It is unnecessary to search the count. The cards are in his pocket. myself saw theIn placed there z <
 All turned in surprise toward this new speaker to behold very well built young man urging resisting captive toward them by the scrun of his neck
 .sIt is a conspIracy!' cried De Coude angrfIy. s.Thefe are no cards in my coatr And with that he ran his hand into his pocket As he did so tense si lence reigned in the little group. The count went dead white. and then very slowly he withdrew his hand, and in 1t were three cards
 He looked at them in mute and hor- rified surprise, and slowly the red of modification suffused his face. Ex- pressions of pity and contempt Hnged the features of those who looked on at the death of mans honor.
 aIt is q conspiracy, monsieur It was the gray eyed stranger who spoke AGentlemen,'' he continued, monsieur le coInte did not know that those cards were in his pocket This person whom I just intercepted in an effort to es- cape placed the cards there
 De Coude had glanced from Tarzan to the man in his grasp E aMon Dieu. Nikolas RokoffF' he cried eYou P
 Then he turned to his accuser and eyed him fnteatly for a moment. ssAnd you, monsieur. did not rec ognize you without your beard It quite disguises you, PaaIvitch. T see it all now. It is quite clear, gentle men z He turned to Tarzan.
 eNo, my friend, 7 said the count shastily. ext is a personal matter, and I beg that you will let it drop It is sufficient that I have been exonerated from, the charge The less we have to do with such fellows the better But, monsieur, how can I thank you for the great Kindness you have done mel Permit me to offer you my card.
 Tarzan had released Rokof, who. with his confederate. Pau1vitch, had hastened from the smoking room Just as he was leaving, Rokof turned to 1 Tarzan. ssMonsieur will have ample opportunity to regret his interference in the affairs of others
 Tarzan smiled, and then, lowing to the count, handed him his own card. The count read, Jean c. Tarzan, PAfrique Monsieur Tarzan,. he said, emay indeed wish that he had never be 1 ffiended me, for | can assure him that he has won the enrnity of two of the most unmitigated scoundrels in all Eu- Fope.''
 That night as Tarzan entered his cabin he found folded note upon the 1 floor that had evidently been pushed beneath the door. He opened it and read:
 ! M. Tatzan-Doubtless you did not realize l the gravity of your offense you would not have done the thing you did today. am willing; to believe that you acted in ig- ncrance and without any intention to of fehd stranger; For this reason shall | gladly permit you to effer an apology, and on receiving your assurances that you win not again interfere in afrairs that do not concern you I shall drop the matter
 Otherwise but am sure that you will see the wisdom of adopting the course i, suggest Very respectfully, l NIKOLAS ROKOFF-
 sTarzan permitted grim smile to play about his lips for a moment, then he promptly dropped the matter from his mind and went to bed. I In nearby cabin the Countess de Coude was speaking to her husband. $
 Why so grave, my dear RaouI?'' she l asked. aYou have been as glum as could be all evening. What worries you?'
 'Olga, Nikolas is on board. Did you I know it?'
 sNikoIasp' she exclaimed. e.But it
 is impossible, RaouI. It cannot be-