The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-02

VIII not again interfere In affairs that do
not concern you shall drop the matter.
O.herwise-but am sure that you will
see the wisdom of adopting the course /
suggest. Very respectfully. p
NIKOLAS ROKOFF.
Tarzan permitted grim smile to
play about his lips for a moment, then
he promptly dropped the matter from
his mind and went to bed.
In nearby cabin the Countess de
Coude was speaking to her husband.
why SO grave. my dear Raoul?" she
asked. "You have been as glum as
could be all evening. What worries
you?" ..- .--s.... &
"Olga. Nikolas is on b. GARD. Did you
know it?' <.-.. ... i
''Nikolas!' she exclaimed. "But it
Is impossible. Raoul. 1t cannot be.
Nikolas is under arrest in Germany"
$50 i thought myself until saw
him today-him and that other arch
scoundrel. Paulvitch. Olga, cannot
endure his persecution much longer
no. not even for you. Sooner or later
I shall turn him over to the authori-
ties
"Oh. no, Raoulr' cried the countess.
sinking to her knees before him as he
sat with bowed head upon a diyan.
do not do that. Remember your prom
Use to me. Tell me, Raoul, that you
will not do that. Do not even threaten
him, Raoul."
81 cannot understand. He has for
feited all claim upon your love. loyalty
and respect. He is menace to your
life and honor and to the life and honor
of your husband. trust that you may
never regret championing him."
II do not champion him, Raoul," she
interrupted vehemently. Il believe that
hate him as much as you do. but
oh, Raoul, blood is thicker than water"
II should today have liked to sam
pie the consistency of his" growled
De Coude grimly. 1.-The two deliberate
~ attempted to besmirch my honor,
Olga" And then he told her of all that
had happened in the smoking room.
Late the following afternoon Rokoff
and Paulvitch were standing on deck
at point which was temporarily de-
serted. AS Tarzan came upon them
they were in heated argument with a
woman. Tarzan noted that she was
richly appareled and that her slender,
well modelled figure denoted youth. but
as she was heavily yelled he could not
discern her features.
The men were standing on either
side Of her. and the backs Of all were
toward Tarzan, so that he was quite
close to them without their being
aware of his presence He noticed that
Rokof seemed to. be threatening, the
woman pleading. but they spoke in a
strange tongue. and he could only guess
from appearances that the girl was
afraid.
AS the ape-man hesitated the man
seized the woman roughly by the
wrist, twisting it as though to wiring
a promise from her through torture
Then steel fingers gripped his Shout
der. and he was swung unceremOniOus
" around, to meet the cold, gray eyes
of the stranger who had thwarted him
on the previous day. IS ~
"This is my answer to your note
monsieur" said Tarzan in a low voice.
And he hurled the fellow from him
with such force that Rokon lunged
sprawling against the rail.
"Name of namev' shrieked Rokoff.
"Pig. but you shall die for thisr' And.
springing to his feet, he rushed upon
Tarzan, tugging the meanwhile to
draw revolver from his hip pocket
The girl shrank back in terror.
"Nikolasr' she cried. do notch.
do not do that! Quick, monsieur, ny.
or he will surely kill your But in.
stead of flying Tarzan advanced to
meet the fellow. do not make fool
of yourself. monsieur" he said.
Rokoff at last succeeded in drawing
the revolver. He deliberately raised
it to Tarzan's breast and pulled the
trigger. The hammer fell with futile
click on an empty chamber; the ape
mans hand shot out like the head Of
an angry python. there was quick
wrench. and the revolver sailed far
ont across the ships rail and dropped
into the Atlantic.
FOR moment the Two men $1,000
there facing one another. Rokoff had
,regained his self possession. He was
ethe first to speak.
] Twice now has monsieur seen fit to
interfere in matters which do not con-
Germ him. If monsieur does not know
who Nikolas Rokof is, this last piece
of affrontery will insure that monsieur
later has good reason to remember
him."
"That you are coward and scoun-
4drel. monsieur" replied Tarzan, ''is
all that care to know of you" And
he turned to ask the girl il the man
had hurt her, but she had disappeared.
Then. without even glance toward
Rokoff and his companion. he contin-
ued his stroll along the deck.
!Tarzan could not but wonder what
manner Of conspiracy was on foot or
what the scheme of the two men
might be. On the woman's finger he
had noticed a ring o. peculiar. work
manship. He determined to note the
fingers Of the women passengers he
came upon thereafter thai he might