The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-16

leaves here he leaves aiive. What you
do with him in the desert is none Of
my concern. but l shall not have the
blood Of Frenchman on the hands Of
my tribe on account of another mans
quarrel. They would send soldiers
here and kill many Of my people and
burn our tents and drive away our
fiocks."
''As you say" growled Rokoff. "Fll
take him out into the desert below the
douar and dispatch him."
''You will take him days ride from
my country" said the sheik firmly,
land some of my children shall follow
you to see that you do not disobey
me. Otherwise there may be two dead
Frenchmen in the DESERT
Rokoff shrugged. "Then shall have
to wait until tomorrow. 1t is already
dark"
"As you WILL" said the sheik. "But
by an hour after dawn you must be
gone from my douar. / have little lik-
ing for unbelievers and none at all for
a coward"
Rokoff would have made some kind
of retort. but he checked himself, for
he realized that it would require but
little excuse for the old man to turn
upon him. Together they left the tent
At the door Rokoff could not resist the
temptation to turn and fling a parting
taunt at Tarzan.
%
land do not forget to pray well, for
when you die tomorrow it will be in
such agony that you will be unable to
pray for disappearing"
No one had bothered to bring Tarzan
either food or water since noon, and
consequently he suffered considerably
from thirst. He wondered II 1t would
be worth while to ask his guard for
water. but after making two or three
requests without receiving any re-
sponse,. he decided that it would not.
Far up in the mountains he heard a
lion roar. How much safer one was,
he soliloquized. in the haunts OF wild
beasts than in the haunts Of men.
Never in all his jungle life had he
been more relentlessly tracked down
than in the past few months of his ex-
perience among civilized men. Never
had he been any nearer death.
Again the lion roared. 1t sounded
little nearer Tarzan felt the old, wild
impulse to reply with the challenge OF
his kind. His kind? He had almost
forgotten that he was man and not
an ape He tugged at his bonds. God
IL he could but get them near those
strong teeth Of his! He felt a Wild
wave Of madness sweep over him a.
his efforts to regain his liberty met
with failure.
Numa was roaring almost continu-
ally now. 1t was quite evident that he
was coming down into the desert to
hunt. 1t was the roar of hungry
lion. Tarzan envied him, for he was
free. No one would tie him with
ropes and slaughter him like a sheep.
1t was that which CALLED the ape-man.
He did not fear to die. mott was the
humiliation of defeat before death,
without even a chance to battle for his
life.
1t must be near midnight, thought
Tarzan. He had several hours to live.
Possibly he would yet find way to
take Rokoff with him on the long jour-
ney. He could hear the savage lord
of the desert quite close by now. Pos
sibly he sought his meat from among
the penned animals within the dOuar.
For long time silence reigned, then
Tarzan's trained ears caught the sound
Of q stealthily moving body. 1t came
from the side of the tent nearest the
mountains-the back. Nearer and
nearer it came. He waited, listening
intently. for it to pass. For a time
there was silence without. such a ter
rible silence that Tarzan was surprised
that he did not hear the breathing Of
the animal he felt sure must be crouch
ing close to the back wall Of his tent.
There. 1t is moving again. Closer
it creeps. Tarzan turns his head in the
direction of the sound. The inside Of
the tent Is black as ink. Slowly the
OoCA A1SCS AAOAA lhS SkOuh0s AOASCu oP
by the head and shoulders Of a body
that looks all black in the blackness.
Beyond is faint glimpse of the dimly
moonhghted desert.
A grim smile plays about Tarzan's
lips. At least Rokoff will be cheated.
How mad he will be! And death will
be more merciful than he could have
hoped for at the hands Of the Russian.
Now the back of the tent drops into
place and all is darkness again-what-
ever it Is is inside the tent with him.
He hears it creeping close to him-now
It is beside him. He closes his eyes
and waits for the mighty paw. Upon
his upturned face falls the gentle touch
of soft hand cropping In the dark. and
then a girls voice in a scarcely audi
BILE whisper pronounces his name.
eyes. it is l." he whispers In reply.
"But in the name of heaven who are
your
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