The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1915-02-11
"My mani" she murmured. "No; It
Ia the deliuum which precedes DEATH"

Eyes. your man. Jane Porter-your
savage, primeval man come out OF the
jungle to claim his mate-the woman
who ran away from him." he added al
most fiercely.
II did not run away" she whispered.
II would only consent to leave when
they had waited a week for you to re-
turn"
They had come to a point beyond
the fire now. and he had turned back
to the clearing.
Side by side they were walking to-
ward the cottage. The wind had
changed once more. and the fire was
burning back upon itself. Another hour
like that and it would he burned out.
"Why did you not returns" she
asked.
81 was nursing D'.Arnot. He was
badly wounded"
"Ah.,I knew it," she, exclaimed.
"They said you had gone to join the
blacks-that they were your people,"
He laughed.
"But you did not believe them"
"No-what shall | call YOU" she
asked. what is your name?"
81 was Tnrzan Of the apes when you
first knew me-" he said.
"Tarznn Of the apes" she cried.
"And that was your note l answered
when ! left:"
Eyes. Whose did you think it VAST"
81 did not know. only that it could
not be yours. for TnrzHn of the apes
lad written in English. and you could
no: understand !, word of any Ian
:uagr."
Again he laughed.
1T is IL long story. but it was I who
wrote what ! could not speak. And
now D':Ar,ot has made matters worse
by teachipg me tn speak French in
stead of English.
Come" he added: Jump into my
car. We must overtake your father.
They are only Il little way ahead"
AS they drove along he said:
"Then when YOU said in your note to
Tarzan Of the apes that You loved an
other you might have meant meg"
II might have" she said simply.
"But in Baltinlore-oh. how l have
searched for you-they told me you
would possibly be married by now;
that a man named Cnnler had come
up here to wed you. Is that true?"
Yes"
do you love him?"
No
do you love mey'
She buried her face in her hands.
Il am promised to another. l cannot
answer you, Tarzan of the apes" she
cried
You have answered. Now tell me
why you would marry one you do not
love-"
my father owes him money"
Suddenly there came back to Tarzan
the memory Of the letter he had read
and the name Of Robert Canler and
the limited trouble which he had been
unable to. understand then.
He smiled,
IF your father had not lost the
treasure you would not feel forced to
keep your promise to- this man Can.
ler?"
II could ask him to- release me-"
And If he refused?"
II have given nay promise"
Suppose I should ask him." ven.
tured Tarzan. "Jane Porter, if you
were free would you marry me?"
She did not reply at once, but he
waited patiently. The girl was trying
to collect her thoughts.
What did she know Of this strange
creature at her side? What did he
know Of himself? Who was he: Who
were his parents?
Why. his very name echoed his mys
terious origin and his silvage life.
happy with this Jungle waif? Could
she find anything in common with {
husband whose life had been spent i,
the treetops of an African wilderness
Could be ever rise to her social sphere
Could she bear to think of sinking tt
his? Would either Of them be happy?'
You do not answer" he said. I'd
you shrink from wounding me?"
Il do not know what answer t,
make" said Jane Porter sadly. II d.
not know my own mind"
You do not love me. then?' he aske'
in a level tone.
"Do not ask ME. You will be har
pier without me. You were neve
meant for the restrictions and CONVEX
tionalities OF civilization. 1t woul
become irksome to you. In a littl
While you would long for the freedom
of your old life. to which I am as tt
tally untitled as you to mine"
II think | understand you" he II
piled quietly. Il shall not urge yol
for ! would rather see you happy tina
to be happy myself. And | see no'
that you could not he happy with-a
ape"
There was the faintest tinge Of bi
terEeSs in his voice.
Don't" she remonstrated-''don
say that. You don't understand"
But ere she could 80 on a sudde
turn in the road brought them into tt
midst Of a little hamlet.