Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-29

| secret ] hold You ought to be payinf
me for the information instead of tahnl
both II and money. too"
II am paying YOU by keeping still
tongue in my head" retorted Rokoff "Bui
let's have done Will you. or will you
not2 I give you three minutes to decide
II you are not agreeable / shall send O
noto to your commandant tonight that
! will end In the degradation that Dreyfus
| suffered-the only difference being that he
| did not deserve IT,"
For a moment Gernois sat with bowed
head. Al length he arose. He drew two
pieces of paper from his blouse.
Here" he said hopelessly. II had them
ready, for 1 knew that there could be but
one outcome" He held them toward the
! Russian.
Rokonrs cruel face lighted in malignant
gloeting. He seized the bits of paper.
You have done well, Gernois," he said.
~ uhall not trouble you lgain-unless you
happen TO accumulate some more money
or information" and he grinned
you never shall again, you dog"
Kissed Gernos. THE next time 1 shall
XIII you. 1 came near doing It tonight.
For an hour sat with these two pieces
of paper on my table before me ere
came here-beside them Law my loaded
revolver. was trying to decide which
l should bring Next time the choice shall
be easier, for already have decided. You
had close call tonight, Rokoff; do not
tempt fate a second time"
Then Gernois rose to leave. Tarzan
barely had time to drop to the landing and
shrink back into the shadows on the far
side of the door. Even then he scarcely
hoped to elude detection. The landing
was very small, and though he fiattened
himself against the wall at its far edge
he was scarcely more than a foot from
he "A
opend, and Gernois stepped out. Rokoff
was behind him. Neither spoke. Gernois
had taken perhaps three steps down the
stairway when he halted and half turned
as though to retrace his steps.
Tarzan knew that discovery would be
inevitable Rokoff still stood on the thres-
hold foot from him, but he was looking
in the opposite direction, toward Gernois.
Then the officer evidently reconsidered his
decision, and resumed his downward
course. Tarzan could hear Rokoff's sigh
of relief. A moment later the Russian
went back into the room and closed the
door.
Tarzan waited until Gernois had had
time to get well out of hearing, then he
pushed open the door and stepped into the
room. He was on top OF Rokoff before the
man could rise from the chair where he
sat scanning the paper Gernois had given
him. AS his eyes turned and fell upon
the ape-man's face his own went livid.
"You" he gasped.
IT," replied Tarzan.
What do you want?" whispered Ro-
koff, for the look in the ape-man's eyes
frightened him. Have you come to kill
me? You do not dare. They would gull
lotine you. You do not dare kill me-
II dare kill you, Rokoff" replied Tar
zan, for no one knows that you are here
or that 1 am here, and Paulvitch would
tell them that 1t was Gernois. 1 heard
you tell Gernois so. But that would not
influence me, Rokoff. l would not care
who knew that 1 had killed you; the
pleasure of killing you would more than
compensate for any punishment they
might infiict upon me. You are the most
despicable cur of a coward, RokofR I
have ever heard of. You should be killed.
should love to kill you" and Tarzan
closer to the man..
Rokon's nerves were keyed to the |
breaking point. With shrek he sprang
toward an adjoining room, but the ape
man was upon his back while his leap
was yet but half completed. Iron fin
gers sought his throat-the great coward |
5quealed like a stuck pig, until Tarzan |
had shut off his wind. Then the ape
man dragged him to his feet, still chok-
ng him. The Russian struggled futilely
-he was like a babe in the mighty grasp !
Of Tarzan of the Apes.
Tarzan sat him in chair. and long
before there was danger of the mans
lying he released his hold upon his
throat When the Russians coughing
spell had abated Tarzan spoke to him
again.
'ering OF DEATH" he said. but l shall
lot kill-this time am sparing you
solely for the sake of a very good woman
whose great misfortune 1t was to have
'een born of the same woman who gave
'irth to you. But l shall spare you only
his once on her account. Should I ever
earn that you have again annoyed her
n her husband-should you ever annoy
ne again-should 1 hear that you have
eturned to France or to any French pos
ession, shall make ii my sole business
o hunt you down and complete the chok-
ng l comenced tonight" Then he
urned TO the table, on which the two
'ieces of paper still lay As he picked
hem up Rokof gasped I'm horror
Tarzan examined both the check and
he other. He was amazed at the infor-
nation the latter contained. Rokon had
artially read II, but Tarzan knew that
10 one could remember the salient facts
nd figures II held which made Il of real
alue TO an enemy OF France.
These will interest the chief of STAN"
% said. as he slipped them into his
Rosoff groaned. He did not dare curse
loud.
The. next morning Tarzan rode north
n his way 10 Bouira and Algiers AS
Q had ridden past the hotel Lieutenant
ernois was standing on the veranda.
8 his eyes discovered Tarzan he went
'hite as chalk. The ape-man would have
cen glad had the meeting not occurred,
at he could not avoid 1t. He saluted
le officer as he rode past. Mechanically
ernois returned the salute, but those
srrible, wide eyes followed the horse
ian, expressionless except Tor horror.
was as though a dead man looked upon
ghost
At sidi Aissa Tarzan met French
nicer with whom he had become ac-
TAINTED on the occasion or his recent
ojourn In the town.
You left Bou Saada early?" ques-
oned the officer. Then you have not
card about poor Gernoisr
He was the last man I saw as
'ds de. away" replied Tarzan. What
'He is dead He shot himself sbout
o'clock this morning"
Two days later Tarzan reached Al
ers. There he found that he would
ave q two days wait before he could /
Itch a ship bound for Cape Town He
'cupied his time in writing out a fun (
port Of his mission. The secret papers !
} had taken from Rokon he did not in I
ose for he did not dare trust them out
his own possession until he had been
ithorized 70 turn them over 10 another :