Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-28

harbor fioated great ship, and on the
beach a small boat was drawn up.
But, most wonderful Of all, a number
Of white men like himself were moving
about between the beach and his cabin.
Tarzan saw that in many ways they
were like the men of his picture books.
He crept closer through the trees until
he was quite close above them.
There were ten men. swarthy, sun
tanned, villanious looking fellows. Now
they had congresated by the boat and
were talking in loud, angry tones with
much gesticulating and shaking of fists.
Presently one of them, a little, mean
faced. blackbearded fellow with
countenance which reminded Tarzan OF
Pamba, the rat. laid his hand upon the
shoulder OF a giant who stood next him,
and with whom all the others had been
arguing and quarreling.
The little man pointed inland, so that
the giant was forced to turn away from
the others to look in the direction indi-
Gated AS he turned, the little, mean
faced man drew a revolver from his belt
and shot the giant in the back.
The big fellow threw his hands above
his head. his knees bent beneath him, and
without a sound he tumbled forward upon
the beach, dead.
The report OF the weapon. the first that
Tarzan had ever heard filled him with
wonderment, but even this unaccustomed
sound could not startle his healthy nerves
Into even n semblance of panic.
The conduct of the white strangers It
was that caused him the greatest per-
turbation He puokered his brows into
a frown of deep thought. II was we'll,
thought he, that he had not given way
to his first impulse to rush forward and
greet these white men as brothers.
They were evidently no different from
the black men--no moro civilized than the
apes-no less cruel than Sabor
For n moment the others stood looking
at tho little, mean-faced man and the
giant lying dead upon the beach.
Then one OF them laughed and slapped
the little man upon the back. There was
much more talk and gesticulating, but
less quarrelinR.
Presently they launched the boat and all
Jumped into 1t and rowed away toward
the great ship, whore Tarzan could see
other figures moving about upon tho
deck.
When they had clambered aboard, Tar
zan dropped to earth behind great tree
and crept to his cabin, keeping 1t always
between himself and the ship.
Slipping In Mt the door he found that
everything had been ransacked. His
books and pencils strewed the floor. His
weapons and shields and other llttl0
store of treasurers were Uttered about
AS he saw what had been done a great
wave of anger surged through him. and
the new made scar upon his forehead
stood suddenly out a bar of inhamed
crimson against hfs tawny hide.
Quickly he ran to the cupboard and
searched in the far recess of the lower
shelf. All! He breathed n sigh of relief
as he drew out the little tin box. and,
opening It. found his greatest treasures
undisturbed
The photograph of the smiling, strong
faced young man, and the little black
puzzle book we're safe.
What was that?
His quick ear had caught n faint but
unfamiliar sound
Running to the window Tarzan looked
toward the harbor. and there he saw that
a boat was being lowered from the great
ship beside the one already in the water.
Soon he saw many people clambering
over the sides of the larger vessel and
dropping into the boats. They were COM
ing back in full force.
For n moment longer Tarzan watched
while number of boxes and bundles
were lowered into the waiting boats then,
as they showed Or from the ships side,
the ape-man snatched up n piece of
paper. and with a pencil printed on 1t for
a few moments until 1t bore several lines
of strong, well made, almost letter-perfect
characters.
This notice he stuck upon the door with
small sharp splinter of wood. Then
gathering UP his precious tin box his
arrows, and as many bows and spears as
he could carry, he hastened through the
door and disappeared into the forest.
When the two boats were beached upon
the sltvery sand II was a strange assort-
ment of humanity that clambered ashore.
Some 20 souls in all there were II the
15 rough and villianous appearing sea-
men could have been said to possess that |
immortal spark, since they were, forsooth, |
most filthy and bloodthirsty looking |
aggregation.
The others OF the party were of differ |
ent stamp. |
One was an elderly man, with white |
hair and large trimmed spectacles. His |
slightly stopped shoulders were draped in
an ill-fitting. though immaculate. frock-
coat; a shiny silk hat added to the in
congruity of his garb in an African
jungle.
The second member of the party to
land was a tall young man in white ducks,
while directly behind came another
elderly man with a very high forehead
and fussy, excltable manner.
After these came a huge negress clothed
like Solomon as to colors. Her great eyes
rolling in evident terror first toward the
jungle and then toward the cursing band
Of sailors who were removing the bales
and boxes from the boats.
The last member of the party to dis
embark was a girl of about 10, and 1t
was the young man who stood at the
boats bow to lift her high and dry upon
land. She gave him brave and pretty
smile OF thanks. but no words passed be-
tween them.
In silence the party advanced toward