Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-28
cHAPTER X-fContlnuedl.

CHAPTER X-(Continued).
Z" AL1-BEN AHMED tells me-" he said
n "that this man sat alone in th
mountains and slew ell adrea, What tn
business OF the stranger who sent us afte
him may be, know not and what NJ
may do with this man when we turn hin
over to him, care not; but the prisoner
is brave man, and while he Is in oul
hands he shall be treated with the re-
spect that be due one who hunts the lore
with the large head alone and by night
and slnys him.
Tarzan had heard OF the respect IN
which Arabs held lion-killer, and he
was not sorry that chance had played
into his hands thus favorably to relieve
him OF the petty tortures of the tribe.
shortly after this he was taken to a
goatskln tent upon the upper side OF the
douar. There he was fed, and then, Sc
curely bound. was left lying on piece
of native carpet, alone in the tent.
He could see guard sitting before the
door Of his frail prison. but when he at
tempted to force the stout bonds that
held him he realized that any extra pre-
caution on the part Of his captors was
quite unnecessary; not even his giant
muscles could part those numerous
strands.
Just before dusk several men ap-
preached the tent where he lay and en-
tered It. All were in Arab dress, but
presently one Of the number advanced
to 1arzans side, and as he let the folds
OF cloth that had hidden the lower half
of his face fall away the ape-man saw
the malevolent features of Nicholas Ro-
lSoff. There was a nasty smile on the
bearded lips.
''Ah, Monsieur Tarzan," he said. this is
indeed pleasure But why do you not
rise and greet your guest" Then, with
an ugly oath, Get up, you dog" and,
drawing back his foot. he kicked Tarzan
heavily IN the side. And here is another,
and another, and another" he continued,
as he kicked Tarzan about the face and
side. zone for each of the injuries you
have done me"
The ape-man made no reply--he did
not even deign to look upon the Russian
again after the first glance of recogni-
ton. Finally the sheik, who had been
standing a mute and frowning witness of
the cowardly attack, interviewed
"Stopr' he commanded. XIII him II
you will. but I will see no brave man
subjected TO such indignities in my pres
ence. 1 have half a mind to turn him
loose. that may see how long you would
kick him them"
This threat put sudden end to
Rokoff's brutality, for he had no craving
to see Tarzan loosed from his bonds
while he was within reach of those
powerful hands.
Very WELL" he replied to the Arab,
At shall kill him presently"
mot within the precincts of my douar."
returned the shelk. when he leaves
here he leaves alive What you do with
him in the desert is none of my concern.
but 1 shall not have the blood of a
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 hocks."
"As you say" growled Rokoff. "I'n
take him out into the desert below the
douar and dispatch him"
'You will take him a days ride from |
my country" said the shelk firmly, "and |
some of my children shall follow you to |
see that you do not disobey me-other- |
wise there may be two dead Frenchmen |
in the desert
Rokon shrugged "Then shall have to |
wait until the morrow-it is already |
dark"
"As you WILL" said the sheik. But by |
an hour after dawn you must be gone |
from my douar. have little liking 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 II would require but little
excuse for the old man TO turn upon him.
Together they left the tent. At the door
RolSof could not resist the temptation to
turn and fling parting taunt at Tarzan.
"Sleep WELL monsieur" he said, "and
do not forget to pray well, for when you
die tomorrow 1t will be in such agony
that you will be unable TO pray for bias
pheming.'
No one had bothered to bring Tarzan
either food or water since noon. and con-
sequently he suffered considerably from
thirst. He wondered If 1t would be worth
v hile to ask his guard for water, but
after making two or three requests with
out receiving any response he decided
that II 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 relent-
lessly tracked down than In the past few
mcnths of his experience among civilized
men. Never had he been any nearer
death,
little nearer. Tarzan felt the old, Wild
impulse 70 reply with the challenge Of
his kind. He had almost forgotten that
he was a man and not an ape. He
tugged at his bonds. God. II he could
but get them near those strong teeth OF
MS he ret Wild wave OF madness
sweep over him as his efforts to regain
his liberty met with failure.
Numa was roaring almost continually
HOW. IL was quite evident that he was
coming down into the desert 70 hunt. 1t
was the roar OF hungry lion. Tarzan
enyied him. for he was free. No one
would tie him with ropes and slaughter
him like a sheep, II was that which
CALLED the ape-man. He did not fear
10 die nO-ir was the humiliation OF de-
feat before DEATH without even chance
70 battle for his life.
II must be near midnight. thought Tar
gan. Re had. several hours 10 live. Pos
sibiy he would yet find a way 10 take
RokDn with him on the long Journey He
could hear the savage lord OF the desert
quite close by now. Possibly he sought
his meat from among the penned ami
nals within the douar
Fer 3 long time silence reigned. then
Iarzan's trained ears caught the sound
Of stealthiiy moving body Il came
from tie side OF the tent nearest the
back Nearer and nearer
& came. He waitsd, listening intenrly. for
& 70 pass. For q time there vas silence
without such q teruble silence that Tar
lan Was surprised mat he did not hear
ne breathing Of the animal he felt suIa
uuai be crouchinE close 10 the back
uall of his tent
Hea....f IL l. rsnrllna aragn rfoa.- e. /