Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-15

Calmly the girl kneeied down In tn
| dust Of the roadway and prayed 70 ne
Maker to give her strength to meet hei
fate bravely and to deliver her fathei
and friends from death.
She did not think to pray for deliverane'
| for herself: for she knew there was nc
hope-not even God could save her now
Suddenly she heard her name beins
called aloud through the forest;
Jane! Jane Porterl" II rang strons
and clear. but in n strange voice.
"Herer' she called in reply. "Herel
| In the roadway
Then through the branches OF the trees
| she saw a figure swinging with the speed
| Of n squirrel.
veering Of the wind blew a cloud Of
smoke about them and she could no
longer see the man who was speeding
toward her but suddenly she felt great
arm about her. Then she was lifted up,
and she felt the rushing Of the wind and
the occasional brush Of branch as she
was borne along.
She opened her eyes
Far below her lay the underground and
the hard earth
About her was the waving foliage Of the
forest From tree to tree swung the
giant figure which bore her, and It seemed
to Jane Porter that she was living over in
a dream the experience that had been
hers In that far African Jungle.
Oh. II It were but the Same man who
had borne her so swiftly through the
tangled verdure on that other day; but
that were impossible. Yet who else I'm the
world was there with the strength and
agility to do what this man was now
dolng7
She stole sudden glance at the face
close to hers, and then she gave little
frightened gasp-it was he!
my mani" she murmured. mo, II Is
the delrium which precede5 death"
She must have spoken out aloud. for the
eyes that bent occa8lonally to hers
lighted with n smile
Yes, your man, Jane Porter; your saw
age, primeval man come out of the Jungle
to claim his mate-the woman who ran
away from him." he added almost
hercely
II did not run away" she whispered.
II would only consent to leave when they
had waited a week for you to return"
They had come to point beyond the
fire now. and he had turned back to the
clearing.
Side by side they were walking toward
the cottage. The wind had changed once
more and the fire was burning back upon
fself-another hour like that and 1t would
be burned out.
"Why did you not return?" she asked.
'I was nursing D'Arnot. He was badly
wounded"
"Ah. knew III" she exclaimed.
"They said you had gone to join the
blacks-that they were your people
He laughed.
But you did not believe them, Jane?"
mo. What shall 1 call your" she
asked. what is your name?"
II was Tarzan of the Apes when you
first knew me-" he said.
"Tarzan of the Apes!" she cried. And
that was your note l answered when 1
left?"
Yes; whose did you think 1t was?"
II did not know; only that II could
not be yours, for Tarzan of the Apes
had written in English, and you could
not understand a word OF any language"
Again he laughed
ut Is n long story, but It was 1 who |
wrote what l could not speak, and now
D Arnot has made matters worse by |
teaching me to speak French instead of |
English"
Come" he said, Jump into my car.
We must overtake your father: they are |
only a little way ahead"
As they drove along he said
Then when you said in your note to
rarzan of the Apes that you loved an |
'ther-you might have meant me?"
II might have" she answered, simply. |
But in Baltimore-oh. how l have
searched for you-they told me you would
possibly be married by now. That a
nan named Canler had como up here to
we'd you. Is that true?"
YES"
DO you love him2"
NO"
DO you love me?"
She buried her face in her hands.
81 am promised to another. l cannot
Inswer you. Tarzan of the Apes" she
,red
you have answered. Now, tell we
Why you would marry one you do not
ove."
MY father owes him money"
suddenly there came back to Tarzan
he memory of the letter he had read,
md the name Robert Canler and the
tinted trouble which he had been unable
o understand then.
He smiled.
If your father had not lost the treas
Ire you would not feel forced to keep
our promise to this man Canler?"
Il would ask him to release me-"
And II hs refused?"
Il have given my PROMISE"
He was silent for a moment The car
reckless pace, for the fire showed
hreateningly at their right, and another
mango of the wind might sweep It on
'ith raging fury across this one avenue
4 escape.
Finally they passed the danger point.
nd Tarzan reduced their speed.
suppose l should ask him?" ventured
'arzan.
He would scarcely accede to the de-
aand OF a stranger" said the girl. "Es-
eclally one who wanted me himself"
"Terkoz did" said Tarzan, grinly.
Jane Porter shuddered and looked fear
llly up at the giant figure beside her,
or she knew that he meant the great
nthropoid he had killed in her defense.
This is not an African jungle" she
aid you are no longer a savage beast.
.ou are gentleman, and gentlemen do
ot kill in cold blood"
II am stu a wild beast at heart" he
aid In low voice. as though to him
elf
Again they were silent for a time.
Jane Porter said the man. at length,
II you were free, would you marry me7"
She did not reply at once. but he
1aitsd patiently.
houghts.
What did she know of this strange
reature at her slider What did he know
himself? Who was he? Who his
Rrents7
Why, his very name echoed his mystsri-
US origin and his savage life
Ha had no name. Gould she be habpy
nth this jungle walf? Could she ana
nything IN common with a husband
those life had been spent in tree tons OF