The Return of Tarzan Read online

  Chapter 2

  Forging Bonds of Hate and ----?

  It was not until late the following afternoon that Tarzan saw anythingmore of the fellow passengers into the midst of whose affairs his loveof fair play had thrust him. And then he came most unexpectedly uponRokoff and Paulvitch at a moment when of all others the two might leastappreciate his company.

  They were standing on deck at a point which was temporarily deserted,and as Tarzan came upon them they were in heated argument with a woman.Tarzan noted that she was richly appareled, and that her slender,well-modeled figure denoted youth; but as she was heavily veiled hecould not discern her features.

  The men were standing on either side of her, and the backs of all weretoward Tarzan, so that he was quite close to them without their beingaware of his presence. He noticed that Rokoff seemed to bethreatening, the woman pleading; but they spoke in a strange tongue,and he could only guess from appearances that the girl was afraid.

  Rokoff's attitude was so distinctly filled with the threat of physicalviolence that the ape-man paused for an instant just behind the trio,instinctively sensing an atmosphere of danger. Scarcely had hehesitated ere the man seized the woman roughly by the wrist, twistingit as though to wring a promise from her through torture. What wouldhave happened next had Rokoff had his way we may only conjecture, sincehe did not have his way at all. Instead, steel fingers gripped hisshoulder, and he was swung unceremoniously around, to meet the coldgray eyes of the stranger who had thwarted him on the previous day.

  "SAPRISTI!" screamed the infuriated Rokoff. "What do you mean? Areyou a fool that you thus again insult Nikolas Rokoff?"

  "This is my answer to your note, monsieur," said Tarzan, in a lowvoice. And then he hurled the fellow from him with such force thatRokoff lunged sprawling against the rail.

  "Name of a name!" shrieked Rokoff. "Pig, but you shall die for this,"and, springing to his feet, he rushed upon Tarzan, tugging themeanwhile to draw a revolver from his hip pocket. The girl shrank backin terror.

  "Nikolas!" she cried. "Do not--oh, do not do that. Quick, monsieur,fly, or he will surely kill you!" But instead of flying Tarzanadvanced to meet the fellow. "Do not make a fool of yourself,monsieur," he said.

  Rokoff, who was in a perfect frenzy of rage at the humiliation thestranger had put upon him, had at last succeeded in drawing therevolver. He had stopped, and now he deliberately raised it toTarzan's breast and pulled the trigger. The hammer fell with a futileclick on an empty chamber--the ape-man's hand shot out like the head ofan angry python; there was a quick wrench, and the revolver sailed farout across the ship's rail, and dropped into the Atlantic.

  For a moment the two men stood there facing one another. Rokoff hadregained his self-possession. He was the first to speak.

  "Twice now has monsieur seen fit to interfere in matters which do notconcern him. Twice he has taken it upon himself to humiliate NikolasRokoff. The first offense was overlooked on the assumption thatmonsieur acted through ignorance, but this affair shall not beoverlooked. If monsieur does not know who Nikolas Rokoff is, this lastpiece of effrontery will insure that monsieur later has good reason toremember him."

  "That you are a coward and a scoundrel, monsieur," replied Tarzan, "isall that I care to know of you," and he turned to ask the girl if theman had hurt her, but she had disappeared. Then, without even a glancetoward Rokoff and his companion, he continued his stroll along the deck.

  Tarzan could not but wonder what manner of conspiracy was on foot, orwhat the scheme of the two men might be. There had been somethingrather familiar about the appearance of the veiled woman to whoserescue he had just come, but as he had not seen her face he could notbe sure that he had ever seen her before. The only thing about herthat he had particularly noticed was a ring of peculiar workmanshipupon a finger of the hand that Rokoff had seized, and he determined tonote the fingers of the women passengers he came upon thereafter, thathe might discover the identity of her whom Rokoff was persecuting, andlearn if the fellow had offered her further annoyance.

  Tarzan had sought his deck chair, where he sat speculating on thenumerous instances of human cruelty, selfishness, and spite that hadfallen to his lot to witness since that day in the jungle four yearssince that his eyes had first fallen upon a human being other thanhimself--the sleek, black Kulonga, whose swift spear had that day foundthe vitals of Kala, the great she-ape, and robbed the youth, Tarzan, ofthe only mother he had ever known.

  He recalled the murder of King by the rat-faced Snipes; the abandonmentof Professor Porter and his party by the mutineers of the ARROW; thecruelty of the black warriors and women of Mbonga to their captives;the petty jealousies of the civil and military officers of the WestCoast colony that had afforded him his first introduction to thecivilized world.

  "MON DIEU!" he soliloquized, "but they are all alike. Cheating,murdering, lying, fighting, and all for things that the beasts of thejungle would not deign to possess--money to purchase the effeminatepleasures of weaklings. And yet withal bound down by silly customsthat make them slaves to their unhappy lot while firm in the beliefthat they be the lords of creation enjoying the only real pleasures ofexistence. In the jungle one would scarcely stand supinely aside whileanother took his mate. It is a silly world, an idiotic world, andTarzan of the Apes was a fool to renounce the freedom and the happinessof his jungle to come into it."

  Presently, as he sat there, the sudden feeling came over him that eyeswere watching from behind, and the old instinct of the wild beast brokethrough the thin veneer of civilization, so that Tarzan wheeled aboutso quickly that the eyes of the young woman who had beensurreptitiously regarding him had not even time to drop before the grayeyes of the ape-man shot an inquiring look straight into them. Then,as they fell, Tarzan saw a faint wave of crimson creep swiftly over thenow half-averted face.

  He smiled to himself at the result of his very uncivilized andungallant action, for he had not lowered his own eyes when they metthose of the young woman. She was very young, and equally good to lookupon. Further, there was something rather familiar about her that setTarzan to wondering where he had seen her before. He resumed hisformer position, and presently he was aware that she had arisen and wasleaving the deck. As she passed, Tarzan turned to watch her, in thehope that he might discover a clew to satisfy his mild curiosity as toher identity.

  Nor was he disappointed entirely, for as she walked away she raised onehand to the black, waving mass at the nape of her neck--the peculiarlyfeminine gesture that admits cognizance of appraising eyes behindher--and Tarzan saw upon a finger of this hand the ring of strangeworkmanship that he had seen upon the finger of the veiled woman ashort time before.

  So it was this beautiful young woman Rokoff had been persecuting.Tarzan wondered in a lazy sort of way whom she might be, and whatrelations one so lovely could have with the surly, bearded Russian.

  After dinner that evening Tarzan strolled forward, where he remaineduntil after dark, in conversation with the second officer, and whenthat gentleman's duties called him elsewhere Tarzan lolled lazily bythe rail watching the play of the moonlight upon the gently rollingwaters. He was half hidden by a davit, so that two men who approachedalong the deck did not see him, and as they passed Tarzan caught enoughof their conversation to cause him to fall in behind them, to followand learn what deviltry they were up to. He had recognized the voiceas that of Rokoff, and had seen that his companion was Paulvitch.

  Tarzan had overheard but a few words: "And if she screams you maychoke her until--" But those had been enough to arouse the spirit ofadventure within him, and so he kept the two men in sight as theywalked, briskly now, along the deck. To the smoking-room he followedthem, but they merely halted at the doorway long enough, apparently, toassure themselves that one whose whereabouts they wished to establishwas within.

  Then they proceeded directly to the first-class cabins upon thepromenade deck. Here Tarzan found greater difficulty in escapingdetection, but he managed
to do so successfully. As they halted beforeone of the polished hardwood doors, Tarzan slipped into the shadow of apassageway not a dozen feet from them.

  To their knock a woman's voice asked in French: "Who is it?"

  "It is I, Olga--Nikolas," was the answer, in Rokoff's now familiarguttural. "May I come in?"

  "Why do you not cease persecuting me, Nikolas?" came the voice of thewoman from beyond the thin panel. "I have never harmed you."

  "Come, come, Olga," urged the man, in propitiary tones; "I but ask ahalf dozen words with you. I shall not harm you, nor shall I enteryour cabin; but I cannot shout my message through the door."

  Tarzan heard the catch click as it was released from the inside. Hestepped out from his hiding-place far enough to see what transpiredwhen the door was opened, for he could not but recall the sinisterwords he had heard a few moments before upon the deck, "And if shescreams you may choke her."

  Rokoff was standing directly in front of the door. Paulvitch hadflattened himself against the paneled wall of the corridor beyond. Thedoor opened. Rokoff half entered the room, and stood with his backagainst the door, speaking in a low whisper to the woman, whom Tarzancould not see. Then Tarzan heard the woman's voice, level, but loudenough to distinguish her words.

  "No, Nikolas," she was saying, "it is useless. Threaten as you will, Ishall never accede to your demands. Leave the room, please; you haveno right here. You promised not to enter."

  "Very well, Olga, I shall not enter; but before I am done with you, youshall wish a thousand times that you had done at once the favor I haveasked. In the end I shall win anyway, so you might as well savetrouble and time for me, and disgrace for yourself and your--"

  "Never, Nikolas!" interrupted the woman, and then Tarzan saw Rokoffturn and nod to Paulvitch, who sprang quickly toward the doorway of thecabin, rushing in past Rokoff, who held the door open for him. Thenthe latter stepped quickly out. The door closed. Tarzan heard theclick of the lock as Paulvitch turned it from the inside. Rokoffremained standing before the door, with head bent, as though to catchthe words of the two within. A nasty smile curled his bearded lip.

  Tarzan could hear the woman's voice commanding the fellow to leave hercabin. "I shall send for my husband," she cried. "He will show you nomercy."

  Paulvitch's sneering laugh came through the polished panels.

  "The purser will fetch your husband, madame," said the man. "In fact,that officer has already been notified that you are entertaining a manother than your husband behind the locked door of your cabin."

  "Bah!" cried the woman. "My husband will know!"

  "Most assuredly your husband will know, but the purser will not; norwill the newspaper men who shall in some mysterious way hear of it onour landing. But they will think it a fine story, and so will all yourfriends when they read of it at breakfast on--let me see, this isTuesday--yes, when they read of it at breakfast next Friday morning.Nor will it detract from the interest they will all feel when theylearn that the man whom madame entertained is a Russian servant--herbrother's valet, to be quite exact."

  "Alexis Paulvitch," came the woman's voice, cold and fearless, "you area coward, and when I whisper a certain name in your ear you will thinkbetter of your demands upon me and your threats against me, and thenyou will leave my cabin quickly, nor do I think that ever again willyou, at least, annoy me," and there came a moment's silence in whichTarzan could imagine the woman leaning toward the scoundrel andwhispering the thing she had hinted at into his ear. Only a moment ofsilence, and then a startled oath from the man--the scuffling offeet--a woman's scream--and silence.

  But scarcely had the cry ceased before the ape-man had leaped from hishiding-place. Rokoff started to run, but Tarzan grasped him by thecollar and dragged him back. Neither spoke, for both feltinstinctively that murder was being done in that room, and Tarzan wasconfident that Rokoff had had no intention that his confederate shouldgo that far--he felt that the man's aims were deeper than that--deeperand even more sinister than brutal, cold-blooded murder. Withouthesitating to question those within, the ape-man threw his giantshoulder against the frail panel, and in a shower of splintered wood heentered the cabin, dragging Rokoff after him. Before him, on a couch,the woman lay, and on top of her was Paulvitch, his fingers grippingthe fair throat, while his victim's hands beat futilely at his face,tearing desperately at the cruel fingers that were forcing the lifefrom her.

  The noise of his entrance brought Paulvitch to his feet, where he stoodglowering menacingly at Tarzan. The girl rose falteringly to a sittingposture upon the couch. One hand was at her throat, and her breathcame in little gasps. Although disheveled and very pale, Tarzanrecognized her as the young woman whom he had caught staring at him ondeck earlier in the day.

  "What is the meaning of this?" said Tarzan, turning to Rokoff, whom heintuitively singled out as the instigator of the outrage. The manremained silent, scowling. "Touch the button, please," continued theape-man; "we will have one of the ship's officers here--this affair hasgone quite far enough."

  "No, no," cried the girl, coming suddenly to her feet. "Please do notdo that. I am sure that there was no real intention to harm me. Iangered this person, and he lost control of himself, that is all. Iwould not care to have the matter go further, please, monsieur," andthere was such a note of pleading in her voice that Tarzan could notpress the matter, though his better judgment warned him that there wassomething afoot here of which the proper authorities should be madecognizant.

  "You wish me to do nothing, then, in the matter?" he asked.

  "Nothing, please," she replied.

  "You are content that these two scoundrels should continue persecutingyou?"

  She did not seem to know what answer to make, and looked very troubledand unhappy. Tarzan saw a malicious grin of triumph curl Rokoff's lip.The girl evidently was in fear of these two--she dared not express herreal desires before them.

  "Then," said Tarzan, "I shall act on my own responsibility. To you,"he continued, turning to Rokoff, "and this includes your accomplice, Imay say that from now on to the end of the voyage I shall take it uponmyself to keep an eye on you, and should there chance to come to mynotice any act of either one of you that might even remotely annoy thisyoung woman you shall be called to account for it directly to me, norshall the calling or the accounting be pleasant experiences for eitherof you.

  "Now get out of here," and he grabbed Rokoff and Paulvitch each by thescruff of the neck and thrust them forcibly through the doorway, givingeach an added impetus down the corridor with the toe of his boot. Thenhe turned back to the stateroom and the girl. She was looking at himin wide-eyed astonishment.

  "And you, madame, will confer a great favor upon me if you will but letme know if either of those rascals troubles you further."

  "Ah, monsieur," she answered, "I hope that you will not suffer for thekind deed you attempted. You have made a very wicked and resourcefulenemy, who will stop at nothing to satisfy his hatred. You must bevery careful indeed, Monsieur--"

  "Pardon me, madame, my name is Tarzan."

  "Monsieur Tarzan. And because I would not consent to notify theofficers, do not think that I am not sincerely grateful to you for thebrave and chivalrous protection you rendered me. Good night, MonsieurTarzan. I shall never forget the debt I owe you," and, with a mostwinsome smile that displayed a row of perfect teeth, the girl curtsiedto Tarzan, who bade her good night and made his way on deck.

  It puzzled the man considerably that there should be two on board--thisgirl and Count de Coude--who suffered indignities at the hands ofRokoff and his companion, and yet would not permit the offenders to bebrought to justice. Before he turned in that night his thoughtsreverted many times to the beautiful young woman into the evidentlytangled web of whose life fate had so strangely introduced him. Itoccurred to him that he had not learned her name. That she was marriedhad been evidenced by the narrow gold band that encircled the thirdfinger of her left hand. Involuntarily
he wondered who the lucky manmight be.

  Tarzan saw nothing further of any of the actors in the little dramathat he had caught a fleeting glimpse of until late in the afternoon ofthe last day of the voyage. Then he came suddenly face to face withthe young woman as the two approached their deck chairs from oppositedirections. She greeted him with a pleasant smile, speaking almostimmediately of the affair he had witnessed in her cabin two nightsbefore. It was as though she had been perturbed by a conviction thathe might have construed her acquaintance with such men as Rokoff andPaulvitch as a personal reflection upon herself.

  "I trust monsieur has not judged me," she said, "by the unfortunateoccurrence of Tuesday evening. I have suffered much on account ofit--this is the first time that I have ventured from my cabin since; Ihave been ashamed," she concluded simply.

  "One does not judge the gazelle by the lions that attack it," repliedTarzan. "I had seen those two work before--in the smoking-room the dayprior to their attack on you, if I recollect it correctly, and so,knowing their methods, I am convinced that their enmity is a sufficientguarantee of the integrity of its object. Men such as they must cleaveonly to the vile, hating all that is noblest and best."

  "It is very kind of you to put it that way," she replied, smiling. "Ihave already heard of the matter of the card game. My husband told methe entire story. He spoke especially of the strength and bravery ofMonsieur Tarzan, to whom he feels that he owes an immense debt ofgratitude."

  "Your husband?" repeated Tarzan questioningly.

  "Yes. I am the Countess de Coude."

  "I am already amply repaid, madame, in knowing that I have rendered aservice to the wife of the Count de Coude."

  "Alas, monsieur, I already am so greatly indebted to you that I maynever hope to settle my own account, so pray do not add further to myobligations," and she smiled so sweetly upon him that Tarzan felt thata man might easily attempt much greater things than he hadaccomplished, solely for the pleasure of receiving the benediction ofthat smile.

  He did not see her again that day, and in the rush of landing on thefollowing morning he missed her entirely, but there had been somethingin the expression of her eyes as they parted on deck the previous daythat haunted him. It had been almost wistful as they had spoken of thestrangeness of the swift friendships of an ocean crossing, and of theequal ease with which they are broken forever.

  Tarzan wondered if he should ever see her again.