the son of tarzan-第34部分

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e。

He　looked　upon　all　things　un…European　as　rather　more　than　less　impossible；　still　he　was　not　at　all　averse　to　enjoying　the　novelty　of　unaccustomed　places；　and　making　the　most　of　strangers　indigenous　thereto；　however　unspeakable　they　might　have　seemed　to　him　at　home。　　In　manner　he　was　suave　and　courteous　to　allif　possible　a　trifle　more　punctilious　toward　those　he　considered　of　meaner　clay　than　toward　the　few　he　mentally　admitted　to　equality。

Nature　had　favored　him　with　a　splendid　physique　and　a　handsome　face；　and　also　with　sufficient　good　judgment　to　appreciate　that　while　he　might　enjoy　the　contemplation　of　his　superiority　to　the　masses；　there　was　little　likelihood　of　the　masses　being　equally　entranced　by　the　same　cause。　　And　so　he　easily　maintained　the　reputation　of　being　a　most　democratic　and　likeable　fellow；　and　indeed　he　was　likable。　　Just　a　shade　of　his　egotism　was　occasionally　apparentnever　sufficient　to　become　a　burden　to　his　associates。　　And　this；　briefly；　was　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　of　luxurious　European　civilization。　　What　would　be　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　of　central　Africa　it　were　difficult　to　guess。

Meriem；　at　first；　was　shy　and　reserved　in　the　presence　of　the　strangers。　　Her　benefactors　had　seen　fit　to　ignore　mention　of　her　strange　past；　and　so　she　passed　as　their　ward　whose　antecedents　not　having　been　mentioned　were　not　to　be　inquired　into。　　The　guests　found　her　sweet　and　unassuming；　laughing；　vivacious　and　a　never　exhausted　storehouse　of　quaint　and　interesting　jungle　lore。

She　had　ridden　much　during　her　year　with　Bwana　and　My　Dear。　　She　knew　each　favorite　clump　of　concealing　reeds　along　the　river　that　the　buffalo　loved　best。　　She　knew　a　dozen　places　where　lions　laired；　and　every　drinking　hole　in　the　drier　country　twenty…five　miles　back　from　the　river。　　With　unerring　precision　that　was　almost　uncanny　she　could　track　the　largest　or　the　smallest　beast　to　his　hiding　place。　　But　the　thing　that　baffled　them　all　was　her　instant　consciousness　of　the　presence　of　carnivora　that　others；　exerting　their　faculties　to　the　utmost；　could　neither　see　nor　hear。

The　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　found　Meriem　a　most　beautiful　and　charming　companion。　　He　was　delighted　with　her　from　the　first。　　Particularly　so；　it　is　possible；　because　he　had　not　thought　to　find　companionship　of　this　sort　upon　the　African　estate　of　his　London　friends。　　They　were　together　a　great　deal　as　they　were　the　only　unmarried　couple　in　the　little　company。　　Meriem；　entirely　unaccustomed　to　the　companionship　of　such　as　Baynes；　was　fascinated　by　him。　　His　tales　of　the　great；　gay　cities　with　which　he　was　familiar　filled　her　with　admiration　and　with　wonder。　　If　the　Hon。　Morison　always　shone　to　advantage　in　these　narratives　Meriem　saw　in　that　fact　but　a　most　natural　consequence　to　his　presence　upon　the　scene　of　his　storywherever　Morison　might　be　he　must　be　a　hero；　so　thought　the　girl。

With　the　actual　presence　and　companionship　of　the　young　Englishman　the　image　of　Korak　became　less　real。　　Where　before　it　had　been　an　actuality　to　her　she　now　realized　that　Korak　was　but　a　memory。　　To　that　memory　she　still　was　loyal；　but　what　weight　has　a　memory　in　the　presence　of　a　fascinating　reality？

Meriem　had　never　accompanied　the　men　upon　a　hunt　since　the　arrival　of　the　guests。　　She　never　had　cared　particularly　for　the　sport　of　killing。　　The　tracking　she　enjoyed；　but　the　mere　killing　for　the　sake　of　killing　she　could　not　find　pleasure　inlittle　savage　that　she　had　been；　and　still；　to　some　measure；　was。　　When　Bwana　had　gone　forth　to　shoot　for　meat　she　had　always　been　his　enthusiastic　companion；　but　with　the　coming　of　the　London　guests　the　hunting　had　deteriorated　into　mere　killing。　　Slaughter　the　host　would　not　permit；　yet　the　purpose　of　the　hunts　were　for　heads　and　skins　and　not　for　food。　　So　Meriem　remained　behind　and　spent　her　days　either　with　My　Dear　upon　the　shaded　verandah；　or　riding　her　favorite　pony　across　the　plains　or　to　the　forest　edge。　　Here　she　would　leave　him　untethered　while　she　took　to　the　trees　for　the　moment's　unalloyed　pleasures　of　a　return　to　the　wild；　free　existence　of　her　earlier　childhood。

Then　would　come　again　visions　of　Korak；　and；　tired　at　last　of　leaping　and　swinging　through　the　trees；　she　would　stretch　herself　comfortably　upon　a　branch　and　dream。　　And　presently；　as　today；　she　found　the　features　of　Korak　slowly　dissolve　and　merge　into　those　of　another；　and　the　figure　of　a　tanned；　half…　naked　tarmangani　become　a　khaki　clothed　Englishman　astride　a　hunting　pony。

And　while　she　dreamed　there　came　to　her　ears　from　a　distance；　faintly；　the　terrified　bleating　of　a　kid。　　Meriem　was　instantly　alert。　　You　or　I；　even　had　we　been　able　to　hear　the　pitiful　wail　at　so　great　distance；　could　not　have　interpreted　it；　but　to　Meriem　it　meant　a　species　of　terror　that　afflicts　the　ruminant　when　a　carnivore　is　near　and　escape　impossible。

It　had　been　both　a　pleasure　and　a　sport　of　Korak's　to　rob　Numa　of　his　prey　whenever　possible；　and　Meriem　too　had　often　enjoyed　in　the　thrill　of　snatching　some　dainty　morsel　almost　from　the　very　jaws　of　the　king　of　beasts。　　Now；　at　the　sound　of　the　kid's　bleat；　all　the　well　remembered　thrills　recurred。　　Instantly　she　was　all　excitement　to　play　again　the　game　of　hide　and　seek　with　death。

Quickly　she　loosened　her　riding　skirt　and　tossed　it　asideit　was　a　heavy　handicap　to　successful　travel　in　the　trees。　　Her　boots　and　stockings　followed　the　skirt；　for　the　bare　sole　of　the　human　foot　does　not　slip　upon　dry　or　even　wet　bark　as　does　the　hard　leather　of　a　boot。　　She　would　have　liked　to　discard　her　riding　breeches　also；　but　the　motherly　admonitions　of　My　Dear　had　convinced　Meriem　that　it　was　not　good　form　to　go　naked　through　the　world。

At　her　hip　hung　a　hunting　knife。　　Her　rifle　was　still　in　its　boot　at　her　pony's　withers。　　Her　revolver　she　had　not　brought。

The　kid　was　still　bleating　as　Meriem　started　rapidly　in　its　direction；　which　she　knew　was　straight　toward　a　certain　water

hole　which　had　once　been　famous　as　a　rendezvous　for　lions。　　Of　late　there　had　been　no　evidence　of　carnivora　in　the　neighborhood　of　this　drinking　place；　but　Meriem　was　positive　that　the　bleating　of　the　kid　was　due　to　the　presence　of　either　lion　or　panther。

But　she　would　soon　know；　for　she　was　rapidly　approaching　the　terrified　animal。　　She　wondered　as　she　hastened　onward　that　the　sounds　continued　to　come　from　the　same　point。　　Why　did　the　kid　not　run　away？　　And　then　she　came　in　sight　of　the　little　animal　and　knew。　　The　kid　was　tethered　to　a　stake　beside　the　waterhole。

Meriem　paused　in　the　branches　of　a　near…by　tree　and　scanned　the　surrounding　clearing　with　quick；　penetrating　eyes。　　Where　was　the　hunter？　　Bwana　and　his　people　did　not　hunt　thus。　　Who　could　have　tethered　this　poor　little　beast　as　a　lure　to　Numa？　Bwana　never　countenanced　such　acts　in　his　country　and　his　word　was　law　among　those　who　hunted　within　a　radius　of　many　miles　of　his　estate。

Some　wandering　savages；　doubtless；　thought　Meriem；　but　where　were　they？　　Not　even　her　keen　eyes　could　discover　them。　And　where　was　Numa？　　Why　had　he　not　long　since　sprung　upon　this　delicious　and　defenseless　morsel？　　That　he　was　close　by　was　attested　by　the　pitiful　crying　of　the　kid。　　Ah！　　Now　she　saw　him。　He　was　lying　close　in　a　clump　of　brush　a　few　yards　to　her　right。　The　kid　was　down　wind　from　him　and　getting　the　full　benefit　of　his　terrorizing　scent；　which　did　not　reach　Meriem。

To　circle　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　clearing　where　the　trees　approached　closer　to　the　kid。　　To　leap　quickly　to　the　little　animal's　side　and　cut　the　tether　that　held　him　would　be　the　work　of　but　a　moment。　　In　that　moment　Numa　might　charge；　and　then　there　would　be　scarce　time　to　regain　the　safety　of　the　trees；　yet　it　might　be　done。　　Meriem　had　escaped　from　closer　quarters　than　that　many　times　before。

The　doubt　that　gave　her　momentary　pause　was　caused　by　fear　of　the　unseen　hunters　more　than　by　fear　of　Numa。　　If　they　were　stranger　blacks　the　spears　that　they　held　in　readiness　for　Numa　might　as　readily　be　loosed　upon　whomever　dared　release　their　bait　as　upon　the　prey　they　sought　thus　to　trap。　　Again　the　kid　struggled　to　be　free。　　Again　his　piteous　wail　touched　the　tender　heart　strings　of　the　girl。　　Tossing　discretion　aside；　she　commenced　to　circle　the　clearing。　　Only　from　Numa　did　she　attempt　to　conceal　her　presence。　　At　last　she　reached　the　opposite　trees。　An　instant　she　paused　to　look　toward　the　great　lion；　and　at　the　same　moment　she　saw　the　huge　beast　rise　slowly　to　his　full　height。　　A　low　roar　betokened　that　he　was　ready。

Meriem　loosened　her　knife　and　leaped　to　the　ground。　　A　quick　run　brought　her　to　the　side　of　the　kid。　　Numa　saw　her。　　He　lashed　his　tail　against　his　tawny　sides。　　He　roared　terribly；　but；　for　an　instant；　he　remained　where　he　stoodsurprised　into　inaction；　doubtless；　by　the　strange　apparition　that　had　sprung　so　unexpectedly　from　the　jungle。

Other　eyes　were　upon　Meriem；　tooeyes　in　which　were　no　less　surprise　than　that　reflected　in　the　yellow…green　orbs　of　the　carnivore。　A　white　man；　hiding　in　a　thorn　boma；　half　rose　as　the　young　girl　leaped　into　the　clearing　and　dashed　toward　the　kid。　　He　saw　Numa　hesitate。　He　raised　his　rifle　and　covered　the　beast's　breast。　　The　girl　reached　the　kid's　side。　　Her　knife　flashed；　and