the son of tarzan-第38部分

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ne　day；　he　announced　that　half　his　boys　had　deserted；　for　a　hunting　party　from　the　bungalow　had　come　across　his　northerly　camp　and　he　feared　that　they　might　have　noticed　the　reduced　numbers　of　his　following。

And　thus　matters　stood　when；　one　hot　night；　Meriem；　unable　to　sleep；　rose　and　wandered　out　into　the　garden。　　The　Hon。　Morison　had　been　urging　his　suit　once　more　that　evening；　and　the　girl's　mind　was　in　such　a　turmoil　that　she　had　been　unable　to　sleep。

The　wide　heavens　about　her　seemed　to　promise　a　greater　freedom　from　doubt　and　questioning。　　Baynes　had　urged　her　to　tell　him　that　she　loved　him。　　A　dozen　times　she　thought　that　she　might　honestly　give　him　the　answer　that　he　demanded。　　Korak　fast　was　becoming　but　a　memory。　　That　he　was　dead　she　had　come　to　believe；　since　otherwise　he　would　have　sought　her　out。　　She　did　not　know　that　he　had　even　better　reason　to　believe　her　dead；　and　that　it　was　because　of　that　belief　he　had　made　no　effort　to　find　her　after　his　raid　upon　the　village　of　Kovudoo。

Behind　a　great　flowering　shrub　Hanson　lay　gazing　at　the　stars　and　waiting。　　He　had　lain　thus　and　there　many　nights　before。　　For　what　was　he　waiting；　or　for　whom？　　He　heard　the　girl　approaching；　and　half　raised　himself　to　his　elbow。　　A　dozen　paces　away；　the　reins　looped　over　a　fence　post；　stood　his　pony。

Meriem；　walking　slowly；　approached　the　bush　behind　which　the　waiter　lay。　　Hanson　drew　a　large　bandanna　handkerchief　from　his　pocket　and　rose　stealthily　to　his　knees。　　A　pony　neighed　down　at　the　corrals。　　Far　out　across　the　plain　a　lion　roared。　　Hanson　changed　his　position　until　he　squatted　upon　both　feet；　ready　to　come　erect　quickly。

Again　the　pony　neighedthis　time　closer。　　There　was　the　sound　of　his　body　brushing　against　shrubbery。　　Hanson　heard　and　wondered　how　the　animal　had　gotten　from　the　corral；　for　it　was　evident　that　he　was　already　in　the　garden。　　The　man　turned　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　beast。　　What　he　saw　sent　him　to　the　ground；　huddled　close　beneath　the　shrubberya　man　was　coming；　leading　two　ponies。

Meriem　heard　now　and　stopped　to　look　and　listen。　　A　moment　later　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　drew　near；　the　two　saddled　mounts　at　his　heels。

Meriem　looked　up　at　him　in　surprise。　　The　Hon。　Morison　grinned　sheepishly。

〃I　couldn't　sleep；〃　he　explained；　〃and　was　going　for　a　bit　of　a　ride　when　I　chanced　to　see　you　out　here；　and　I　thought　you'd　like　to　join　me。　　Ripping　good　sport；　you　know；　night　riding。　Come　on。〃

Meriem　laughed。　　The　adventure　appealed　to　her。

〃All　right；〃　she　said。

Hanson　swore　beneath　his　breath。　　The　two　led　their　horses　from　the　garden　to　the　gate　and　through　it。　　There　they　discovered　Hanson's　mount。

〃Why　here's　the　trader's　pony；〃　remarked　Baynes。

〃He's　probably　down　visiting　with　the　foreman；〃　said　Meriem。

〃Pretty　late　for　him；　isn't　it？〃　remarked　the　Hon。　Morison。　〃I'd　hate　to　have　to　ride　back　through　that　jungle　at　night　to　his　camp。〃

As　though　to　give　weight　to　his　apprehensions　the　distant　lion　roared　again。　　The　Hon。　Morison　shivered　and　glanced　at　the　girl　to　note　the　effect　of　the　uncanny　sound　upon　her。　　She　appeared　not　to　have　noticed　it。

A　moment　later　the　two　had　mounted　and　were　moving　slowly　across　the　moon…bathed　plain。　　The　girl　turned　her　pony's　head　straight　toward　the　jungle。　　It　was　in　the　direction　of　the　roaring　of　the　hungry　lion。

〃Hadn't　we　better　steer　clear　of　that　fellow？〃　suggested　the　Hon。　Morison。　　〃I　guess　you　didn't　hear　him。〃

〃Yes；　I　heard　him；〃　laughed　Meriem。　　〃Let's　ride　over　and　call　on　him。〃

The　Hon。　Morison　laughed　uneasily。　　He　didn't　care　to　appear　at　a　disadvantage　before　this　girl；　nor　did　he　care；　either；　to　approach　a　hungry　lion　too　closely　at　night。　　He　carried　his　rifle　in　his　saddle　boot；　but　moonlight　is　an　uncertain　light　to　shoot　by；　nor　ever　had　he　faced　a　lion　aloneeven　by　day。　　The　thought　gave　him　a　distinct　nausea。　　The　beast　ceased　his　roaring　now。　They　heard　him　no　more　and　the　Hon。　Morison　gained　courage　accordingly。　　They　were　riding　down　wind　toward　the　jungle。　　The　lion　lay　in　a　little　swale　to　their　right。　　He　was　old。　　For　two　nights　he　had　not　fed；　for　no　longer　was　his　charge　as　swift　or　his　spring　as　mighty　as　in　the　days　of　his　prime　when　he　spread　terror　among　the　creatures　of　his　wild　domain。　　For　two　nights　and　days　he　had　gone　empty；　and　for　long　time　before　that　he　had　fed　only　upon　carrion。　　He　was　old；　but　he　was　yet　a　terrible　engine　of　destruction。

At　the　edge　of　the　forest　the　Hon。　Morison　drew　rein。　　He　had　no　desire　to　go　further。　　Numa；　silent　upon　his　padded　feet；　crept　into　the　jungle　beyond　them。　　The　wind；　now；　was　blowing　gently　between　him　and　his　intended　prey。　　He　had　come　a　long　way　in　search　of　man；　for　even　in　his　youth　he　had　tasted　human　flesh　and　while　it　was　poor　stuff　by　comparison　with　eland　and　zebra　it　was　less　difficult　to　kill。　　In　Numa's　estimation　man　was　a　slow…witted；　slow…footed　creature　which　commanded　no　respect　unless　accompanied　by　the　acrid　odor　which　spelled　to　the　monarch's　sensitive　nostrils　the　great　noise　and　the　blinding　flash　of　an　express　rifle。

He　caught　the　dangerous　scent　tonight；　but　he　was　ravenous　to　madness。　　He　would　face　a　dozen　rifles；　if　necessary；　to　fill　his　empty　belly。　　He　circled　about　into　the　forest　that　he　might　again　be　down　wind　from　his　victims；　for　should　they　get　his　scent　he　could　not　hope　to　overtake　them。　　Numa　was　famished；　but　he　was　old　and　crafty。

Deep　in　the　jungle　another　caught　faintly　the　scent　of　man　and　of　Numa　both。　　He　raised　his　head　and　sniffed。　　He　cocked　it　upon　one　side　and　listened。

〃Come　on；〃　said　Meriem；　〃let's　ride　in　a　waythe　forest　is　wonderful　at　night。　　It　is　open　enough　to　permit　us　to　ride。〃

The　Hon。　Morison　hesitated。　　He　shrank　from　revealing　his　fear　in　the　presence　of　the　girl。　　A　braver　man；　sure　of　his　own　position；　would　have　had　the　courage　to　have　refused　uselessly　to　expose　the　girl　to　danger。　　He　would　not　have　thought　of　himself　at　all；　but　the　egotism　of　the　Hon。　Morison　required　that　he　think　always　of　self　first。　　He　had　planned　the　ride　to　get　Meriem　away　from　the　bungalow。　　He　wanted　to　talk　to　her　alone　and　far　enough　away　so　should　she　take　offense　at　his　purposed　suggestion　he　would　have　time　in　which　to　attempt　to　right　himself　in　her　eyes　before　they　reached　home。　　He　had　little　doubt；　of　course；　but　that　he　should　succeed；　but　it　is　to　his　credit　that　he　did　have　some　slight　doubts。

〃You　needn't　be　afraid　of　the　lion；〃　said　Meriem；　noting　his　slight　hesitancy。　　〃There　hasn't　been　a　man　eater　around　here　for　two　years；　Bwana　says；　and　the　game　is　so　plentiful　that　there　is　no　necessity　to　drive　Numa　to　human　flesh。　　Then；　he　has　been　so　often　hunted　that　he　rather　keeps　out　of　man's　way。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　afraid　of　lions；〃　replied　the　Hon。　Morison。　　〃I　was　just　thinking　what　a　beastly　uncomfortable　place　a　forest　is　to　ride　in。　　What　with　the　underbrush　and　the　low　branches　and　all　that；　you　know；　it's　not　exactly　cut　out　for　pleasure　riding。〃

〃Let's　go　a…foot　then；〃　suggested　Meriem；　and　started　to　dismount。

〃Oh；　no；〃　cried　the　Hon。　Morison；　aghast　at　this　suggestion。　〃Let's　ride；〃　and　he　reined　his　pony　into　the　dark　shadows　of　the　wood。　　Behind　him　came　Meriem　and　in　front；　prowling　ahead　waiting　a　favorable　opportunity；　skulked　Numa；　the　lion。

Out　upon　the　plain　a　lone　horseman　muttered　a　low　curse　as　he　saw　the　two　disappear　from　sight。　　It　was　Hanson。　　He　had　followed　them　from　the　bungalow。　　Their　way　led　in　the　direction　of　his　camp；　so　he　had　a　ready　and　plausible　excuse　should　they　discover　him；　but　they　had　not　seen　him　for　they　had　not　turned　their　eyes　behind。

Now　he　turned　directly　toward　the　spot　at　which　they　had　entered　the　jungle。　　He　no　longer　cared　whether　he　was　observed　or　not。　　There　were　two　reasons　for　his　indifference。　　The　first　was　that　he　saw　in　Baynes'　act　a　counterpart　of　his　own　planned　abduction　of　the　girl。　　In　some　way　he　might　turn　the　thing　to　his　own　purposes。　　At　least　he　would　keep　in　touch　with　them　and　make　sure　that　Baynes　did　not　get　her。　　His　other　reason　was　based　on　his　knowledge　of　an　event　that　had　transpired　at　his　camp　the　previous　nightan　event　which　he　had　not　mentioned　at　the　bungalow　for　fear　of　drawing　undesired　attention　to　his　movements　and　bringing　the　blacks　of　the　big　Bwana　into　dangerous　intercourse　with　his　own　boys。　　He　had　told　at　the　bungalow　that　half　his　men　had　deserted。　　That　story　might　be　quickly　disproved　should　his　boys　and　Bwana's　grow　confidential。

The　event　that　he　had　failed　to　mention　and　which　now　urged　him　hurriedly　after　the　girl　and　her　escort　had　occurred　during　his　absence　early　the　preceding　evening。　　His　men　had　been　sitting　around　their　camp　fire；　entirely　encircled　by　a　high；　thorn　boma；　when；　without　the　slightest　warning；　a　huge　lion　had　leaped　amongst　them　and　seized　one　of　their　number。　　It　had　been　solely　due　to　the　loyalty　and　courage　of　his　comrades　that　his　life　had　been　saved；　and　then　only　after　a　battle　royal　with　the　hunger…enraged　beast　had　they　been　able　to　drive　him　off　with　burning　brands；　spears；　and　rifles。

From　this　Hanson　knew　that　a　man　eater　had　wandered　into　the　district　or　been　developed　by　the　aging　of　one　of　the　many　lions　w