the son of tarzan-第45部分

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he　jungle　toward　the　west。　He　went　listlessly；　with　bent　head　and　stooped　shoulders；　like　an　old　man　who　bore　upon　his　back　the　weight　of　a　great　sorrow。

Baynes；　following　his　black　guide；　battled　his　way　through　the　dense　underbrush；　riding　stooped　low　over　his　horse's　neck；　or　often　he　dismounted　where　the　low　branches　swept　too　close　to　earth　to　permit　him　to　remain　in　the　saddle。　　The　black　was　taking　him　the　shortest　way；　which　was　no　way　at　all　for　a　horseman；　and　after　the　first　day's　march　the　young　Englishman　was　forced　to　abandon　his　mount；　and　follow　his　nimble　guide　entirely　on　foot。

During　the　long　hours　of　marching　the　Hon。　Morison　had　much　time　to　devote　to　thought；　and　as　he　pictured　the　probable　fate　of　Meriem　at　the　hands　of　the　Swede　his　rage　against　the　man　became　the　greater。　　But　presently　there　came　to　him　a　realization　of　the　fact　that　his　own　base　plans　had　led　the　girl　into　this　terrible　predicament；　and　that　even　had　she　escaped　〃Hanson〃　she　would　have　found　but　little　better　deserts　awaiting　her　with　him。

There　came　too；　the　realization　that　Meriem　was　infinitely　more　precious　to　him　than　he　had　imagined。　　For　the　first　time　he　commenced　to　compare　her　with　other　women　of　his　acquaintance　women　of　birth　and　positionand　almost　to　his　surprisehe　discovered　that　the　young　Arab　girl　suffered　less　than　they　by　the　comparison。　　And　then　from　hating　〃Hanson〃　he　came　to　look　upon　himself　with　hate　and　loathingto　see　himself　and　his　perfidious　act　in　all　their　contemptible　hideousness。

Thus；　in　the　crucible　of　shame　amidst　the　white　heat　of　naked　truths；　the　passion　that　the　man　had　felt　for　the　girl　he　had　considered　his　social　inferior　was　transmuted　into　love。　　And　as　he　staggered　on　there　burned　within　him　beside　his　newborn　love　another　great　passionthe　passion　of　hate　urging　him　on　to　the　consummation　of　revenge。

A　creature　of　ease　and　luxury；　he　had　never　been　subjected　to　the　hardships　and　tortures　which　now　were　his　constant　companionship；　yet；　his　clothing　torn；　his　flesh　scratched　and　bleeding；　he　urged　the　black　to　greater　speed；　though　with　every　dozen　steps　he　himself　fell　from　exhaustion。

It　was　revenge　which　kept　him　goingthat　and　a　feeling　that　in　his　suffering　he　was　partially　expiating　the　great　wrong　he　had　done　the　girl　he　lovedfor　hope　of　saving　her　from　the　fate　into　which　he　had　trapped　her　had　never　existed。　　〃Too　late！　　Too　late！〃　was　the　dismal　accompaniment　of　thought　to　which　he　marched。　　〃Too　late！　　Too　late　to　save；　but　not　too　late　to　avenge！〃　　That　kept　him　up。

Only　when　it　became　too　dark　to　see　would　he　permit　of　a　halt。　　A　dozen　times　in　the　afternoon　he　had　threatened　the　black　with　instant　death　when　the　tired　guide　insisted　upon　resting。　The　fellow　was　terrified。　　He　could　not　understand　the　remarkable　change　that　had　so　suddenly　come　over　the　white　man　who　had　been　afraid　in　the　dark　the　night　before。　　He　would　have　deserted　this　terrifying　master　had　he　had　the　opportunity；　but　Baynes　guessed　that　some　such　thought　might　be　in　the　other's　mind；　and　so　gave　the　fellow　none。　　He　kept　close　to　him　by　day　and　slept　touching　him　at　night　in　the　rude　thorn　boma　they　constructed　as　a　slight　protection　against　prowling　carnivora。

That　the　Hon。　Morison　could　sleep　at　all　in　the　midst　of　the　savage　jungle　was　sufficient　indication　that　he　had　changed　considerably　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours；　and　that　he　could　lie　close　beside　a　none…too…fragrant　black　man　spoke　of　possibilities　for　democracy　within　him　yet　all　undreamed　of。

Morning　found　him　stiff　and　lame　and　sore；　but　none　the　less　determined　to　push　on　in　pursuit　of　〃Hanson〃　as　rapidly　as　possible。　　With　his　rifle　he　brought　down　a　buck　at　a　ford　in　a　small　stream　shortly　after　they　broke　camp；　breakfastless。　　Begrudgingly　he　permitted　a　halt　while　they　cooked　and　ate；　and　then　on　again　through　the　wilderness　of　trees　and　vines　and　underbrush。

And　in　the　meantime　Korak　wandered　slowly　westward；　coming　upon　the　trail　of　Tantor；　the　elephant；　whom　he　overtook　browsing　in　the　deep　shade　of　the　jungle。　　The　ape…man；　lonely　and　sorrowing；　was　glad　of　the　companionship　of　his　huge　friend。　　Affectionately　the　sinuous　trunk　encircled　him；　and　he　was　swung　to　the　mighty　back　where　so　often　before　he　had　lolled　and　dreamed　the　long　afternoon　away。

Far　to　the　north　the　Big　Bwana　and　his　black　warriors　clung　tenaciously　to　the　trail　of　the　fleeing　safari　that　was　luring　them　further　and　further　from　the　girl　they　sought　to　save；　while　back　at　the　bungalow　the　woman　who　had　loved　Meriem　as　though　she　had　been　her　own　waited　impatiently　and　in　sorrow　for　the　return　of　the　rescuing　party　and　the　girl　she　was　positive　her　invincible　lord　and　master　would　bring　back　with　him。



Chapter　22

As　Meriem　struggled　with　Malbihn；　her　hands　pinioned　to　her　sides　by　his　brawny　grip；　hope　died　within　her。　　She　did　not　utter　a　sound　for　she　knew　that　there　was　none　to　come　to　her　assistance；　and；　too；　the　jungle　training　of　her　earlier　life　had　taught　her　the　futility　of　appeals　for　succor　in　the　savage　world　of　her　up…bringing。

But　as　she　fought　to　free　herself　one　hand　came　in　contact　with　the　butt　of　Malbihn's　revolver　where　it　rested　in　the　holster　at　his　hip。　　Slowly　he　was　dragging　her　toward　the　blankets；　and　slowly　her　fingers　encircled　the　coveted　prize　and　drew　it　from　its　resting　place。

Then；　as　Malbihn　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　disordered　pile　of　blankets；　Meriem　suddenly　ceased　to　draw　away　from　him；　and　as　quickly　hurled　her　weight　against　him　with　the　result　that　he　was　thrown　backward；　his　feet　stumbled　against　the　bedding　and　he　was　hurled　to　his　back。　　Instinctively　his　hands　flew　out　to　save　himself　and　at　the　same　instant　Meriem　leveled　the　revolver　at　his　breast　and　pulled　the　trigger。

But　the　hammer　fell　futilely　upon　an　empty　shell；　and　Malbihn　was　again　upon　his　feet　clutching　at　her。　　For　a　moment　she　eluded　him；　and　ran　toward　the　entrance　to　the　tent；　but　at　the　very　doorway　his　heavy　hand　fell　upon　her　shoulder　and　dragged　her　back。　　Wheeling　upon　him　with　the　fury　of　a　wounded　lioness　Meriem　grasped　the　long　revolver　by　the　barrel；　swung　it　high　above　her　head　and　crashed　it　down　full　in　Malbihn's　face。

With　an　oath　of　pain　and　rage　the　man　staggered　backward；　releasing　his　hold　upon　her　and　then　sank　unconscious　to　the　ground。　　Without　a　backward　look　Meriem　turned　and　fled　into　the　open。　　Several　of　the　blacks　saw　her　and　tried　to　intercept　her　flight；　but　the　menace　of　the　empty　weapon　kept　them　at　a　distance。　　And　so　she　won　beyond　the　encircling　boma　and　disappeared　into　the　jungle　to　the　south。

Straight　into　the　branches　of　a　tree　she　went；　true　to　the　arboreal　instincts　of　the　little　mangani　she　had　been；　and　here　she　stripped　off　her　riding　skirt；　her　shoes　and　her　stockings；　for　she　knew　that　she　had　before　her　a　journey　and　a　flight　which　would　not　brook　the　burden　of　these　garments。　　Her　riding　breeches　and　jacket　would　have　to　serve　as　protection　from　cold　and　thorns；　nor　would　they　hamper　her　over　much；　but　a　skirt　and　shoes　were　impossible　among　the　trees。

She　had　not　gone　far　before　she　commenced　to　realize　how　slight　were　her　chances　for　survival　without　means　of　defense　or　a　weapon　to　bring　down　meat。　　Why　had　she　not　thought　to　strip　the　cartridge　belt　from　Malbihn's　waist　before　she　had　left　his　tent！　　With　cartridges　for　the　revolver　she　might　hope　to　bag　small　game；　and　to　protect　herself　from　all　but　the　most　ferocious　of　the　enemies　that　would　beset　her　way　back　to　the　beloved　hearthstone　of　Bwana　and　My　Dear。

With　the　thought　came　determination　to　return　and　obtain　the　coveted　ammunition。　　She　realized　that　she　was　taking　great　chances　of　recapture；　but　without　means　of　defense　and　of　obtaining　meat　she　felt　that　she　could　never　hope　to　reach　safety。　　And　so　she　turned　her　face　back　toward　the　camp　from　which　she　had　but　just　escaped。

She　thought　Malbihn　dead；　so　terrific　a　blow　had　she　dealt　him；　and　she　hoped　to　find　an　opportunity　after　dark　to　enter　the　camp　and　search　his　tent　for　the　cartridge　belt；　but　scarcely　had　she　found　a　hiding　place　in　a　great　tree　at　the　edge　of　the　boma　where　she　could　watch　without　danger　of　being　discovered；　when　she　saw　the　Swede　emerge　from　his　tent；　wiping　blood　from　his　face；　and　hurling　a　volley　of　oaths　and　questions　at　his　terrified　followers。

Shortly　after　the　entire　camp　set　forth　in　search　of　her　and　when　Meriem　was　positive　that　all　were　gone　she　descended　from　her　hiding　place　and　ran　quickly　across　the　clearing　to　Malbihn's　tent。　　A　hasty　survey　of　the　interior　revealed　no　ammunition；　but　in　one　corner　was　a　box　in　which　were　packed　the　Swede's　personal　belongings　that　he　had　sent　along　by　his　headman　to　this　westerly　camp。

Meriem　seized　the　receptacle　as　the　possible　container　of　extra　ammunition。　　Quickly　she　loosed　the　cords　that　held　the　canvas　covering　about　the　box；　and　a　moment　later　had　raised　the　lid　and　was　rummaging　through　the　heterogeneous　accumulation　of　odds　and　ends　within。　　There　were　letters　and　papers　and　cuttings　from　old　newspapers；　and　among　other　things　the　photograph　of　a　little　girl　upon　the　back　of　which　was　pasted　a　cutting　from　a　Paris　dailya　cutting　that　she　could　no