the son of tarzan-第46部分

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ittle　girl　upon　the　back　of　which　was　pasted　a　cutting　from　a　Paris　dailya　cutting　that　she　could　not　read；　yellowed　and　dimmed　by　age　and　handlingbut　something　about　the　photograph　of　the　little　girl　which　was　also　reproduced　in　the　newspaper　cutting　held　her　attention。　　Where　had　she　seen　that　picture　before？　　And　then；　quite　suddenly；　it　came　to　her　that　this　was　a　picture　of　herself　as　she　had　been　years　and　years　before。

Where　had　it　been　taken？　　How　had　it　come　into　the　possession　of　this　man？　　Why　had　it　been　reproduced　in　a　newspaper？　　What　was　the　story　that　the　faded　type　told　of　it？

Meriem　was　baffled　by　the　puzzle　that　her　search　for　ammunition　had　revealed。　　She　stood　gazing　at　the　faded　photograph　for　a　time　and　then　bethought　herself　of　the　ammunition　for　which　she　had　come。　　Turning　again　to　the　box　she　rummaged　to　the　bottom　and　there　in　a　corner　she　came　upon　a　little　box　of　cartridges。　　A　single　glance　assured　her　that　they　were　intended　for　the　weapon　she　had　thrust　inside　the　band　of　her　riding　breeches；　and　slipping　them　into　her　pocket　she　turned　once　more　for　an　examination　of　the　baffling　likeness　of　herself　that　she　held　in　her　hand。

As　she　stood　thus　in　vain　endeavor　to　fathom　this　inexplicable　mystery　the　sound　of　voices　broke　upon　her　ears。　　Instantly　she　was　all　alert。　　They　were　coming　closer！　　A　second　later　she　recognized　the　lurid　profanity　of　the　Swede。　　Malbihn；　her　persecutor；　was　returning！　　Meriem　ran　quickly　to　the　opening　of　the　tent　and　looked　out。　　It　was　too　late！　　She　was　fairly　cornered！　The　white　man　and　three　of　his　black　henchmen　were　coming　straight　across　the　clearing　toward　the　tent。　　What　was　she　to　do？　　She　slipped　the　photograph　into　her　waist。　　Quickly　she　slipped　a　cartridge　into　each　of　the　chambers　of　the　revolver。　　Then　she　backed　toward　the　end　of　the　tent；　keeping　the　entrance　covered　by　her　weapon。　　The　man　stopped　outside；　and　Meriem　could　hear　Malbihn　profanely　issuing　instructions。　　He　was　a　long　time　about　it；　and　while　he　talked　in　his　bellowing；　brutish　voice；　the　girl　sought　some　avenue　of　escape。　　Stooping；　she　raised　the　bottom　of　the　canvas　and　looked　beneath　and　beyond。　　There　was　no　one　in　sight　upon　that　side。　　Throwing　herself　upon　her　stomach　she　wormed　beneath　the　tent　wall　just　as　Malbihn；　with　a　final　word　to　his　men；　entered　the　tent。

Meriem　heard　him　cross　the　floor；　and　then　she　rose　and；　stooping　low；　ran　to　a　native　hut　directly　behind。　　Once　inside　this　she　turned　and　glanced　back。　　There　was　no　one　in　sight。　　She　had　not　been　seen。　　And　now　from　Malbihn's　tent　she　heard　a　great　cursing。　　The　Swede　had　discovered　the　rifling　of　his　box。　　He　was　shouting　to　his　men；　and　as　she　heard　them　reply　Meriem　darted　from　the　hut　and　ran　toward　the　edge　of　the　boma　furthest　from　Malbihn's　tent。　Overhanging　the　boma　at　this　point　was　a　tree　that　had　been　too　large；　in　the　eyes　of　the　rest…loving　blacks；　to　cut　down。　　So　they　had　terminated　the　boma　just　short　of　it。　　Meriem　was　thankful　for　whatever　circumstance　had　resulted　in　the　leaving　of　that　particular　tree　where　it　was；　since　it　gave　her　the　much…needed　avenue　of　escape　which　she　might　not　otherwise　have　had。

From　her　hiding　place　she　saw　Malbihn　again　enter　the　jungle；　this　time　leaving　a　guard　of　three　of　his　boys　in　the　camp。　　He　went　toward　the　south；　and　after　he　had　disappeared；　Meriem　skirted　the　outside　of　the　enclosure　and　made　her　way　to　the　river。　　Here　lay　the　canoes　that　had　been　used　in　bringing　the　party　from　the　opposite　shore。　　They　were　unwieldy　things　for　a　lone　girl　to　handle；　but　there　was　no　other　way　and　she　must　cross　the　river。

The　landing　place　was　in　full　view　of　the　guard　at　the　camp。　To　risk　the　crossing　under　their　eyes　would　have　meant　undoubted　capture。　　Her　only　hope　lay　in　waiting　until　darkness　had　fallen；　unless　some　fortuitous　circumstance　should　arise　before。　　For　an　hour　she　lay　watching　the　guard；　one　of　whom　seemed　always　in　a　position　where　he　would　immediately　discover　her　should　she　attempt　to　launch　one　of　the　canoes。

Presently　Malbihn　appeared；　coming　out　of　the　jungle；　hot　and　puffing。　　He　ran　immediately　to　the　river　where　the　canoes　lay　and　counted　them。　　It　was　evident　that　it　had　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　the　girl　must　cross　here　if　she　wished　to　return　to　her　protectors。　　The　expression　of　relief　on　his　face　when　he　found　that　none　of　the　canoes　was　gone　was　ample　evidence　of　what　was　passing　in　his　mind。　　He　turned　and　spoke　hurriedly　to　the　head　man　who　had　followed　him　out　of　the　jungle　and　with　whom　were　several　other　blacks。

Following　Malbihn's　instructions　they　launched　all　the　canoes　but　one。　　Malbihn　called　to　the　guards　in　the　camp　and　a　moment　later　the　entire　party　had　entered　the　boats　and　were　paddling　up　stream。

Meriem　watched　them　until　a　bend　in　the　river　directly　above　the　camp　hid　them　from　her　sight。　　They　were　gone！　　She　was　alone；　and　they　had　left　a　canoe　in　which　lay　a　paddle！　　She　could　scarce　believe　the　good　fortune　that　had　come　to　her。　　To　delay　now　would　be　suicidal　to　her　hopes。　　Quickly　she　ran　from　her　hiding　place　and　dropped　to　the　ground。　　A　dozen　yards　lay　between　her　and　the　canoe。

Up　stream；　beyond　the　bend；　Malbihn　ordered　his　canoes　in　to　shore。　　He　landed　with　his　head　man　and　crossed　the　little　point　slowly　in　search　of　a　spot　where　he　might　watch　the　canoe　he　had　left　at　the　landing　place。　　He　was　smiling　in　anticipation　of　the　almost　certain　success　of　his　stratagemsooner　or　later　the　girl　would　come　back　and　attempt　to　cross　the　river　in　one　of　their　canoes。　　It　might　be　that　the　idea　would　not　occur　to　her　for　some　time。　　They　might　have　to　wait　a　day；　or　two　days；　but　that　she　would　come　if　she　lived　or　was　not　captured　by　the　men　he　had　scouting　the　jungle　for　her　Malbihn　was　sure。　　That　she　would　come　so　soon；　however；　he　had　not　guessed；　and　so　when　he　topped　the　point　and　came　again　within　sight　of　the　river　he　saw　that　which　drew　an　angry　oath　from　his　lipshis　quarry　already　was　half　way　across　the　river。

Turning；　he　ran　rapidly　back　to　his　boats；　the　head　man　at　his　heels。　　Throwing　themselves　in；　Malbihn　urged　his　paddlers　to　their　most　powerful　efforts。　　The　canoes　shot　out　into　the　stream　and　down　with　the　current　toward　the　fleeing　quarry。　　She　had　almost　completed　the　crossing　when　they　came　in　sight　of　her。　　At　the　same　instant　she　saw　them；　and　redoubled　her　efforts　to　reach　the　opposite　shore　before　they　should　overtake　her。　　Two　minutes'　start　of　them　was　all　Meriem　cared　for。　　Once　in　the　trees　she　knew　that　she　could　outdistance　and　elude　them。　　Her　hopes　were　highthey　could　not　overtake　her　nowshe　had　had　too　good　a　start　of　them。

Malbihn；　urging　his　men　onward　with　a　stream　of　hideous　oaths　and　blows　from　his　fists；　realized　that　the　girl　was　again　slipping　from　his　clutches。　　The　leading　canoe；　in　the　bow　of　which　he　stood；　was　yet　a　hundred　yards　behind　the　fleeing　Meriem　when　she　ran　the　point　of　her　craft　beneath　the　overhanging　trees　on　the　shore　of　safety。

Malbihn　screamed　to　her　to　halt。　　He　seemed　to　have　gone　mad　with　rage　at　the　realization　that　he　could　not　overtake　her；　and　then　he　threw　his　rifle　to　his　shoulder；　aimed　carefully　at　the　slim　figure　scrambling　into　the　trees；　and　fired。

Malbihn　was　an　excellent　shot。　　His　misses　at　so　short　a　distance　were　practically　non…existent；　nor　would　he　have　missed　this　time　but　for　an　accident　occurring　at　the　very　instant　that　his　finger　tightened　upon　the　triggeran　accident　to　which　Meriem　owed　her　lifethe　providential　presence　of　a　water…logged　tree　trunk；　one　end　of　which　was　embedded　in　the　mud　of　the　river　bottom　and　the　other　end　of　which　floated　just　beneath　the　surface　where　the　prow　of　Malbihn's　canoe　ran　upon　it　as　he　fired。　　The　slight　deviation　of　the　boat's　direction　was　sufficient　to　throw　the　muzzle　of　the　rifle　out　of　aim。　　The　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　by　Meriem's　head　and　an　instant　later　she　had　disappeared　into　the　foliage　of　the　tree。

There　was　a　smile　on　her　lips　as　she　dropped　to　the　ground　to　cross　a　little　clearing　where　once　had　stood　a　native　village　surrounded　by　its　fields。　　The　ruined　huts　still　stood　in　crumbling　decay。　　The　rank　vegetation　of　the　jungle　overgrew　the　cultivated　ground。　　Small　trees　already　had　sprung　up　in　what　had　been　the　village　street；　but　desolation　and　loneliness　hung　like　a　pall　above　the　scene。　　To　Meriem；　however；　it　presented　but　a　place　denuded　of　large　trees　which　she　must　cross　quickly　to　regain　the　jungle　upon　the　opposite　side　before　Malbihn　should　have　landed。

The　deserted　huts　were；　to　her；　all　the　better　because　they　were　desertedshe　did　not　see　the　keen　eyes　watching　her　from　a　dozen　points；　from　tumbling　doorways；　from　behind　tottering　granaries。　　In　utter　unconsciousness　of　impending　danger　she　started　up　the　village　street　because　it　offered　the　clearest　pathway　to　the　jungle。

A　mile　away　toward　the　east；　fighting　his　way　through　the　jungle　along　the　trail　taken　by　Malbihn　when　he　had　brought　Meriem　to　his　camp；　a　man　in　torn　khakifilthy；　haggard；　unkemptcame　to　a　sudden　stop　as　the　report　of　Malbihn's　rifle　resounded　faintly　through　the　tangled　forest。　　The　black　man　just　ahead　of　him　stopped；　too。

〃We　are　almos