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detection。 The landing was very small； and though he flattened
himself against the wall at its far edge he was scarcely more
than a foot from the doorway。 Almost immediately it
opened； and Gernois stepped out。 Rokoff was behind him。
Neither spoke。 Gernois had taken perhaps three steps down
the stairway when he halted and half turned； as though to
retrace his steps。
Tarzan knew that discovery would be inevitable。 Rokoff still
stood on the threshold a foot from him； but he was looking in the
opposite direction； toward Gernois。 Then the officer evidently
reconsidered his decision； and resumed his downward course。
Tarzan could hear Rokoff's sigh of relief。 A moment later
the Russian went back into the room and closed the door。
Tarzan waited until Gernois had had time to get well out
of hearing； then he pushed open the door and stepped into
the room。 He was on top of Rokoff before the man could rise
from the chair where he sat scanning the paper Gernois had
given him。 As his eyes turned and fell upon the ape…man's
face his own went livid。
〃You！〃 he gasped。
〃I；〃 replied Tarzan。
〃What do you want？〃 whispered Rokoff； for the look in the
ape…man's eyes frightened him。 〃Have you come to kill me？
You do not dare。 They would guillotine you。 You do not
dare kill me。〃
〃I dare kill you； Rokoff；〃 replied Tarzan； 〃for no one knows
that you are here or that I am here； and Paulvitch would tell
them that it was Gernois。 I heard you tell Gernois so。 But that
would not influence me； Rokoff。 I would not care who knew
that I had killed you； the pleasure of killing you would more
than compensate for any punishment they might inflict upon me。
You are the most despicable cur of a coward； Rokoff； I have ever
heard of。 You should be killed。 I should love to kill you；〃
and Tarzan approached closer to the man。
Rokoff's nerves were keyed to the breaking point。 With a shriek
he sprang toward an adjoining room； but the ape…man was upon
his back while his leap was yet but half completed。 Iron fingers
sought his throatthe great coward squealed like a stuck pig；
until Tarzan had shut off his wind。 Then the ape…man dragged
him to his feet； still choking him。 The Russian struggled
futilelyhe was like a babe in the mighty grasp of Tarzan of the Apes。
Tarzan sat him in a chair； and long before there was danger
of the man's dying he released his hold upon his throat。
When the Russian's coughing spell had abated Tarzan spoke
to him again。
〃I have given you a taste of the suffering of death；〃 he said。
〃But I shall not killthis time。 I am sparing you solely for
the sake of a very good woman whose great misfortune it was
to have been born of the same woman who gave birth to you。
But I shall spare you only this once on her account。
Should I ever learn that you have again annoyed her or
her husbandshould you ever annoy me againshould I
hear that you have returned to France or to any French
posession； I shall make it my sole business to hunt you down
and complete the choking I commenced tonight。〃 Then he
turned to the table； on which the two pieces of paper still lay。
As he picked them up Rokoff gasped in horror。
Tarzan examined both the check and the other。 He was
amazed at the information the latter contained。 Rokoff had
partially read it； but Tarzan knew that no one could remember
the salient facts and figures it held which made it of real
value to an enemy of France。
〃These will interest the chief of staff；〃 he said； as he
slipped them into his pocket。
Rokoff groaned。 He did not dare curse aloud。
The next morning Tarzan rode north on his way to Bouira
and Algiers。 As he had ridden past the hotel Lieutenant
Gernois was standing on the veranda。 As his eyes discovered
Tarzan he went white as chalk。 The ape…man would have been
glad had the meeting not occurred； but he could not avoid it。
He saluted the officer as he rode past。 Mechanically Gernois
returned the salute； but those terrible； wide eyes followed
the horseman； expressionless except for horror。 It was as
though a dead man looked upon a ghost。
At Sidi Aissa Tarzan met a French officer with whom he
had become acquainted on the occasion of his recent
sojourn in the town。
〃You left Bou Saada early？〃 questioned the officer。
〃Then you have not heard about poor Gernois。〃
〃He was the last man I saw as I rode away；〃 replied Tarzan。
〃What about him？〃
〃He is dead。 He shot himself about eight o'clock this morning。〃
Two days later Tarzan reached Algiers。 There he found that
he would have a two days' wait before he could catch a ship
bound for Cape Town。 He occupied his time in writing out
a full report of his mission。 The secret papers he had taken
from Rokoff he did not inclose； for he did not dare trust
them out of his own possession until he had been authorized
to turn them over to another agent； or himself return to
Paris with them。
As Tarzan boarded his ship after what seemed a most tedious
wait to him； two men watched him from an upper deck。
Both were fashionably dressed and smooth shaven。 The taller
of the two had sandy hair； but his eyebrows were very black。
Later in the day they chanced to meet Tarzan on deck；
but as one hurriedly called his companion's attention to
something at sea their faces were turned from Tarzan as he
passed； so that he did not notice their features。 In fact；
he had paid no attention to them at all。
Following the instructions of his chief； Tarzan had booked
his passage under an assumed nameJohn Caldwell； London。
He did not understand the necessity of this； and it caused him
considerable speculation。 He wondered what role he was to
play in Cape Town。
〃Well；〃 he thought； 〃thank Heaven that I am rid of Rokoff。
He was commencing to annoy me。 I wonder if I am really
becoming so civilized that presently I shall develop a set of
nerves。 He would give them to me if any one could； for he
does not fight fair。 One never knows through what new
agency he is going to strike。 It is as though Numa； the lion；
had induced Tantor； the elephant； and Histah； the snake； to
join him in attempting to kill me。 I would then never have
known what minute； or by whom； I was to be attacked next。
But the brutes are more chivalrous than manthey do not
stoop to cowardly intrigue。〃
At dinner that night Tarzan sat next to a young woman whose
place was at the captain's left。 The officer introduced them。
Miss Strong！ Where had he heard the name before？ It was
very familiar。 And then the girl's mother gave him the
clew； for when she addressed her daughter she called her Hazel。
Hazel Strong！ What memories the name inspired。 It had
been a letter to this girl； penned by the fair hand of Jane
Porter； that had carried to him the first message from the
woman he loved。 How vividly he recalled the night he had
stolen it from the desk in the