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physical exertion and nervous excitement。 He rushed
to Tarzan's side； and as the first of the savages reached the
village gate the native's knife severed the last of the cords
that bound Tarzan to the stake。
In the street lay the corpses of the savages that had fallen
before the pack the night before。 From one of these Tarzan
seized a spear and knob stick； and with Mugambi at his side
and the snarling pack about him； he met the natives as they
poured through the gate。
Fierce and terrible was the battle that ensued； but at last the
savages were routed； more by terror； perhaps； at sight of a
black man and a white fighting in company with a panther and
the huge fierce apes of Akut； than because of their inability
to overcome the relatively small force that opposed them。
One prisoner fell into the hands of Tarzan； and him the
ape…man questioned in an effort to learn what had become of
Rokoff and his party。 Promised his liberty in return for the
information； the black told all he knew concerning the movements
of the Russian。
It seemed that early in the morning their chief had attempted
to prevail upon the whites to return with him to the
village and with their guns destroy the ferocious pack that
had taken possession of it； but Rokoff appeared to entertain
even more fears of the giant white man and his strange
companions than even the blacks themselves。
Upon no conditions would he consent to returning even
within sight of the village。 Instead； he took his party
hurriedly to the river； where they stole a number of canoes the
blacks had hidden there。 The last that had been seen of them
they had been paddling strongly up…stream； their porters from
Kaviri's village wielding the blades。
So once more Tarzan of the Apes with his hideous pack
took up his search for the ape…man's son and the pursuit of
his abductor。
For weary days they followed through an almost uninhabited
country； only to learn at last that they were upon the
wrong trail。 The little band had been reduced by three； for
three of Akut's apes had fallen in the fighting at the village。
Now； with Akut； there were five great apes； and Sheeta was
thereand Mugambi and Tarzan。
The ape…man no longer heard rumors even of the three
who had preceded Rokoffthe white man and woman and
the child。 Who the man and woman were he could not guess；
but that the child was his was enough to keep him hot upon
the trail。 He was sure that Rokoff would be following this
trio； and so he felt confident that so long as he could keep
upon the Russian's trail he would be winning so much nearer
to the time he might snatch his son from the dangers and
horrors that menaced him。
In retracing their way after losing Rokoff's trail Tarzan
picked it up again at a point where the Russian had left the
river and taken to the brush in a northerly direction。 He could
only account for this change on the ground that the child had
been carried away from the river by the two who now had
possession of it。
Nowhere along the way； however； could he gain definite information
that might assure him positively that the child was ahead of him。
Not a single native they questioned had seen or heard of this
other party； though nearly all had had direct experience with
the Russian or had talked with others who had。
It was with difficulty that Tarzan could find means to communicate
with the natives； as the moment their eyes fell upon his companions
they fled precipitately into the bush。 His only alternative was
to go ahead of his pack and waylay an occasional warrior whom
he found alone in the jungle。
One day as he was thus engaged； tracking an unsuspecting
savage； he came upon the fellow in the act of hurling a spear
at a wounded white man who crouched in a clump of bush at the
trail's side。 The white was one whom Tarzan had often seen；
and whom he recognized at once。
Deep in his memory was implanted those repulsive featuresthe
close…set eyes； the shifty expression； the drooping yellow moustache。
Instantly it occurred to the ape…man that this fellow had
not been among those who had accompanied Rokoff at the
village where Tarzan had been a prisoner。 He had seen them all；
and this fellow had not been there。 There could be but one
explanationhe it was who had fled ahead of the Russian with
the woman and the childand the woman had been Jane Clayton。
He was sure now of the meaning of Rokoff's words。
The ape…man's face went white as he looked upon the pasty；
vice…marked countenance of the Swede。 Across Tarzan's forehead
stood out the broad band of scarlet that marked the scar where；
years before； Terkoz had torn a great strip of the ape…man's
scalp from his skull in the fierce battle in which Tarzan had
sustained his fitness to the kingship of the apes of Kerchak。
The man was his preythe black should not have him；
and with the thought he leaped upon the warrior； striking
down the spear before it could reach its mark。 The black；
whipping out his knife； turned to do battle with this new
enemy； while the Swede； lying in the bush； witnessed a duel；
the like of which he had never dreamed to seea half…naked
white man battling with a half…naked black； hand to hand
with the crude weapons of primeval man at first； and then
with hands and teeth like the primordial brutes from whose
loins their forebears sprung。
For a time Anderssen did not recognize the white； and when
at last it dawned upon him that he had seen this giant before；
his eyes went wide in surprise that this growling； rending beast
could ever have been the well…groomed English gentleman who had
been a prisoner aboard the Kincaid。
An English nobleman！ He had learned the identity of the
Kincaid's prisoners from Lady Greystoke during their flight
up the Ugambi。 Before； in common with the other members of
the crew of the steamer； he had not known who the two might be。
The fight was over。 Tarzan had been compelled to kill his antagonist；
as the fellow would not surrender。
The Swede saw the white man leap to his feet beside the corpse
of his foe； and placing one foot upon the broken neck lift
his voice in the hideous challenge of the victorious bull…ape。
Anderssen shuddered。 Then Tarzan turned toward him。
His face was cold and cruel； and in the grey eyes the
Swede read murder。
〃Where is my wife？〃 growled the ape…man。 〃Where is the child？〃
Anderssen tried to reply； but a sudden fit of coughing choked him。
There was an arrow entirely through his chest； and as he coughed the
blood from his wounded lung poured suddenly from his mouth and nostrils。
Tarzan stood waiting for the paroxysm to pass。 Like a
bronze imagecold； hard； and relentlesshe stood over the
helpless man； waiting to wring such information from him
as he needed； and then to kill。
Presently the coughing and haemorrhage ceased； and again
the wounded man tried