Part 33 (1/2)

”No,” replied the ape-man. ”My home is upon the west coast. I will continue my journey in that direction.”

She cast appealing eyes toward him. ”You will go back into that terrible jungle?” she asked. ”We shall never see you again?”

He looked at her a moment in silence. ”Never,” he said, and without another word turned and walked away.

In the morning Colonel Capell came from the base camp in one of the planes that was to carry Smith-Oldwick and the girl to the east. Tarzan was standing some distance away as the s.h.i.+p landed and the officer descended to the ground. He saw the colonel greet his junior in command of the advance detachment, and then he saw him turn toward Bertha Kircher who was standing a few paces behind the captain. Tarzan wondered how the German spy felt in this situation, especially when she must know that there was one there who knew her real status. He saw Colonel Capell walk toward her with outstretched hands and smiling face and, although he could not hear the words of his greeting, he saw that it was friendly and cordial to a degree.

Tarzan turned away scowling, and if any had been close by they might have heard a low growl rumble from his chest. He knew that his country was at war with Germany and that not only his duty to the land of his fathers, but also his personal grievance against the enemy people and his hatred of them, demanded that he expose the girl's perfidy, and yet he hesitated, and because he hesitated he growled-not at the German spy but at himself for his weakness.

He did not see her again before she entered a plane and was borne away toward the east. He bid farewell to Smith-Oldwick and received again the oft-repeated thanks of the young Englishman. And then he saw him too borne aloft in the high circling plane and watched until the s.h.i.+p became a speck far above the eastern horizon to disappear at last high in air.

The Tommies, their packs and accouterments slung, were waiting the summons to continue their return march. Colonel Capell had, through a desire to personally observe the stretch of country between the camp of the advance detachment and the base, decided to march back his troops. Now that all was in readiness for departure he turned to Tarzan. ”I wish you would come back with us, Greystoke,” he said, ”and if my appeal carries no inducement possibly that of Smith-Oldwick and the young lady who just left us may. They asked me to urge you to return to civilization.”

”No;” said Tarzan, ”I shall go my own way. Miss Kircher and Lieutenant Smith-Oldwick were only prompted by a sense of grat.i.tude in considering my welfare.”

”Miss Kircher?” exclaimed Capell and then he laughed, ”You know her then as Bertha Kircher, the German spy?”

Tarzan looked at the other a moment in silence. It was beyond him to conceive that a British officer should thus laconically speak of an enemy spy whom he had had within his power and permitted to escape. ”Yes,” he replied, ”I knew that she was Bertha Kircher, the German spy?”

”Is that all you knew?” asked Capell.

”That is all,” said the ape-man.