Part 18 (1/2)
”I'll qualify the stateh ”We have known each other for two ages--hers and mine But seriously we are as dear to each other as sisters, and now that I a to lose her?” exclaimed Tarzan ”Why, what do you mean? Oh, yes, I understand You land, you will seldom if ever see her”
”Yes,” replied she; ”and the saddest part of it all is that she is notfrom a sense of duty! I think it is perfectly wicked, and I told her so I have felt so strongly on the subject that although I was the only person outside of blood relations as to have been asked to the wedding I would not let her invite one to witness the terrible mockery But Jane Porter is peculiarly positive She has convinced herself that she is doing the only honorable thing that she can do, and nothing in the world will ever prevent her fro Lord Greystoke except Greystoke himself, or death”
”I am sorry for her,” said Tarzan
”And I airl, ”for he loves her I never met him, but from what Jane tells me he must be a very wonderful person It seeht up by fierce, anthropoid apes He had never seen a white man or woman until Professor Porter and his party were ht at the threshold of his tiny cabin He saved them from all manner of terrible beasts, and accoinable, and then to cap the clih she never really knew it for sure until she had promised herself to Lord Greystoke”
”Most re his brain for sohted in hearing Hazel Strong talk of Jane, but when he was the subject of the conversation he was bored and eirl's eneral
The next few days passed uneventfully The sea was quiet The sky was clear The steamer plowed steadily on toward the south without pause
Tarzan spent quite a little ti and her , or taking pictures with Miss Strong's camera When the sun had set they walked
One day Tarzan found Miss Strong in conversation with a stranger, a man he had not seen on board before As he approached the couple the irl and turned to walk away
”Wait, Monsieur Thuran,” said Miss Strong; ”you ers, and should be acquainted”
The two men shook hands As Tarzan looked into the eyes of Monsieur Thuran he was struck by the strange familiarity of their expression
”I have had the honor of monsieur's acquaintance in the past, I ah I cannot recall the circumstances”
Monsieur Thuran appeared ill at ease
”I cannot say, monsieur,” he replied ”It may be so I have had that identical sensation er”
”Monsieur Thuran has been explaining soirl
Tarzan paid little heed to the conversation that ensued--he was atte to recall where he had met Monsieur Thuran before That it had been under peculiar circumstances he was positive Presently the sun reached theirl asked Monsieur Thuran to move her chair farther back into the shade Tarzan happened to be watching the man at the time, and noticed the aard manner in which he handled the chair--his left wrist was stiff That cleas sufficient--a sudden train of associated ideas did the rest
Monsieur Thuran had been trying to find an excuse to raceful departure The lull in the conversation following the ave hi low to Miss Strong, and inclining his head to Tarzan, he turned to leave the will pardon me I will acco”
Monsieur Thuran looked uncoht, Tarzan stopped, laying a heavy hand on the other's shoulder
”What is your ga France as I promised you,” replied the other, in a surly voice
”I see you are,” said Tarzan; ”but I know you so well that I can scarcely believe that your being on the same boat with me is purely a coincidence If I could believe it the fact that you are in disguise would irowled Rokoff, with a shrug, ”I cannot see what you are going to do about it This vessel flies the English flag I have as ht on board her as you, and froine that I have ht”
”We will not discuss it, Rokoff All I wanted to say to you is that you --she is a decent woman”
Rokoff turned scarlet