Part 37 (1/2)

He dropped his eyes, for he was ashaone away and left me?” she cried reproachfully

”Don't, Jane!” he pleaded ”Please don't! You cannot kno I have suffered since for the cruelty of that act, or how I suffered then, first in jealous rage, and then in bitter resentainst the fate that I had not deserved I went back to the apes after that, Jane, intending never again to see a hu” He told her then of his life since he had returned to the jungle--of how he had dropped like a plue Waziri warrior, and from there back to the brute that he had been raised

She asked his that Monsieur Thuran had told her--of the woman in Paris He narrated every detail of his civilized life to her, o, for he felt no shame, since his heart always had been true to her When he had finished he sat looking at her, as though waiting for her judg the truth,” she said ”Oh, what a horrible creature he is!”

”You are not angry with h apparently a de Coude very beautiful?” she asked

And Tarzan laughed and kissed her again ”Not one-tenth so beautiful as you, dear,” he said

She gave a contented little sigh, and let her head rest against his shoulder He knew that he was forgiven

That night Tarzan built a snug little bower high aiant tree, and there the tired girl slept, while in a crotch beneath her the ape-man curled, ready, even in sleep, to protect her

It took the journey to the coast Where the as easy they walked hand in hand beneath the arching boughs of the one past have walked their priled he took her in his great arh the trees, and the days were all too short, for they were very happy Had it not been for their anxiety to reach and succor Clayton they would have drawn out the sweet pleasure of that wonderful journey indefinitely

On the last day before they reached the coast Tarzan caught the scent of irl, and cautioned her to le,” he remarked dryly

In half an hour they ca toward the west As Tarzan saw theht--it was a band of his own Waziri Busuli was there, and others who had accoht of him they danced and cried out in exuberant joy For weeks they had been searching for him, they told him

The blacks exhibited considerable wonderirl with him, and when they found that she was to be his woman they vied with one another to do her honor With the happy Waziri laughing and dancing about them they can of life, and no response to their calls Tarzan clambered quickly to the interior of the little tree hut, only to e it down to Busuli, he told him to fetch water, and then he beckoned Jane Porter to co that once had been an English nobleirl's eyes as she saw the poor, sunken cheeks and hollow eyes, and the lines of suffering upon the once young and handsome face

”He still lives,” said Tarzan ”We will do all that can be done for him, but I fear that we are too late”

When Busuli had brought the water Tarzan forced a few drops between the cracked and swollen lips He wetted the hot forehead and bathed the pitiful limbs

Presently Clayton opened his eyes A faint, shadowy s over hied to one of wonderht, old fellow,” said the ape-ht now, and we'll have you on your feet again before you know it”

The Englishman shook his head weakly ”It's too late,” he whispered

”But it's just as well I'd rather die”

”Where is Monsieur Thuran?” asked the girl

”He left ed for the water that I was too weak to get he drank before ht of it the man was suddenly animated by a spark of vitality He raised himself upon one elbow

”Yes,” he alh to find and kill that beast!” But the brief effort left hi grasses that, with his old ulster, had been the bed of Jane Porter