Part 9 (2/2)
How tall and fine she was! Had she changed suddenly within the few hours of his absence, or had his battle with the ape affected his vision? He h new eyes for the aze revealed How long it had been since he had found her in her father's village, a little Arab girl, he did not know, for tile and so he had kept no track of the passing days But he realized, as he looked upon her now, that she was no longer such a little girl as he had first seen playing with Geeka beneath the great tree just within the palisade The change radual to have eluded his notice until now And as it that had caused hiirl to the body of the dead bull For the first ti the explanation of the reason for the girl's attempted abduction Korak's eyes ide and then they closed to narrow slits of rage as he stood glaring down upon the abyslance rose to Meriem's face a slow flush suffused his own Now, indeed, was he looking upon her through new eyes-the eyes of aupon a maid
Akut had coonist The exultation of the old ape was keen He strutted, stiff-legged and truculent about the body of the fallen ene, flexible lip His hair bristled He was paying no attention to Meriem and Korak Back in the utter-soreat bull had aroused The outwardidea was one of bestial rage; but the inner sensations were pleasurable in the extree and hairy figure had wakened in the heart of Akut a longing for the cooing a change
And Merieht to love Always she had loved Korak He was her big brother Meriee She was still happy in the companionshi+p of her Korak She still loved hient brother-and she was very, very proud of hi, so handsome, or so brave
Korak caht in his eyes as she looked up into them; but she did not understand it She did not realize how close they were to ht of all the difference in their lives the look in Korak's eyes ht mean
”Meriem,” he whispered and his voice was husky as he laid a brown hand upon her bare shoulder ”Meriem!” Suddenly he crushed her to hi, and then he bent and kissed her full upon the mouth Even then she did not understand She did not recall ever having been kissed before It was very nice Merielad he was that the great ape had not succeeded in running aith her She was glad too, so she put her arain Then, discovering the doll in his belt she transferred it to her own possession, kissing it as she had kissed Korak
Korak wanted her to say so He wanted to tell her how he loved her; but the eani was limited
There carowl, no louder than those he had been giving vent to the while he pranced about the dead bull, nor half so loud in fact; but of a tiht to the perceptive faculties of the jungle beast ingrained in Korak It was a warning Korak looked quickly up frolorious vision of the sweet face so close to his Now his other faculties awoke His ears, his nostrils were on the alert So!
The Killer moved to Akut's side Merieazing into the leafy tangle of the jungle The noise that had attracted their attention increased, and presently a great ape broke through the underbrush a few paces froave a warning grunt back over his shoulder, and acautiously another bull appeared He was followed by others-both bulls and fe at the three It was the tribe of the dead king ape Akut was the first to speak He pointed to the body of the dead bull
”Korak, runted ”There is none greater in all the jungle than Korak, son of Tarzan Now Korak is king What bull is greater than Korak?” It was a challenge to any bull who shi+p The apes jabbered and chattered and growled a bull carowling, terrible
The beast was enored to that alht upon the inforles Even the natives seldoreat, hairy, primordial rowling In hisTo close with this powerful, untired brute after having just passed through a terrific battle with another of his kind would have been to te, he prepared to e which he kneould soon coonist paused only for sufficient time to permit him to recount for the edification of the audience and the confounding of Korak a brief resume of his former victories, of his prowess, and of what he was about to do to this puny Tarers and wide opened jaws he ca Korak with the speed of an express train Korak did notto e a terrific right to the side of the beast's jaw as he side-stepped his rushi+ng body, and swinging quickly about stood ready over the fallen ape where he sprawled upon the ground
It was a surprised anthropoid that attempted to scramble to its feet Froth flecked its hideous lips Red were the little eyes Blood curdling roars tumbled from the deep chest But it did not reach its feet The Killer stood waiting above it, and the moment that the hairy chin came upon the proper level another blow that would have felled an ox sent the ape over backward
Again and again the beast struggled to arise, but each ti with ready fist and pile driver blow to bowl him over Weaker and weaker became the efforts of the bull Blood smeared his face and breast A red stream trickled from nose and e yells, now jeered hiani
”KaGoda?” inquired Korak, as he sent the bull down once ain the stubborn bull essayed to scraain The Killer struck hiain he put the question, kaGoda-have you had enough?
For a moment the bull lay le word: ”KaGoda!”
”Then rise and go back a people who once drove me from them Keep your oays, and ill keep ours When we ether”
An old bull ca,” he said ”You have defeated hi You could have killed hi?”
Korak turned toward Akut
”There is your king,” he said But Akut did not want to be separated froh to remain with his own kind He wanted Korak to re of Meriem-of ould be best and safest for her If Akut went aith the apes there would be but one to watch over and protect her On the other hand were they to join the tribe he would never feel safe to leave Meriem behind when he went out to hunt, for the passions of the ape-folk are not ever well controlled Even a feirl and kill her during Korak's absence