They had waited for but a moment when there came into view upon the
ground below them an almost naked man clothed in a bit of filthy
goatskin, which was almost undistinguishable as such beneath a coating
of mud, while the original color of his skin was hidden beneath a
similar covering. A great mass of tousled black hair surmounted his
head. He was quite the filthiest appearing creature that Tarzan had
ever looked upon, but he was evidently no Horib and he was unarmed.
What he was doing there alone in the grim forest, the ape-man could
not imagine, so he dropped to the ground immediately in front of the
surprised wayfarer.
At sight of the ape-man, the other stopped his eyes wide with
astonishment and incredulity. "Tarzan!" he exclaimed. "My God, it is
really you. You are not dead. Thank God you are not dead."
It was an instant before the ape-man could recognize the speaker, but
not so the girl hiding in the tree above. The instant that she had
heard his voice she had known him.
A slow smile overspread the features of the Lord of the Jungle.
"Gridley!" he exclaimed. "Jason Gridley! Jana told me that you were
dead."
"Jana!" exclaimed Jason, "You know her? You have seen her? Where is
she?"
"She is here with me," replied Tarzan.
The Red Flower of Zoram had slipped to the ground upon the opposite
side of the tree and now she stepped from behind its trunk.
"Jana!" cried Jason, coming eagerly toward her.
The girl drew herself to her full height and turned a shoulder toward
him. "Jalok!" she cried contemptuously. "Must I tell you again to keep
away from The Red Flower of Zoram?"
Jason halted in his tracks, his arms dropped limply to his sides, his
attitude one of utter dejection.
Tarzan looked silently on, his brows momentarily revealing his
perplexity; but it was not his way to interfere in affairs that were
wholly the concern of others. "Come," he said, "we must find the
Waziri."
Suddenly loud voices just ahead apprised them of the presence of other
men and in the babel of excited voices Tarzan recognized the tones
of his Waziri. Hurrying forward the three came upon a scene that was
momentarily ludicrous, but which might soon have developed into tragedy
had they not arrived in time.
Ten Waziri warriors armed with rifles had surrounded Thoar and the
three Korsars and each party was jabbering volubly in a language
unknown to the other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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