She had thought him shifty, cruel, and untrustworthy, yet in so far as
she had reason to believe he had proved himself in every way the
contrary since the day before. It scarce seemed credible that he could
be serving her from motives purely chivalrous. There must be something
deeper in his intentions and plans than he had yet disclosed.
She wondered, and when she looked at him—at his close-set, shifty eyes
and repulsive features, she shuddered, for she was convinced that no
lofty characteristics could be hid behind so foul an exterior.
As she was thinking of these things the while she debated the wisdom of
uncovering the baby’s face, there came a little grunt from the wee
bundle in her lap, and then a gurgling coo that set her heart in
raptures.
The baby was awake! Now she might feast her eyes upon him.
Quickly she snatched the blanket from before the infant’s face;
Anderssen was looking at her as she did so.
He saw her stagger to her feet, holding the baby at arm’s length from
her, her eyes glued in horror upon the little chubby face and twinkling
eyes.
Then he heard her piteous cry as her knees gave beneath her, and she
sank to the ground in a swoon.
CHAPTER X.
The Swede
As the warriors, clustered thick about Tarzan and Sheeta, realized that
it was a flesh-and-blood panther that had interrupted their dance of
death, they took heart a trifle, for in the face of all those circling
spears even the mighty Sheeta would be doomed.
Rokoff was urging the chief to have his spearmen launch their missiles,
and the black was upon the instant of issuing the command, when his
eyes strayed beyond Tarzan, following the gaze of the ape-man.
With a yell of terror the chief turned and fled toward the village
gate, and as his people looked to see the cause of his fright, they too
took to their heels—for there, lumbering down upon them, their huge
forms exaggerated by the play of moonlight and camp fire, came the
hideous apes of Akut.
The instant the natives turned to flee the ape-man’s savage cry rang
out above the shrieks of the blacks, and in answer to it Sheeta and the
apes leaped growling after the fugitives. Some of the warriors turned
to battle with their enraged antagonists, but before the fiendish
ferocity of the fierce beasts they went down to bloody death.
Others were dragged down in their flight, and it was not until the
village was empty and the last of the blacks had disappeared into the
bush that Tarzan was able to recall his savage pack to his side. Then
it was that he discovered to his chagrin that he could not make one of
them, not even the comparatively intelligent Akut, understand that he
wished to be freed from the bonds that held him to the stake.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account