Buckingham did not understand the tongue of this stranger, but he understood the menace of his attitude. 'Go away!' he cried in English. 'Go away, or I will kill you!' Thus a beast spoke in English to an Englishman who spoke the language of beasts!
Tarzan of the Apes is not easily astonished; but when he heard Bolgani, the gorilla, speak to him in English he at first questioned his hearing and then his sanity. But whatever the condition of either it could not conceal the evident intent of the bull gorilla advancing menacingly toward him as it beat its breast and screamed its threats.
Naomi Madison watched with horror-wide, fascinated eyes. She saw the man she thought to be Stanley Obroski crouch slightly as though waiting to receive the charge. She wondered why he did not turn and run—that was what all who knew him, including herself, would have expected of Stanley Obroski.
Suddenly the gorilla charged, and still the man held his ground. Great hairy paws reached out to seize him; but he eluded them with quick, panther-like movements. Stooping, he sprang beneath a swinging arm; and before the beast could turn leaped upon its back. A bronzed arm encircled the squat neck of the hairy Buckingham. In a frenzy of rage the beast swung around, clawing futilely to rid himself of his antagonist.
He felt the steel thews of the ape-man's arm tightening, and realized that he was coping with muscles far beyond what he had expected. He threw himself to the ground in an effort to crush his foe with his great weight, but Tarzan broke the fall with his feet and slipped partially from beneath the hairy body.
Then Buckingham felt powerful jaws close upon his neck near the jugular, he heard savage growls mingling with his own. Naomi Madison heard too, and a new horror filled her soul. Now she knew why Stanley Obroski had not fled in terror—he had gone mad! Fear and suffering had transformed him into a maniac.
She shuddered at the thought, she shrank within herself as she saw his strong white teeth sink into the black hide of the gorilla and heard the bestial growls rumbling from that handsome mouth.
The two beasts rolled over and over upon the ground, the roars of the gorilla mingling with the growls of the man; and the girl, leaning upon her hands, watched through fascinated, horror-stricken eyes.
She knew that there could be but one outcome—even though the man appeared to have a slight initial advantage, the giant strength of the mighty bull must prevail in the end. Then she saw a knife flash, reflecting the rays of the morning sun. She saw it driven into the great bull's side. She heard his agonized shriek of pain and rage. She saw him redouble his efforts to dislodge the creature clinging to his back.
Again and again the knife was driven home. Suddenly the maddened struggles of the bull grew weaker; then they ceased, and with a convulsive shudder the great form relaxed and lay inert.
The man leaped erect; he paid no attention to the girl; upon his face was the savage snarl of a wild beast. Naomi was terrified; she tried to crawl away and hide from him, but she was too weak. He placed a foot upon the carcass of the dead bull and threw back his head; then from his parted lips burst a cry that made her flesh creep. It was the victory cry of the bull ape, and as its echoes died away in the distance the man turned toward her.
All the savagery had vanished from Ms face; his gaze was intent and earnest. She looked for a maniacal light in his eyes, but they seemed sane and normal.
'Are you injured?' he asked.
'No,' she said and tried to rise, but she had not the strength.
He came and lifted her to her feet. He was so strong! A sense of security swept over her and unnerved her. She threw her arms about his neck and commenced to sob,
'Oh, Stanley! Stanley!' she gasped. She tried to say more, but her sobs choked her.
Obroski had told Tarzan a great deal about the members of the company. He knew the names of all of them, and had identified most of them from having seen them while he had watched the safari in the past. He knew of the budding affair between Obroski and Naomi Madison, and he guessed now from the girl's manner that she must be Naomi. It suited him that these people should think him Stanley Obroski, for the sometimes grim and terrible life that he led required the antidote of occasional humor.
He lifted her in his arms. 'Why are you so weak?' he asked. 'Is it from hunger?'
She sobbed a scarcely audible 'Yes,' and buried her face in the hollow of his neck. She was still half afraid of him. It was true that he did not act like a madman, but what else could account for the remarkable accession of courage and strength that had transformed him in the short time since she had last seen him.
She had known that he was muscular; but she had never attributed to him such superhuman strength as that which he had displayed during his duel with the gorilla, and she had known that he was a coward. But this man was no coward.
He carried her for a short distance, and then put her down on a bed of soft grasses. 'I will get you something to eat,' he said.
She saw him swing lightly into the trees and disappear, and again she was afraid. What a difference it made when he was near her! She puckered her brows to a sudden thought. Why did she feel so safe with Stanley Obroski now? She had never looked upon him as a protector or as able to protect. Every one had considered him a coward. Whatever metamorphosis had occurred had been sufficiently deep rooted to carry its impression to her subconscious mind imparting this new feeling
He was gone but a short time, returning with some nuts and fruit. He came and squatted beside her. 'Eat a little at a time,' he cautioned. 'After a while I will get flesh for you; that will bring back your strength.'
As she ate she studied him. 'You have changed, Stanley,' she said. 'Yes?'
'But I like you better. To think that you killed that terrible creature single-handed! It was marvelous.'
'What sort of a beast was it?' he asked. 'It spoke English.'
'It is a mystery to me. It called itself an Englishman and said that it was the Duke of Buckingham. Another one pursued it whom it called Suffolk. A great number of them attacked us at the time that this one took me from the Arabs. They live in a city called London —he pointed it out to me. And Rhonda is
'I thought Rhonda had been killed by a lion,' said Tarzan.
'So did I until that creature told me differently. Oh, the poor dear! Perhaps it would have been better had the lion killed her. Think of being in the power of those frightful half-men!'
'Where is this city?' asked Tarzan.
'It is back there a way at the foot of the cliff—one can see it plainly from the summit.'
The man rose and lifted the girl into his arms again. 'Where are you going?' she asked.
'I am going to take you to Orman and West. They should
'Oh! They are alive?'
'They were looking for you, and they got lost. They have been hungry, but otherwise they have gotten along all right, They will be glad to see you.'
'And then we can get out of this awful country?' she asked.
'First we must find out what became of the others and save Rhonda,' he replied,
'Oh, but she can't be saved!' exclaimed the girl. 'You should see how those devils fight—the Arabs, even with their guns, were helpless against them. There isn't a chance in the world of saving poor Rhonda, even if she is alive—which I doubt.'
'We must try—and, anyway, I wish to see this gorilla city of London.'
'You mean you would go there!'
'How else can I see it?'
'Oh, Stanley, please don't go back there!'
'I came here for you.'
'Well, then, let Bill West go after Rhonda.'
'Do you think he could get her?'
'I don't think any one can get her.'
'Perhaps not,' he said, 'but at least I shall see the city and possibly learn something about these gorillas that talk English. There is a mystery worth solving.'
They had reached the south end of the valley where the hills drop down almost to the level of the river. The current here, above the falls, was not swift; and Tarzan waded in with the girl still in his arms.
'Where are you going?' she cried, frightened.
