As Numa EL ADREA launched himself with widespread pawsand bared fangs he looked to find this puny man aseasy prey as the score who had gone down beneathhim in the past. To him man was a clumsy, slow-moving,defenseless creature--he had little respect for him.

But this time he found that he was pitted against a creatureas agile and as quick as himself. When his mighty framestruck the spot where the man had been he was no longer there.

The watching girl was transfixed by astonishment at theease with which the crouching man eluded the great paws.And now, O Allah! He had rushed in behind EL ADREA'Sshoulder even before the beast could turn, and had graspedhim by the mane. The lion reared upon his hind legs like ahorse--Tarzan had known that he would do this, and he was ready.A giant arm encircled the black-maned throat, and once, twice,a dozen times a sharp blade darted in and out of the bay-blackside behind the left shoulder.

Frantic were the leaps of Numa--awful his roars of rageand pain; but the giant upon his back could not be dislodgedor brought within reach of fangs or talons in the briefinterval of life that remained to the lord with the large head.He was quite dead when Tarzan of the Apes released his holdand arose. Then the daughter of the desert witnessed a thingthat terrified her even more than had the presence of EL ADREA.The man placed a foot upon the carcass of his kill, and,with his handsome face raised toward the full moon, gave voiceto the most frightful cry that ever had smote upon her ears.

With a little cry of fear she shrank away from him--shethought that the fearful strain of the encounter had drivenhim mad. As the last note of that fiendish challenge died outin the diminishing echoes of the distance the man droppedhis eyes until they rested upon the girl.

Instantly his face was lighted by the kindly smile that wasample assurance of his sanity, and the girl breathed freelyonce again, smiling in response.

"What manner of man are you?" she asked. "The thingyou have done is unheard of. Even now I cannot believethat it is possible for a lone man armed only with a knife tohave fought hand to hand with EL ADREA and conquered him,unscathed--to have conquered him at all. And that cry--itwas not human. Why did you do that?"

Tarzan flushed. "It is because I forget," he said, "sometimes,that I am a civilized man. When I kill it must be that I amanother creature." He did not try to explain further, for italways seemed to him that a woman must look with loathingupon one who was yet so nearly a beast.

Together they continued their journey. The sun was anhour high when they came out into the desert again beyondthe mountains. Beside a little rivulet they found the girl'shorses grazing. They had come this far on their way home,and with the cause of their fear no longer present hadstopped to feed.

With little trouble Tarzan and the girl caught them, and,mounting, rode out into the desert toward the DOUAR ofSheik Kadour ben Saden.

No sign of pursuit developed, and they came in safetyabout nine o'clock to their destination. The sheik had butjust returned. He was frantic with grief at the absence ofhis daughter, whom he thought had been again abducted bythe marauders. With fifty men he was already mounted to goin search of her when the two rode into the DOUAR.

His joy at the safe return of his daughter was only equaledby his gratitude to Tarzan for bringing her safely to himthrough the dangers of the night, and his thankfulness thatshe had been in time to save the man who had once saved her.

No honor that Kadour ben Saden could heap upon the ape-man in acknowledgment of his esteem and friendship wasneglected. When the girl had recited the story of the slayingof EL ADREA Tarzan was surrounded by a mob of worshipingArabs--it was a sure road to their admiration and respect.

The old sheik insisted that Tarzan remain indefinitely as hisguest. He even wished to adopt him as a member of the tribe,and there was for some time a half-formed resolution in theape-man's mind to accept and remain forever with these wildpeople, whom he understood and who seemed to understand him.His friendship and liking for the girl were potentfactors in urging him toward an affirmative decision.

Had she been a man, he argued, he should not have hesitated,for it would have meant a friend after his own heart,with whom he could ride and hunt at will; but as it was theywould be hedged by the conventionalities that are even morestrictly observed by the wild nomads of the desert than bytheir more civilized brothers and sisters. And in a little whileshe would be married to one of these swarthy warriors, andthere would be an end to their friendship. So he decidedagainst the sheik's proposal, though he remained a week ashis guest.

When he left, Kadour ben Saden and fifty white-robedwarriors rode with him to Bou Saada. While they weremounting in the DOUAR of Kadour ben Saden the morningof their departure, the girl came to bid farewell to Tarzan.

"I have prayed that you would remain with us," she saidsimply, as he leaned from his saddle to clasp her hand infarewell, "and now I shall pray that you will return."There was an expression of wistfulness in her beautifuleyes, and a pathetic droop at the corners of her mouth.Tarzan was touched.

"Who knows?" and then he turned and rode after thedeparting Arabs.

Outside Bou Saada he bade Kadour ben Saden and his mengood-by, for there were reasons which made him wish tomake his entry into the town as secret as possible, and whenhe had explained them to the sheik the latter concurred inhis decision. The Arabs were to enter Bou Saada ahead ofhim, saying nothing as to his presence with them.Later Tarzan would come in alone, and go directly toan obscure native inn.

Thus, making his entrance after dark, as he did, he was notseen by any one who knew him, and reached the inn unobserved.After dining with Kadour ben Saden as his guest, he went tohis former hotel by a roundabout way, and, coming in by arear entrance, sought the proprietor, who seemed muchsurprised to see him alive.

Yes, there was mail for monsieur; he would fetch it.No, he would mention monsieur's return to no one.Presently he returned with a packet of letters. One was anorder from his superior to lay off on his present work,and hasten to Cape Town by the first steamer he could get.His further instructions would be awaiting him there in thehands of another agent whose name and address were given.That was all--brief but explicit. Tarzan arranged to leaveBou Saada early the next morning. Then he started for thegarrison to see Captain Gerard, whom the hotel man had toldhim had returned with his detachment the previous day.

He found the officer in his quarters. He was filled withsurprise and pleasure at seeing Tarzan alive and well.

"When Lieutenant Gernois returned and reported that hehad not found you at the spot that you had chosen to remainwhile the detachment was scouting, I was filled with alarm.We searched the mountain for days. Then came word thatyou had been killed and eaten by a lion. As proof yourgun was brought to us. Your horse had returned to campthe second day after your disappearance. We could not doubt.Lieutenant Gernois was grief-stricken--he took all theblame upon himself. It was he who insisted on carrying onthe search himself. It was he who found the Arab with your gun.He will be delighted to know that you are safe."

"Doubtless," said Tarzan, with a grim smile.

"He is down in the town now, or I should send for him,"continued Captain Gerard. "I shall tell him as soonas he returns."

Tarzan let the officer think that he had been lost, wanderingfinally into the DOUAR of Kadour ben Saden, who hadescorted him back to Bou Saada. As soon as possible he badethe good officer adieu, and hastened back into the town.At the native inn he had learned through Kadour ben Saden apiece of interesting information. It told of a black-beardedwhite man who went always disguised as an Arab. For a timehe had nursed a broken wrist. More recently he had beenaway from Bou Saada, but now he was back, and Tarzanknew his place of concealment. It was for there he headed.

Through narrow, stinking alleys, black as Erebus, he groped,and then up a rickety stairway, at the end of which was aclosed door and a tiny, unglazed window. The window washigh under the low eaves of the mud building. Tarzan couldjust reach the sill. He raised himself slowly until hiseyes topped it. The room within was lighted, and at a tablesat Rokoff and Gernois. Gernois was speaking.

"Rokoff, you are a devil!" he was saying. "You have houndedme until I have lost the last shred of my honor. You havedriven me to murder, for the blood of that man Tarzan is onmy hands. If it were not that that other devil's spawn,Paulvitch, still knew my secret, I should kill you here tonightwith my bare hands."

Rokoff laughed. "You would not do that, my dear lieutenant,"he said. "The moment I am reported dead by assassinationthat dear Alexis will forward to the minister of war fullproof of the affair you so ardently long to conceal; and,further, will charge you with my murder. Come, be sensible.I am your best friend. Have I not protected your honor asthough it were my own?"

Gernois sneered, and spat out an oath.

"Just one more little payment," continued Rokoff, "and thepapers I wish, and you have my word of honor that I shallnever ask another cent from you, or further information."

"And a good reason why," growled Gernois. "What youask will take my last cent, and the only valuable militarysecret I hold. You ought to be paying me for the information,instead of taking both it and money, too."

"I am paying you by keeping a still tongue in my head,"retorted Rokoff. "But let's have done. Will you, or will you not?I give you three minutes to decide. If you are not agreeableI shall send a note to your commandant tonight that will endin the degradation that Dreyfus suffered--the only differencebeing that he did not deserve it."

For a moment Gernois sat with bowed head. At length he arose.He drew two pieces of paper from his blouse.

"Here," he said hopelessly. "I had them ready, for I knewthat there could be but one outcome." He held them towardthe Russian.

Rokoff's cruel face lighted in malignant gloating. He seizedthe bits of paper.

"You have done well, Gernois," he said. "I shall not troubleyou again--unless you happen to accumulate some more money orinformation," and he grinned.

"You never shall again, you dog!" hissed Gernois. "Thenext time I shall kill you. I came near doing it tonight.For an hour I sat with these two pieces of paper on my tablebefore me ere I came here--beside them lay my loaded revolver.I was trying to decide which I should bring. Next time thechoice shall be easier, for I already have decided. You hada close call tonight, Rokoff; do not tempt fate a second time."

Then Gernois rose to leave. Tarzan barely had time to dropto the landing and shrink back into the shadows on the farside of the door. Even then he scarcely hoped to eludedetection. The landing was very small, and though he flattenedhimself against the wall at its far edge he was scarcely morethan a foot from the doorway. Almost immediately itopened, and Gernois stepped out. Rokoff was behind him.Neither spoke. Gernois had taken perhaps three steps downthe stairway when he halted and half turned, as though toretrace his steps.

Tarzan knew that discovery would be inevitable. Rokoff stillstood on the threshold a foot from him, but he was looking in theopposite direction, toward Gernois. Then the officer evidentlyreconsidered his decision, and resumed his downward course.Tarzan could hear Rokoff's sigh of relief. A moment laterthe Russian went back into the room and closed the door.

Tarzan waited until Gernois had had time to get well outof hearing, then he pushed open the door and stepped intothe room. He was on top of Rokoff before the man could risefrom the chair where he sat scanning the paper Gernois hadgiven him. As his eyes turned and fell upon the ape-man'sface his own went livid.

"You!" he gasped.

"I," replied Tarzan.

"What do you want?" whispered Rokoff, for the look in theape-man's eyes frightened him. "Have you come to kill me?You do not dare. They would guillotine you. You do notdare kill me."

"I dare kill you, Rokoff," replied Tarzan, "for no one knowsthat you are here or that I am here, and Paulvitch would tellthem that it was Gernois. I heard you tell Gernois so. But thatwould not influence me, Rokoff. I would not care who knewthat I had killed you; the pleasure of killing you would morethan compensate for any punishment they might inflict upon me.You are the most despicable cur of a coward, Rokoff, I have everheard of. You should be killed. I should love to kill you,"and Tarzan approached closer to the man.

Rokoff's nerves were keyed to the breaking point. With a shriekhe sprang toward an adjoining room, but the ape-man was uponhis back while his leap was yet but half completed. Iron fingerssought his throat--the great coward squealed like a stuck pig,until Tarzan had shut off his wind. Then the ape-man draggedhim to his feet, still choking him. The Russian struggledfutilely--he was like a babe in the mighty grasp of Tarzan of the Apes.

Tarzan sat him in a chair, and long before there was dangerof the man's dying he released his hold upon his throat.When the Russian's coughing spell had abated Tarzan spoketo him again.

"I have given you a taste of the suffering of death," he said."But I shall not kill--this time. I am sparing you solely forthe sake of a very good woman whose great misfortune it wasto have been born of the same woman who gave birth to you.But I shall spare you only this once on her account.Should I ever learn that you have again annoyed her orher husband--should you ever annoy me again--should Ihear that you have returned to France or to any Frenchposession, I shall make it my sole business to hunt you downand complete the choking I commenced tonight." Then heturned to the table, on which the two pieces of paper still lay.As he picked them up Rokoff gasped in horror.

Tarzan examined both the check and the other. He wasamazed at the information the latter contained. Rokoff hadpartially read it, but Tarzan knew that no one could rememberthe salient facts and figures it held which made it of realvalue to an enemy of France.

"These will interest the chief of staff," he said, as heslipped them into his pocket.Rokoff groaned. He did not dare curse aloud.

The next morning Tarzan rode north on his way to Bouiraand Algiers. As he had ridden past the hotel LieutenantGernois was standing on the veranda. As his eyes discoveredTarzan he went white as chalk. The ape-man would have beenglad had the meeting not occurred, but he could not avoid it.He saluted the officer as he rode past. Mechanically Gernoisreturned the salute, but those terrible, wide eyes followedthe horseman, expressionless except for horror. It was asthough a dead man looked upon a ghost.

At Sidi Aissa Tarzan met a French officer with whom hehad become acquainted on the occasion of his recentsojourn in the town.

"You left Bou Saada early?" questioned the officer."Then you have not heard about poor Gernois."

"He was the last man I saw as I rode away," replied Tarzan."What about him?"

"He is dead. He shot himself about eight o'clock this morning."

Two days later Tarzan reached Algiers. There he found thathe would have a two days' wait before he could catch a shipbound for Cape Town. He occupied his time in writing outa full report of his mission. The secret papers he had takenfrom Rokoff he did not inclose, for he did not dare trustthem out of his own possession until he had been authorizedto turn them over to another agent, or himself return toParis with them.

As Tarzan boarded his ship after what seemed a most tediouswait to him, two men watched him from an upper deck.Both were fashionably dressed and smooth shaven. The tallerof the two had sandy hair, but his eyebrows were very black.Later in the day they chanced to meet Tarzan on deck,but as one hurriedly called his companion's attention tosomething at sea their faces were turned from Tarzan as hepassed, so that he did not notice their features. In fact,he had paid no attention to them at all.

Following the instructions of his chief, Tarzan had bookedhis passage under an assumed name--John Caldwell, London.He did not understand the necessity of this, and it caused himconsiderable speculation. He wondered what role he was toplay in Cape Town.

"Well," he thought, "thank Heaven that I am rid of Rokoff.He was commencing to annoy me. I wonder if I am reallybecoming so civilized that presently I shall develop a set ofnerves. He would give them to me if any one could, for hedoes not fight fair. One never knows through what newagency he is going to strike. It is as though Numa, the lion,had induced Tantor, the elephant, and Histah, the snake, tojoin him in attempting to kill me. I would then never haveknown what minute, or by whom, I was to be attacked next.But the brutes are more chivalrous than man--they do notstoop to cowardly intrigue."

At dinner that night Tarzan sat next to a young woman whoseplace was at the captain's left. The officer introduced them.

Miss Strong! Where had he heard the name before? It wasvery familiar. And then the girl's mother gave him theclew, for when she addressed her daughter she called her Hazel.

Hazel Strong! What memories the name inspired. It hadbeen a letter to this girl, penned by the fair hand of JanePorter, that had carried to him the first message from thewoman he loved. How vividly he recalled the night he hadstolen it from the desk in the cabin of his long-dead father,where Jane Porter had sat writing it late into the night,while he crouched in the darkness without. How terror-stricken she would have been that night had she known thatthe wild jungle beast squatted outside her window, watchingher every move.

And this was Hazel Strong--Jane Porter's best friend!