It was not until late the following afternoon that Tarzansaw anything more of the fellow passengers into the midstof whose affairs his love of fair play had thrust him.And then he came most unexpectedly upon Rokoff and Paulvitchat a moment when of all others the two might leastappreciate his company.

They were standing on deck at a point which was temporarilydeserted, and as Tarzan came upon them they were inheated argument with a woman. Tarzan noted that she wasrichly appareled, and that her slender, well-modeled figuredenoted youth; but as she was heavily veiled he could notdiscern her features.

The men were standing on either side of her, and thebacks of all were toward Tarzan, so that he was quite closeto them without their being aware of his presence.He noticed that Rokoff seemed to be threatening, the womanpleading; but they spoke in a strange tongue, and he couldonly guess from appearances that the girl was afraid.

Rokoff's attitude was so distinctly filled with the threat ofphysical violence that the ape-man paused for an instant justbehind the trio, instinctively sensing an atmosphere of danger.Scarcely had he hesitated ere the man seized the womanroughly by the wrist, twisting it as though to wring a promisefrom her through torture. What would have happened nexthad Rokoff had his way we may only conjecture, since hedid not have his way at all. Instead, steel fingers gripped hisshoulder, and he was swung unceremoniously around, to meetthe cold gray eyes of the stranger who had thwarted himon the previous day.

"SAPRISTI!" screamed the infuriated Rokoff. "What do youmean? Are you a fool that you thus again insult Nikolas Rokoff?"

"This is my answer to your note, monsieur," said Tarzan,in a low voice. And then he hurled the fellow from him withsuch force that Rokoff lunged sprawling against the rail.

"Name of a name!" shrieked Rokoff. "Pig, but you shall diefor this," and, springing to his feet, he rushed upon Tarzan,tugging the meanwhile to draw a revolver from his hippocket. The girl shrank back in terror.

"Nikolas!" she cried. "Do not--oh, do not do that. Quick,monsieur, fly, or he will surely kill you!" But instead offlying Tarzan advanced to meet the fellow. "Do not make afool of yourself, monsieur," he said.

Rokoff, who was in a perfect frenzy of rage at the humiliationthe stranger had put upon him, had at last succeeded in drawingthe revolver. He had stopped, and now he deliberately raisedit to Tarzan's breast and pulled the trigger. The hammer fellwith a futile click on an empty chamber--the ape-man's handshot out like the head of an angry python; there was a quickwrench, and the revolver sailed far out across the ship'srail, and dropped into the Atlantic.

For a moment the two men stood there facing one another. Rokoffhad regained his self-possession. He was the first to speak.

"Twice now has monsieur seen fit to interfere in matterswhich do not concern him. Twice he has taken it upon himselfto humiliate Nikolas Rokoff. The first offense was overlookedon the assumption that monsieur acted through ignorance,but this affair shall not be overlooked. If monsieurdoes not know who Nikolas Rokoff is, this last piece ofeffrontery will insure that monsieur later has good reasonto remember him."

"That you are a coward and a scoundrel, monsieur," repliedTarzan, "is all that I care to know of you," and heturned to ask the girl if the man had hurt her, but she haddisappeared. Then, without even a glance toward Rokoff andhis companion, he continued his stroll along the deck.

Tarzan could not but wonder what manner of conspiracywas on foot, or what the scheme of the two men might be.There had been something rather familiar about theappearance of the veiled woman to whose rescue he had justcome, but as he had not seen her face he could not be surethat he had ever seen her before. The only thing about herthat he had particularly noticed was a ring of peculiarworkmanship upon a finger of the hand that Rokoff hadseized, and he determined to note the fingers of the womenpassengers he came upon thereafter, that he might discoverthe identity of her whom Rokoff was persecuting, and learnif the fellow had offered her further annoyance.

Tarzan had sought his deck chair, where he sat speculatingon the numerous instances of human cruelty, selfishness, andspite that had fallen to his lot to witness since that day inthe jungle four years since that his eyes had first fallenupon a human being other than himself--the sleek, blackKulonga, whose swift spear had that day found the vitals ofKala, the great she-ape, and robbed the youth, Tarzan, ofthe only mother he had ever known.

He recalled the murder of King by the rat-faced Snipes;the abandonment of Professor Porter and his party by themutineers of the ARROW; the cruelty of the black warriorsand women of Mbonga to their captives; the petty jealousies ofthe civil and military officers of the West Coast colony thathad afforded him his first introduction to the civilized world.

"MON DIEU!" he soliloquized, "but they are all alike.Cheating, murdering, lying, fighting, and all for things thatthe beasts of the jungle would not deign to possess--moneyto purchase the effeminate pleasures of weaklings. And yetwithal bound down by silly customs that make them slaves totheir unhappy lot while firm in the belief that they be thelords of creation enjoying the only real pleasures of existence.In the jungle one would scarcely stand supinely aside whileanother took his mate. It is a silly world, an idiotic world,and Tarzan of the Apes was a fool to renounce the freedom andthe happiness of his jungle to come into it."

Presently, as he sat there, the sudden feeling came overhim that eyes were watching from behind, and the oldinstinct of the wild beast broke through the thin veneer ofcivilization, so that Tarzan wheeled about so quickly that theeyes of the young woman who had been surreptitiously regardinghim had not even time to drop before the gray eyesof the ape-man shot an inquiring look straight into them.Then, as they fell, Tarzan saw a faint wave of crimson creepswiftly over the now half-averted face.

He smiled to himself at the result of his very uncivilized andungallant action, for he had not lowered his own eyes whenthey met those of the young woman. She was very young,and equally good to look upon. Further, there was somethingrather familiar about her that set Tarzan to wonderingwhere he had seen her before. He resumed his former position,and presently he was aware that she had arisen and wasleaving the deck. As she passed, Tarzan turned to watch her,in the hope that he might discover a clew to satisfy his mildcuriosity as to her identity.

Nor was he disappointed entirely, for as she walked awayshe raised one hand to the black, waving mass at the napeof her neck--the peculiarly feminine gesture that admitscognizance of appraising eyes behind her--and Tarzan sawupon a finger of this hand the ring of strange workmanshipthat he had seen upon the finger of the veiled woman a shorttime before.

So it was this beautiful young woman Rokoff had beenpersecuting. Tarzan wondered in a lazy sort of way whomshe might be, and what relations one so lovely could havewith the surly, bearded Russian.

After dinner that evening Tarzan strolled forward, wherehe remained until after dark, in conversation with the secondofficer, and when that gentleman's duties called him elsewhereTarzan lolled lazily by the rail watching the play ofthe moonlight upon the gently rolling waters. He washalf hidden by a davit, so that two men who approachedalong the deck did not see him, and as they passed Tarzancaught enough of their conversation to cause him to fall inbehind them, to follow and learn what deviltry they were upto. He had recognized the voice as that of Rokoff, and hadseen that his companion was Paulvitch.

Tarzan had overheard but a few words: "And if she screamsyou may choke her until--" But those had been enough toarouse the spirit of adventure within him, and so he kept thetwo men in sight as they walked, briskly now, along the deck.To the smoking-room he followed them, but they merelyhalted at the doorway long enough, apparently, to assurethemselves that one whose whereabouts they wished toestablish was within.

Then they proceeded directly to the first-class cabins uponthe promenade deck. Here Tarzan found greater difficultyin escaping detection, but he managed to do so successfully.As they halted before one of the polished hardwood doors,Tarzan slipped into the shadow of a passageway not a dozenfeet from them.

To their knock a woman's voice asked in French: "Who is it?"

"It is I, Olga--Nikolas," was the answer, in Rokoff's nowfamiliar guttural. "May I come in?"

"Why do you not cease persecuting me, Nikolas?" camethe voice of the woman from beyond the thin panel."I have never harmed you."

"Come, come, Olga," urged the man, in propitiary tones;"I but ask a half dozen words with you. I shall not harm you,nor shall I enter your cabin; but I cannot shout my messagethrough the door."

Tarzan heard the catch click as it was released from theinside. He stepped out from his hiding-place far enough tosee what transpired when the door was opened, for he couldnot but recall the sinister words he had heard a few momentsbefore upon the deck, "And if she screams you may choke her."

Rokoff was standing directly in front of the door. Paulvitchhad flattened himself against the paneled wall of the corridorbeyond. The door opened. Rokoff half entered the room, andstood with his back against the door, speaking in a low whisperto the woman, whom Tarzan could not see. Then Tarzan heard thewoman's voice, level, but loud enough to distinguish her words.

"No, Nikolas," she was saying, "it is useless. Threaten as youwill, I shall never accede to your demands. Leave the room,please; you have no right here. You promised not to enter."

"Very well, Olga, I shall not enter; but before I am donewith you, you shall wish a thousand times that you haddone at once the favor I have asked. In the end I shall winanyway, so you might as well save trouble and time for me,and disgrace for yourself and your--"

"Never, Nikolas!" interrupted the woman, and then Tarzansaw Rokoff turn and nod to Paulvitch, who sprang quicklytoward the doorway of the cabin, rushing in past Rokoff, whoheld the door open for him. Then the latter stepped quickly out.The door closed. Tarzan heard the click of the lock asPaulvitch turned it from the inside. Rokoff remained standingbefore the door, with head bent, as though to catch the wordsof the two within. A nasty smile curled his bearded lip.

Tarzan could hear the woman's voice commanding the fellow toleave her cabin. "I shall send for my husband," she cried."He will show you no mercy."

Paulvitch's sneering laugh came through the polished panels.

"The purser will fetch your husband, madame," said the man."In fact, that officer has already been notified that youare entertaining a man other than your husband behind thelocked door of your cabin."

"Bah!" cried the woman. "My husband will know!"

"Most assuredly your husband will know, but the purserwill not; nor will the newspaper men who shall in somemysterious way hear of it on our landing. But they willthink it a fine story, and so will all your friends when theyread of it at breakfast on--let me see, this is Tuesday--yes,when they read of it at breakfast next Friday morning.Nor will it detract from the interest they will all feel whenthey learn that the man whom madame entertained is a Russianservant--her brother's valet, to be quite exact."

"Alexis Paulvitch," came the woman's voice, cold and fearless,"you are a coward, and when I whisper a certain namein your ear you will think better of your demands upon meand your threats against me, and then you will leave mycabin quickly, nor do I think that ever again will you, atleast, annoy me," and there came a moment's silence inwhich Tarzan could imagine the woman leaning toward thescoundrel and whispering the thing she had hinted at intohis ear. Only a moment of silence, and then a startled oathfrom the man--the scuffling of feet--a woman's scream--and silence.

But scarcely had the cry ceased before the ape-man hadleaped from his hiding-place. Rokoff started to run, butTarzan grasped him by the collar and dragged him back.Neither spoke, for both felt instinctively that murder wasbeing done in that room, and Tarzan was confident that Rokoffhad had no intention that his confederate should go thatfar--he felt that the man's aims were deeper than that--deeperand even more sinister than brutal, cold-blooded murder.Without hesitating to question those within, the ape-manthrew his giant shoulder against the frail panel, and in ashower of splintered wood he entered the cabin, draggingRokoff after him. Before him, on a couch, the woman lay,and on top of her was Paulvitch, his fingers gripping thefair throat, while his victim's hands beat futilely at his face,tearing desperately at the cruel fingers that were forcing thelife from her.

The noise of his entrance brought Paulvitch to his feet,where he stood glowering menacingly at Tarzan. The girlrose falteringly to a sitting posture upon the couch.One hand was at her throat, and her breath came in little gasps.Although disheveled and very pale, Tarzan recognized heras the young woman whom he had caught staring at him ondeck earlier in the day.

"What is the meaning of this?" said Tarzan, turning to Rokoff,whom he intuitively singled out as the instigator of the outrage.The man remained silent, scowling. "Touch the button, please,"continued the ape-man; "we will have one of the ship'sofficers here--this affair has gone quite far enough."

"No, no," cried the girl, coming suddenly to her feet."Please do not do that. I am sure that there was no realintention to harm me. I angered this person, and he lostcontrol of himself, that is all. I would not care to have thematter go further, please, monsieur," and there was such anote of pleading in her voice that Tarzan could not pressthe matter, though his better judgment warned him thatthere was something afoot here of which the properauthorities should be made cognizant.

"You wish me to do nothing, then, in the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing, please," she replied.

"You are content that these two scoundrels should continuepersecuting you?"

She did not seem to know what answer to make, andlooked very troubled and unhappy. Tarzan saw a maliciousgrin of triumph curl Rokoff's lip. The girl evidently was infear of these two--she dared not express her real desiresbefore them.

"Then," said Tarzan, "I shall act on my own responsibility.To you," he continued, turning to Rokoff, "and this includesyour accomplice, I may say that from now on to the end ofthe voyage I shall take it upon myself to keep an eye onyou, and should there chance to come to my notice anyact of either one of you that might even remotely annoy thisyoung woman you shall be called to account for it directlyto me, nor shall the calling or the accounting be pleasantexperiences for either of you.

"Now get out of here," and he grabbed Rokoff andPaulvitch each by the scruff of the neck and thrust themforcibly through the doorway, giving each an added impetusdown the corridor with the toe of his boot. Then he turnedback to the stateroom and the girl. She was looking at himin wide-eyed astonishment.

"And you, madame, will confer a great favor upon me if youwill but let me know if either of those rascals troublesyou further."

"Ah, monsieur," she answered, "I hope that you will notsuffer for the kind deed you attempted. You have made avery wicked and resourceful enemy, who will stop at nothingto satisfy his hatred. You must be very careful indeed,Monsieur--"

"Pardon me, madame, my name is Tarzan."

"Monsieur Tarzan. And because I would not consent tonotify the officers, do not think that I am not sincerelygrateful to you for the brave and chivalrous protection yourendered me. Good night, Monsieur Tarzan. I shall neverforget the debt I owe you," and, with a most winsome smilethat displayed a row of perfect teeth, the girl curtsied toTarzan, who bade her good night and made his way on deck.

It puzzled the man considerably that there should be twoon board--this girl and Count de Coude--who sufferedindignities at the hands of Rokoff and his companion, and yetwould not permit the offenders to be brought to justice.Before he turned in that night his thoughts reverted manytimes to the beautiful young woman into the evidently tangledweb of whose life fate had so strangely introduced him.It occurred to him that he had not learned her name.That she was married had been evidenced by the narrow goldband that encircled the third finger of her left hand.Involuntarily he wondered who the lucky man might be.

Tarzan saw nothing further of any of the actors in thelittle drama that he had caught a fleeting glimpse of untillate in the afternoon of the last day of the voyage. Then hecame suddenly face to face with the young woman as thetwo approached their deck chairs from opposite directions.She greeted him with a pleasant smile, speaking almostimmediately of the affair he had witnessed in her cabin twonights before. It was as though she had been perturbed by aconviction that he might have construed her acquaintancewith such men as Rokoff and Paulvitch as a personalreflection upon herself.

"I trust monsieur has not judged me," she said, "by theunfortunate occurrence of Tuesday evening. I have sufferedmuch on account of it--this is the first time that Ihave ventured from my cabin since; I have been ashamed,"she concluded simply.

"One does not judge the gazelle by the lions that attackit," replied Tarzan. "I had seen those two work before--inthe smoking-room the day prior to their attack on you, if Irecollect it correctly, and so, knowing their methods, I amconvinced that their enmity is a sufficient guarantee of theintegrity of its object. Men such as they must cleave onlyto the vile, hating all that is noblest and best."

"It is very kind of you to put it that way," she replied,smiling. "I have already heard of the matter of the cardgame. My husband told me the entire story. He spokeespecially of the strength and bravery of Monsieur Tarzan,to whom he feels that he owes an immense debt of gratitude."

"Your husband?" repeated Tarzan questioningly.

"Yes. I am the Countess de Coude."

"I am already amply repaid, madame, in knowing that Ihave rendered a service to the wife of the Count de Coude."

"Alas, monsieur, I already am so greatly indebted to youthat I may never hope to settle my own account, so praydo not add further to my obligations," and she smiled sosweetly upon him that Tarzan felt that a man might easilyattempt much greater things than he had accomplished, solelyfor the pleasure of receiving the benediction of that smile.

He did not see her again that day, and in the rush oflanding on the following morning he missed her entirely,but there had been something in the expression of her eyesas they parted on deck the previous day that haunted him.It had been almost wistful as they had spoken of thestrangeness of the swift friendships of an ocean crossing,and of the equal ease with which they are broken forever.

Tarzan wondered if he should ever see her again.