〃It　is　not　I　that　am　cruel；　but　you；〃　he　returned；
  〃for　you　permit　a　paltry　sum　of　money　to　stand　between
  your　baby　and　immunity　from　suffering。〃
  The　end　of　it　was　that　Jane　Clayton　wrote　out　a　cheque
  of　large　denomination　and　handed　it　to　Nikolas　Rokoff；
  who　left　her　cabin　with　a　grin　of　satisfaction　upon　his　lips。
  The　following　day　the　hatch　was　removed　from　Tarzan's　cell；
  and　as　he　looked　up　he　saw　Paulvitch's　head　framed　in
  the　square　of　light　above　him。
  〃Come　up；〃　commanded　the　Russian。　　〃But　bear　in　mind
  that　you　will　be　shot　if　you　make　a　single　move　to　attack　me
  or　any　other　aboard　the　ship。〃
  The　ape…man　swung　himself　lightly　to　the　deck。　　About　him；
  but　at　a　respectful　distance；　stood　a　half…dozen　sailors
  armed　with　rifles　and　revolvers。　　Facing　him　was　Paulvitch。
  Tarzan　looked　about　for　Rokoff；　who　he　felt　sure　must　be
  aboard；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　him。
  〃Lord　Greystoke；〃　commenced　the　Russian；　〃by　your　continued
  and　wanton　interference　with　M。　　Rokoff　and　his　plans
  you　have　at　last　brought　yourself　and　your　family　to　this
  unfortunate　extremity。　　You　have　only　yourself　to　thank。
  As　you　may　imagine；　it　has　cost　M。　　Rokoff　a　large　amount
  of　money　to　finance　this　expedition；　and；　as　you　are　the　sole
  cause　of　it；　he　naturally　looks　to　you　for　reimbursement。
  〃Further；　I　may　say　that　only　by　meeting　M。　　Rokoff's　just
  demands　may　you　avert　the　most　unpleasant　consequences　to
  your　wife　and　child；　and　at　the　same　time　retain　your　own
  life　and　regain　your　liberty。〃
  〃What　is　the　amount？〃　asked　Tarzan。　　〃And　what　assurance
  have　I　that　you　will　live　up　to　your　end　of　the　agreement？
  I　have　little　reason　to　trust　two　such　scoundrels　as　you
  and　Rokoff；　you　know。〃
  The　Russian　flushed。
  〃You　are　in　no　position　to　deliver　insults；〃　he　said。
  〃You　have　no　assurance　that　we　will　live　up　to　our　agreement
  other　than　my　word；　but　you　have　before　you　the　assurance　that
  we　can　make　short　work　of　you　if　you　do　not　write　out　the
  cheque　we　demand。
  〃Unless　you　are　a　greater　fool　than　I　imagine；　you　should
  know　that　there　is　nothing　that　would　give　us　greater　pleasure
  than　to　order　these　men　to　fire。　　That　we　do　not　is　because
  we　have　other　plans　for　punishing　you　that　would　be　entirely
  upset　by　your　death。〃
  〃Answer　one　question；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃Is　my　son　on　board　this　ship？〃
  〃No；〃　replied　Alexis　Paulvitch；　〃your　son　is　quite　safe　elsewhere；
  nor　will　he　be　killed　until　you　refuse　to　accede　to　our　fair　demands。
  If　it　becomes　necessary　to　kill　you；　there　will　be　no　reason　for
  not　killing　the　child；　since　with　you　gone　the　one　whom　we　wish
  to　punish　through　the　boy　will　be　gone；　and　he　will　then　be　to　us
  only　a　constant　source　of　danger　and　embarrassment。　　You　see；
  therefore；　that　you　may　only　save　the　life　of　your　son　by
  saving　your　own；　and　you　can　only　save　your　own　by　giving
  us　the　cheque　we　ask。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　replied　Tarzan；　for　he　knew　that　he　could　trust
  them　to　carry　out　any　sinister　threat　that　Paulvitch　had　made；
  and　there　was　a　bare　chance　that　by　conceding　their　demands
  he　might　save　the　boy。
  That　they　would　permit　him　to　live　after　he　had　appended
  his　name　to　the　cheque　never　occurred　to　him　as　being　within
  the　realms　of　probability。　　But　he　was　determined　to　give　them
  such　a　battle　as　they　would　never　forget；　and　possibly　to　take
  Paulvitch　with　him　into　eternity。　　He　was　only　sorry　that　it
  was　not　Rokoff。
  He　took　his　pocket　cheque…book　and　fountain…pen　from　his　pocket。
  〃What　is　the　amount？〃　he　asked。
  Paulvitch　named　an　enormous　sum。　　Tarzan　could　scarce　restrain　a　smile。
  Their　very　cupidity　was　to　prove　the　means　of　their　undoing；
  in　the　matter　of　the　ransom　at　least。　　Purposely　he　hesitated
  and　haggled　over　the　amount；　but　Paulvitch　was　obdurate。
  Finally　the　ape…man　wrote　out　his　cheque　for　a　larger　sum
  than　stood　to　his　credit　at　the　bank。
  As　he　turned　to　hand　the　worthless　slip　of　paper　to　the
  Russian　his　glance　chanced　to　pass　across　the　starboard　bow
  of　the　Kincaid。　　To　his　surprise　he　saw　that　the　ship　lay　within
  a　few　hundred　yards　of　land。　　Almost　down　to　the　water's
  edge　ran　a　dense　tropical　jungle；　and　behind　was　higher　land
  clothed　in　forest。
  Paulvitch　noted　the　direction　of　his　gaze。
  〃You　are　to　be　set　at　liberty　here；〃　he　said。
  Tarzan's　plan　for　immediate　physical　revenge　upon　the
  Russian　vanished。　　He　thought　the　land　before　him　the
  mainland　of　Africa；　and　he　knew　that　should　they　liberate　him
  here　he　could　doubtless　find　his　way　to　civilization　with
  comparative　ease。
  Paulvitch　took　the　cheque。
  〃Remove　your　clothing；〃　he　said　to　the　ape…man。
  〃Here　you　will　not　need　it。〃
  Tarzan　demurred。
  Paulvitch　pointed　to　the　armed　sailors。　　Then　the　Englishman
  slowly　divested　himself　of　his　clothing。
  A　boat　was　lowered；　and；　still　heavily　guarded；　the　ape…man
  was　rowed　ashore。　　Half　an　hour　later　the　sailors　had　returned
  to　the　Kincaid；　and　the　steamer　was　slowly　getting　under　way。
  As　Tarzan　stood　upon　the　narrow　strip　of　beach　watching　the
  departure　of　the　vessel　he　saw　a　figure　appear　at　the　rail
  and　call　aloud　to　attract　his　attention。
  The　ape…man　had　been　about　to　read　a　note　that　one　of
  the　sailors　had　handed　him　as　the　small　boat　that　bore　him
  to　the　shore　was　on　the　point　of　returning　to　the　steamer；
  but　at　the　hail　from　the　vessel's　deck　he　looked　up。
  He　saw　a　black…bearded　man　who　laughed　at　him　in　derision
  as　he　held　high　above　his　head　the　figure　of　a　little　child。
  Tarzan　half　started　as　though　to　rush　through　the　surf　and
  strike　out　for　the　already　moving　steamer；　but　realizing　the
  futility　of　so　rash　an　act　he　halted　at　the　water's　edge。
  Thus　he　stood；　his　gaze　riveted　upon　the　Kincaid　until　it
  disappeared　beyond　a　projecting　promontory　of　the　coast。
  From　the　jungle　at　his　back　fierce　bloodshot　eyes　glared
  from　beneath　shaggy　overhanging　brows　upon　him。
  Little　monkeys　in　the　tree…tops　chattered　and　scolded；　and　from
  the　distance　of　the　inland　forest　came　the　scream　of　a　leopard。
  But　still　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke；　stood　deaf　and
  unseeing；　suffering　the　pangs　of　keen　regret　for　the
  opportunity　that　he　had　wasted　because　he　had　been　so
  gullible　as　to　place　credence　in　a　single　statement　of
  the　first　lieutenant　of　his　arch…enemy。
  〃I　have　at　least；〃　he　thought；　〃one　consolationthe
  knowledge　that　Jane　is　safe　in　London。　　Thank　Heaven　she；
  too；　did　not　fall　into　the　clutches　of　those　villains。〃
  Behind　him　the　hairy　thing　whose　evil　eyes　had　been
  watching　his　as　a　cat　watches　a　mouse　was　creeping
  stealthily　toward　him。
  Where　were　the　trained　senses　of　the　savage　ape…man？
  Where　the　acute　hearing？
  Where　the　uncanny　sense　of　scent？
  Chapter　3
  Beasts　at　Bay
  Slowly　Tarzan　unfolded　the　note　the　sailor　had　thrust　into
  his　hand；　and　read　it。　　At　first　it　made　little　impression　on
  his　sorrow…numbed　senses；　but　finally　the　full　purport　of　the
  hideous　plot　of　revenge　unfolded　itself　before　his　imagination。
  〃This　will　explain　to　you〃　＇the　note　read＇　〃the　exact　nature
  of　my　intentions　relative　to　your　offspring　and　to　you。
  〃You　were　born　an　ape。　　You　lived　naked　in　the　jungles
  to　your　own　we　have　returned　you；　but　your　son　shall　rise　a
  step　above　his　sire。　　It　is　the　immutable　law　of　evolution。
  〃The　father　was　a　beast；　but　the　son　shall　be　a　manhe
  shall　take　the　next　ascending　step　in　the　scale　of　progress。
  He　shall　be　no　naked　beast　of　the　jungle；　but　shall　wear　a
  loincloth　and　copper　anklets；　and；　perchance；　a　ring　in　his
  nose；　for　he　is　to　be　reared　by　mena　tribe　of　savage　cannibals。
  〃I　might　have　killed　you；　but　that　would　have　curtailed　the
  full　measure　of　the　punishment　you　have　earned　at　my　hands。
  〃Dead；　you　could　not　have　suffered　in　the　knowledge　of
  your　son's　plight；　but　living　and　in　a　place　from　which　you
  may　not　escape　to　seek　or　succour　your　child；　you　shall　suffer
  worse　than　death　for　all　the　years　of　your　life　in　contemplation
  of　the　horrors　of　your　son's　existence。
  〃This；　then；　is　to　be　a　part　of　your　punishment　for　having
  dared　to　pit　yourself　against
  N。　　R。
  〃P。S。The　balance　of　your　punishment　has　to　do　with
  what　shall　presently　befall　your　wifethat　I　shall
  leave　to　your　imagination。〃
  As　he　finished　reading；　a　slight　sound　behind　him　brought
  him　back　with　a　start　to　the　world　of　present　realities。
  Instantly　his　senses　awoke；　and　he　was　again　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。
  As　he　wheeled　about；　it　was　a　beast　at　bay；　vibrant　with
  the　instinct　of　self…preservation；　that　faced　a　huge　bull…ape
  that　was　already　charging　down　upon　him。
  The　two　years　that　had　elapsed　since　Tarzan　had　come　out
  of　the　savage　forest　with　his　rescued　mate　had　witnessed
  slight　diminution　of　the　mighty　powers　that　had　made　him
  the　invi