Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Return of Tarzan Edgar Rice Burroughs

It was not until late the following afternoon that Tarzan saw anything more of the fellowpassengers into the midst of whose affairs his love of fair play had thrust him. And then he camemost unexpectedly upon Rokoff and Paulvitch at a moment when of all others the two might leastappreciate his company. They were standing on deck at a point which was temporarily deserted, and as Tarzan cameupon them they were in heated argument with a woman. Tarzan noted that she was richly appareled, and that her slender, well-modeled figure denoted youth; but as she was heavily veiled he could notdiscern her features. The men were standing on either side of her, and the backs of all were toward Tarzan, so that hewas quite close to them without their being aware of his presence. He noticed that Rokoff seemed tobe threatening, the woman pleading; but they spoke in a strange tongue, and he could only guessfrom appearances that the girl was afraid. Rokoff's attitude was so distinctly filled with the threat of physical violence that the ape-manpaused for an instant just behind the trio, instinctively sensing an atmosphere of danger. Scarcelyhad he hesitated ere the man seized the woman roughly by the wrist, twisting it as though to wring apromise from her through torture. What would have happened next had Rokoff had his way we mayonly conjecture, since he did not have his way at all. Instead, steel fingers gripped his shoulder, andhe was swung unceremoniously around, to meet the cold gray eyes of the stranger who had thwartedhim on the previous day