CHAPTER X
THE IMPOSTER
Tarzan crouched glaring at the blazing eyes of the panther in the yawning dark mouth of the cave and suddenly getting set by instinct that his life in the jungle had sharpened, leaped. Bobby shrieked as over and over rolled man an d beast. Black John from behind a rock stared, his eyes almost popping out of his head. what an opponent was this for him! If he had prayed at all it would have been to his devil-god -- and for the panther.
To neither Bobby in the cave nor Black John behind the rock did it seem that Tarzan had a chance. Suddenly Bobby discovered another opening to the cave and dashed out through it -- directly into the arms of Black John behind the rock.
"Fork over them papers, kid!" he growled as he seized bobby roughly and ran his hands over him, frisking him thoroughly.
He found them, ran his eyes hastily over them to see that they were all right, then slunk into the jungle dragging Bobby along by one hand and threatening him if he made an outcry.
"It won't do no good -- the panther's finished Tarzan -- you don't hear no sound, do you?
On the other side of the cave on the contrary Tarzan may have looked a bit the worse for wear but was smiling coolly as he slipped his Greystoke hunting knife back in its sheath that hung from his neck. There was one less enemy left in the jungle for him.
He was not so cool as he explored the cave, found Bobby gone, leaving only the cub. He called. But there was no answer from the silences of the jungle, at least from Bobby.
Tarzan turned quickly as a native crashed through in fear to be the bearer of bad news yet more in fear not to tell it.
"Taug has stolen our White Queen!" he panted.
Tarzan was convulsed with fury. He cupped his hands to his mouth even before the native had finished telling what he had seen and let out a tremendous roar that echoed far and wide through the jungle.
Tantor and Numa and all the host that did Tarzan's bidding heard, and answered. Taug heard but did not answer. Instead he almost grinned his apish triumph as he looked down at the limp for of the fair Mary in his arms powerful enough to crush any heavy-weight champion of the world. Mary had swooned and he started off on his half run, half lope with her.
Tarzan threshed his way through the jungle leaving the startled native as he went to gather such a detective strong-arm force as perhaps man had never had before.
Black John heard the battle cry of Tarzan, thought it was for him, redoubled his haste as he fled to the coast with the desperate hope that he might find help.
There is an uncanny luck that seems to hang over evil men of the ilk of Black John at time. It would shake one's faith were it not for the fact that always before it is over such men demonstrate the innate evil in them and in such a way as to point an even more spectacular moral for good than they possibly could otherwise.
Black John dragging Bobby along stopped short in amazement as they neared the shore. Not in his wildest dreams had he imagined anything like what greeted his eyes. There was not only a trim steam yacht riding at anchor in the offing, but on the shore was pitched a camp. A careful reconnoitering of it decided Black John on going immediately to it, without parley.
As they approached they saw a rather distinguished looking Englishman in a pith helmet. With him was another man who seemed to be his secretary. Everywhere were blacks busy with tents, the campfire, cooking and other duties. Although Black John did not know it yet this was the brother of Lord Greystoke on an expedition into the heart of the jungle to find any clues that there might be as to the fate of his brother and his wife and baby.
No one could have been more surprised to see white people in the deep of the jungle than was the present Lord Greystoke when Black John walked into his camp with Bobby. They exchanged salutations and it was not long before Black John learned to his utter surprise the purpose of the expedition. As Greystoke explained it Black John learned to his utter surprise the purpose of the expedition. As Greystoke explained it Black John's face concealed a crafty smile.
"Why, Uncle!" he exclaimed. "Then I am George Greystoke, your nephew!"
Greystoke was a bit perplexed but Black John followed it up by pulling out the papers he had stolen. Greystoke and his secretary looked them over carefully while Bobby could hardly contain himself at the enormity of Black John's deception.
Finally Greystoke extended his hand. "Then my long search is ended. I am glad to hand over the Greystoke heritage to you."
Bobby could stand it no long. "He lies!" he burst out. "He stole the papers from Tarzan!" Greystoke and his secretary turned. "Tarzan is your nephew. this man is a cheat."
Black John was equal to the occasion. "Pay no attention to the boy," he waved him aside. "His mind is unbalanced. I've just nursed him through a long siege of jungle fever."
However, Greystoke was no fool; he was not going to accept an identification like this without complete proofs. "Of course," he added, "I assume you must have other proofs than these that you are the real Earl of Greystoke. There are certain heirlooms of the Greystoke, for instance, an oddly shaped hunting knife."
"Oh, of course," nodded Black John. "I have the knife in my hut. I have treasured it ever since I was a child. I shall get it." Lord Greystoke nodded. "Please take care of the boy while I am gone. And, remember he is not himself." Black John hurried away. He was already forming a plan to get the knife from Tarzan.
"That's all a lie, too, about the jungle fever," insisted Bobby as he poured out his story and told of Mary and Tarzan.
"If what you say is true, my boy," Lord Greystoke patted his head, "we shall learn very soon."
They were so engrossed in Bobby that they did not notice that Black John had gone around the tent and watching a moment when the blacks were busy had stolen one from the stack of rifles and disappeared into the jungle again.
Swinging along from tree to tree Tarzan was eagerly searching the jungle for a clue to Mary. At last he caught sight of Taug loping along with the unconscious girl in his arms. Tarzan redoubled his speed and before he had overtaken his arch-enemy. Taug dropped the girl and the two faced each other, knowing that this was to be a battle to the death.
They circled and suddenly Tarzan sprang. They clinched and rolled to the ground, fighting furiously. It seemed as if an unconscious sense of danger called Mary back to consciousness. She opened her eyes just as Tarzan succeeded in getting Taug down and holding him. Slowly he was strangling the brute, just as Mary ran up to him.
"Twice I have saved his life!" muttered Tarzan. "He will no longer trouble you."
He turned from Taug and with a final kick to his lifeless body picked up Mary gently in his strong arms to carry her.
Mary was crying softly to herself still about Bobby. It went to Tarzan's heart as such tears go to the heart of every strong man. As he always did when in trouble he bent his steps back to the hut in the jungle. There he laid Mary exhausted on the bunk, turned, and said what seemed the only thing to say. I shall go search for your little brother." His actions were so rapid that almost before the words were out of his mouth Tarzan was out of the door, looping his rope into a tree and swinging along with a lusty will to find the boy.
Played out though she was Mary managed to pull herself up from the bunk and run to the window. She would have called him back for she had a foreboding of danger, only already he was too far away.
Suddenly, however she did scream. There in the distance she could make out the form of Black John skulking in the jungle. And he had a rifle! Mary's scream could not warn Tarzan, at that distance.
Tarzan poised himself on another limb for a swing when suddenly Black John raised his stolen rifle, took careful aim, there was a puff of smoke followed by the distant crack of the report and Mary screamed again in vain as Tarzan fell from the tree.
Next:
CHAPTER XI
THE STOLEN HERITAGE
Mary tries to intervene between the two men and Tarzan seizes the opportunity to wrest the gun from Black John and would kill him were it not for Mary's protest. Tarzan yields to her plea and contents himself with binding Black John to a tree, after which they resume their search for Bobby. Tarzan calls his jungle friends to help him locate Bobby. A monkey who has discovered the prisoners in the cave leads Tarzan and Mary to their rescue. Greystoke, returning to camp, finds Black John who tells him their camp has been attacked by natives and Greystoke and Bobby carried away. The secretary doubts the story and tells Black John that he will remain bound until Greystoke returns. Black John makes a proposition to the secretary that they return together to England and claim the title and estates of Lord Greystoke.
TARZAN THE MIGHTY
FILM SERIAL SUMMARY
From Universal Weekly 1928
Chapter Ten: The Jaws of DeathMeanwhile at the cave Greystoke sees Tarzan's knife and recognizes the family crest carved on the handle. Mary produces the papers and trinkets, which they had taken from Black John, and Greystoke realizes that Tarzan is the legitimate heir he seeks. Before returning to England Lord Greystoke wishes to visit the hut where his brother died. When they arrive they are startled by the appearance of Black John, who covers them with a gun. The secretary appears in another part of the hut and also covers them. They turn to make a dash for freedom and discover they are surrounded by natives.
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