ion myself when meeting a stranger."
"Monsieur Thuran has been explaining some of the mysteries of
navigation to me," explained the girl.
Tarzan paid little heed to the conversation that ensued--he was
attempting to recall where he had met Monsieur Thuran before. That it
had been under peculiar circumstances he was positive. Presently the
sun reached them, and the girl asked Monsieur Thuran to move her chair
farther back into the shade. Tarzan happened to be watching the man at
the time, and noticed the awkward manner in which he handled the
chair--his left wrist was stiff. That clew was sufficient--a sudden
train of associated ideas did the rest.
Monsieur Thuran had been trying to find an excuse to make a graceful
departure. The lull in the conversation following the moving of their
position gave him an opportunity to make his excuses. Bowing low to
Miss Strong, and inclining his head to Tarzan, he turned to leave them.
"Just a moment," said Tarzan. "If Miss Strong will pardon me I will
accompany you. I shall return in a moment, Miss Strong."
Monsieur Thuran looked uncomfortable. When the two men had passed out
of the girl's sight, Tarzan stopped, laying a heavy hand on the other's
shoulder.
"What is your game now, Rokoff?" he asked.
"I am leaving France as I promised you," replied the other, in a surly
voice.
"I see you are," said Tarzan; "but I know you so well that I can
scarcely believe that your being on the same boat with me is purely a
coincidence. If I could believe it the fact that you are in disguise
would immediately disabuse my mind of any such idea."
"Well," growled Rokoff, with a shrug, "I cannot see what you are going
to do about it. This vessel flies the English flag. I have as much
right on board her as you, and from the fact that you are booked under
an assumed name I imagine that I have more right."
"We will not discuss it, Rokoff. All I wanted to say to you is that
you must keep away from Miss Strong--she is a decent woman."
Rokoff turned scarlet.
"If you don't I shall pitch you overboard," continued Tarzan. "Do not
forget that I am just waiting for some excuse." Then he turned on his
heel, and left Rokoff standing there trembling with suppressed rage.
He did not see the man again for days, but Rokoff was not idle. In his
stateroom with Paulvitch he fumed and swore, threatening the most
terrible of revenges.
"I would throw him overboard tonight," he crie
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