drew back in horror.

How could he kiss this woman whom he loved with the gross lips of
Manape, the great ape?

He could, of course, but suppose she wakened at his caress and saw the
great figure of the jungle brute, with all man's emotions and desires,
yet with none of man's restraint--bending over her? Women had gone
insane over less.

* * * * *

He hurried down with Ellen, and placed her beside Apeman.

By now the great apes had discovered the strange trio and were coming
close to investigate. There was a huge brute who came the fastest and
seemed to be the leader of the apes, if any they had. But even this
one did not offer a challenge, did not seem perturbed in the least.
But he did seem filled with childish curiosity. The apes themselves
were like children, children grown to monstrous proportions, advancing
and retreating, staring at this trio, darting away when Apeman or
Ellen made some sort of movement.

Bentley could sense too their curiosity where he was concerned. Their
senses told them that Bentley was a great ape. Their instincts,
however, made them hesitate, uncertain as to his true "identity"--or
so Bentley imagined.

Ellen still slept, but she must have sensed the near presence of
potential enemies, for she was stirring fitfully, preparing to waken.

What would her reaction be when she opened her eyes to see Manape near
her, standing guard over Apeman, with the jungle on all sides filled
with the lurking nightmare figures of other great apes?

A moan of anguish came from Apeman. He stirred, and groans which
seemed to rack his whole white bruised body came forth. The brain of
the ape was reacting to the suffering of Bentley's body--and a brute
was whimpering with its hurts. The advancing apes came to pause. They
seemed to stare at one another in amazement. They were suddenly
frightened, amazed, unable to understand the thing they saw and were
listening to. Bentley crouched there, watching the apes, and he
fancied he could understand their sudden new hesitancy.

* * * * *

He did not know, but he guessed that the moans and groans of Apeman
were comprehensible to the great apes. They knew that this strangely
white creature was an ape, though he looked like a man. Already they
had wondered as much as they were capable, about Manape. They had
sensed something not simian about him which puzzled them.

But from the lips of Apeman, to a