The evening world. Newspaper, November 15, 1915, Page 15

y Eds, Tarzan'’s Creator Writes a New Romance of the African Jungle ar Rice B erroegse heft edhe lth nds oo (Coppright, 1916, by the Pree Publishing Co, (The New York Drening World), / PROLOGUE. NATIVE ‘woman working in the little cultivated patch just outside the palisade which surrounded the mission was the first to see them, thatched bungalow where t Her scream penetrated to the living room of ‘the little he Rev, Sangamon Morton sat before table, an open tin box before him and a @heaf of preferred stock certificates in his hands. The Rev. * meant nothing. Savage Single visitor of the order of Morton had heard such screams before. Again they might mean the presence of an inquisitive and Sometimes they carnivora, But the one thing always ‘uppermost in his mind—the one great, abiding terror of their lives there in the midst of the savage African Jungle—was now, as always, the first and natural explanation of the womai @as had come at last! The missionary leaped to his fect, “thrust the papers into a long manila envelope, placed them in the tin box and closed the cover as he hastened gross the room to the wide fireplace. Hore he kueelgd and romoved a stone flag from the hearth, silpped the box aitekly into the apgrture revealed be- neath, rose, snatched a rifle from its * hook over the mantel! and rushed out into the compound. The whole thing had taken but a fraction of the time Fequired to tell it. Ta another room of the bungalow Mary Morton, the misstonary's wife, and Ruth, bis daughter, had heard the scream, and they, too, ran out {rite the compound. The Rev. San- ®amon Morton found them there when he arrived, and calling to them to return to the bungalow, sped on toward tho palisade gate, through which were now streaming the score ef women and children who had been working,in the garden. Some native men were also hasten- jig toward the gate from their vari- ous duties about the mission, con- ,¥erted heathen armed with ancient * enfields. The woman who had first ‘ @ereamed and whose shrill cry of terror had aroused the peaceful little community now fell to her knees be- fore the Rev. Morton, “Oh, sabe mo, mass: she cried. “Sabe me fom de Wakandas! De ‘Wakandas hab came!" Morton brushed past her and bur- ried to the gate. He would have a look at the enemy first. ‘The Rev. Sangamon Morton was not a man to be easily stampeded. He had an- @wered to false alarms in the past, and though he never permitted the very of “Wolf!” to find him unready for the inevitable time when it should prove a true cry he was prone to scepticism until he should have the @ubstantiating testimony of his own eyes. Now, as he passed through the fate, his first glance at the approach- ing “enemy” brought a algh of relict to-his lips. Coming out of the jungle were strange black men, it was true— warriors armed with spears, end even guns—but with them marched two white men, and at sight of the pith helmets and the smoke fro. two briar pipes a broad smile touched the lips of the Rev. Sangamon Morton. The smile expanded into a good- naered laugh as he advanced to wel- |, dvise the strangers and explain to them the panic {nto which their un- heralded appearance had thrown his little community. And 80 came Jefferson Scott jr. and his boon companion, Robert Gordon, to the little American Methodist mis- psion in tho heart of the African jungle. And there one of them, young Scott, found a wife in the mission- ary’s daughter, Ruth, Robert Gordon remained for a month after the mis- slonary had performed the simple geramony that made his daughter Mra, Jefferson Scott jr, Gordon was best man at the wedding, and with Mrs, Morton witnessed the marriage certificate, ‘The two young Americans had come to Africa to hunt big game. Jefferson ‘Soott jr, remained to cast his lot with nis wife's people in thelr unselfish ‘work among the natives. Gordon bade them goodby at last to return to his home in New York, and the evening before his departure the Rey, Mr, Morton called him into the living yoom, removed the flagstone from the hearth and, reaching in, opened tho tin box and withdrew a large manila envelope. “1 wish, Mr. Gordon,” he said, “that you would deliver this into the keep- ing of Jefferson's father. It contains practically the entire fortune which T inherited from my father and for which I have no use here, but which, In the event of anything befalling me, would be of inestimable value to Mrs, Morton and Ruth, It is not safe her: ‘The Wakandas, if rumor is to be credited, are preparing to revolt against the Belgian authorities, and if they do we shall have to leave hore and cross nearly half the continent of Africa to safety. “Under such clreumstances the valuable papers would but add to my anxieties and worries, and so I as you to take them to Mr. Scott for safekeeping until my mission here 4s fulfilled and we all return to Americi And 80 Robert Gordon bade them farewell and started upon his long journey to America, the manila en- Yelope safe in his inside pocket A year later a lite girl was born to Ruth Morton Scott—a little girl whom they christened Virginia, after the commonwealth of which her father was a native son, “When Virginia was a year old it screams to leap to his mind. The Wakan- came—the hideous thing that was often uppermost in the minds of all that little band isolated In the heart of the savage jungle, The Wakand. revolted. Lieut. De Bees sat puffing upon his cigarette in the shade of the veranda at the factory near the head of navi- gation on the Ulukl, His dusky sol- diery lolled jn the shade of their quar- ters—native beehive huts, The -day was hot even for the tropical jungle in which the factory sweltered most of the year. Lieut, De Bees heard the challenge of a sentry at the gates, Languldly he looked in the direction of the sounds and inwardly anathematized whatever fool might be moving about in such insufferable heat, Presently he saw one of his non-commissioned officers approaching with a naked savage, The stranger was sweat- streaked and panting. His eyes were wide in terror, The corporal brought him before the officer, saluting, Lieut. De Bees noted excitement in his sol- dier’s expression, “What now?” the salute, “The Wakandas are upon the war- path,” reported the subordinate, “This fellow says that they killed nearly all within the village and then started for the mission where the Americana are.” Lieut. De, Bees sat up quickly and, leaning forward toward the news- bringer, fired question after question at him, When he had satisfied him- self that the man did not lie he leaped to his feet. All thoughts of heat or lassitude were gone. He gave a quiet, sharp order (0 the corporal, and as that soldier ran across the parade ground toward the beehive barracks De Bees ran indoors and donned his marching togs and his side arms. Thirty minutes later a little com- pany of fifty blacks in command of a single Belgian leutenant filed through the factory gate and took up their march against a warlike tribe which numbered perhaps a thousand spears, * Once again came the terrified shriek of a native to the ears of the dwellers within the mission. Once again the men within ran toward the gat ready but doubting. Jefferson Scot jr, was first among them, for he was younger and could run faster than his father-in-law. And this time the wolf had come. ‘The Wakandas were at the gates by tho time the two white men had reached them. The Rey. Sangamon Morton fell, pierced through the breast by a heavy war spear before r he could fire a shot in defense of his loved ones, he asked, returning Scott, reinforced by the handful of men converts who lived within the mission inclosure, repelled the first charge, Nia heavy express rifle and dead curacy sending the blacks back toward the jungle, where they leaped and shouted until they worked themselves into a sufficient hysterta to warrant another assault, Timo and again the ebon horde swooped down upon the gates, Time and again the little handful of defenders drove them back, Yet it was without hope that Jefferson Scott jr. fought. He knew what must be the inevi- table outcome, Already his own am- munition was exhausted, and there was but Httle more good powder available for the Enfields. They might hold out another day, but what good would that accom. plish? It would be but to defer the final frightful moment, If they coulé but get word to the Belgian officer and his ttle command over on the Uluki! Scott questioned his com- pantons as to the feasibility of get- ting a runner through to the factory, It was impossible, they said, as the whole country between the mission and the Belgians would be overrun by Wakandas by this time, Not one would volunteer to attempt the jour- ney, They had fought bravely at his side, but none dared venture among the Wakandas, the very mention of whose name filled them with unrea- soning terror, But it was the only hope that Scott had. He must get word to the factory. If his blacks were afraid to bear it he must do so himself. His only hesitancy in the matter was the thought of leaving his young wife and baby daughter to the sole protection of the native converts, During @ lull in the fighting he returned to the bungalow and placed the matter squarely before his wife and her mother, ‘You must go, Jefferson,” sald the elder woman, “i can take your place at the gates, The men love me, 1 know, and will fight for me and Ruth as bravely a# though you remained. I Tare ne} OUT oF TH fe Eelits EDious WoRK "Ewehiay W orld Daily Mes¢saree. Monagay, INuVe mo cr is, Av LS By Maurice Ketten DARN THAT Puzzte | ) SToP Looking AT ME! You MAKE ME NERvouS will remain beside them and give them the moral support they need, and if there is a spare musket I can use that too." And so it was that as soon as night had fallen Jefferson Scott jr. slipped into the jungle upon his useless mis- sion—useleas, because a native had already carried the warning to De Be Scott never reached the factory, nor dit he ever return to the mission. Only the Wakandas know what his fate was. De Bees and his soldiers arrived at the mission early in the morning after an all-night march, They came upon the rear of the Wakandas just as the savages made their last and success- ful charge. A score or more *of the howling demons had scaled the gates and were among the defenders as the rifles of (he Belgian's black soldiers volleyed into their rear. The Wakan- das, taken wholly by surprise, broke and fled. Inside the mission defenses De Bees found a dozen dead, apd among them the body of the courageous Mary Morton, lying just within the gates. In the bungalow Ruth Scott stood with @ rifle in her hands before the cradle of her little daughter—bereft in a single day of father, mother and husband. The kindly and courteous Belgian helped her to bury her dead, and sent out parties into the jungle in search of Scott, keeping them out until fear that he had been killed became a certainty, Then he con- ducted the mother and child back to the factory and from there arranged for their conveyance to the coast. Two months later Ruth Scott and little Virginia arrived at the Virginia homestead of the widowed and now childless Jefferson Scott—the father of her dead husband, When, a year before, Jefferson Scott had learned of his son's marriage, ne had not been displeased, theugh tne idea of the boy remaining in Africa was not altogether to his liking. Then had come Robert Gordon with en- thustastic descriptions of the new daughter-in-law and ber parents, and Jefferson Scott began to long for the return of his son and the coming of his son's wife to brighten the sombre life of the old mansion, Gordon had Aelivered a long manila » into the elder Scott's keep- ng. ‘Mr, Morton felt that tt would| be safer here than in Africa," he ex- plained, “It contains a considerabl fortune in stocks, If I understood him correctly.” fi Then, after a long year, had come the news of the Wakanda uprisiny and the death of his son and th Mortons. Immediately Jefferson Scott} cabled funds to his daughter-in-law, | together with instructions that she come at once to him, That same night he took the long manila en- velope from his safe to examine the contents, that he might have the nec- enyelo | essary legal steps taken to Insure the Proper transfer of the certificates to Ruth Scott's name, The manila of the wrapper was of unusual thickness, giving an appear- ance of bulk to the package that was deceptive, for when he had opened it Jefferson Scott discovered but a single paper within. As he withdrew this and examined it a puzzled smile touched his lips, For a moment he sat regarding the document in his hand, then he shook hig head and re- turned it to the envelope, He did not place it again in the safe, but carrying it upstairs opened an old fashioned wall cupboard, with- drew a tin box from it, placed the en- velope in the tin box and returned it to the cupboard, Two months later he welcomed Ruth Morton Scott to his fireside, and from that moment until his death she was as an own daughter to him, shar- ing his love with her little Virginia, whom Jefferson Scott idetized. And in the nineteen years that in- tervened it is doubtful If the manila envelope or its contents ever again entered the mind of the grandfather. = T shuffled slowly out, his face buried in a red ban- danna and his shrunken shoulders heaving to the sobs he could not con- trol, Down at the negroes’ quarters the banjoes and the old melodeon were stilled, Even the little picca- ninnies sat with hushed voices and tearful mien. In the big front bed- room of the mansion two women knelt beside a bed, their faces bur- fod in the coverlet, weeping. There were tears, too, In the eyes of the old doctor, and even stern old Judge Sperry blew his great beak of @ nose with unnecessary vigor as he walked to the window and looked out across the broad acres of his lifetime friend Jefferson Scott was dead That night Scott Taylor, the son of Jefferson Scott's dead elster, arrived from New York. Virginia Scott had ARE CHAPTER I. HE closed door of the bed- room opened, A bent and white-haired old negro met him eeveral times in the past, when, as a child, he had visited his uncle, She knew but little of his past life other than that Jefferson Scott had pald on two occasions to keep him out of jail and that of recent years the old man had refused to have any intercourse whatever with his nephew, Taylor was a couple of years her senior, a rather good looking man, notwithstanding the marks of diss- pation that marred his feature: He was college bred, suave and distinct- ly at ease in any company. Had she known less of him Virginia Scott might easily have esteemed him high- ly, but, knowing what she did, she felt only disgust for him. His coming at this time she looked upon as little less than brazen effrontery, for he had been forbidden the house by Jeffer- son Scott several years before, mor since then had he once communicated with his un That he had returned now in hope of a legacy she knew as well as though he had candidly an- nounced the fact, and it was with dif- ficulty that she accorded him even the scantest courtesy in her greeting. Judge Sperry, who was searching among Jefferson Scott's papers in the brary when Taylor arrived, took one look at him over the tops of his glasses, a look that passed slowly from his face down to his boots, ignored his proffered hand and re- turned to his search without a fur- ther acknowledgment of the younger man's existence, ‘Taylor fushed, shrugged his shoul- ders and turned back to Virginia, but Virginia had left the room, He fidgeted about, his ease of manner @ trifle jarred, for a moment or two, and then, recovering his poise, ad- dressed Judge Sperry. “Did my uncle leave a will?” asked “ie made a will, air,” snapped the Judge, “about @ year ago, alr, in which you were not mentioned, sir, He has made no other, that I know of, If I were you, sir, I should re- turn to New York, There is nothing here for you.” he YOU ONE OF THE MANY THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THE EVENING WORLD’S Complete Novel Each Week? Wf not, ou are robbing yourself of the richest fiction treat ever offered to the readers of a newspaper. The Evening World, every week, printe a nevel by seme fameus author, These novele are issued complete in six large daily inethiments. They are solected with a View to suiting the tastes of all readers. And t In The Evening World eoriee Chambers, Mary wood, Morgan tremendous success of the plan h: “COMPLET: the foremost work of such “best-seller” authors as Robert W. Roberts Rinehart, Rupert Hughes, James Oliver Cur- lobertson, Margaret Widdemer, George Randolph Chee- long been demonstrated. NOVEL EACH WEEK” ter, Louls Joseph Vanoe, Edgar Rice Burroughs and many others of celebrity. Taylor half smiled. “I take tt you are looking for the will,” he sald. “Well, I'll just atick around until you find it. If you don't find {t I inherit half the property— whether you want me to or not.” Judge Sperry vouchsafed no reply, and presently Taylor left the room, wandered out across the grounds and down the road toward the little vil- lage, where, if there were no ac- quaintances, there was et least some- thing to drink. Later in the evening, fortified by several Kentucky bourbons, he re- turned, nor could Virginia's mother bring herself to refuse him the or- dinary hoapitalities of that old Vir- ginian home, and so he remained, following the body of his uncle to the grave with the other members of the family, the friends and the ser- vants. And after the funeral he stayed on, watching with as eager eyes asthe rest the futile search for the last will and testament of Jefferson Scott, but with hopes diametrically at variance with theira, Naturally he eaw much of Virginia, though not as much as he should have liked to see. He found that the little girl he had known years before had grown into @ beautiful young woman—a mont de- sirable young woman—and while it angered him to realize the contempt in which she held him, he was not #0 wanting in egotivm but that he believed he might win his way eventually into her good graces, For this reason he never reverted to the subject of the will, He did his best to impress upon Virginia and her mother that his one object in remaining thus away from his business was in the hope that he might prove of some service to them now that he upon whom they both had leaned for ad- vice and protection had been taken from them, Mrs. Boott was beginning to tolerate him and Virginia to feel sorry for him, yet both could not but look forward with feelings of relief to the meeting of the administrators which was to be held in the library of the Scott home the following morning, They felt that the action then taken would decide their status legally and render the further prea- enoe of Scott Taylor unnecessary, That it had been Jefferson Scott’ intention that Virginia should inherit his entire estate they both knew, and were equally positive that the ad- ministratore would adopt every legal means to carry out the grandfather's expressed wish. Judwe Sperry had explained Taylor's legal rights in the event that no will should be dis- covered, nor waa Virginia at all de- sirous of attempting to reduce the amount that mi@ht be legally his, It was the evening before the meet- ing. Taylor had gone to town in the afternoon, Mrs, Seott already had retired and Virginia sat reading In the brary when Scott Taylor ea- tered. As the gir! greeted him civilly her eyes took in his flushed face and unsteady carriage and she saw that he had been drinking more than ally, Then she let her eyes fal) again to her book, Taylor crossed the room and stood where he could watch her profile, For several moments he did not speak, then he came closer and took & chair directly in front of her, The effect of her beauty upon his drink excited passions caused him to throw @plomacy and caution to the winds. “Look here, Virginia,” he said, leaning forward toward her, un- steadily, The girl looked up in polite ques- tioning, but there was a warning light In her eye that a more sober man than Scott Taylor would have discerned and heeded, “Yea?” The rising inflection was accompanied by a raising of the arched brows. “Why not be friends, Taylor continued. “We're both of us due for a share of the old man's Property. It amounts to a big bunch of coin, but it's mostly in farmlands. It ought not to be cut up. We ought to keep It intact. I got a schem He edged his chair oloser until their knees all but touched. “We're about the same age. I'm not such a bad sort when you know me, and you're & peach. I always knew it, and this time I've discovered something elso— I love you.” He was leaning so far forward now that bis face was close to hers, The girl's eyes were wide in as- tonishment and disgust. She rose beset d and drew herself to her full height. “I would not, for the world,” she said, “intentionally wound any man who came to me with an avowal of honest love; but I do not believe that you love me, and, futther, the manne of your coming to me is an insult.” ‘aylor had risen and was facing her, If possible she was aven more beautiful in anger than in repose, His self-control vanished before the scorn in her eyes and in her voice. “You can learn to love me,” he mut- tered, and seized her in his arms. | Vrwinte. struggled, byt he crushed her closer to him until his lips were above hers. With an effort almost superhuman tho girl succeeded in covering Taylor's face with her open Unsteady from drink, the man stag- gered back against the chair he had Just left, toppled over it and fell in a heap upon the floor. When, after an effort, he managed to crawl to his feet, Virginia had dis- appeared, Taylor sank to the edge tt a chair, his face contorted with rage and humiliation, He was not so tn: toxicated but that he now realized the fool he had made of himself and tho ridiculous figure he must have cut reeling drunkenly over the chair, His rage, instead of being directed against himself as it should have been, was all for Virginia. He would make her bay! He would have his revenge! She should be left penniless if there was any way, etraight or crooked, to accomplish it, And in this pleasant mood Scott Taylor made his nusteady way to bed. It was late when Taylor awoke the following morning, Already the ad- ministrators had gathered with Mrs, Scott and Virginia in the library, It was several minutes before the maf could recall to memory the events of the previous evening. As they fil- tered slowly through his befogged brain @ slow flush of anger crept over his face. Then he recalled the meeting that had been scheduled for to-day, He glanced at his watch, It was already past time. Springing up he dressed hastily, and left hia room Half way down the etairs he heard voices coming from the library below. He paused to listen. Judge Sperry was speaking. “Jefferson Scott never intended that that young ecallawag ehould have one cent's worth of his property,” he was saying. “He told me upon several oc- casions that he would not have his money dissipated in riotous living, and by gad, gentlemen, if I hare any thing to say about it Jefferson Scott! wishes shall be observed,” and he pounded the black walnut table with @ heavy fist. “I think,” spoke up another voice, “that when the simple proofs nece: sary to establish legally Miss Vir- finia’s relationship to Gen, Scott have been produced it will be @ compara- tively simple matter to arrange the thing as he would have wished it.” “Simple proofs necessary to es- tablivh legally Miss Virginia's rela- tionship to Gen. Scott!’ The words ran through Scott Taylor's brain al- most meaninglessly at first, and then slowly & great ght broke upon him, his eyes went wide and his lip curled fn an ironical smile. A moment later he entered the brary, His manner was easy and confident. He sneered just a Lttle aa Virginia deliberately turned her phoulder toward him. A vast silence fell upon the company as he joined them. He was the first to break it. “Tam glad,” he eald, “that we now straighten out a few matters that have been causing several of you not « Nttle annoyance” He glanced de! verry, “Jefferson . my died intestate, Un der the circumstances, and the law, I palms and pushing him from he! un at Judge uncle, dX WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING: WORLD 1 When Liberty Was Born BY ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE e Virginia?’ Inherit—I am the aole heir!” Mrs. Scott and the administrators looked at the young man m murprise —Virginia kept her back toward him. For several seconds there was un- broken ailence—the bald effrontery of Taylor's statement had taken even Judge Sperry's breath away—but not for long. “Sole heir?” shouted the old man Presently. “Sole heir? Sole nothing! You don't deserve a penny of your Uncle's estate, and you don't get # Denny of it if I can prevent.” “But you can't prevent, my friend,” Taylor assured him ooolly. “You can't prevent, because, as I just sald, I am the sole heir.” “I presum bellowed the Judge, “that you have more rights here than Gen. Scott's granddaughter?" “He had no legitimate granddaugh- ter," repited Taylor, the aneering laugh on his lps speaking more truly the purport of his insinuation than the plain words he had used. “What? You young scoundrel!” cried Judge Sperry, springing to his feet and taking a step toward Taylor. “Don't get exoited,” said Taylor. “Of course it's unfortunate that it be- came necessary to téuch upon this matter, but I gave Miss Virginia an opportunity to compromise last night, which she refused, and bo there in nothing else for me to do but inslat Upon my rights. It's a very simple matter to rectify if I am mistaken. All that Mrs. Scott need do is produce her marriage certificate, or the rec- ords of the local authorities where her wedding took place, And now, until she can establish the right of her daughter to make any legal claim whatsoever upon the estate of my uncle, I shall have to ask you all to vacate the premises and leave me in Possession of what is mine and no one else's.” The administrators turned toward Mrs. Scott. She shook her head sadly. “You all know, of course, as weil as does he, that bis any: false an they are infamous.” she . “IT was married in the heart of Cen- tral Africa. Whatever records there were of the ceremony have long sine» been destroyed, I fear; and I fea: also that it may be a difficult thing to legally prove my marriage. Rob- ert Gordon of New York was one ot the witnesses. If he still lives I pre- sume an affidavit trom bim would bu sufficient?” She glanced at Judge Sperry. “It would,” he asaured her, “and in the mean time J intend to kiok this miserable little puppy into the road.” And be advanced upon Taylor. it was Mra. Scott who stepped in front of the Judge, “No, my dear friend,” she said, “wo must not do that. He has, possibly, legal if not moral right upon bls side, for until I can prove the legality of my marriage he is in the eyes of t! Jaw the sole heir, And ip the mea time Virginia and I shall make our preparations and leave here quickly a# posstble.”” “You will do nothing of the sort,” exploded the Judge. “You will stay right here. If you leave it will be a tacit admission of the truth of a lie, I won't hear of your leaving, not for ® moment. If any one leaves, this rascally blackleg will be the ove to « “No,” spoke up Virginia, “I ehall not leave. The Judge is right.” “As you will,” sald Taylor, “I can't kick a couple of women out of my home if they insist on remaining.” “You'd better not,” growled the Judge. it was not until afternoon that Mre. Scott found an opportunity te pen a note to Robert Gordon. She bad not seen her husband's old friend eince that day twenty-one years before that she had waved him farewell from the veranda of the bungalow within the palisade of her mission home, Ho had stopped in London on bis way to America, met and married an Eng- Neh girl, aad thereafter for long years had spent much time in England or in travel. it had not been unti! after the death of his wife that he had re- turned to New York permanently. As Mrs. Scott finished the letter an automobile whirled up the driveway and came to a stop before the man- sion, Women's voices floated tn to her and to Virginia to whom she had been reading the completed letter The latter walked over to the open doors, where she glanced out, and then, turning toward her mother with Oh, it'@ Mra. Clayton and Char ran out to greet the visitors Mra, Scott, as thoroughly imbued with Southern hospitality as @ native daughter, dropped her letter upon tha desk and followed Virginia to the porch, where she found her friends insisting that she and Virginia ac- company them on @ drive to the vil- lage. As it was too warm for wraps neither mother nor daughter returned to the house, and only tod glad of an interraption to the sorrows and wor- ries that had recently overwhelmed them, entered the machine of the Clayton's and & moment later were whirling down the road ia a cloud of dust. Scott Taylor, who hadbeen stroll- ing about the plantation, returned to the house shortly after they had let and entering through the French windows of the library, chanced to note the open letter lying on the desk Tt required no subjugation of ethical sruples upon Nis part to pick the letter up and read it, (To Be Continued) |