Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
Man’s Reason
SomuchhadhisgreatstrengthandagilityincreasedintheperiodfollowinghismaturitythathehadcometobelievethathemightmastertheredoubtableTerkozinahandtohandfightwereitnotfortheterribleadvantagetheanthropoid’shugefightingfangsgavehimoverthepoorlyarmedTarzan.
TheentirematterwastakenoutofTarzan’shandsonedaybyforceofcircumstances,andhisfutureleftopentohim,sothathemightgoorstaywithoutanystainuponhissavageescutcheon.
Ithappenedthus:
Thetribewasfeedingquietly,spreadoveraconsiderablearea,whenagreatscreamingarosesomedistanceeastofwhereTarzanlayuponhisbellybesidealimpidbrook,attemptingtocatchanelusivefishinhisquick,brownhands.
Withoneaccordthetribeswungrapidlytowardthefrightenedcries,andtherefoundTerkozholdinganoldfemalebythehairandbeatingherunmercifullywithhisgreathands.
AsTarzanapproachedheraisedhishandaloftforTerkoztodesist,forthefemalewasnothis,butbelongedtoapooroldapewhosefightingdayswerelongover,andwho,therefore,couldnotprotecthisfamily.
Terkozknewthatitwasagainstthelawsofhiskindtostrikethiswomanofanother,butbeingabully,hehadtakenadvantageoftheweaknessofthefemale’shusbandtochastiseherbecauseshehadrefusedtogiveuptohimatenderyoungrodentshehadcaptured.
