guests still at breakfast.

As his casual glance wandered into the officers' dining-room, Tarzan
saw something which brought a look of interest to his eyes. Lieutenant
Gernois was sitting there, and as Tarzan looked a white-robed Arab
approached and, bending, whispered a few words into the lieutenant's
ear. Then he passed on out of the building through another door.

In itself the thing was nothing, but as the man had stooped to speak to
the officer, Tarzan had caught sight of something which the accidental
parting of the man's burnoose had revealed--he carried his left arm in
a sling.

Chapter 9

Numa "El Adrea"

On the same day that Kadour ben Saden rode south the diligence from the
north brought Tarzan a letter from D'Arnot which had been forwarded
from Sidi-bel-Abbes. It opened the old wound that Tarzan would have
been glad to have forgotten; yet he was not sorry that D'Arnot had
written, for one at least of his subjects could never cease to interest
the ape-man. Here is the letter:

MY DEAR JEAN:

Since last I wrote you I have been across to London on a matter of
business. I was there but three days. The very first day I came upon
an old friend of yours--quite unexpectedly--in Henrietta Street. Now
you never in the world would guess whom. None other than Mr. Samuel T.
Philander. But it is true. I can see your look of incredulity. Nor
is this all. He insisted that I return to the hotel with him, and
there I found the others--Professor Archimedes Q. Porter, Miss Porter,
and that enormous black woman, Miss Porter's maid--Esmeralda, you will
recall. While I was there Clayton came in. They are to be married
soon, or rather sooner, for I rather suspect that we shall receive
announcements almost any day. On account of his father's death it is
to be a very quiet affair--only blood relatives.

While I was alone with Mr. Philander the old fellow became rather
confidential. Said Miss Porter had already postponed the wedding on
three different occasions. He confided that it appeared to him that
she was not particularly anxious to marry Clayton at all; but this time
it seems that it is quite likely to go through.

Of course they all asked after you, but I respected your wishes in the
matter of your true origin, and only spoke to them of your present
affairs.

Miss Porter was especially interested in everything I had to say about
you, and asked many questions. I am afraid I took a rather