but were he to meet resistance
he was prepared for that too. The lad's clothes lay across a chair
beside the bed. The American's fingers felt swiftly through them--the
pockets contained no roll of crisp, new notes. Doubtless they were
beneath the pillows of the bed. He stepped closer toward the sleeper;
his hand was already half way beneath the pillow when the thick cloud
that had obscured the moon rolled aside and the room was flooded with
light. At the same instant the boy opened his eyes and looked straight
into those of Condon. The man was suddenly conscious that the boy was
alone in the bed. Then he clutched for his victim's throat. As the
lad rose to meet him Condon heard a low growl at his back, then he felt
his wrists seized by the boy, and realized that beneath those tapering,
white fingers played muscles of steel.

He felt other hands at his throat, rough hairy hands that reached over
his shoulders from behind. He cast a terrified glance backward, and
the hairs of his head stiffened at the sight his eyes revealed, for
grasping him from the rear was a huge, man-like ape. The bared
fighting fangs of the anthropoid were close to his throat. The lad
pinioned his wrists. Neither uttered a sound. Where was the
grandmother? Condon's eyes swept the room in a single all-inclusive
glance. His eyes bulged in horror at the realization of the truth
which that glance revealed. In the power of what creatures of hideous
mystery had he placed himself! Frantically he fought to beat off the
lad that he might turn upon the fearsome thing at his back. Freeing
one hand he struck a savage blow at the lad's face. His act seemed to
unloose a thousand devils in the hairy creature clinging to his throat.
Condon heard a low and savage snarl. It was the last thing that the
American ever heard in this life. Then he was dragged backward upon
the floor, a heavy body fell upon him, powerful teeth fastened
themselves in his jugular, his head whirled in the sudden blackness
which rims eternity--a moment later the ape rose from his prostrate
form; but Condon did not know--he was quite dead.

The lad, horrified, sprang from the bed to lean over the body of the
man. He knew that Akut had killed in his defense, as he had killed
Michael Sabrov; but here, in savage Africa, far from home and friends
what would they do to him and his faithful ape? The lad knew that the
penalty of murder was death. He even knew that an accompli