t I do not know the ethics of society by which
you are governed. I shall leave the decision to you, for you know best
what will be for your eventual welfare."

"I cannot tell him, Tarzan," she said. "He too, loves me, and he is a
good man. I could never face you nor any other honest person if I
repudiated my promise to Mr. Clayton. I shall have to keep it--and you
must help me bear the burden, though we may not see each other again
after tonight."

The others were entering the room now and Tarzan turned toward the
little window.

But he saw nothing outside--within he saw a patch of greensward
surrounded by a matted mass of gorgeous tropical plants and flowers,
and, above, the waving foliage of mighty trees, and, over all, the blue
of an equatorial sky.

In the center of the greensward a young woman sat upon a little mound
of earth, and beside her sat a young giant. They ate pleasant fruit
and looked into each other's eyes and smiled. They were very happy,
and they were all alone.

His thoughts were broken in upon by the station agent who entered
asking if there was a gentleman by the name of Tarzan in the party.

"I am Monsieur Tarzan," said the ape-man.

"Here is a message for you, forwarded from Baltimore; it is a cablegram
from Paris."

Tarzan took the envelope and tore it open. The message was from
D'Arnot.

It read:

Fingerprints prove you Greystoke. Congratulations.
D'ARNOT.

As Tarzan finished reading, Clayton entered and came toward him with
extended hand.

Here was the man who had Tarzan's title, and Tarzan's estates, and was
going to marry the woman whom Tarzan loved--the woman who loved Tarzan.
A single word from Tarzan would make a great difference in this man's
life.

It would take away his title and his lands and his castles, and--it
would take them away from Jane Porter also. "I say, old man," cried
Clayton, "I haven't had a chance to thank you for all you've done for
us. It seems as though you had your hands full saving our lives in
Africa and here.

"I'm awfully glad you came on here. We must get better acquainted. I
often thought about you, you know, and the remarkable circumstances of
your environment.

"If it's any of my business, how the devil did you ever get into that
bally jungle?"

"I was born there," said Tarzan, quietly. "My mother was an Ape, and
of course she couldn't tell me much about it. I never knew who my
f