_Jungle Justice_
Again that grim concentration on the part of Bentley, forcing the
unaccustomed great hands of Manape to perform things they had never
done before. He must release himself from the rope net which held him.
For the hands of a human being the task would have been easy. For the
hands of Manape, even though guided by the will of Bentley, the task
was far from easy.
But he persevered.
An hour after the apes had been dumped in the stockade, Bentley had
released himself from the rope net and was resting after the awful
ordeal of forcing the hands of Manape to do his bidding. He pressed
himself against the uprights of the stockade, and carefully tested
them with his strength. The strength of Bentley would never have
availed against the stout uprights of the stockade. Yet Manape-Bentley
knew that with the arms of Manape he could tear the uprights out of
the ground as easily as though they had been match-sticks. What should
he do now?
His first impulse of course was to release the rest of the great apes.
The brutes still fought at their bindings and were utterly insane with
rage. What would they do when they were released? What was his duty
where they were concerned? If they went wild through the native
village, slaying and laying waste, would Bentley be responsible for
loss of life? If he left the apes in the hands of the natives, what
then? He would never afterward forgive himself. He knew them as
children of the wilds, carefree and happy brutes of the jungle. Now if
held captives indefinitely they would either die or spend the rest of
their lives in cages.
No, he would release the animals, one by one. The natives would have
to take their chances.
* * * * *
A white figure loomed out of the darkness, coming from the direction
of a great bonfire which showed all the jungle surrounding in weird,
crimson relief. The white figure, all but nude, was Apeman! Following
him were several natives, who laughed and prodded Apeman with the
butts of their spears.
Bentley understood that. They thought Apeman a demented white man,
and to these natives a demented one was a butt of jokes. They did not
even suspect the horror of the possible revenge that was growing in
the brain of the ape which controlled the body of Apeman.
Twice or thrice Apeman tried to dart into the jungle, but always the
blacks prevented, heading him toward the cage where the apes were held
prisoners. Bentley wondered where Ellen was and what was happening to
her.
A celebration of some sort seemed going forward in the village. Was
Caleb Barter somewhere near, perhaps on the edge of the jungle,
grinning gleefully at this thing he had brought about as part of his
unholy experiment? There was no way of knowing of course, yet.
But....
Apeman reached the side of the stockade and snarled back at his
annoyers, while his white hands grasped the uprights and tore at them
with futile savagery. A strange situation. Inside the stockade a score
of brutes who could rip the stockade to bits. Outside, one of them
free, but hampered by the puny strength of a human being.
The blacks shouted to Apeman but of course Bentley could not
understand what they said. Apeman turned after snarling at them for a
few moments, and began to chatter in that gibberish which appeared to
be Apeman's only mode of speech--ape language on the lips of a man!
This was the only time it had ever happened.
The apes stirred fitfully as Apeman chattered, and began to renew
their attacks on their bonds. The blacks, after watching Apeman for a
few moments turned back toward the bonfire, evidently satisfied that
this strange demented creature would not run away. Apeman chattered
and the apes made answer.
The she who had nursed Apeman managed to reach the side of the
stockade, and for several moments Bentley listened to the horrible
grotesqueries--an ape she and a man talking together in brutish
gibberish, and with hellish intimacy.
Now, wondering just how matters would work themselves out, Bentley set
himself the task of releasing the apes. They would at least create a
furor in the village, during which Bentley could escape into the
jungle with Apeman and Ellen Estabrook before the natives could
reorganise themselves and give chase.
His plan was hazy, and he figured without the savagery of Apeman who
occupied that white body which had been Bentley's. His one thought was
to free the apes, set them upon the village, and escape with Apeman
and Ellen. Just that and no more; but he did not know the great apes,
nor how thoroughly they followed the lead of their lord whom they knew
as Manape, though how he was named in their brains he was never to
know.
One by one he released the apes. They seemed to sense the necessity
for stealth, for they began to ape the cautious behavior of Manape.
Apeman, outside, seemed to be advising them, telling them what to do.
* * * * *
One by one as Manape released them, the apes squatted side by side,
their red angry little eyes watching his every move. Bentley knew of
course what a fearful racket his own appearance would cause when he
strode out of the gloom among the blacks, seeking Ellen. But he knew
that surprise for a few precious moments would render the blacks
incapable of stopping him until he got away. At least he hoped so.
Beyond that he had no other plan. All depended upon the behavior of
the apes and the reaction of the blacks who were holding a devil's
dance about the mighty fire in the center of their village. Bentley
did not even yet dare guess what the apes would do when they saw what
Manape-Bentley did. Would they follow him? Or would they race for the
jungle to escape?
A few minutes now would tell the tale. He had released the last of the
great apes, who now lined the side of the stockade, apparently holding
angry converse with Apeman. Bentley was reminded of the old fashioned
mob of pioneer days--angrily muttering yet lacking a leader to direct
their efforts. Well, he had done his duty as he saw it. From now on
things must take their course.
But Bentley waited, watching the dancing figures about the fire. As
far as he could tell the dance was approaching some sort of a climax.
The figures leaped higher as they danced, and the noise of their
shouting raced and rolled across the jungle. They appeared to be drunk
with some sort of excitement, perhaps helped by native liquor, perhaps
because of superstitious frenzy.
If he waited for their excitement to die down a bit, for some of them
to go to sleep, his chances of releasing Ellen would be better. It
would not be hard for him to find her--not with Manape's sensitive
nose to lead him to her.
* * * * *
But time passed and the apes, though apparently being urged to
something by Apeman, watching Manape sullenly, apparently waiting for
him to make some move.
Then, sharp as a knife, cutting through the other noises of the
village, came Ellen's voice.
"Help, Lee! Help me!"
The scream was broken short off as though a hand had clutched the
girl's throat, but Bentley waited for no more--and Manape-Bentley flew
into action. His great hands went to the uprights of the stockade.
His mighty shoulders heaved and twisted and the uprights were ripped
apart.
The apes followed his lead, and the cracking of the stockade's
uprights was like a volley of pistol shots. The great brutes fairly
walked through the green saplings which formed the prison. Manape was
leading the charge, and the apes, once through, did not hesitate. If
their leader charged the blacks they would follow--and did, while
among them danced, cavorted and gibbered the travesty, Apeman.
He was Bentley's lieutenant, and Bentley-Manape was the lord of the
apes. Just now he forgot that he was more ape than man. Just now he
was happy that his strength was the strength of many men. He was
hurrying to the assistance of the woman he loved.
Behind him came the great apes, following like an army of poorly
trained recruits, yet armed as no army has ever been armed since the
days when men fought with fist and fang against their enemies. Bentley
lumbered swiftly toward the sound of Ellen's voice, aided in his
journey by the odor of her which came to his sensitive ape's nostrils.
* * * * *
The blacks never saw the approach of the apes, until, led by Manape
the Mighty, the great apes were right among them. Bentley did not
pause. A black man saw him and shrieked aloud in terror, a shriek
which seemed to freeze the other blacks in all sorts of postures.
Sitting men remained where they sat, and some of the motionless ones
saved their lives by their immobility. Dancers paused in midstride,
and those who did not, died.
For the hands of the great apes clutched at everything that moved, and
the great shoulders bulged, and the mighty muscles cracked, and men
were torn asunder as though they had been flies in the hands of
vengeful boys.
The black who had shrieked hurled a spear, purely a reflex,
perhaps--an action born of its habitual use. It missed Bentley by a
narrow margin, but passed through the stomach of the she who had
nursed Apeman. Snarling, snapping at the thing which hurt her, the she
tore the weapon free--then waddled forward swiftly, caught the man who
had hurled the spear, and tore his head off with a single twisting
movement of her great hands.
Next moment her blood was mingling with that of her slayer as she fell
above him. But her hands, in the convulsions of death, still ripped
and tore, and the black whom she held was a ghastly thing when the she
was finally dead. Bentley did not see the ghastly end of the spearman,
for he was seeking Ellen, and at the some time keeping a close watch
on Apeman.
Apeman seemed to be urging the apes to the attack, bidding them rip
and tear and gnash, and the apes were doing that, making of the
village a crimson shambles. But they did it in passing, for Manape was
their leader, and him they followed--and he was seeking Ellen
Estabrook.
* * * * *
The door of the hut in which his nostrils told him she would be found,
gave before his mighty chest as though it had been made of paper.
Inside, in the glow of the native lamp, a huge black man cowered
against the further wall of the hut, with spear poised.
But the black man seemed frozen with terror.
"Lee! Lee!"
Bentley essayed one glance at her. In the other corner she was, with
the upper part of her clothing almost torn from her body.
Then the spearman hurled his weapon. Bentley strove to force the huge
bulk of Manape's body to dodge the spear; but that body was slow in
doing so--and took a mortal wound!
But it was a wound that would mean slow death. An aching, terrible
wound. Then Manape-Bentley had grasped the body of the black, lifted
it high above his head, and crashed it to the hard packed floor of the
hut. The hut fairly shook with the thud of that fall. At once Manape
stooped, caught the black by the ankles and pulled in opposite
direction with all his terrific might.
Then he whirled, masking what he had done from Ellen's sight with his
huge, sorely wounded body.
He tried to send her a message with his eyes, but it was not
necessary. She knew Manape, Barter's trained ape. She followed close
at his heels. Outside the hut's door Apeman still urged the apes to
destruction of men and property, of women and children. The village of
the blacks had become a place of horror.
"Hurry, Lee!" gasped Ellen. "You've been grievously wounded, and if
Manape dies, nothing can save _you_--and I shall not care to live!"
But Bentley knew. His brain could sense the approach of death, and
what he now must do was very plain.
He charged at Apeman and caught the struggling, snarling travesty up
in his mighty arms. Then, with Ellen at his heels, he leaped into the
jungle and began the race for the house of Caleb Barter.
* * * * *
Life was going from him, yet his brain forced onward the body of
Manape. Behind came the great apes, following their leader. Now and
again they screamed and snarled at him, but he paid them no heed. They
could follow or leave him, as they chose. They chose to follow.
Apeman fought and bit at Bentley, but he paid him as little heed as
though he had been nothing at all. Now and again when Ellen faltered
Bentley caught her up, too, and carried her with Apeman until Ellen
was rested enough to go on.
Some of the apes appeared to realize whither they were going, for they
took to the trees and vanished onward. With Apeman alone, Bentley
himself would have taken to the trees as the swiftest way back to
Barter's dwelling. But Ellen could not race along the upper terraces,
and Bentley could not carry both Apeman and Ellen and leave the
ground. But he could travel swiftly on his race with death, with Ellen
as the prize if he won.
The hours passed, and the strength of Manape decreased; but fiercely
the brain of Bentley drove the mighty body on. Ellen sobbed with
weariness but continued on, and no words were spoken. There was no
time for words. Now and again Bentley forced Apeman to walk, and
dragged him forward with a hand clutching his wrist. At such times
Bentley carried Ellen, and scarcely slackened his stride under her
weight.
* * * * *
Once he tried to force Apeman to carry her, but the arms of Apeman
were not equal to the task for more than fifty yards or so, and he
gave that up as being impracticable. His brain raced, thinking up ways
to travel faster, to reach Barter's quarters before the mighty body of
Manape should die, and with it the brain of Bentley.
Surely no stranger cavalcade ever before traversed the jungles of the
Black Continent.
So they came at last to the clearing. The apes protested and remained
in hiding, while Bentley, never pausing, raced across toward the house
he would never forget.
The body of Manape was almost through, for it staggered like a
drunken man. Blood covered the mighty chest, and the brain of Bentley
felt hazy; nothing made sense; and the end was very near.
But they reached the door of Barter's dwelling, and Barter himself met
them, bearing his cruel whip in his hand. Ellen roused herself from
her extreme exhaustion and clutched at the scientist's hand.
"Professor Barter!" she begged. "Please, please! Manape is almost
dead! Hurry! Hurry, for the love of God!"
"There, there, my dear young lady," said Barter soothingly. "Make
yourself easy. There's no cause for worry."
Manape-Bentley toppled forward on the floor of the cabin. Ellen
screamed and Barter comforted her. Apeman tried to escape to the
jungle, but the lash of Barter drove him cowering and whimpering to a
corner.
Then, oblivion--save that somewhere was the odor of violets. Or did
violets possess odor? Then, if not, the odor of flowers he thought
were violets.