THE MAN-EATER - Angelfire

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THE MAN-
EATER
BY
EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
“The Man-Eater” was first published in THE NEW YORK
EVENING WORLD newspaper on November 15, 16, 17, 18,
19, and 20, 1915. The first hardcover edition was
published in 1957 by Science-Fiction & Fantasy
Publications (along with “Beyond Thirty”).
THE MAN-EATER
THE MAN-EATER they, too, ran out into the compound.
—————— The Reverend Sanga-mon Morton
PROLOGUE found them there when he arrived,
and calling to them to return to the
A NATIVE woman working in the bungalow, sped on toward the
little cultivated patch just outside the palisade gate, through which were
palisade which surrounded the now streaming the score of women
mission was the first to see them. Her and children who had been working
scream penetrated to the living room in the garden.
of the little thatched bungalow where Some native men were also
the Reverend Sangamon Morton sat hastening toward the gate from their
before a table, an open tin box before various duties about the mission,
him and a sheaf of preferred stock converted heathen armed with
certificates in his hands. ancient Enfields. The women who
The Reverend Morton had had first screamed and whose shrill
heard such screams before. cry of terror had aroused the peaceful
Sometimes they meant nothing. little community now fell to her knees
Again they might mean the presence before the Reverend Morton.
of an inquisitive and savage jungle “Oh, sabe me, massa!” she
visitor of the order of carnivora. But cried. “Sabe me from de Wakandas!
the one thing always uppermost in De Wakands hab came!”
his mind — the one great, abiding Morton brushed past her and
terror of their lives there in the midst hurried to the gate. He would have a
of the savage jungle — was now, as look at the enemy first. The Reverend
always, the first and natural Morton was not a man to be easily
explanation of the woman’s screams stampeded. He had answered to false
to leap to his mind. The Wakandas alarms in the past, and though he
had come at last! never permitted the cry of “Wolf!” to
The missionary leaped to his find him unready for the inevitable
feet, thrust the papers into a long time when it should prove a true cry
manila envelope, placed them in the he was prone to scepticism until he
tin box and closed the cover as he should have the substantiating
hastened across the room to the wide testimony of his own eyes.
fireplace. Here he kneeled and Now, as he passed through the
removed a flag stone from the hearth, gate, his first glance at the
slipped the box quickly into the approaching “enemy” brought a sigh
aperture revealed beneath, rose, of relief to his lips. Coming out of the
snatched a rifle from its hook over jungle were strange black men, it was
the mantle and rushed out into the true — warriors armed with spears,
compound. The whole thing had and even guns — but with them
taken but a fraction of the time marched two white men, and at the
required to tell it. sight of the pith helmets and the
In another room of the smoke from two briar pipes a broad
bungalow Mary Morton, the smile touched the lips of the
missionary’s wife, and Ruth, his Reverend Sangamon Morton.
daughter, had heard the scream, and The smile expanded into a
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THE MAN-EATER
good-natured laugh as he advanced half the continent of Africa to safety.
to welcome the strangers and explain “Under such circumstances
to them the panic into which their these valuable papers would but add
unheralded appearance had thrown to my anxiety and worries, and so I
his little community. ask you to take them to Mr. Scott for
And so came Jefferson Scott, safety until my mission here is
Jr., and his boon companion, Robert fulfilled and we all return to
Gordon, to the little American America.”
Methodist mission in the heart of the And so Robert Gordon bade
African jungle. And there one of them farewell and started upon his
them, young Scott, found a wife in journey to America, the manila
the missionary’s daughter, Ruth. envelope safe in his inside pocket.
Robert Gordon remained for a month A year later a little girl was
after the missionary had performed born to Ruth Morton Scott — a little
the simple ceremony that made his girl whom they christened Virginia,
daughter Mrs. Jefferson Scott, Jr. after the commonwealth of which her
Gordon was best man at the wedding, father was a native son.
and with Mrs. Morton witnessed the When Virginia was a year old it
marriage certificate. came — the hideous thing that was
The two young Americans had often uppermost in the minds of all
come to Africa to hunt big game. that little band isolated in the heart
Jefferson Scott, Jr., remained to cast of the savage jungle. The Wakandas
his lot with his wife’s people in their revolted.
unselfish work among the natives. Lieutenant De Boes heard the
Gordon bade them goodbye at last to challenge of a sentry at the gate.
return to his home in New York, and Languidly he looked in the direction
the evening before his departure the of the sounds and inwardly
Reverend Mr. Morton called him into anathematized whatever fool might be
the living room, removed the moving about in such insufferable
flagstone from the hearth, and, heat. Presently he saw one of his
reaching in, opened the tin box and noncommissioned officers
withdrew a large manila envelope. approaching with a naked savage.
“I wish, Mr. Gordon,” he said, The stranger was sweat-streaked and
“that you would deliver this into the panting. his eyes were wide in terror.
keeping of Jefferson’s father. It The corporal brought him before the
contains practically the entire fortune officer, saluting. Lieutenant De Boes
which I inherited from my father and noted excitement in his soldier’s
for which I have no use here, but expression.
which, in the event of anything “What now?” he asked,
befalling me, would be of inestimable returning the salute.
value to Mrs. Morton and Ruth. It is “The Wakandas are upon the
not safe here. The Wakandas, if warpath,” reported the subordinate.
rumor is to be credited, are preparing “This fellow says that they killed
to revolt against the Belgian nearly all within the village and then
authorities, and if they do we shall started for the mission where the
have to leave here and cross nearly Americans are.”
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THE MAN-EATER
Lieutenant De Boes sat up upon the gates. Time and again the
quickly and, leaning forward toward handful of defenders drove them
the news-bringer, fired question after back. Yet it was without hope that
question at him. When he had Jefferson Scott, Jr. fought. He knew
satisfied himself that the man did not what must be the inevitable outcome.
lie he leaped to his feet. All thoughts Already his own ammunition was
of heat or lassitude were gone. He exhausted and there was but little
gave a quiet sharp order to the more good powder available for the
corporal, and as that soldier ran Enfields.
across the parade ground to the They might hold out another
beehive barracks De Boes ran indoors day, but what good would that
and donned his marching togs and accomplish? It would be but to defer
his side arms. the final frightful moment. If they
Thirty minutes later a little could but get word to the Belgian
company of fifty blacks in command officer and his little command over on
of a single Belgian lieutenant filed the Uluki. Scott questioned his
through the factory gate and took up companions as to the feasibility of
their march against a warlike tribe getting a runner through to the
which numbered perhaps a thousand factory. It was impossible, they said,
spears. as the whole country between the
Once again came the terrified mission and the Belgians would be
shriek of a native to the ears of the over-run by Wakandas by this time.
dwellers within the mission. Once Not one would volunteer to attempt
again the men within ran toward the the journey. They had fought bravely
gates - ready but doubting. Jefferson at his side, but none dared venture
Scott, Jr. was first among them, for among the Wakandas, the very
he was younger and could run faster mention of whose name filled them
than his father-in-law. And this time with unreasonable terror.
the wolf had come. But it was the only hope that
The Wakandas were at the Scott had. He must get word to the
gates by the time the two white men factory. If his blacks were afraid to
had reached them. The Reverend bear it he must do so himself. his
Sangamon Morton fell, pierced only hesitancy in the matter was the
through the breast by a heavy war thought of leaving his young wife and
spear before ever he could fire a shot baby daughter to the sole protection
in defense of his loved ones. of the native converts. During a lull
Scott, reinforced by the handful in the fighting he returned to the
of men converts who lived within the bungalow and placed the matter
mission enclosure, repelled the first squarely before his wife and her
charge, his heavy express rifle and mother.
deadly accuracy sending the blacks “You must go, Jefferson,” said
back toward the jungle, where they the older woman. “I can take your
leaped and shouted until they worked place at the gates. The men love me, I
themselves into a sufficient hysteria know, and will fight for me and Ruth
to warrant another assault. Time and as bravely as though you remained. I
again the ebon horde swooped down will remain beside them and give
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THE MAN-EATER
them the moral support they need, the father of her dead husband.
and if there is a spare musket I can When, a year before, Jefferson
use that, too.” Scott had learned of his son’s
And so it was that as soon as marriage, he had not been
night had fallen Jefferson Scott, Jr. displeased, though the idea of the boy
slipped into the jungle upon his remaining in Africa was not
useless mission — useless, because a altogether to his liking. Then had
native had already carried the come Robert Gordon with
warning to De Boes. enthusiastic descriptions of the new
Scott never reached the factory, daughter-in-law and her parents, and
nor did he ever return to the mission. Jefferson Scott began to long for the
Only the Wakandas know what his return of his son and the coming of
fate was. his son’s wife to brighten the sombre
De Boes and his soldiers life of the old mansion.
arrived at the mission early in the Gordon had delivered a long
morning after an all-night march. manila envelope into the elder Scott’s
They came upon the rear of the keeping. “Mr. Morton felt that it
Wakandas just as the savages made would be safer here than in Africa,”
their last and successful charge. A he explained. “It contains a
score or more of the howling demons considerable fortune in stocks, if I
had scaled the gates and were among understood him correctly.”
the defenders as the rifles of the Then, after a long year, had
Belgian’s black soldiers volleyed into come the news of the Wakanda
their rear. The Wakandas, taken uprising and the death of his son and
wholly by surprise, broke and fled. the Mortons. Immediately Jefferson
Inside the mission defenses De Scott cabled funds to his daughter-
Boes found a dozen dead, and among in-law, together with instructions
them the body of courageous Mary that she come at once to him. That
Morton, lying just within the gates. In same night he took the long manila
the bungalow Ruth Scott stood with a envelope from his safe to examine the
rifle in her hands, before the cradle of contents, that he might have the
her little daughter — bereft in a necessary legal steps taken to insure
single day of father, mother, and the proper transfer of the certificates
husband. The kindly and courteous to Ruth Scott’s name.
Belgian helped her bury her dead, The manila of the wrapper was
and sent out parties into the jungle in of unusual thickness, giving an
search of Scott, keeping them out appearance of bulk to the package
until fear that he had been killed that was deceptive, for when he
became a certainty. Then he opened it Jefferson Scott discovered
conducted the mother and child back but a single paper within. As he
to the factory and from there withdrew this and examined it a
arranged for their conveyance to the puzzled smile touched his lips. For a
coast. Two months later Ruth Scott moment he sat regarding the
and little Virginia arrived at the document in his hand, then he shook
Virginia homestead of the widowed his head and returned it to the
and now childless Jefferson Scott — envelope.
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THE MAN-EATER
He did not place it again in the had paid on two occasions to keep
safe, but carrying it upstairs opened him out of jail and that of recent
an old fashioned wall cupboard, years the old man had refused to
withdrew a tin box from it, placed the have any intercourse whatever with
envelope in the tin box, and returned his nephew.
it to the cupboard. Taylor was a couple of years
Two months later he welcomed her senior, a rather good looking
Ruth Morton to his fireside, and from man, notwithstanding the marks of
that moment until his death she was dissipation that marred his features.
as an own daughter to him, sharing He was college bred, suave and
his love with her little Virginia, whom distinctly at ease in any company.
Jefferson Scott idolized. Had she known less of him Virginia
And in the nineteen years that Scott might easily have esteemed him
intervened it is doubtful if the manila highly, but, knowing what she did,
envelope or its contents ever again she felt only disgust for him. his
entered the mind of the grandfather. coming at this time she looked upon
as little less than brazen effrontery,
CHAPTER I for he had been forbidden the house
by Jefferson Scott several years
THE closed door of the bedroom before, nor since then had he once
opened. A bent and white-haired old communicated with his uncle. That
negro walked slowly out, his face he had returned now in hope of
buried in a red bandanna and his legacy she knew as well as though he
shrunken shoulders heaving to the had candidly announced the fact,
sobs he could not control. Down at and it was with difficulty that she
the negroes’ quarters the banjoes and accorded him even the scantest
the old melodeon were stilled. Even courtesy in her greeting.
the little piccaninies sat with hushed Judge Sperry, who was
voices and tearful mien. In the big searching among Jefferson Scott’s
front bedroom of the mansion two papers in the library when Taylor
women knelt beside a bed, their faces arrived, took one look at him over the
buried in the coverlet, weeping. There tops of his glasses, a look that passed
were tears, too, in the eyes of the old slowly from his face down to his
doctor, and even stern old Judge boots, ignoring his proffered hand
Sperry blew his great beak of a nose and returned to his search without a
with unnecessary vigor as he walked further acknowledgement of the
to the window and looked out across younger man’s existence.
the broad acres of his lifetime friend. Taylor flushed, shrugged his
Jefferson Scott was dead. shoulders and turned back to
That night Scott Taylor, the son Virginia, but Virginia had left the
of Jefferson Scott’s dead sister, room. He fidgeted about, his ease of
arrived from New York. Virginia Scott manner a trifle jarred, for a moment
had met him several times in the or two, and then recovering his poise,
past, when a child, he had visited his addressed Judge Sperry.
uncle. She knew but little of his past “Did my uncle leave a will?” he
life, other than that Jefferson Scott asked.
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THE MAN-EATER
“He made a will, sir,” snapped subject of the will. He did his best to
the Judge, “about a year ago, sir, in impress upon Virginia and her
which you were not mentioned, sir. mother that his one object in
He has made no other, that I know of. remaining thus away from his
If I were you, sir, I should return to business was in the hope that he
New York. There is nothing here for might prove of some service to them
you.” now that he upon whom they both
Taylor half smiled. had leaned for advice and protection
“I take it you are looking for the had been taken away from them.
will,” he said. “Well, I’ll just stick Mrs. Scott was beginning to tolerate
around until you find it. If you don’t him and Virginia to feel sorry for him,
find it I inherit half the property — yet both could not but look forward
whether you want me to or not.” with feelings of relief to the meeting of
Judge Sperry vouchsafed no the administrators which was to be
reply, and presently Taylor left the held in the library of the Scott house
room, wandered out across the the following morning. They felt that
grounds and down the road toward the action then taken would decide
the little village, where, if there were their status legally and render the
no acquaintances, there was at least further presence of Scott Taylor
something to drink. unnecessary. That it had been
Later in the evening, fortified by Jefferson Scott’s intention that
several Kentucky bourbons, he Virginia should inherit his entire
returned, nor could Virginia’s mother estate they both knew, and were
bring herself to refuse him the equally positive that the
ordinary hospitalities of that old administrators would adopt every
Virginian home, and so he remained, legal means to carry out the
following the body of his uncle to the grandfather’s expressed wish. Judge
grave with the other members of the Sperry had explained Taylor’s legal
family, the friends and the servants. rights in the event that no will should
And after the funeral he stayed be discovered, nor was Virginia at all
on, watching with as eager eyes as desirous of attempting to reduce the
the rest the futhe search for the last amount that might be legally his.
will and testament of Jefferson Scott, It was the evening before the
but with homes diametrically at meeting. Taylor had gone to town in
variance with theirs. Naturally he saw the afternoon. Mrs. Scott had already
much of Virginia, though not as retired and Virginia sat reading in the
much as he should have liked to see. library when Scott Taylor entered. As
He found that the little girl he had the girl greeted him civilly her eyes
known years before had grown into a took in his flushed face and unsteady
beautiful young woman — and while carriage and she saw that he had
it angered him to realize the contempt been drinking more than usually.
in which she held him, he was not so Then she let her eyes fall again to her
wanting in egotism but that he book.
believed he might win his way Taylor crossed the room and
eventually into her good graces. For stood where he could watch her
this reason he never reverted to the profile. For several moments he did
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THE MAN-EATER
not speak, then he came closer and beautiful in anger than in repose. his
took a chair directly in front of her. self-control vanished before the scorn
The effect of her beauty upon his in her eyes and in her voice.
drink-excited passions caused him to “You call learn to love me,” he
throw diplomacy and caution to the muttered, and seized her in his arms.
winds. Virginia struggled, but he crushed
“Look here, Virginia,” he said, her closer to him until his lips were
leaning forward toward her above hers. With all effort almost
unsteadily. superhuman the girl succeeded in
The girl looked up in polite covering Taylor’s face with her open
questioning, but there was a warning palm and pushing him from her.
light in her eye that a more sober Unsteady from drink, the man
man than Scott Taylor would have staggered back against the chair he
discerned and heeded. had left, toppled over it and fell in a
“Yes?” The rising inflection was heap upon the floor.
accompanied by a raising of the When, after an effort, he
arched brows. managed to crawl to his feet, Virginia
“Why not be friends, Virginia?” had disappeared. Taylor sank to the
Taylor continued. “We’re both of us edge of a chair, his face contorted
due for a share of the old man’s with rage and humiliation. He was
property. It amounts to a big bunch not so intoxicated but that he now
of coin, but it’s mostly in farm lands. realized the fool he had made of
It ought not to be cut up. We ought to himself and the ridiculous figure he
keep it intact. I got a scheme.” He must have cut reeling drunkenly over
edged his chair closer until their the chair. his rage, instead of being
knees all but touched. “We’re about directed against himself as it should
the same age. I’m not such a bad sort have been, was all for Virginia. He
when you know me, and you’re a would make her pay! He would have
peach. I always knew it, and this time his revenge. She should be left
I’ve discovered something else — I penniless, if there was any way,
love you.” He was leaning so far straight or crooked, to accomplish it.
forward now that his face was close And in this pleasant mood Scott
to hers. Taylor made his unsteady way to bed.
The girl’s eyes were wide in It was late when Taylor awoke
astonishment and disgust. She rose the following morning. Already the
slowly and drew herself up to her full administrators had gathered with
height. Mrs. Scott and Virginia in the library.
“I would not, for the world,” she It was several minutes before the
said, “intentionally wound any man man could recall to memory the
who came to me with an avowal of events of the previous evening. As
honest love; but I do not believe that they filtered slowly through his
you love me, and, further, the befogged brain a slow flush of anger
manner of your coming to me is all crept over his face. Then he recalled
insult.” the meeting that had been scheduled
Taylor had risen and was facing for today. He glanced at his watch. It
her. If possible she was even more was already past time. Springing up
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THE MAN-EATER
he dressed hastily, and left his room. inherit — I am the sole heir.”
Half way down the stairs he heard Mrs. Scott and the
voices coming from the library below. administrators looked at the young
He paused to listen. Judge Sperry man in surprise — Virginia kept her
was speaking. back toward him. For several seconds
“Jefferson Scott never intended there was unbroken silence — the
that that young scalawag should bald effrontery of Taylor’s statement
have one cent’s worth of his had taken even Judge Sperry’s breath
property,” he was saying. “He told me away — but not for long.
upon several occasions that he would “Sole heir?” shouted the old
not have his money dissipated in man presently. “Sole heir? Sole
riotous living, and by gad, gentlemen, nothing! You don’t deserve a penny of
if I have anything to say about it your uncle’s estate, and you don’t get
Jefferson Scott’s wishes shall be a penny of it, if I can prevent it.”
observed,” and he pounded the black “But you can’t prevent it, my
walnut table with a heavy fist. friend,” Taylor assured him coolly.
“I think,” spoke up another “You can’t prevent it because, as I
voice, “that when the simple proofs just said, I am the sole heir.”
necessary to establish legally Miss “I presume,” bellowed the
Virginia’s relationship to General Judge, “that you have more rights
Scott have been produced it will be a here than General Scott’s
comparatively simple matter to granddaughter?”
arrange the thing as he would have “He had no legitimate
wished it.” granddaughter,” replied Taylor, the
“Simple proofs necessary to sneering laugh on his lips speaking
establish legally Miss Virginia’s more truly the purport of his
relationship to General Scott!” The insinuation than even the plain
words ran through Scott Taylor’s words he had used.
brain almost meaninglessly at first, “What? You young scoundrel!”
and then slowly a great light broke cried Judge Sperry, springing to his
upon him, his eyes went wide and his feet and taking a step toward Taylor.
lip curled in an ironical smile. “Don’t get excited,” said Taylor.
A moment later he entered the “Of course it’s unfortunate that it
library. his manner was easy and became necessary to touch upon this
confident. He sneered just a little as matter, but I gave Miss Virginia an
Virginia deliberately turned her opportunity to compromise last night,
shoulder toward him. A vast silence which she refused, and so there is
fell upon the company as he joined nothing else for me to do but insist
them. He was the first to break it. upon my rights. It’s a very simple
“I am glad,” he said, “that we matter to rectify if I am not mistaken.
can now straighten out a few matters All that Mrs. Scott need do is produce
that have been causing several of you her marriage certificate, or the
not a little annoyance.” He glanced records of the local authorities where
defiantly at Judge Sperry. “Jefferson her wedding took place. And now,
Scott, my uncle, died intestate. Under until she can establish the right of
the circumstances, and the law, I her daughter to make any legal claim
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