ually a Japanese teahouse called Ikesu Villa。
'Take that place；〃 O。 B。 said with a nod。 〃It looks American； but it's Japanese through and through。〃
Shortly after； at a fork in the road； Hully's father turned right； into that part of Waikiki which still most nearly remained in its native state。
〃You know；〃 O。 B。 said reflectively； the antagonism suddenly gone from his voice； 〃the funny thing is。。。 this is as close as I've ever been to war。 I've always been the kind of guy who's late for the thrill…I always seem to get to the fire after it's out。〃
Hully took a long sideways look at his rugged； bronzed fattier…a man's man who had been a cowboy and a gold miner； who had served the United States Cavalry in Arizona； who had sailed the Panama Canal。 But who…as the creator of Tarzan…had never been to Africa； and not so long ago； when MGM announced its next Weissmuller epic would be shot on the Dark Continent； Hully's pop had been invited to acpany the expedition。。。 only the war in Europe and Africa had changed all that。 Africa was off。
〃And now I'm too old；〃 his father was saying； wheeling into and up the Niumalu's crashed coral drive。 〃One last war； and I'm too damn old。〃
For the first time in several weeks； Hully heard the familiar despondency in his father's voice； reminding him why he'd e here for mis 〃vacation〃…a fear in his family that his father might be contemplating suicide。
And wasn't mat ironic； Hully thought： what a Japanese thing for O。 B。 to be considering。
TWO
A Nazi at the Niumalu
The mile of romance； the Tourist Bureau called it： that white stretch of sand known as Waikiki； extending from the Halekulani Hotel and the adjacent inns and cottages to the concrete War Memorial Natatorium in whose saltwater pool that former screen Tarzan； Buster Crabbe； had set records； warming up for the Olympics。
Only one major beachfront hotel rested outside those limits； sequestered from the rest of Waikiki by Fort de Russy： the Niumalu； literally Spreading Coconut； loosely Sheltering Palms； of which the lavishly landscaped grounds； six acres' worth； certainly had their share。。。 and the hotel's hand…lettered sign was rather informally nailed to one leaning palm； establishing a casual tone that permeated the place。
Thirty clapboard guest cottages were scattered about the Niumalu's pleasant jungle； with all crushed…coral roads leading to an impressive if squatty…looking white stucco main building typical of the Hawaiian style of architecture prevalent since the late twenties； with its lampshadelike double…pitched roof； and a porte cochere supported by columns of lava stone evocative of leopard spots。
The lodge； as the guests referred to the central building； had an open interior with a central rock…garden courtyard just off a nightclublike dining room with a large dance floor and bandstand。 The lobby's large； missionlike arched portals also looked out onto the courtyard； and the effect was open and airy； the wicker furnishings adding to a porchlike effect。
Edgar Rice Burroughs had been Very happy here； with his wife Florence…his second wife…and he had thought she felt the same。
Burroughs had well known the risks of marrying a younger woman。 He had been sixty and Florence thirty…one…as his daughter Joan had cruelly pointed out； Florence was younger than the duration of her parents' marriage。 Everyone seemed to be making the assumption that he was discarding his fifty…nine…year…old； overweight wife for the slender shapely former actress； out of the usual crassly selfish； male； sex…driven reasons。
The truth was more plex。 Emma had always been plump； pleasantly so in her young； vivacious days； a 〃dumpling；〃 as the old parlance went。 In the early years of the marriage； even as her tendency toward stoutness increased； her intelligence and charm had made up for her excess weight After all； they had faced hardship； poverty and adversity together； theirs had been a marriage of closeness； of sharing。 Emma would read his work and intelligently ment； his triumphs； his failures； had been hers…theirs； Jane to his Tarzan。
But their interests had diverged； drastically； over the past twenty years。 Emma seemed to resent his youthful ways； shared not at all his interest in sports and the great out…of…doors…horseback riding； golf； tennis； certainly not flying。 She would chastise him for his preference for the pany of younger people； calling him 〃immature；〃 accusing him of trying to 〃prove his masculinity。〃
The latter； in a marriage that had been sexless for some time； was a particularly cutting blow。 But…despite the quarrels； and the recriminations…he had held on； out of concern for how his children might react to separation or divorce。 With his business flourishing； he spent less and less time at home； doing his writing at the office； supervising the magazine serialization of his work； keeping an eye on the ticensing of Tarzan and other characters of his to the movies； radio； and ics。
And all of this was rewarding…he thought of himself as a businessman first； a writer second； an 〃author〃 not at all。 He had been the first writer he knew of to incorporate…ERB； Inc。…and even started a publishing pany； printing his own books； to better maintain control of the product； and to maximize profits。
And he had made it a family business； hiring Hully as his vice president； using his older son； Jack； a successful mercial artist； as the illustrator of his book jackets and the new 〃John Carter of Mars〃 ic strip； based on his science…fiction novels； set to debut this Sunday。 He'd even hired his daughter's no…good husband Jim Pierce to play Tarzan on the radio。
No one could say Ed Burroughs was not a family man； even if he did spend most of his time away from home； at the office。 But few on this earth knew…besides his children； if they would admit it…how he had dreaded to e home； at the end of a long day。 And even the kids could only guess that behind the happy moments of the marriage…and there had been some； even in the later years…hovered a specter of fear of what he knew would inevitably e the next day or the next。。。。
He blamed himself。 He'd always been proud of the way he could hold his liquor； and had urged Emma… who had no tolerance for alcohol at all； and whose personality changed radically under the influence…to moderate her drinking。 They had been party goers for years； but as Emma's problem worsened； he had cut back on the invitations they accepted； and didn't stay long at the parties they did attend。
And so Emma had begun to drink at home。 Alone… in secret； that open secret the families of all alcoholics know too well。
He never knew what condition he would find her in…she might be in a vicious state or a atose one。 Whatever the case； countless hours of hideous suffering for both of them followed。 Once he flew into a rage and dumped all of her liquor into the swimming pool… of course； since it had no filtration system； the pool had probably only benefited from the alcohol's sterilizing effect。
He had never wished to make Emma unhappy。 But he could not overlook how horribly unhappy she had made him； she treated her pet dog more kindly。 Ten years before he left her； Emma had said to him mat she no longer liked him…for some reason； those simple words had inflicted a wound that had never heated。 Many people…friends and strangers alike； their appetites for the misfortunes of others fed by lice tike Walter Winchell and other low…life gossipmongers… assumed his relationship with Florence preceded； even initiated； the breakup with Emma。
It was true he'd known Florence for some years； had admired her at a distance （she was the wife of a Mend； the producer of his ill…fated Tarzan movie； which he'd backed as an antidote to the unfaithful MGM versions of his work）。 He'd felt unrequited schoolboy pangs of love for her； before she even knew he existed。
With her fair； curly hair； and her apple…cheeked wholesome beauty； Florence had been a popular child actress in the silent…movie days； a second Mary Pick…ford with a series of two…reelers for Mack Sennett leading to starring roles in features。 When talkies came in； she had begun to raise a family with her producer husband； Ashton Dearholt； that good friend of Burroughs。 But Burroughs and Florence had been thrown together when his own separation was quickly followed by Florence's husband throwing her over…for an actress he had met on the Guatemala film shoot of the ill…starred Tarzan picture！ Hell； even Burroughs wouldn't have dared put together a plot so contrived… but； like two lost souls； he and Florence had drifted together。
That Florence and Burroughs's daughter Joan had been good friends made the awkward situation ever more strained。 Hully and Jack； who had witnessed their mother's alcoholic madness； understood far better； and tried to make peace； but Joan avoided him； for years； and never spoke to Florence again。
Perhaps it was inevitable that he and Florence would wind up in Hawaii…they had honeymooned there； delightfully； in 1935。 But his return to Oahu in 1940 had been in part financially motivated。 The pulp magazines…his major serialization market…had lowered their pay rates； due to the squeeze of the Depression； and the European war