tarzan and the jewels of opar-第13章

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The　training　of　Kala；　the　examples　and　precepts　of

Kerchak；　of　Tublat；　and　of　Terkoz　now　formed　the　basis

of　his　every　thought　and　action。　　He　retained　a

mechanical　knowledge　of　French　and　English　speech。

Werper　had　spoken　to　him　in　French；　and　Tarzan　had

replied　in　the　same　tongue　without　conscious

realization　that　he　had　departed　from　the　anthropoidal

speech　in　which　he　had　addressed　La。　　Had　Werper　used

English；　the　result　would　have　been　the　same。



Again；　that　night；　as　the　two　sat　before　their　camp

fire；　Tarzan　played　with　his　shining　baubles。　　Werper

asked　him　what　they　were　and　where　he　had　found　them。

The　ape…man　replied　that　they　were　gay…colored　stones；

with　which　he　purposed　fashioning　a　necklace；　and　that

he　had　found　them　far　beneath　the　sacrificial　court　of

the　temple　of　the　Flaming　God。



Werper　was　relieved　to　find　that　Tarzan　had　no

conception　of　the　value　of　the　gems。　　This　would　make

it　easier　for　the　Belgian　to　obtain　possession　of　them。

Possibly　the　man　would　give　them　to　him　for　the　asking。

Werper　reached　out　his　hand　toward　the　little　pile　that

Tarzan　had　arranged　upon　a　piece　of　flat　wood　before

him。



〃Let　me　see　them；〃　said　the　Belgian。



Tarzan　placed　a　large　palm　over　his　treasure。　　He　bared

his　fighting　fangs；　and　growled。　　Werper　withdrew　his

hand　more　quickly　than　he　had　advanced　it。　　Tarzan

resumed　his　playing　with　the　gems；　and　his　conversation

with　Werper　as　though　nothing　unusual　had　occurred。

He　had　but　exhibited　the　beast's　jealous　protective

instinct　for　a　possession。　　When　he　killed　he　shared

the　meat　with　Werper；　but　had　Werper　ever；　by　accident；

laid　a　hand　upon　Tarzan's　share；　he　would　have　aroused

the　same　savage；　and　resentful　warning。



From　that　occurrence　dated　the　beginning　of　a　great

fear　in　the　breast　of　the　Belgian　for　his　savage

companion。　　He　had　never　understood　the　transformation

that　had　been　wrought　in　Tarzan　by　the　blow　upon　his

head；　other　than　to　attribute　it　to　a　form　of　amnesia。

That　Tarzan　had　once　been；　in　truth；　a　savage；　jungle

beast；　Werper　had　not　known；　and　so；　of　course；　he

could　not　guess　that　the　man　had　reverted　to　the　state

in　which　his　childhood　and　young　manhood　had　been

spent。



Now　Werper　saw　in　the　Englishman　a　dangerous　maniac；

whom　the　slightest　untoward　accident　might　turn　upon

him　with　rending　fangs。　　Not　for　a　moment　did　Werper

attempt　to　delude　himself　into　the　belief　that　he　could

defend　himself　successfully　against　an　attack　by　the

ape…man。　　His　one　hope　lay　in　eluding　him；　and　making

for　the　far　distant　camp　of　Achmet　Zek　as　rapidly　as　he

could；　but　armed　only　with　the　sacrificial　knife；

Werper　shrank　from　attempting　the　journey　through　the

jungle。　　Tarzan　constituted　a　protection　that　was　by　no

means　despicable；　even　in　the　face　of　the　larger

carnivora；　as　Werper　had　reason　to　acknowledge　from　the

evidence　he　had　witnessed　in　the　Oparian　temple。



Too；　Werper　had　his　covetous　soul　set　upon　the　pouch　of

gems；　and　so　he　was　torn　between　the　various　emotions

of　avarice　and　fear。　　But　avarice　it　was　that　burned

most　strongly　in　his　breast；　to　the　end　that　he　dared

the　dangers　and　suffered　the　terrors　of　constant

association　with　him　he　thought　a　mad　man；　rather　than

give　up　the　hope　of　obtaining　possession　of　the　fortune

which　the　contents　of　the　little　pouch　represented。



Achmet　Zek　should　know　nothing　of　thesethese　would　be

for　Werper　alone；　and　so　soon　as　he　could　encompass　his

design　he　would　reach　the　coast　and　take　passage　for

America；　where　he　could　conceal　himself　beneath　the

veil　of　a　new　identity　and　enjoy　to　some　measure　the

fruits　of　his　theft。　　He　had　it　all　planned　out；　did

Lieutenant　Albert　Werper；　living　in　anticipation　the

luxurious　life　of　the　idle　rich。　　He　even　found　himself

regretting　that　America　was　so　provincial；　and　that

nowhere　in　the　new　world　was　a　city　that　might　compare

with　his　beloved　Brussels。



It　was　upon　the　third　day　of　their　progress　from　Opar

that　the　keen　ears　of　Tarzan　caught　the　sound　of　men

behind　them。　　Werper　heard　nothing　above　the　humming　of

the　jungle　insects；　and　the　chattering　life　of　the

lesser　monkeys　and　the　birds。



For　a　time　Tarzan　stood　in　statuesque　silence；

listening；　his　sensitive　nostrils　dilating　as　he

assayed　each　passing　breeze。　　Then　he　withdrew　Werper

into　the　concealment　of　thick　brush；　and　waited。

Presently；　along　the　game　trail　that　Werper　and　Tarzan

had　been　following；　there　came　in　sight　a　sleek；

black　warrior；　alert　and　watchful。



In　single　file　behind　him；　there　followed；　one　after

another；　near　fifty　others；　each　burdened　with　two

dull…yellow　ingots　lashed　upon　his　back。　　Werper

recognized　the　party　immediately　as　that　which　had

accompanied　Tarzan　on　his　journey　to　Opar。　　He　glanced

at　the　ape…man；　but　in　the　savage；　watchful　eyes　he　saw

no　recognition　of　Basuli　and　those　other　loyal　Waziri。



When　all　had　passed；　Tarzan　rose　and　emerged　from

concealment。　　He　looked　down　the　trail　in　the　direction

the　party　had　gone。　　Then　he　turned　to　Werper。



〃We　will　follow　and　slay　them；〃　he　said。



〃Why？〃　asked　the　Belgian。



〃They　are　black；〃　explained　Tarzan。　　〃It　was　a　black

who　killed　Kala。　　They　are　the　enemies　of　the

Manganis。〃



Werper　did　not　relish　the　idea　of　engaging　in　a　battle

with　Basuli　and　his　fierce　fighting　men。　　And；　again；

he　had　welcomed　the　sight　of　them　returning　toward　the

Greystoke　bungalow；　for　he　had　begun　to　have　doubts　as

to　his　ability　to　retrace　his　steps　to　the　Waziri

country。　　Tarzan；　he　knew；　had　not　the　remotest　idea　of

whither　they　were　going。　　By　keeping　at　a　safe　distance

behind　the　laden　warriors；　they　would　have　no

difficulty　in　following　them　home。　　Once　at　the

bungalow；　Werper　knew　the　way　to　the　camp　of　Achmet

Zek。　　There　was　still　another　reason　why　he　did　not

wish　to　interfere　with　the　Wazirithey　were　bearing

the　great　burden　of　treasure　in　the　direction　he　wished

it　borne。　　The　farther　they　took　it；　the　less　the

distance　that　he　and　Achmet　Zek　would　have　to　transport　it。



He　argued　with　the　ape…man　therefore；　against　the

latter's　desire　to　exterminate　the　blacks；　and　at　last

he　prevailed　upon　Tarzan　to　follow　them　in　peace；

saying　that　he　was　sure　they　would　lead　them　out　of　the

forest　into　a　rich　country；　teeming　with　game。



It　was　many　marches　from　Opar　to　the　Waziri　country；

but　at　last　came　the　hour　when　Tarzan　and　the　Belgian；

following　the　trail　of　the　warriors；　topped　the　last

rise；　and　saw　before　them　the　broad　Waziri　plain；　the

winding　river；　and　the　distant　forests　to　the　north　and

west。



A　mile　or　more　ahead　of　them；　the　line　of　warriors　was

creeping　like　a　giant　caterpillar　through　the　tall

grasses　of　the　plain。　　Beyond；　grazing　herds　of　zebra；

hartebeest；　and　topi　dotted　the　level　landscape；　while

closer　to　the　river　a　bull　buffalo；　his　head　and

shoulders　protruding　from　the　reeds　watched　the

advancing　blacks　for　a　moment；　only　to　turn　at　last　and

disappear　into　the　safety　of　his　dank　and　gloomy

retreat。



Tarzan　looked　out　across　the　familiar　vista　with　no

faintest　gleam　of　recognition　in　his　eyes。　　He　saw　the

game　animals；　and　his　mouth　watered；　but　he　did　not

look　in　the　direction　of　his　bungalow。　　Werper；

however；　did。　　A　puzzled　expression　entered　the

Belgian's　eyes。　　He　shaded　them　with　his　palms　and

gazed　long　and　earnestly　toward　the　spot　where　the

bungalow　had　stood。　　He　could　not　credit　the　testimony

of　his　eyesthere　was　no　bungalowno　barnsno

out…　houses。　　The　corrals；　the　hay　stacksall　were　gone。

What　could　it　mean？



And　then；　slowly　there　filtered　into　Werper's

consciousness　an　explanation　of　the　havoc　that　had　been

wrought　in　that　peaceful　valley　since　last　his　eyes　had

rested　upon　itAchmet　Zek　had　been　there！



Basuli　and　his　warriors　had　noted　the　devastation　the

moment　they　had　come　in　sight　of　the　farm。　　N