tarzan and the jewels of opar-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





Basuli　and　his　warriors　had　noted　the　devastation　the

moment　they　had　come　in　sight　of　the　farm。　　Now　they

hastened　on　toward　it　talking　excitedly　among

themselves　in　animated　speculation　upon　the　cause　and

meaning　of　the　catastrophe。



When；　at　last　they　crossed　the　trampled　garden　and

stood　before　the　charred　ruins　of　their　master's

bungalow；　their　greatest　fears　became　convictions　in

the　light　of　the　evidence　about　them。



Remnants　of　human　dead；　half　devoured　by　prowling

hyenas　and　others　of　the　carnivora　which　infested　the

region；　lay　rotting　upon　the　ground；　and　among　the

corpses　remained　sufficient　remnants　of　their　clothing

and　ornaments　to　make　clear　to　Basuli　the　frightful

story　of　the　disaster　that　had　befallen　his　master's

house。



〃The　Arabs；〃　he　said；　as　his　men　clustered　about　him。



The　Waziri　gazed　about　in　mute　rage　for　several

minutes。　　Everywhere　they　encountered　only　further

evidence　of　the　ruthlessness　of　the　cruel　enemy　that

had　come　during　the　Great　Bwana's　absence　and　laid

waste　his　property。



〃What　did　they　with　'Lady'？〃　asked　one　of　the　blacks。



They　had　always　called　Lady　Greystoke　thus。



〃The　women　they　would　have　taken　with　them；〃　said

Basuli。　　〃Our　women　and　his。〃



A　giant　black　raised　his　spear　above　his　head；　and　gave

voice　to　a　savage　cry　of　rage　and　hate。　　The　others

followed　his　example。　　Basuli　silenced　them　with　a　gesture。



〃This　is　no　time　for　useless　noises　of　the　mouth；〃　he

said。　　〃The　Great　Bwana　has　taught　us　that　it　is　acts

by　which　things　are　done；　not　words。　　Let　us　save　our

breathwe　shall　need　it　all　to　follow　up　the　Arabs　and

slay　them。　　If　'Lady'　and　our　women　live　the　greater

the　need　of　haste；　and　warriors　cannot　travel　fast　upon

empty　lungs。〃



From　the　shelter　of　the　reeds　along　the　river；　Werper

and　Tarzan　watched　the　blacks。　　They　saw　them　dig　a

trench　with　their　knives　and　fingers。　　They　saw　them

lay　their　yellow　burdens　in　it　and　scoop　the　overturned

earth　back　over　the　tops　of　the　ingots。



Tarzan　seemed　little　interested；　after　Werper　had

assured　him　that　that　which　they　buried　was　not　good　to

eat；　but　Werper　was　intensely　interested。　　He　would

have　given　much　had　he　had　his　own　followers　with　him；

that　he　might　take　away　the　treasure　as　soon　as　the

blacks　left；　for　he　was　sure　that　they　would　leave　this

scene　of　desolation　and　death　as　soon　as　possible。



The　treasure　buried；　the　blacks　removed　themselves　a

short　distance　up　wind　from　the　fetid　corpses；　where

they　made　camp；　that　they　might　rest　before　setting　out

in　pursuit　of　the　Arabs。　　It　was　already　dusk。　　Werper

and　Tarzan　sat　devouring　some　pieces　of　meat　they　had

brought　from　their　last　camp。　　The　Belgian　was　occupied

with　his　plans　for　the　immediate　future。　　He　was

positive　that　the　Waziri　would　pursue　Achmet　Zek；

for　he　knew　enough　of　savage　warfare；　and　of　the

characteristics　of　the　Arabs　and　their　degraded

followers　to　guess　that　they　had　carried　the　Waziri

women　off　into　slavery。　　This　alone　would　assure

immediate　pursuit　by　so　warlike　a　people　as　the　Waziri。



Werper　felt　that　he　should　find　the　means　and　the

opportunity　to　push　on　ahead；　that　he　might　warn　Achmet

Zek　of　the　coming　of　Basuli；　and　also　of　the　location

of　the　buried　treasure。　　What　the　Arab　would　now　do

with　Lady　Greystoke；　in　view　of　the　mental　affliction

of　her　husband；　Werper　neither　knew　nor　cared。　　It　was

enough　that　the　golden　treasure　buried　upon　the　site　of

the　burned　bungalow　was　infinitely　more　valuable　than

any　ransom　that　would　have　occurred　even　to　the

avaricious　mind　of　the　Arab；　and　if　Werper　could

persuade　the　raider　to　share　even　a　portion　of　it　with

him　he　would　be　well　satisfied。



But　by　far　the　most　important　consideration；　to　Werper；

at　least；　was　the　incalculably　valuable　treasure　in　the

little　leathern　pouch　at　Tarzan's　side。　　If　he　could

but　obtain　possession　of　this！　　He　must！　　He　would！



His　eyes　wandered　to　the　object　of　his　greed。

They　measured　Tarzan's　giant　frame；　and　rested　upon

the　rounded　muscles　of　his　arms。　　It　was　hopeless。

What　could　he；　Werper；　hope　to　accomplish；　other　than　his

own　death；　by　an　attempt　to　wrest　the　gems　from　their

savage　owner？



Disconsolate；　Werper　threw　himself　upon　his　side。

His　head　was　pillowed　on　one　arm；　the　other　rested　across

his　face　in　such　a　way　that　his　eyes　were　hidden　from

the　ape…man；　though　one　of　them　was　fastened　upon　him

from　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　Belgian's　forearm。

For　a　time　he　lay　thus；　glowering　at　Tarzan；　and

originating　schemes　for　plundering　him　of　his　treasure

schemes　that　were　discarded　as　futile　as　rapidly　as

they　were　born。



Tarzan　presently　let　his　own　eyes　rest　upon　Werper。

The　Belgian　saw　that　he　was　being　watched；　and　lay　very

still。　　After　a　few　moments　he　simulated　the　regular

breathing　of　deep　slumber。



Tarzan　had　been　thinking。　　He　had　seen　the　Waziri　bury

their　belongings。　　Werper　had　told　him　that　they　were

hiding　them　lest　some　one　find　them　and　take　them　away。

This　seemed　to　Tarzan　a　splendid　plan　for　safeguarding

valuables。　　Since　Werper　had　evinced　a　desire　to

possess　his　glittering　pebbles；　Tarzan；　with　the

suspicions　of　a　savage；　had　guarded　the　baubles；　of

whose　worth　he　was　entirely　ignorant；　as　zealously　as

though　they　spelled　life　or　death　to　him。



For　a　long　time　the　ape…man　sat　watching　his　companion。

At　last；　convinced　that　he　slept；　Tarzan　withdrew　his

hunting　knife　and　commenced　to　dig　a　hole　in　the　ground

before　him。　　With　the　blade　he　loosened　up　the　earth；

and　with　his　hands　he　scooped　it　out　until　he　had

excavated　a　little　cavity　a　few　inches　in　diameter；　and

five　or　six　inches　in　depth。　　Into　this　he　placed　the

pouch　of　jewels。　　Werper　almost　forgot　to　breathe　after

the　fashion　of　a　sleeper　as　he　saw　what　the　ape…man　was

doinghe　scarce　repressed　an　ejaculation　of

satisfaction。



Tarzan　become　suddenly　rigid　as　his　keen　ears　noted　the

cessation　of　the　regular　inspirations　and　expirations

of　his　companion。　　His　narrowed　eyes　bored　straight

down　upon　the　Belgian。　　Werper　felt　that　he　was　lost

he　must　risk　all　on　his　ability　to　carry　on　the

deception。　　He　sighed；　threw　both　arms　outward；　and

turned　over　on　his　back　mumbling　as　though　in　the

throes　of　a　bad　dream。　　A　moment　later　he　resumed　the

regular　breathing。



Now　he　could　not　watch　Tarzan；　but　he　was　sure　that　the

man　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　at　him。　　Then；　faintly；

Werper　heard　the　other's　hands　scraping　dirt；　and　later

patting　it　down。　　He　knew　then　that　the　jewels　were

buried。



It　was　an　hour　before　Werper　moved　again；　then　he

rolled　over　facing　Tarzan　and　opened　his　eyes。　　The

ape…man　slept。　　By　reaching　out　his　hand　Werper　could

touch　the　spot　where　the　pouch　was　buried。



For　a　long　time　he　lay　watching　and　listening。

He　moved　about；　making　more　noise　than　necessary；

yet　Tarzan　did　not　awaken。　　He　drew　the　sacrificial　knife

from　his　belt；　and　plunged　it　into　the　ground。

Tarzan　did　not　move。　　Cautiously　the　Belgian　pushed　the

blade　downward　through　the　loose　earth　above　the　pouch。

He　felt　the　point　touch　the　soft；　tough　fabric　of　the

leather。　　Then　he　pried　down　upon　the　handle。

Slowly　the　little　mound　of　loose　earth　rose　and　parted。

An　instant　later　a　corner　of　the　pouch　came　into　view。

Werper　pulled　it　from　its　hiding　place；　and　tucked　it

in　his　shirt。　　Then　he　refilled　the　hole　and　pressed

the　dirt　carefully　down　as　it　had　been　before。



Greed　had　prompted　him　to　an　act；　the　discovery　of

which　by　his　companion　could　lead　only　to　the　most

frightful　consequences　for　Werper。　　Already　he　could

almost　feel　those　strong；　white　fangs　burying

themselves　in　his　neck。　　He　shuddered。　　Far　out　across

the　plain　a　leopard　screamed；　and　in　the　dense　reeds

behind　him　some　great　beast　moved　on　padded　feet。



Werper　feared　these　prowlers　of　the　night；　but

infini