tarzan and the jewels of opar-第15章

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Werper　feared　these　prowlers　of　the　night；　but

infinitely　more　he　feared　the　just　wrath　of　the　human

beast　sleeping　at　his　side。　　With　utmost　caution　the

Belgian　arose。　　Tarzan　did　not　move。　　Werper　took　a　few

steps　toward　the　plain　and　the　distant　forest　to　the

northwest；　then　he　paused　and　fingered　the　hilt　of　the

long　knife　in　his　belt。　　He　turned　and　looked　down　upon

the　sleeper。



〃Why　not？〃　he　mused。　　〃Then　I　should　be　safe。〃



He　returned　and　bent　above　the　ape…man。　　Clutched

tightly　in　his　hand　was　the　sacrificial　knife　of　the

High　Priestess　of　the　Flaming　God！







10



Achmet　Zek　Sees　the　Jewels





Mugambi；　weak　and　suffering；　had　dragged　his　painful

way　along　the　trail　of　the　retreating　raiders。

He　could　move　but　slowly；　resting　often；　but　savage　hatred

and　an　equally　savage　desire　for　vengeance　kept　him　to

his　task。　　As　the　days　passed　his　wounds　healed　and　his

strength　returned；　until　at　last　his　giant　frame　had

regained　all　of　its　former　mighty　powers。　　Now　he　went

more　rapidly；　but　the　mounted　Arabs　had　covered　a　great

distance　while　the　wounded　black　had　been　painfully

crawling　after　them。



They　had　reached　their　fortified　camp；　and　there　Achmet

Zek　awaited　the　return　of　his　lieutenant；　Albert

Werper。　　During　the　long；　rough　journey；　Jane　Clayton

had　suffered　more　in　anticipation　of　her　impending　fate

than　from　the　hardships　of　the　road。



Achmet　Zek　had　not　deigned　to　acquaint　her　with　his

intentions　regarding　her　future。　　She　prayed　that　she

had　been　captured　in　the　hope　of　ransom；　for　if　such

should　prove　the　case；　no　great　harm　would　befall　her

at　the　hands　of　the　Arabs；　but　there　was　the　chance；

the　horrid　chance；　that　another　fate　awaited　her。

She　had　heard　of　many　women；　among　whom　were　white　women；

who　had　been　sold　by　outlaws　such　as　Achmet　Zek　into

the　slavery　of　black　harems；　or　taken　farther　north

into　the　almost　equally　hideous　existence　of　some

Turkish　seraglio。



Jane　Clayton　was　of　sterner　stuff　than　that　which　bends

in　spineless　terror　before　danger。　　Until　hope　proved

futile　she　would　not　give　it　up；　nor　did　she　entertain

thoughts　of　self…destruction　only　as　a　final　escape

from　dishonor。　　So　long　as　Tarzan　lived　there　was　every

reason　to　expect　succor。　　No　man　nor　beast　who　roamed

the　savage　continent　could　boast　the　cunning　and　the

powers　of　her　lord　and　master。　　To　her；　he　was　little

short　of　omnipotent　in　his　native　worldthis　world　of

savage　beasts　and　savage　men。　　Tarzan　would　come；　and

she　would　be　rescued　and　avenged；　of　that　she　was

certain。　　She　counted　the　days　that　must　elapse　before

he　would　return　from　Opar　and　discover　what　had

transpired　during　his　absence。　　After　that　it　would　be

but　a　short　time　before　he　had　surrounded　the　Arab

stronghold　and　punished　the　motley　crew　of　wrongdoers

who　inhabited　it。



That　he　could　find　her　she　had　no　slightest　doubt。

No　spoor；　however　faint；　could　elude　the　keen　vigilance

of　his　senses。　　To　him；　the　trail　of　the　raiders　would　be

as　plain　as　the　printed　page　of　an　open　book　to　her。



And　while　she　hoped；　there　came　through　the　dark　jungle

another。　　Terrified　by　night　and　by　day；　came　Albert

Werper。　　A　dozen　times　he　had　escaped　the　claws　and

fangs　of　the　giant　carnivora　only　by　what　seemed　a

miracle　to　him。　　Armed　with　nothing　more　than　the　knife

he　had　brought　with　him　from　Opar；　he　had　made　his　way

through　as　savage　a　country　as　yet　exists　upon　the　face

of　the　globe。



By　night　he　had　slept　in　trees。　　By　day　he　had　stumbled

fearfully　on；　often　taking　refuge　among　the　branches

when　sight　or　sound　of　some　great　cat　warned　him　from

danger。　　But　at　last　he　had　come　within　sight　of　the

palisade　behind　which　were　his　fierce　companions。



At　almost　the　same　time　Mugambi　came　out　of　the　jungle

before　the　walled　village。　　As　he　stood　in　the　shadow

of　a　great　tree；　reconnoitering；　he　saw　a　man；　ragged

and　disheveled；　emerge　from　the　jungle　almost　at　his

elbow。　　Instantly　he　recognized　the　newcomer　as　he　who

had　been　a　guest　of　his　master　before　the　latter　had

departed　for　Opar。



The　black　was　upon　the　point　of　hailing　the　Belgian

when　something　stayed　him。　　He　saw　the　white　man

walking　confidently　across　the　clearing　toward　the

village　gate。　　No　sane　man　thus　approached　a　village　in

this　part　of　Africa　unless　he　was　sure　of　a　friendly

welcome。　　Mugambi　waited。　　His　suspicions　were　aroused。



He　heard　Werper　halloo；　he　saw　the　gates　swing　open；

and　he　witnessed　the　surprised　and　friendly　welcome

that　was　accorded　the　erstwhile　guest　of　Lord　and　Lady

Greystoke。　　A　light　broke　upon　the　understanding　of

Mugambi。　　This　white　man　had　been　a　traitor　and　a　spy。

It　was　to　him　they　owed　the　raid　during　the　absence　of

the　Great　Bwana。　　To　his　hate　for　the　Arabs；　Mugambi

added　a　still　greater　hate　for　the　white　spy。



Within　the　village　Werper　passed　hurriedly　toward　the

silken　tent　of　Achmet　Zek。　　The　Arab　arose　as　his

lieutenant　entered。　　His　face　showed　surprise　as　he

viewed　the　tattered　apparel　of　the　Belgian。



〃What　has　happened？〃　he　asked。



Werper　narrated　all；　save　the　little　matter　of　the

pouch　of　gems　which　were　now　tightly　strapped　about　his

waist；　beneath　his　clothing。　　The　Arab's　eyes　narrowed

greedily　as　his　henchman　described　the　treasure　that

the　Waziri　had　buried　beside　the　ruins　of　the　Greystoke

bungalow。



〃It　will　be　a　simple　matter　now　to　return　and　get　it；〃

said　Achmet　Zek。　　〃First　we　will　await　the　coming　of

the　rash　Waziri；　and　after　we　have　slain　them　we　may

take　our　time　to　the　treasurenone　will　disturb　it

where　it　lies；　for　we　shall　leave　none　alive　who　knows

of　its　existence。



〃And　the　woman？〃　asked　Werper。



〃I　shall　sell　her　in　the　north；〃　replied　the　raider。

〃It　is　the　only　way；　now。　　She　should　bring　a　good

price。〃



The　Belgian　nodded。　　He　was　thinking　rapidly。　　If　he

could　persuade　Achmet　Zek　to　send　him　in　command　of　the

party　which　took　Lady　Greystoke　north　it　would　give　him

the　opportunity　he　craved　to　make　his　escape　from　his

chief。　　He　would　forego　a　share　of　the　gold；　if　he

could　but　get　away　unscathed　with　the　jewels。



He　knew　Achmet　Zek　well　enough　by　this　time　to　know

that　no　member　of　his　band　ever　was　voluntarily

released　from　the　service　of　Achmet　Zek。　　Most　of　the

few　who　deserted　were　recaptured。　　More　than　once　had

Werper　listened　to　their　agonized　screams　as　they　were

tortured　before　being　put　to　death。　　The　Belgian　had　no

wish　to　take　the　slightest　chance　of　recapture。



〃Who　will　go　north　with　the　woman；〃　he　asked；　〃while　we

are　returning　for　the　gold　that　the　Waziri　buried　by

the　bungalow　of　the　Englishman？〃



Achmet　Zek　thought　for　a　moment。　　The　buried　gold　was

of　much　greater　value　than　the　price　the　woman　would

bring。　　It　was　necessary　to　rid　himself　of　her　as

quickly　as　possible　and　it　was　also　well　to　obtain　the

gold　with　the　least　possible　delay。　　Of　all　his

followers；　the　Belgian　was　the　most　logical　lieutenant

to　intrust　with　the　command　of　one　of　the　parties。　　An

Arab；　as　familiar　with　the　trails　and　tribes　as　Achmet

Zek　himself；　might　collect　the　woman's　price　and　make

good　his　escape　into　the　far　north。　　Werper；　on　the

other　hand；　could　scarce　make　his　escape　alone　through

a　country　hostile　to　Europeans　while　the　men　he　would

send　with　the　Belgian　could　be　carefully　selected　with

a　view　to　preventing　Werper　from　persuading　any

considerable　portion　of　his　command　to　accompany　him

should　he　contemplate　desertion　of　his　chief。



At　last　the　Arab　spoke：　〃It　is　not　necessary　that　we

both　return　for　the　gold。　　You　shall　go　north　with　the

woman；　carrying　a　letter　to　a　friend　of　mine　who　is

always　in　touch　with　the　best　markets　for　such

merchandise；　while　I　return　for　the　gold。　　We　can　meet

again　here　when　our　business　is　concluded。〃



Werper　could　scarce　disguise　the　joy　with　which　he

rece