tarzan and the jewels of opar-第16章

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again　here　when　our　business　is　concluded。〃



Werper　could　scarce　disguise　the　joy　with　which　he

received　this　welcome　decision。　　And　that　he　did

entirely　disguise　it　from　the　keen　and　suspicious　eyes

of　Achmet　Zek　is　open　to　question。　　However；　the

decision　reached；　the　Arab　and　his　lieutenant　discussed

the　details　of　their　forthcoming　ventures　for　a　short

time　further；　when　Werper　made　his　excuses　and　returned

to　his　own　tent　for　the　comforts　and　luxury　of　a

long…desired　bath　and　shave。



Having　bathed；　the　Belgian　tied　a　small　hand　mirror　to

a　cord　sewn　to　the　rear　wall　of　his　tent；　placed　a　rude

chair　beside　an　equally　rude　table　that　stood　beside

the　glass；　and　proceeded　to　remove　the　rough　stubble

from　his　face。



In　the　catalog　of　masculine　pleasures　there　is　scarce

one　which　imparts　a　feeling　of　greater　comfort　and

refreshment　than　follows　a　clean　shave；　and　now；　with

weariness　temporarily　banished；　Albert　Werper　sprawled

in　his　rickety　chair　to　enjoy　a　final　cigaret　before

retiring。　　His　thumbs；　tucked　in　his　belt　in　lazy

support　of　the　weight　of　his　arms；　touched　the　belt

which　held　the　jewel　pouch　about　his　waist。　　He　tingled

with　excitement　as　he　let　his　mind　dwell　upon　the　value

of　the　treasure；　which；　unknown　to　all　save　himself；

lay　hidden　beneath　his　clothing。



What　would　Achmet　Zek　say；　if　he　knew？　　Werper　grinned。

How　the　old　rascal's　eyes　would　pop　could　he　but　have　a

glimpse　of　those　scintillating　beauties！　　Werper　had

never　yet　had　an　opportunity　to　feast　his　eyes　for　any

great　length　of　time　upon　them。　　He　had　not　even

counted　themonly　roughly　had　he　guessed　at　their

value。



He　unfastened　the　belt　and　drew　the　pouch　from　its

hiding　place。　　He　was　alone。　　The　balance　of　the　camp；

save　the　sentries；　had　retirednone　would　enter　the

Belgian's　tent。　　He　fingered　the　pouch；　feeling　out　the

shapes　and　sizes　of　the　precious；　little　nodules

within。　　He　hefted　the　bag；　first　in　one　palm；　then　in

the　other；　and　at　last　he　wheeled　his　chair　slowly

around　before　the　table；　and　in　the　rays　of　his　small

lamp　let　the　glittering　gems　roll　out　upon　the　rough

wood。



The　refulgent　rays　transformed　the　interior　of　the

soiled　and　squalid　canvas　to　the　splendor　of　a　palace

in　the　eyes　of　the　dreaming　man。　　He　saw　the　gilded

halls　of　pleasure　that　would　open　their　portals　to　the

possessor　of　the　wealth　which　lay　scattered　upon　this

stained　and　dented　table　top。　　He　dreamed　of　joys　and

luxuries　and　power　which　always　had　been　beyond　his

grasp；　and　as　he　dreamed　his　gaze　lifted　from　the

table；　as　the　gaze　of　a　dreamer　will；　to　a　far　distant

goal　above　the　mean　horizon　of　terrestrial

commonplaceness。



Unseeing；　his　eyes　rested　upon　the　shaving　mirror　which

still　hung　upon　the　tent　wall　above　the　table；　but　his

sight　was　focused　far　beyond。　　And　then　a　reflection

moved　within　the　polished　surface　of　the　tiny　glass；

the　man's　eyes　shot　back　out　of　space　to　the　mirror's

face；　and　in　it　he　saw　reflected　the　grim　visage　of

Achmet　Zek；　framed　in　the　flaps　of　the　tent　doorway

behind　him。



Werper　stifled　a　gasp　of　dismay。　　With　rare

self…possession　he　let　his　gaze　drop；　without　appearing

to　have　halted　upon　the　mirror　until　it　rested　again　upon

the　gems。　　Without　haste；　he　replaced　them　in　the

pouch；　tucked　the　latter　into　his　shirt；　selected　a

cigaret　from　his　case；　lighted　it　and　rose。　　Yawning；

and　stretching　his　arms　above　his　head；　he　turned

slowly　toward　the　opposite　end　of　the　tent。　　The　face

of　Achmet　Zek　had　disappeared　from　the　opening。



To　say　that　Albert　Werper　was　terrified　would　be

putting　it　mildly。　　He　realized　that　he　not　only　had

sacrificed　his　treasure；　but　his　life　as　well。

Achmet　Zek　would　never　permit　the　wealth　that　he　had

discovered　to　slip　through　his　fingers；　nor　would　he

forgive　the　duplicity　of　a　lieutenant　who　had　gained

possession　of　such　a　treasure　without　offering　to　share

it　with　his　chief。



Slowly　the　Belgian　prepared　for　bed。　　If　he　were　being

watched；　he　could　not　know；　but　if　so　the　watcher　saw

no　indication　of　the　nervous　excitement　which　the

European　strove　to　conceal。　　When　ready　for　his

blankets；　the　man　crossed　to　the　little　table　and

extinguished　the　light。



It　was　two　hours　later　that　the　flaps　at　the　front　of

the　tent　separated　silently　and　gave　entrance　to　a

dark…robed　figure；　which　passed　noiselessly　from　the

darkness　without　to　the　darkness　within。　　Cautiously

the　prowler　crossed　the　interior。　　In　one　hand　was　a

long　knife。　　He　came　at　last　to　the　pile　of　blankets

spread　upon　several　rugs　close　to　one　of　the　tent

walls。



Lightly；　his　fingers　sought　and　found　the　bulk　beneath

the　blanketsthe　bulk　that　should　be　Albert　Werper。

They　traced　out　the　figure　of　a　man；　and　then　an　arm

shot　upward；　poised　for　an　instant　and　descended。

Again　and　again　it　rose　and　fell；　and　each　time　the

long　blade　of　the　knife　buried　itself　in　the　thing

beneath　the　blankets。　　But　there　was　an　initial

lifelessness　in　the　silent　bulk　that　gave　the　assassin

momentary　wonder。　　Feverishly　he　threw　back　the

coverlets；　and　searched　with　nervous　hands　for　the

pouch　of　jewels　which　he　expected　to　find　concealed

upon　his　victim's　body。



An　instant　later　he　rose　with　a　curse　upon　his　lips。

It　was　Achmet　Zek；　and　he　cursed　because　he　had

discovered　beneath　the　blankets　of　his　lieutenant　only

a　pile　of　discarded　clothing　arranged　in　the　form　and

semblance　of　a　sleeping　manAlbert　Werper　had　fled。



Out　into　the　village　ran　the　chief；　calling　in　angry

tones　to　the　sleepy　Arabs；　who　tumbled　from　their　tents

in　answer　to　his　voice。　　But　though　they　searched　the

village　again　and　again　they　found　no　trace　of　the

Belgian。　　Foaming　with　anger；　Achmet　Zek　called　his

followers　to　horse；　and　though　the　night　was　pitchy

black　they　set　out　to　scour　the　adjoining　forest　for

their　quarry。



As　they　galloped　from　the　open　gates；　Mugambi；　hiding

in　a　nearby　bush；　slipped；　unseen；　within　the　palisade。

A　score　of　blacks　crowded　about　the　entrance　to　watch

the　searchers　depart；　and　as　the　last　of　them　passed

out　of　the　village　the　blacks　seized　the　portals　and

drew　them　to；　and　Mugambi　lent　a　hand　in　the　work　as

though　the　best　of　his　life　had　been　spent　among　the

raiders。



In　the　darkness　he　passed；　unchallenged；　as　one　of

their　number；　and　as　they　returned　from　the　gates　to

their　respective　tents　and　huts；　Mugambi　melted　into

the　shadows　and　disappeared。



For　an　hour　he　crept　about　in　the　rear　of　the　various

huts　and　tents　in　an　effort　to　locate　that　in　which　his

master's　mate　was　imprisoned。　　One　there　was　which　he

was　reasonably　assured　contained　her；　for　it　was　the

only　hut　before　the　door　of　which　a　sentry　had　been

posted。　　Mugambi　was　crouching　in　the　shadow　of　this

structure；　just　around　the　corner　from　the　unsuspecting

guard；　when　another　approached　to　relieve　his　comrade。



〃The　prisoner　is　safe　within？〃　asked　the　newcomer。



〃She　is；〃　replied　the　other；　〃for　none　has　passed　this

doorway　since　I　came。〃



The　new　sentry　squatted　beside　the　door；　while　he　whom

he　had　relieved　made　his　way　to　his　own　hut。　　Mugambi

slunk　closer　to　the　corner　of　the　building。　　In　one

powerful　hand　he　gripped　a　heavy　knob…stick。　　No　sign

of　elation　disturbed　his　phlegmatic　calm；　yet　inwardly

he　was　aroused　to　joy　by　the　proof　he　had　just　heard

that　〃Lady〃　really　was　within。



The　sentry's　back　was　toward　the　corner　of　the　hut

which　hid　the　giant　black。　　The　fellow　did　not　see　the

huge　form　which　silently　loomed　behind　him。　　The

knob…stick　swung　upward　in　a　curve；　and　downward　again。

There　was　the　sound　of　a　dull　thud；　the　crushing　of

heavy　bone；　and　the　sentry　slumped　into　a　silent；

inanimate　lump　of　clay。



A　moment　later　Mugambi　was　searching　the　interior　of

the　hut。　　At　first　slowly；　calling；　〃Lady！〃　in　a　low

whisper；　and　finally　with　almost　frantic