tarzan and the jewels of opar-第17章

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

whisper；　and　finally　with　almost　frantic　haste；　until

the　truth　presently　dawned　upon　himthe　hut　was　empty！







11



Tarzan　Becomes　a　Beast　Again





For　a　moment　Werper　had　stood　above　the　sleeping　ape…man；

his　murderous　knife　poised　for　the　fatal　thrust；

but　fear　stayed　his　hand。　　What　if　the　first　blow

should　fail　to　drive　the　point　to　his　victim's　heart？

Werper　shuddered　in　contemplation　of　the　disastrous

consequences　to　himself。　　Awakened；　and　even　with　a　few

moments　of　life　remaining；　the　giant　could　literally

tear　his　assailant　to　pieces　should　he　choose；　and　the

Belgian　had　no　doubt　but　that　Tarzan　would　so　choose。



Again　came　the　soft　sound　of　padded　footsteps　in　the

reedscloser　this　time。　　Werper　abandoned　his　design。

Before　him　stretched　the　wide　plain　and　escape。

The　jewels　were　in　his　possession。　　To　remain　longer　was　to

risk　death　at　the　hands　of　Tarzan；　or　the　jaws　of　the

hunter　creeping　ever　nearer。　　Turning；　he　slunk　away

through　the　night；　toward　the　distant　forest。



Tarzan　slept　on。　　Where　were　those　uncanny；　guardian

powers　that　had　formerly　rendered　him　immune　from　the

dangers　of　surprise？　　Could　this　dull　sleeper　be　the

alert；　sensitive　Tarzan　of　old？



Perhaps　the　blow　upon　his　head　had　numbed　his　senses；

temporarilywho　may　say？　　Closer　crept　the　stealthy

creature　through　the　reeds。　　The　rustling　curtain　of

vegetation　parted　a　few　paces　from　where　the　sleeper

lay；　and　the　massive　head　of　a　lion　appeared。　　The

beast　surveyed　the　ape…man　intently　for　a　moment；　then

he　crouched；　his　hind　feet　drawn　well　beneath　him；　his

tail　lashing　from　side　to　side。



It　was　the　beating　of　the　beast's　tail　against　the

reeds　which　awakened　Tarzan。　　Jungle　folk　do　not　awaken

slowlyinstantly；　full　consciousness　and　full　command

of　their　every　faculty　returns　to　them　from　the　depth

of　profound　slumber。



Even　as　Tarzan　opened　his　eyes　he　was　upon　his　feet；

his　spear　grasped　firmly　in　his　hand　and　ready　for

attack。　　Again　was　he　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　sentient；

vigilant；　ready。



No　two　lions　have　identical　characteristics；　nor　does

the　same　lion　invariably　act　similarly　under　like

circumstances。　　Whether　it　was　surprise；　fear　or

caution　which　prompted　the　lion　crouching　ready　to

spring　upon　the　man；　is　immaterialthe　fact　remains

that　he　did　not　carry　out　his　original　design；　he　did

not　spring　at　the　man　at　all；　but；　instead；　wheeled　and

sprang　back　into　the　reeds　as　Tarzan　arose　and

confronted　him。



The　ape…man　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders　and　looked

about　for　his　companion。　　Werper　was　nowhere　to　be

seen。　　At　first　Tarzan　suspected　that　the　man　had　been

seized　and　dragged　off　by　another　lion；　but　upon

examination　of　the　ground　he　soon　discovered　that　the

Belgian　had　gone　away　alone　out　into　the　plain。



For　a　moment　he　was　puzzled；　but　presently　came　to　the

conclusion　that　Werper　had　been　frightened　by　the

approach　of　the　lion；　and　had　sneaked　off　in　terror。

A　sneer　touched　Tarzan's　lips　as　he　pondered　the　man's

actthe　desertion　of　a　comrade　in　time　of　danger；　and

without　warning。　　Well；　if　that　was　the　sort　of

creature　Werper　was；　Tarzan　wished　nothing　more　of　him。

He　had　gone；　and　for　all　the　ape…man　cared；　he　might

remain　awayTarzan　would　not　search　for　him。



A　hundred　yards　from　where　he　stood　grew　a　large　tree；

alone　upon　the　edge　of　the　reedy　jungle。　　Tarzan　made

his　way　to　it；　clambered　into　it；　and　finding　a

comfortable　crotch　among　its　branches；　reposed　himself

for　uninterrupted　sleep　until　morning。



And　when　morning　came　Tarzan　slept　on　long　after　the

sun　had　risen。　　His　mind；　reverted　to　the　primitive；

was　untroubled　by　any　more　serious　obligations　than

those　of　providing　sustenance；　and　safeguarding　his　life。

Therefore；　there　was　nothing　to　awaken　for　until

danger　threatened；　or　the　pangs　of　hunger　assailed。

It　was　the　latter　which　eventually　aroused　him。



Opening　his　eyes；　he　stretched　his　giant　thews；　yawned；

rose　and　gazed　about　him　through　the　leafy　foliage　of

his　retreat。　　Across　the　wasted　meadowlands　and　fields

of　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

looked；　as　a　stranger；　upon　the　moving　figures　of

Basuli　and　his　braves　as　they　prepared　their　morning

meal　and　made　ready　to　set　out　upon　the　expedition

which　Basuli　had　planned　after　discovering　the　havoc　and

disaster　which　had　befallen　the　estate　of　his　dead　master。



The　ape…man　eyed　the　blacks　with　curiosity。

In　the　back　of　his　brain　loitered　a　fleeting　sense　of

familiarity　with　all　that　he　saw；　yet　he　could　not

connect　any　of　the　various　forms　of　life；　animate　and

inanimate；　which　had　fallen　within　the　range　of　his

vision　since　he　had　emerged　from　the　darkness　of　the

pits　of　Opar；　with　any　particular　event　of　the　past。



Hazily　he　recalled　a　grim　and　hideous　form；　hairy；

ferocious。　　A　vague　tenderness　dominated　his　savage

sentiments　as　this　phantom　memory　struggled　for

recognition。　　His　mind　had　reverted　to　his　childhood

daysit　was　the　figure　of　the　giant　she…ape；　Kala；

that　he　saw；　but　only　half　recognized。　　He　saw；　too；

other　grotesque；　manlike　forms。　　They　were　of　Terkoz；

Tublat；　Kerchak；　and　a　smaller；　less　ferocious　figure；

that　was　Neeta；　the　little　playmate　of　his　boyhood。



Slowly；　very　slowly；　as　these　visions　of　the　past

animated　his　lethargic　memory；　he　came　to　recognize

them。　　They　took　definite　shape　and　form；　adjusting

themselves　nicely　to　the　various　incidents　of　his　life

with　which　they　had　been　intimately　connected。　　His

boyhood　among　the　apes　spread　itself　in　a　slow　panorama

before　him；　and　as　it　unfolded　it　induced　within　him　a

mighty　longing　for　the　companionship　of　the　shaggy；

low…browed　brutes　of　his　past。



He　watched　the　blacks　scatter　their　cook　fire　and

depart；　but　though　the　face　of　each　of　them　had　but

recently　been　as　familiar　to　him　as　his　own；　they

awakened　within　him　no　recollections　whatsoever。



When　they　had　gone；　he　descended　from　the　tree　and

sought　food。　　Out　upon　the　plain　grazed　numerous　herds

of　wild　ruminants。　　Toward　a　sleek；　fat　bunch　of　zebra

he　wormed　his　stealthy　way。　　No　intricate　process　of

reasoning　caused　him　to　circle　widely　until　he　was　down

wind　from　his　preyhe　acted　instinctively。　　He　took

advantage　of　every　form　of　cover　as　he　crawled　upon　all

fours　and　often　flat　upon　his　stomach　toward　them。



A　plump　young　mare　and　a　fat　stallion　grazed　nearest　to

him　as　he　neared　the　herd。　　Again　it　was　instinct　which

selected　the　former　for　his　meat。　　A　low　bush　grew　but

a　few　yards　from　the　unsuspecting　two。　　The　ape…man

reached　its　shelter。　　He　gathered　his　spear　firmly　in

his　grasp。　　Cautiously　he　drew　his　feet　beneath　him。

In　a　single　swift　move　he　rose　and　cast　his　heavy

weapon　at　the　mare's　side。　　Nor　did　he　wait　to　note　the

effect　of　his　assault；　but　leaped　cat…like　after　his

spear；　his　hunting　knife　in　his　hand。



For　an　instant　the　two　animals　stood　motionless。

The　tearing　of　the　cruel　barb　into　her　side　brought　a

sudden　scream　of　pain　and　fright　from　the　mare；　and

then　they　both　wheeled　and　broke　for　safety；　but　Tarzan

of　the　Apes；　for　a　distance　of　a　few　yards；　could　equal

the　speed　of　even　these；　and　the　first　stride　of　the

mare　found　her　overhauled；　with　a　savage　beast　at　her

shoulder。　　She　turned；　biting　and　kicking　at　her　foe。

Her　mate　hesitated　for　an　instant；　as　though　about　to

rush　to　her　assistance；　but　a　backward　glance　revealed

to　him　the　flying　heels　of　the　balance　of　the　herd；　and

with　a　snort　and　a　shake　of　his　head　he　wheeled　and

dashed　away。



Clinging　with　one　hand　to　the　short　mane　of　his　quarry；

Tarzan　struck　again　and　again　with　his　knife　at　the

unprotected　heart。　　The　result　had；　from　the　first；

been　inevitable。　　The　mare　fought　bravely；　but

hopelessly；　and　presently　sank　to　the　earth；　her　heart

pierced。　　The　ape…man　plac