tarzan and the jewels of opar-第2章

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Achmet　Zek　eyed　the　European　in　silence。　　In　his　mind

he　revolved　many　thoughts；　chief　among　which　was　that

the　unbeliever　lied。　　Of　course　there　was　the　chance

that　he　did　not　lie；　and　if　he　told　the　truth　then　his

proposition　was　one　well　worthy　of　consideration；　since

fighting　men　were　never　over　plentifulespecially

white　men　with　the　training　and　knowledge　of　military

matters　that　a　European　officer　must　possess。



Achmet　Zek　scowled　and　Werper's　heart　sank；　but　Werper

did　not　know　Achmet　Zek；　who　was　quite　apt　to　scowl

where　another　would　smile；　and　smile　where　another

would　scowl。



〃And　if　you　have　lied　to　me；〃　said　Achmet　Zek；　〃I　will

kill　you　at　any　time。　　What　return；　other　than　your

life；　do　you　expect　for　your　services？〃



〃My　keep　only；　at　first；〃　replied　Werper。　　〃Later；　if　I

am　worth　more；　we　can　easily　reach　an　understanding。〃

Werper's　only　desire　at　the　moment　was　to　preserve　his

life。　　And　so　the　agreement　was　reached　and　Lieutenant

Albert　Werper　became　a　member　of　the　ivory　and　slave

raiding　band　of　the　notorious　Achmet　Zek。



For　months　the　renegade　Belgian　rode　with　the　savage

raider。　　He　fought　with　a　savage　abandon；　and　a　vicious

cruelty　fully　equal　to　that　of　his　fellow　desperadoes。

Achmet　Zek　watched　his　recruit　with　eagle　eye；　and　with

a　growing　satisfaction　which　finally　found　expression

in　a　greater　confidence　in　the　man；　and　resulted　in　an

increased　independence　of　action　for　Werper。



Achmet　Zek　took　the　Belgian　into　his　confidence　to　a

great　extent；　and　at　last　unfolded　to　him　a　pet　scheme

which　the　Arab　had　long　fostered；　but　which　he　never

had　found　an　opportunity　to　effect。　　With　the　aid　of　a

European；　however；　the　thing　might　be　easily

accomplished。　　He　sounded　Werper。



〃You　have　heard　of　the　man　men　call　Tarzan？〃　he　asked。



Werper　nodded。　　〃I　have　heard　of　him；　but　I　do　not　know

him。〃



〃But　for　him　we　might　carry　on　our　'trading'　in　safety

and　with　great　profit；〃　continued　the　Arab。　　〃For　years

he　has　fought　us；　driving　us　from　the　richest　part　of

the　country；　harassing　us；　and　arming　the　natives　that

they　may　repel　us　when　we　come　to　'trade。'　He　is　very

rich。　　If　we　could　find　some　way　to　make　him　pay　us

many　pieces　of　gold　we　should　not　only　be　avenged　upon

him；　but　repaid　for　much　that　he　has　prevented　us　from

winning　from　the　natives　under　his　protection。〃



Werper　withdrew　a　cigaret　from　a　jeweled　case　and

lighted　it。



〃And　you　have　a　plan　to　make　him　pay？〃　he　asked。



〃He　has　a　wife；〃　replied　Achmet　Zek；　〃whom　men　say　is

very　beautiful。　　She　would　bring　a　great　price　farther

north；　if　we　found　it　too　difficult　to　collect　ransom

money　from　this　Tarzan。〃



Werper　bent　his　head　in　thought。　　Achmet　Zek　stood

awaiting　his　reply。　　What　good　remained　in　Albert

Werper　revolted　at　the　thought　of　selling　a　white　woman

into　the　slavery　and　degradation　of　a　Moslem　harem。

He　looked　up　at　Achmet　Zek。　　He　saw　the　Arab's　eyes

narrow；　and　he　guessed　that　the　other　had　sensed　his

antagonism　to　the　plan。　　What　would　it　mean　to　Werper　to

refuse？　　His　life　lay　in　the　hands　of　this　semi…barbarian；　

who　esteemed　the　life　of　an　unbeliever　less

highly　than　that　of　a　dog。　　Werper　loved　life。　　What

was　this　woman　to　him；　anyway？　　She　was　a　European；

doubtless；　a　member　of　organized　society。　　He　was　an

outcast。　　The　hand　of　every　white　man　was　against　him。

She　was　his　natural　enemy；　and　if　he　refused　to　lend

himself　to　her　undoing；　Achmet　Zek　would　have　him

killed。



〃You　hesitate；〃　murmured　the　Arab。



〃I　was　but　weighing　the　chances　of　success；〃　lied

Werper；　〃and　my　reward。　　As　a　European　I　can　gain

admittance　to　their　home　and　table。　　You　have　no　other

with　you　who　could　do　so　much。　　The　risk　will　be　great。

I　should　be　well　paid；　Achmet　Zek。〃



A　smile　of　relief　passed　over　the　raider's　face。



〃Well　said；　Werper；〃　and　Achmet　Zek　slapped　his

lieutenant　upon　the　shoulder。　　〃You　should　be　well　paid

and　you　shall。　　Now　let　us　sit　together　and　plan　how

best　the　thing　may　be　done；〃　and　the　two　men　squatted

upon　a　soft　rug　beneath　the　faded　silks　of　Achmet's

once　gorgeous　tent；　and　talked　together　in　low　voices

well　into　the　night。　　Both　were　tall　and　bearded；　and

the　exposure　to　sun　and　wind　had　given　an　almost　Arab

hue　to　the　European's　complexion。　　In　every　detail　of

dress；　too；　he　copied　the　fashions　of　his　chief；　so

that　outwardly　he　was　as　much　an　Arab　as　the　other。

It　was　late　when　he　arose　and　retired　to　his　own　tent。



The　following　day　Werper　spent　in　overhauling　his

Belgian　uniform；　removing　from　it　every　vestige　of

evidence　that　might　indicate　its　military　purposes。

From　a　heterogeneous　collection　of　loot；　Achmet　Zek

procured　a　pith　helmet　and　a　European　saddle；　and　from

his　black　slaves　and　followers　a　party　of　porters；

askaris　and　tent　boys　to　make　up　a　modest　safari　for　a

big　game　hunter。　　At　the　head　of　this　party　Werper　set

out　from　camp。







2



On　the　Road　To　Opar





It　was　two　weeks　later　that　John　Clayton；　Lord

Greystoke；　riding　in　from　a　tour　of　inspection　of　his

vast　African　estate；　glimpsed　the　head　of　a　column　of

men　crossing　the　plain　that　lay　between　his　bungalow

and　the　forest　to　the　north　and　west。



He　reined　in　his　horse　and　watched　the　little　party　as

it　emerged　from　a　concealing　swale。　　His　keen　eyes

caught　the　reflection　of　the　sun　upon　the　white　helmet

of　a　mounted　man；　and　with　the　conviction　that　a

wandering　European　hunter　was　seeking　his　hospitality；

he　wheeled　his　mount　and　rode　slowly　forward　to　meet

the　newcomer。



A　half　hour　later　he　was　mounting　the　steps　leading　to

the　veranda　of　his　bungalow；　and　introducing　M。　Jules

Frecoult　to　Lady　Greystoke。



〃I　was　completely　lost；〃　M。　Frecoult　was　explaining。

〃My　head　man　had　never　before　been　in　this　part　of　the

country　and　the　guides　who　were　to　have　accompanied　me

from　the　last　village　we　passed　knew　even　less　of　the

country　than　we。　　They　finally　deserted　us　two　days

since。　　I　am　very　fortunate　indeed　to　have　stumbled　so

providentially　upon　succor。　　I　do　not　know　what　I

should　have　done；　had　I　not　found　you。〃



It　was　decided　that　Frecoult　and　his　party　should

remain　several　days；　or　until　they　were　thoroughly

rested；　when　Lord　Greystoke　would　furnish　guides　to

lead　them　safely　back　into　country　with　which

Frecoult's　head　man　was　supposedly　familiar。



In　his　guise　of　a　French　gentleman　of　leisure；　Werper

found　little　difficulty　in　deceiving　his　host　and　in

ingratiating　himself　with　both　Tarzan　and　Jane　Clayton；

but　the　longer　he　remained　the　less　hopeful　he　became

of　an　easy　accomplishment　of　his　designs。



Lady　Greystoke　never　rode　alone　at　any　great　distance

from　the　bungalow；　and　the　savage　loyalty　of　the

ferocious　Waziri　warriors　who　formed　a　great　part　of

Tarzan's　followers　seemed　to　preclude　the　possibility

of　a　successful　attempt　at　forcible　abduction；　or　of

the　bribery　of　the　Waziri　themselves。



A　week　passed；　and　Werper　was　no　nearer　the　fulfillment

of　his　plan；　in　so　far　as　he　could　judge；　than　upon　the

day　of　his　arrival；　but　at　that　very　moment　something

occurred　which　gave　him　renewed　hope　and　set　his　mind

upon　an　even　greater　reward　than　a　woman's　ransom。



A　runner　had　arrived　at　the　bungalow　with　the　weekly

mail；　and　Lord　Greystoke　had　spent　the　afternoon　in　his

study　reading　and　answering　letters。　　At　dinner　he

seemed　distraught；　and　early　in　the　evening　he　excused

himself　and　retired；　Lady　Greystoke　following　him　very

soon　after。　　Werper；　sitting　upon　the　veranda；　could

hear　their　voices　in　earnest　discussion；　and　having

realized　that　something　of　unusual　moment　was　afoot；

he　quietly　rose　from　his　chair；　and　keeping　well　in　the

shadow　of　the　shrubbery　growing　profusely　about　the

bungalow；　made　his　silent　way　to　a　point　beneath　the

window　of　the　room　in　which　his　host　and　hostess　slept。