tarzan and the jewels of opar-第24章

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him　when　Tarzan　took　up　the　pursuit；　and　each　day　he

gained　upon　the　ape…man。　　The　latter；　however；　felt　not

the　slightest　doubt　as　to　the　outcome。　　Some　day　he

would　overhaul　his　quarryhe　could　bide　his　time　in

peace　until　that　day　dawned。　　Doggedly　he　followed　the

faint　spoor；　pausing　by　day　only　to　kill　and　eat；　and

at　night　only　to　sleep　and　refresh　himself。



Occasionally　he　passed　parties　of　savage　warriors；　but

these　he　gave　a　wide　berth；　for　he　was　hunting　with　a

purpose　that　was　not　to　be　distracted　by　the　minor

accidents　of　the　trail。



These　parties　were　of　the　collecting　hordes　of　the

Waziri　and　their　allies　which　Basuli　had　scattered　his

messengers　broadcast　to　summon。　　They　were　marching　to

a　common　rendezvous　in　preparation　for　an　assault　upon

the　stronghold　of　Achmet　Zek；　but　to　Tarzan　they　were

enemieshe　retained　no　conscious　memory　of　any

friendship　for　the　black　men。



It　was　night　when　he　halted　outside　the　palisaded

village　of　the　Arab　raider。　　Perched　in　the　branches　of

a　great　tree　he　gazed　down　upon　the　life　within　the

enclosure。　　To　this　place　had　the　spoor　led　him。　　His

quarry　must　be　within；　but　how　was　he　to　find　him　among

so　many　huts？　　Tarzan；　although　cognizant　of　his　mighty

powers；　realized　also　his　limitations。　　He　knew　that　he

could　not　successfully　cope　with　great　numbers　in　open

battle。　　He　must　resort　to　the　stealth　and　trickery　of

the　wild　beast；　if　he　were　to　succeed。



Sitting　in　the　safety　of　his　tree；　munching　upon　the

leg　bone　of　Horta；　the　boar；　Tarzan　waited　a　favorable

opportunity　to　enter　the　village。　　For　awhile　he　gnawed

at　the　bulging；　round　ends　of　the　large　bone；

splintering　off　small　pieces　between　his　strong　jaws；

and　sucking　at　the　delicious　marrow　within；　but　all　the

time　he　cast　repeated　glances　into　the　village。　　He　saw

white…robed　figures；　and　half…naked　blacks；　but　not

once　did　he　see　one　who　resembled　the　stealer　of　the　gems。



Patiently　he　waited　until　the　streets　were　deserted　by

all　save　the　sentries　at　the　gates；　then　he　dropped

lightly　to　the　ground；　circled　to　the　opposite　side　of

the　village　and　approached　the　palisade。



At　his　side　hung　a　long；　rawhide　ropea　natural　and

more　dependable　evolution　from　the　grass　rope　of　his

childhood。　Loosening　this；　he　spread　the　noose　upon　the

ground　behind　him；　and　with　a　quick　movement　of　his

wrist　tossed　the　coils　over　one　of　the　sharpened

projections　of　the　summit　of　the　palisade。



Drawing　the　noose　taut；　he　tested　the　solidity　of　its

hold。　Satisfied；　the　ape…man　ran　nimbly　up　the　vertical

wall；　aided　by　the　rope　which　he　clutched　in　both

hands。　　Once　at　the　top　it　required　but　a　moment　to

gather　the　dangling　rope　once　more　into　its　coils；　make

it　fast　again　at　his　waist；　take　a　quick　glance

downward　within　the　palisade；　and；　assured　that　no　one

lurked　directly　beneath　him；　drop　softly　to　the　ground。



Now　he　was　within　the　village。　　Before　him　stretched　a

series　of　tents　and　native　huts。　　The　business　of

exploring　each　of　them　would　be　fraught　with　danger；

but　danger　was　only　a　natural　factor　of　each　day's

lifeit　never　appalled　Tarzan。　　The　chances　appealed

to　himthe　chances　of　life　and　death；　with　his　prowess

and　his　faculties　pitted　against　those　of　a　worthy

antagonist。



It　was　not　necessary　that　he　enter　each　habitation

through　a　door；　a　window　or　an　open　chink；　his　nose

told　him　whether　or　not　his　prey　lay　within。　　For　some

time　he　found　one　disappointment　following　upon　the

heels　of　another　in　quick　succession。　　No　spoor　of　the

Belgian　was　discernible。　But　at　last　he　came　to　a　tent

where　the　smell　of　the　thief　was　strong。　　Tarzan

listened；　his　ear　close　to　the　canvas　at　the　rear；　but

no　sound　came　from　within。



At　last　he　cut　one　of　the　pin　ropes；　raised　the　bottom

of　the　canvas；　and　intruded　his　head　within　the

interior。　　All　was　quiet　and　dark。　　Tarzan　crawled

cautiously　withinthe　scent　of　the　Belgian　was　strong；

but　it　was　not　live　scent。　Even　before　he　had　examined

the　interior　minutely；　Tarzan　knew　that　no　one　was

within　it。



In　one　corner　he　found　a　pile　of　blankets　and　clothing

scattered　about；　but　no　pouch　of　pretty　pebbles。

A　careful　examination　of　the　balance　of　the　tent　revealed

nothing　more；　at　least　nothing　to　indicate　the　presence

of　the　jewels；　but　at　the　side　where　the　blankets　and

clothing　lay；　the　ape…man　discovered　that　the　tent　wall

had　been　loosened　at　the　bottom；　and　presently　he

sensed　that　the　Belgian　had　recently　passed　out　of　the

tent　by　this　avenue。



Tarzan　was　not　long　in　following　the　way　that　his　prey

had　fled。　　The　spoor　led　always　in　the　shadow　and　at

the　rear　of　the　huts　and　tents　of　the　villageit　was

quite　evident　to　Tarzan　that　the　Belgian　had　gone　alone

and　secretly　upon　his　mission。　　Evidently　he　feared　the

inhabitants　of　the　village；　or　at　least　his　work　had

been　of　such　a　nature　that　he　dared　not　risk　detection。



At　the　back　of　a　native　hut　the　spoor　led　through　a

small　hole　recently　cut　in　the　brush　wall　and　into　the

dark　interior　beyond。　　Fearlessly；　Tarzan　followed　the

trail。　　On　hands　and　knees；　he　crawled　through　the

small　aperture。　　Within　the　hut　his　nostrils　were

assailed　by　many　odors；　but　clear　and　distinct　among

them　was　one　that　half　aroused　a　latent　memory　of　the

pastit　was　the　faint　and　delicate　odor　of　a　woman。

With　the　cognizance　of　it　there　rose　in　the　breast　of

the　ape…man　a　strange　uneasinessthe　result　of　an

irresistible　force　which　he　was　destined　to　become

acquainted　with　anewthe　instinct　which　draws　the　male

to　his　mate。



In　the　same　hut　was　the　scent　spoor　of　the　Belgian；

too；　and　as　both　these　assailed　the　nostrils　of　the

ape…man；　mingling　one　with　the　other；　a　jealous　rage

leaped　and　burned　within　him；　though　his　memory　held

before　the　mirror　of　recollection　no　image　of　the　she

to　which　he　had　attached　his　desire。



Like　the　tent　he　had　investigated；　the　hut；　too；　was

empty；　and　after　satisfying　himself　that　his　stolen

pouch　was　secreted　nowhere　within；　he　left；　as　he　had

entered；　by　the　hole　in　the　rear　wall。



Here　he　took　up　the　spoor　of　the　Belgian；　followed　it

across　the　clearing；　over　the　palisade；　and　out　into

the　dark　jungle　beyond。







15



The　Flight　of　Werper





After　Werper　had　arranged　the　dummy　in　his　bed；　and

sneaked　out　into　the　darkness　of　the　village　beneath

the　rear　wall　of　his　tent；　he　had　gone　directly　to　the

hut　in　which　Jane　Clayton　was　held　captive。



Before　the　doorway　squatted　a　black　sentry。　　Werper

approached　him　boldly；　spoke　a　few　words　in　his　ear；

handed　him　a　package　of　tobacco；　and　passed　into　the

hut。　　The　black　grinned　and　winked　as　the　European

disappeared　within　the　darkness　of　the　interior。



The　Belgian；　being　one　of　Achmet　Zek's　principal

lieutenants；　might　naturally　go　where　he　wished　within

or　without　the　village；　and　so　the　sentry　had　not

questioned　his　right　to　enter　the　hut　with　the　white；

woman　prisoner。



Within；　Werper　called　in　French　and　in　a　low　whisper：

〃Lady　Greystoke！　　It　is　I；　M。　Frecoult。　　Where　are　you？〃

But　there　was　no　response。　　Hastily　the　man　felt　around

the　interior；　groping　blindly　through　the　darkness　with

outstretched　hands。　　There　was　no　one　within！



Werper's　astonishment　surpassed　words。　　He　was　on　the

point　of　stepping　without　to　question　the　sentry；　when

his　eyes；　becoming　accustomed　to　the　dark；　discovered　a

blotch　of　lesser　blackness　near　the　base　of　the　rear

wall　of　the　hut。　Examination　revealed　the　fact　that　the

blotch　was　an　opening　cut　in　the　wall。　　It　was　large

enough　to　permit　the　passage　of　his　body；　and　assured

as　he　was　that　Lady　Greystoke　had　passed　out　through

the　aperture　in　an　attempt　to　escape　the　village；　he

lost　no　time　in　availing　himself　of　the　same　avenue；

but　neither　did　he　lose　time　in　a　fruitless　search　for

Jane　Clayton。



His　own　life　depended　upon