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but　neither　did　he　lose　time　in　a　fruitless　search　for

Jane　Clayton。



His　own　life　depended　upon　the　chance　of　his　eluding；

or　outdistancing　Achmet　Zek；　when　that　worthy　should

have　discovered　that　he　had　escaped。　　His　original　plan

had　contemplated　connivance　in　the　escape　of　Lady

Greystoke　for　two　very　good　and　sufficient　reasons。

The　first　was　that　by　saving　her　he　would　win　the

gratitude　of　the　English；　and　thus　lessen　the　chance　of

his　extradition　should　his　identity　and　his　crime

against　his　superior　officer　be　charged　against　him。



The　second　reason　was　based　upon　the　fact　that　only　one

direction　of　escape　was　safely　open　to　him。　　He　could

not　travel　to　the　west　because　of　the　Belgian

possessions　which　lay　between　him　and　the　Atlantic。

The　south　was　closed　to　him　by　the　feared　presence　of

the　savage　ape…man　he　had　robbed。　　To　the　north　lay　the

friends　and　allies　of　Achmet　Zek。　　Only　toward　the

east；　through　British　East　Africa；　lay　reasonable

assurance　of　freedom。



Accompanied　by　a　titled　Englishwoman　whom　he　had

rescued　from　a　frightful　fate；　and　his　identity　vouched

for　by　her　as　that　of　a　Frenchman　by　the　name　of

Frecoult；　he　had　looked　forward；　and　not　without

reason；　to　the　active　assistance　of　the　British　from

the　moment　that　he　came　in　contact　with　their　first

outpost。



But　now　that　Lady　Greystoke　had　disappeared；　though　he

still　looked　toward　the　east　for　hope；　his　chances　were

lessened；　and　another；　subsidiary　design　completely

dashed。　From　the　moment　that　he　had　first　laid　eyes

upon　Jane　Clayton　he　had　nursed　within　his　breast　a

secret　passion　for　the　beautiful　American　wife　of　the

English　lord；　and　when　Achmet　Zek's　discovery　of　the

jewels　had　necessitated　flight；　the　Belgian　had

dreamed；　in　his　planning；　of　a　future　in　which　he　might

convince　Lady　Greystoke　that　her　husband　was　dead；

and　by　playing　upon　her　gratitude　win　her　for　himself。



At　that　part　of　the　village　farthest　from　the　gates；

Werper　discovered　that　two　or　three　long　poles；　taken

from　a　nearby　pile　which　had　been　collected　for　the

construction　of　huts；　had　been　leaned　against　the　top

of　the　palisade；　forming　a　precarious；　though　not

impossible　avenue　of　escape。



Rightly；　he　inferred　that　thus　had　Lady　Greystoke　found

the　means　to　scale　the　wall；　nor　did　he　lose　even　a

moment　in　following　her　lead。　　Once　in　the　jungle　he

struck　out　directly　eastward。



A　few　miles　south　of　him；　Jane　Clayton　lay　panting

among　the　branches　of　a　tree　in　which　she　had　taken

refuge　from　a　prowling　and　hungry　lioness。



Her　escape　from　the　village　had　been　much　easier　than

she　had　anticipated。　　The　knife　which　she　had　used　to

cut　her　way　through　the　brush　wall　of　the　hut　to

freedom　she　had　found　sticking　in　the　wall　of　her

prison；　doubtless　left　there　by　accident　when　a　former

tenant　had　vacated　the　premises。



To　cross　the　rear　of　the　village；　keeping　always　in　the

densest　shadows；　had　required　but　a　few　moments；　and

the　fortunate　circumstance　of　the　discovery　of　the　hut

poles　lying　so　near　the　palisade　had　solved　for　her　the

problem　of　the　passage　of　the　high　wall。



For　an　hour　she　had　followed　the　old　game　trail　toward

the　south；　until　there　fell　upon　her　trained　hearing

the　stealthy　padding　of　a　stalking　beast　behind　her。

The　nearest　tree　gave　her　instant　sanctuary；　for　she

was　too　wise　in　the　ways　of　the　jungle　to　chance　her

safety　for　a　moment　after　discovering　that　she　was

being　hunted。



Werper；　with　better　success；　traveled　slowly　onward

until　dawn；　when；　to　his　chagrin；　he　discovered　a

mounted　Arab　upon　his　trail。　　It　was　one　of　Achmet

Zek's　minions；　many　of　whom　were　scattered　in　all

directions　through　the　forest；　searching　for　the

fugitive　Belgian。



Jane　Clayton's　escape　had　not　yet　been　discovered　when

Achmet　Zek　and　his　searchers　set　forth　to　overhaul

Werper。　The　only　man　who　had　seen　the　Belgian　after　his

departure　from　his　tent　was　the　black　sentry　before　the

doorway　of　Lady　Greystoke's　prison　hut；　and　he　had　been

silenced　by　the　discovery　of　the　dead　body　of　the　man

who　had　relieved　him；　the　sentry　that　Mugambi　had

dispatched。



The　bribe　taker　naturally　inferred　that　Werper　had

slain　his　fellow　and　dared　not　admit　that　he　had

permitted　him　to　enter　the　hut；　fearing　as　he　did；

the　anger　of　Achmet　Zek。　So；　as　chance　directed　that　he

should　be　the　one　to　discover　the　body　of　the　sentry

when　the　first　alarm　had　been　given　following　Achmet

Zek's　discovery　that　Werper　had　outwitted　him；　the

crafty　black　had　dragged　the　dead　body　to　the　interior

of　a　nearby　tent；　and　himself　resumed　his　station

before　the　doorway　of　the　hut　in　which　he　still

believed　the　woman　to　be。



With　the　discovery　of　the　Arab　close　behind　him；　the

Belgian　hid　in　the　foliage　of　a　leafy　bush。　　Here　the

trail　ran　straight　for　a　considerable　distance；　and

down　the　shady　forest　aisle；　beneath　the　overarching

branches　of　the　trees；　rode　the　white…robed　figure　of

the　pursuer。



Nearer　and　nearer　he　came。　　Werper　crouched　closer　to

the　ground　behind　the　leaves　of　his　hiding　place。

Across　the　trail　a　vine　moved。　　Werper's　eyes　instantly

centered　upon　the　spot。　　There　was　no　wind　to　stir　the

foliage　in　the　depths　of　the　jungle。　　Again　the　vine

moved。　　In　the　mind　of　the　Belgian　only　the　presence　of

a　sinister　and　malevolent　force　could　account　for　the

phenomenon。



The　man's　eyes　bored　steadily　into　the　screen　of　leaves

upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　trail。　　Gradually　a　form

took　shape　beyond　thema　tawny　form；　grim　and

terrible；　with　yellow…green　eyes　glaring　fearsomely

across　the　narrow　trail　straight　into　his。



Werper　could　have　screamed　in　fright；　but　up　the　trail

was　coming　the　messenger　of　another　death；　equally　sure

and　no　less　terrible。　　He　remained　silent；　almost

paralyzed　by　fear。　The　Arab　approached。　　Across　the

trail　from　Werper　the　lion　crouched　for　the　spring；

when　suddenly　his　attention　was　attracted　toward　the

horseman。



The　Belgian　saw　the　massive　head　turn　in　the　direction

of　the　raider　and　his　heart　all　but　ceased　its　beating

as　he　awaited　the　result　of　this　interruption。　　At　a

walk　the　horseman　approached。　　Would　the　nervous　animal

he　rode　take　fright　at　the　odor　of　the　carnivore；　and；

bolting；　leave　Werper　still　to　the　mercies　of　the　king

of　beasts？



But　he　seemed　unmindful　of　the　near　presence　of　the

great　cat。　　On　he　came；　his　neck　arched；　champing　at

the　bit　between　his　teeth。　　The　Belgian　turned　his　eyes

again　toward　the　lion。　　The　beast's　whole　attention　now

seemed　riveted　upon　the　horseman。　　They　were　abreast

the　lion　now；　and　still　the　brute　did　not　spring。

Could　he　be　but　waiting　for　them　to　pass　before

returning　his　attention　to　the　original　prey？　　Werper

shuddered　and　half　rose。　　At　the　same　instant　the　lion

sprang　from　his　place　of　concealment；　full　upon　the

mounted　man。　　The　horse；　with　a　shrill　neigh　of　terror；

shrank　sideways　almost　upon　the　Belgian；　the　lion

dragged　the　helpless　Arab　from　his　saddle；　and　the

horse　leaped　back　into　the　trail　and　fled　away　toward

the　west。



But　he　did　not　flee　alone。　　As　the　frightened　beast　had

pressed　in　upon　him；　Werper　had　not　been　slow　to　note

the　quickly　emptied　saddle　and　the　opportunity　it

presented。　Scarcely　had　the　lion　dragged　the　Arab　down

from　one　side；　than　the　Belgian；　seizing　the　pommel　of

the　saddle　and　the　horse's　mane；　leaped　upon　the

horse's　back　from　the　other。



A　half　hour　later　a　naked　giant；　swinging　easily

through　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees；　paused；　and

with　raised　head；　and　dilating　nostrils　sniffed　the

morning　air。　　The　smell　of　blood　fell　strong　upon　his

senses；　and　mingled　with　it　was　the　scent　of　Numa；　the

lion。　　The　giant　cocked　his　head　upon　one　side　and

listened。



From　a　short　distance　up　the　trail　came　the

unmistakable　noises　of　the　greedy　feeding　of　a　lion。

The　crunching　of