tarzan and the jewels of opar-第26章

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From　a　short　distance　up　the　trail　came　the

unmistakable　noises　of　the　greedy　feeding　of　a　lion。

The　crunching　of　bones；　the　gulping　of　great　pieces；

the　contented　growling；　all　attested　the　nearness　of


the　king　at　table。



Tarzan　approached　the　spot；　still　keeping　to　the

branches　of　the　trees。　　He　made　no　effort　to　conceal

his　approach；　and　presently　he　had　evidence　that　Numa

had　heard　him；　from　the　ominous；　rumbling　warning　that

broke　from　a　thicket　beside　the　trail。



Halting　upon　a　low　branch　just　above　the　lion　Tarzan

looked　down　upon　the　grisly　scene。　　Could　this

unrecognizable　thing　be　the　man　he　had　been　trailing？

The　ape…man　wondered。　　From　time　to　time　he　had

descended　to　the　trail　and　verified　his　judgment　by　the

evidence　of　his　scent　that　the　Belgian　had　followed

this　game　trail　toward　the　east。



Now　he　proceeded　beyond　the　lion　and　his　feast；

again　descended　and　examined　the　ground　with　his　nose。

There　was　no　scent　spoor　here　of　the　man　he　had　been

trailing。　Tarzan　returned　to　the　tree。　　With　keen　eyes

he　searched　the　ground　about　the　mutilated　corpse　for　a

sign　of　the　missing　pouch　of　pretty　pebbles；　but　naught

could　he　see　of　it。



He　scolded　Numa　and　tried　to　drive　the　great　beast

away；　but　only　angry　growls　rewarded　his　efforts。

He　tore　small　branches　from　a　nearby　limb　and　hurled　them

at　his　ancient　enemy。　　Numa　looked　up　with　bared　fangs；

grinning　hideously；　but　he　did　not　rise　from　his　kill。



Then　Tarzan　fitted　an　arrow　to　his　bow；　and　drawing　the

slim　shaft　far　back　let　drive　with　all　the　force　of　the

tough　wood　that　only　he　could　bend。　　As　the　arrow　sank

deeply　into　his　side；　Numa　leaped　to　his　feet　with　a

roar　of　mingled　rage　and　pain。　　He　leaped　futilely　at

the　grinning　ape…man；　tore　at　the　protruding　end　of　the

shaft；　and　then；　springing　into　the　trail；　paced　back

and　forth　beneath　his　tormentor。　Again　Tarzan　loosed　a

swift　bolt。　　This　time　the　missile；　aimed　with　care；

lodged　in　the　lion's　spine。　　The　great　creature　halted

in　its　tracks；　and　lurched　awkwardly　forward　upon　its

face；　paralyzed。



Tarzan　dropped　to　the　trail；　ran　quickly　to　the　beast's

side；　and　drove　his　spear　deep　into　the　fierce　heart；

then　after　recovering　his　arrows　turned　his　attention

to　the　mutilated　remains　of　the　animal's　prey　in　the

nearby　thicket。



The　face　was　gone。　　The　Arab　garments　aroused　no　doubt

as　to　the　man's　identity；　since　he　had　trailed　him　into

the　Arab　camp　and　out　again；　where　he　might　easily　have

acquired　the　apparel。　　So　sure　was　Tarzan　that　the　body

was　that　of　he　who　had　robbed　him　that　he　made　no

effort　to　verify　his　deductions　by　scent　among　the

conglomerate　odors　of　the　great　carnivore　and　the　fresh

blood　of　the　victim。



He　confined　his　attentions　to　a　careful　search　for　the

pouch；　but　nowhere　upon　or　about　the　corpse　was　any

sign　of　the　missing　article　or　its　contents。　　The　ape…man

was　disappointedpossibly　not　so　much　because　of

the　loss　of　the　colored　pebbles　as　with　Numa　for

robbing　him　of　the　pleasures　of　revenge。



Wondering　what　could　have　become　of　his　possessions；

the　ape…man　turned　slowly　back　along　the　trail　in　the

direction　from　which　he　had　come。　　In　his　mind　he

revolved　a　plan　to　enter　and　search　the　Arab　camp；

after　darkness　had　again　fallen。　　Taking　to　the　trees；

he　moved　directly　south　in　search　of　prey；　that　he

might　satisfy　his　hunger　before　midday；　and　then　lie　up

for　the　afternoon　in　some　spot　far　from　the　camp；　where

he　might　sleep　without　fear　of　discovery　until　it　came

time　to　prosecute　his　design。



Scarcely　had　he　quitted　the　trail　when　a　tall；　black

warrior；　moving　at　a　dogged　trot；　passed　toward　the

east。　　It　was　Mugambi；　searching　for　his　mistress。

He　continued　along　the　trail；　halting　to　examine　the　body

of　the　dead　lion。　　An　expression　of　puzzlement　crossed

his　features　as　he　bent　to　search　for　the　wounds　which

had　caused　the　death　of　the　jungle　lord。　　Tarzan　had

removed　his　arrows；　but　to　Mugambi　the　proof　of　death

was　as　strong　as　though　both　the　lighter　missiles　and

the　spear　still　protruded　from　the　carcass。



The　black　looked　furtively　about　him。　　The　body　was

still　warm；　and　from　this　fact　he　reasoned　that　the

killer　was　close　at　hand；　yet　no　sign　of　living　man

appeared。　　Mugambi　shook　his　head；　and　continued　along

the　trail；　but　with　redoubled　caution。



All　day　he　traveled；　stopping　occasionally　to　call

aloud　the　single　word；　〃Lady；〃　in　the　hope　that　at　last

she　might　hear　and　respond；　but　in　the　end　his　loyal

devotion　brought　him　to　disaster。



From　the　northeast；　for　several　months；　Abdul　Mourak；

in　command　of　a　detachment　of　Abyssinian　soldiers；　had

been　assiduously　searching　for　the　Arab　raider；　Achmet

Zek；　who；　six　months　previously；　had　affronted　the

majesty　of　Abdul　Mourak's　emperor　by　conducting　a　slave

raid　within　the　boundaries　of　Menelek's　domain。



And　now　it　happened　that　Abdul　Mourak　had　halted　for　a

short　rest　at　noon　upon　this　very　day　and　along　the

same　trail　that　Werper　and　Mugambi　were　following

toward　the　east。



It　was　shortly　after　the　soldiers　had　dismounted　that

the　Belgian；　unaware　of　their　presence；　rode　his　tired

mount　almost　into　their　midst；　before　he　had　discovered

them。　　Instantly　he　was　surrounded；　and　a　volley　of

questions　hurled　at　him；　as　he　was　pulled　from　his

horse　and　led　toward　the　presence　of　the　commander。



Falling　back　upon　his　European　nationality；　Werper

assured　Abdul　Mourak　that　he　was　a　Frenchman；　hunting

in　Africa；　and　that　he　had　been　attacked　by　strangers；

his　safari　killed　or　scattered；　and　himself　escaping

only　by　a　miracle。



From　a　chance　remark　of　the　Abyssinian；　Werper

discovered　the　purpose　of　the　expedition；　and　when　he

realized　that　these　men　were　the　enemies　of　Achmet　Zek；

he　took　heart；　and　immediately　blamed　his　predicament

upon　the　Arab。



Lest；　however；　he　might　again　fall　into　the　hands　of

the　raider；　he　discouraged　Abdul　Mourak　in　the　further

prosecution　of　his　pursuit；　assuring　the　Abyssinian

that　Achmet　Zek　commanded　a　large　and　dangerous　force；

and　also　that　he　was　marching　rapidly　toward　the　south。



Convinced　that　it　would　take　a　long　time　to　overhaul

the　raider；　and　that　the　chances　of　engagement　made　the

outcome　extremely　questionable；　Mourak；　none　too

unwillingly；　abandoned　his　plan　and　gave　the　necessary

orders　for　his　command　to　pitch　camp　where　they　were；

preparatory　to　taking　up　the　return　march　toward

Abyssinia　the　following　morning。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　that　the　attention　of　the

camp　was　attracted　toward　the　west　by　the　sound　of　a

powerful　voice　calling　a　single　word；　repeated　several

times：　〃Lady！　　Lady！　　Lady！〃



True　to　their　instincts　of　precaution；　a　number　of

Abyssinians；　acting　under　orders　from　Abdul　Mourak；

advanced　stealthily　through　the　jungle　toward　the

author　of　the　call。



A　half　hour　later　they　returned；　dragging　Mugambi　among

them。　　The　first　person　the　big　black's　eyes　fell　upon

as　he　was　hustled　into　the　presence　of　the　Abyssinian

officer；　was　M。　Jules　Frecoult；　the　Frenchman　who　had

been　the　guest　of　his　master　and　whom　he　last　had　seen

entering　the　village　of　Achmet　Zek　under　circumstances

which　pointed　to　his　familiarity　and　friendship　for　the

raiders。



Between　the　disasters　that　had　befallen　his　master　and

his　master's　house；　and　the　Frenchman；　Mugambi　saw　a

sinister　relationship；　which　kept　him　from　recalling　to

Werper's　attention　the　identity　which　the　latter

evidently　failed　to　recognize。



Pleading　that　he　was　but　a　harmless　hunter　from　a　tribe

farther　south；　Mugambi　begged　to　be　allowed　to　go　upon

his　way；　but　Abdul　Mourak；　admiring　the　warrior's

splendid　physique；　decided　to　take　him　back　to　Adis

Abeba　and　present　him　to　Menelek。　　A　few　moments　later

Mugambi　and　Werper　were　marched　away　under　guard；　and

the　Belgian　learned　for　the　first　time；　tha