tarzan and the jewels of opar-第32章

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was　empty；　and　his　sense　of　smell　discovered；　too；　the

scent　spoor　of　Taglat；　the　ape。　　Tarzan　uttered　a　low；

ominous　growl。　　Those　who　were　pressing　forward　at　the

doorway　to　seize　him；　fell　back　as　the　savage　notes　of

the　bestial　challenge　smote　upon　their　ears。　　They

looked　at　one　another　in　surprise　and　consternation。

A　man　had　entered　the　hut　alone；　and　yet　with　their　own

ears　they　had　heard　the　voice　of　a　wild　beast　within。

What　could　it　mean？　　Had　a　lion　or　a　leopard　sought

sanctuary　in　the　interior；　unbeknown　to　the　sentries？



Tarzan's　quick　eyes　discovered　the　opening　in　the　roof；

through　which　Taglat　had　fallen。　　He　guessed　that　the

ape　had　either　come　or　gone　by　way　of　the　break；　and

while　the　Arabs　hesitated　without；　he　sprang；　catlike；

for　the　opening；　grasped　the　top　of　the　wall　and

clambered　out　upon　the　roof；　dropping　instantly　to　the

ground　at　the　rear　of　the　hut。



When　the　Arabs　finally　mustered　courage　to　enter　the

hut；　after　firing　several　volleys　through　the　walls；

they　found　the　interior　deserted。　　At　the　same　time

Tarzan；　at　the　far　end　of　the　village；　sought　for

Chulk；　but　the　ape　was　nowhere　to　be　found。



Robbed　of　his　she；　deserted　by　his　companions；　and　as

much　in　ignorance　as　ever　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　his

pouch　and　pebbles；　it　was　an　angry　Tarzan　who　climbed

the　palisade　and　vanished　into　the　darkness　of　the

jungle。



For　the　present　he　must　give　up　the　search　for　his

pouch；　since　it　would　be　paramount　to　self…destruction

to　enter　the　Arab　camp　now　while　all　its　inhabitants

were　aroused　and　upon　the　alert。



In　his　escape　from　the　village；　the　ape…man　had　lost

the　spoor　of　the　fleeing　Taglat；　and　now　he　circled

widely　through　the　forest　in　an　endeavor　to　again　pick

it　up。



Chulk　had　remained　at　his　post　until　the　cries　and

shots　of　the　Arabs　had　filled　his　simple　soul　with

terror；　for　above　all　things　the　ape　folk　fear　the

thunder…sticks　of　the　Tarmangani；　then　he　had　clambered

nimbly　over　the　palisade；　tearing　his　burnoose　in　the

effort；　and　fled　into　the　depths　of　the　jungle；

grumbling　and　scolding　as　he　went。



Tarzan；　roaming　the　jungle　in　search　of　the　trail　of

Taglat　and　the　she；　traveled　swiftly。　　In　a　little

moonlit　glade　ahead　of　him　the　great　ape　was　bending

over　the　prostrate　form　of　the　woman　Tarzan　sought。

The　beast　was　tearing　at　the　bonds　that　confined　her

ankles　and　wrists；　pulling　and　gnawing　upon　the　cords。



The　course　the　ape…man　was　taking　would　carry　him　but　a

short　distance　to　the　right　of　them；　and　though　he

could　not　have　seen　them　the　wind　was　bearing　down　from　them

to　him；　carrying　their　scent　spoor　strongly　toward　him。



A　moment　more　and　Jane　Clayton's　safety　might　have　been

assured；　even　though　Numa；　the　lion；　was　already

gathering　himself　in　preparation　for　a　charge；　but

Fate；　already　all　too　cruel；　now　outdid　herselfthe

wind　veered　suddenly　for　a　few　moments；　the　scent　spoor

that　would　have　led　the　ape…man　to　the　girl's　side　was

wafted　in　the　opposite　direction；　Tarzan　passed　within

fifty　yards　of　the　tragedy　that　was　being　enacted　in

the　glade；　and　the　opportunity　was　gone　beyond　recall。







18



The　Fight　For　the　Treasure





It　was　morning　before　Tarzan　could　bring　himself　to　a

realization　of　the　possibility　of　failure　of　his　quest；

and　even　then　he　would　only　admit　that　success　was　but

delayed。　　He　would　eat　and　sleep；　and　then　set　forth

again。　　The　jungle　was　wide；　but　wide　too　were　the

experience　and　cunning　of　Tarzan。　　Taglat　might　travel

far；　but　Tarzan　would　find　him　in　the　end；　though　he

had　to　search　every　tree　in　the　mighty　forest。



Soliloquizing　thus；　the　ape…man　followed　the　spoor　of

Bara；　the　deer；　the　unfortunate　upon　which　he　had

decided　to　satisfy　his　hunger。　　For　half　an　hour　the

trail　led　the　ape…man　toward　the　east　along　a

well…marked　game　path；　when　suddenly；　to　the　stalker's

astonishment；　the　quarry　broke　into　sight；　racing　madly

back　along　the　narrow　way　straight　toward　the　hunter。



Tarzan；　who　had　been　following　along　the　trail；　leaped

so　quickly　to　the　concealing　verdure　at　the　side　that

the　deer　was　still　unaware　of　the　presence　of　an　enemy

in　this　direction；　and　while　the　animal　was　still　some

distance　away；　the　ape…man　swung　into　the　lower

branches　of　the　tree　which　overhung　the　trail。　　There

he　crouched；　a　savage　beast　of　prey；　awaiting　the

coming　of　its　victim。



What　had　frightened　the　deer　into　so　frantic　a　retreat；

Tarzan　did　not　knowNuma；　the　lion；　perhaps；　or

Sheeta；　the　panther；　but　whatsoever　it　was　mattered

little　to　Tarzan　of　the　Apeshe　was　ready　and　willing

to　defend　his　kill　against　any　other　denizen　of　the

jungle。　　If　he　were　unable　to　do　it　by　means　of

physical　prowess；　he　had　at　his　command　another　and　a

greater　powerhis　shrewd　intelligence。



And　so；　on　came　the　running　deer；　straight　into　the

jaws　of　death。　　The　ape…man　turned　so　that　his　back　was

toward　the　approaching　animal。　　He　poised　with　bent

knees　upon　the　gently　swaying　limb　above　the　trail；

timing　with　keen　ears　the　nearing　hoof　beats　of

frightened　Bara。



In　a　moment　the　victim　flashed　beneath　the　limb　and　at

the　same　instant　the　ape…man　above　sprang　out　and　down

upon　its　back。　　The　weight　of　the　man's　body　carried

the　deer　to　the　ground。　　It　stumbled　forward　once　in　a

futile　effort　to　rise；　and　then　mighty　muscles　dragged

its　head　far　back；　gave　the　neck　a　vicious　wrench；　and

Bara　was　dead。



Quick　had　been　the　killing；　and　equally　quick　were　the

ape…man's　subsequent　actions；　for　who　might　know　what

manner　of　killer　pursued　Bara；　or　how　close　at　hand　he

might　be？　　Scarce　had　the　neck　of　the　victim　snapped

than　the　carcass　was　hanging　over　one　of　Tarzan's　broad

shoulders；　and　an　instant　later　the　ape…man　was　perched

once　more　among　the　lower　branches　of　a　tree　above　the

trail；　his　keen；　gray　eyes　scanning　the　pathway　down

which　the　deer　had　fled。



Nor　was　it　long　before　the　cause　of　Bara's　fright

became　evident　to　Tarzan；　for　presently　came　the

unmistakable　sounds　of　approaching　horsemen。　　Dragging

his　kill　after　him　the　ape…man　ascended　to　the　middle

terrace；　and　settling　himself　comfortably　in　the　crotch

of　a　tree　where　he　could　still　view　the　trail　beneath；

cut　a　juicy　steak　from　the　deer's　loin；　and　burying　his

strong；　white　teeth　in　the　hot　flesh　proceeded　to　enjoy

the　fruits　of　his　prowess　and　his　cunning。



Nor　did　he　neglect　the　trail　beneath　while　he　satisfied

his　hunger。　　His　sharp　eyes　saw　the　muzzle　of　the

leading　horse　as　it　came　into　view　around　a　bend　in　the

tortuous　trail；　and　one　by　one　they　scrutinized　the

riders　as　they　passed　beneath　him　in　single　file。



Among　them　came　one　whom　Tarzan　recognized；　but　so

schooled　was　the　ape…man　in　the　control　of　his　emotions

that　no　slightest　change　of　expression；　much　less　any

hysterical　demonstration　that　might　have　revealed　his

presence；　betrayed　the　fact　of　his　inward　excitement。



Beneath　him；　as　unconscious　of　his　presence　as　were　the

Abyssinians　before　and　behind　him；　rode　Albert　Werper；

while　the　ape…man　scrutinized　the　Belgian　for　some　sign

of　the　pouch　which　he　had　stolen。



As　the　Abyssinians　rode　toward　the　south；　a　giant

figure　hovered　ever　upon　their　traila　huge；　almost

naked　white　man；　who　carried　the　bloody　carcass　of　a

deer　upon　his　shoulders；　for　Tarzan　knew　that　he　might

not　have　another　opportunity　to　hunt　for　some　time　if

he　were　to　follow　the　Belgian。



To　endeavor　to　snatch　him　from　the　midst　of　the　armed

horsemen；　not　even　Tarzan　would　attempt　other　than　in

the　last　extremity；　for　the　way　of　the　wild　is　the　way

of　caution　and　cunning；　unless　they　be　aroused　to

rashness　by　pain　or　anger。



So　the　Abyssinians　and　the　Belgian　marched　southward

and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　swung　silently　after　them

through　the　swaying　branches　of　the　middle　terrace。



A　two　days'　march　brought　th