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place。



Scarcely　had　Frecoult　hidden　himself　than　the　figure　of

a　white…robed　Arab　crept　silently　along　the　trail　in

pursuit。　　From　her　hiding　place；　Jane　Clayton　could　see

both　men　plainly。　　She　recognized　Achmet　Zek　as　the

leader　of　the　band　of　ruffians　who　had　raided　her　home

and　made　her　a　prisoner；　and　as　she　saw　Frecoult；　the

supposed　friend　and　ally；　raise　his　gun　and　take

careful　aim　at　the　Arab；　her　heart　stood　still　and

every　power　of　her　soul　was　directed　upon　a　fervent

prayer　for　the　accuracy　of　his　aim。



Achmet　Zek　paused　in　the　middle　of　the　trail。　　His　keen

eyes　scanned　every　bush　and　tree　within　the　radius　of

his　vision。　　His　tall　figure　presented　a　perfect　target

to　the　perfidious　assassin。　　There　was　a　sharp　report；

and　a　little　puff　of　smoke　arose　from　the　bush　that　hid

the　Belgian；　as　Achmet　Zek　stumbled　forward　and

pitched；　face　down；　upon　the　trail。



As　Werper　stepped　back　into　the　trail；　he　was　startled

by　the　sound　of　a　glad　cry　from　above　him；　and　as　he

wheeled　about　to　discover　the　author　of　this　unexpected

interruption；　he　saw　Jane　Clayton　drop　lightly　from　a

nearby　tree　and　run　forward　with　outstretched　hands　to

congratulate　him　upon　his　victory。







20



Jane　Clayton　Again　a　Prisoner





Though　her　clothes　were　torn　and　her　hair　disheveled；

Albert　Werper　realized　that　he　never　before　had　looked

upon　such　a　vision　of　loveliness　as　that　which　Lady

Greystoke　presented　in　the　relief　and　joy　which　she

felt　in　coming　so　unexpectedly　upon　a　friend　and

rescuer　when　hope　had　seemed　so　far　away。



If　the　Belgian　had　entertained　any　doubts　as　to　the

woman's　knowledge　of　his　part　in　the　perfidious　attack

upon　her　home　and　herself；　it　was　quickly　dissipated　by

the　genuine　friendliness　of　her　greeting。　　She　told　him

quickly　of　all　that　had　befallen　her　since　he　had

departed　from　her　home；　and　as　she　spoke　of　the　death

of　her　husband　her　eyes　were　veiled　by　the　tears　which

she　could　not　repress。



〃I　am　shocked；〃　said　Werper；　in　well…simulated

sympathy；　〃but　I　am　not　surprised。　　That　devil　there；〃

and　he　pointed　toward　the　body　of　Achmet　Zek；　〃has

terrorized　the　entire　country。　　Your　Waziri　are　either

exterminated；　or　have　been　driven　out　of　their　country；

far　to　the　south。　　The　men　of　Achmet　Zek　occupy　the

plain　about　your　former　homethere　is　neither

sanctuary　nor　escape　in　that　direction。　　Our　only　hope

lies　in　traveling　northward　as　rapidly　as　we　may；　of

coming　to　the　camp　of　the　raiders　before　the　knowledge

of　Achmet　Zek's　death　reaches　those　who　were　left

there；　and　of　obtaining；　through　some　ruse；　an　escort

toward　the　north。



〃I　think　that　the　thing　can　be　accomplished；　for　I　was

a　guest　of　the　raider's　before　I　knew　the　nature　of　the

man；　and　those　at　the　camp　are　not　aware　that　I　turned

against　him　when　I　discovered　his　villainy。



〃Come！　　We　will　make　all　possible　haste　to　reach　the

camp　before　those　who　accompanied　Achmet　Zek　upon　his

last　raid　have　found　his　body　and　carried　the　news　of

his　death　to　the　cut…throats　who　remained　behind。　　It

is　our　only　hope；　Lady　Greystoke；　and　you　must　place

your　entire　faith　in　me　if　I　am　to　succeed。　　Wait　for

me　here　a　moment　while　I　take　from　the　Arab's　body　the

wallet　that　he　stole　from　me；〃　and　Werper　stepped

quickly　to　the　dead　man's　side；　and；　kneeling；　sought

with　quick　fingers　the　pouch　of　jewels。　　To　his

consternation；　there　was　no　sign　of　them　in　the

garments　of　Achmet　Zek。　　Rising；　he　walked　back　along

the　trail；　searching　for　some　trace　of　the　missing

pouch　or　its　contents；　but　he　found　nothing；　even

though　he　searched　carefully　the　vicinity　of　his　dead

horse；　and　for　a　few　paces　into　the　jungle　on　either

side。　　Puzzled；　disappointed　and　angry；　he　at　last

returned　to　the　girl。　　〃The　wallet　is　gone；〃　he

explained；　crisply；　〃and　I　dare　not　delay　longer　in

search　of　it。　We　must　reach　the　camp　before　the

returning　raiders。〃



Unsuspicious　of　the　man's　true　character；　Jane　Clayton

saw　nothing　peculiar　in　his　plans；　or　in　his　specious

explanation　of　his　former　friendship　for　the　raider；

and　so　she　grasped　with　alacrity　the　seeming　hope　for

safety　which　he　proffered　her；　and　turning　about　she

set　out　with　Albert　Werper　toward　the　hostile　camp　in

which　she　so　lately　had　been　a　prisoner。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　second　day　before

they　reached　their　destination；　and　as　they　paused　upon

the　edge　of　the　clearing　before　the　gates　of　the　walled

village；　Werper　cautioned　the　girl　to　accede　to

whatever　he　might　suggest　by　his　conversation　with　the

raiders。



〃I　shall　tell　them；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　apprehended　you

after　you　escaped　from　the　camp；　that　I　took　you　to

Achmet　Zek；　and　that　as　he　was　engaged　in　a　stubborn

battle　with　the　Waziri；　he　directed　me　to　return　to

camp　with　you；　to　obtain　here　a　sufficient　guard；　and

to　ride　north　with　you　as　rapidly　as　possible　and

dispose　of　you　at　the　most　advantageous　terms　to　a

certain　slave　broker　whose　name　he　gave　me。〃



Again　the　girl　was　deceived　by　the　apparent　frankness

of　the　Belgian。　　She　realized　that　desperate　situations

required　desperate　handling；　and　though　she　trembled

inwardly　at　the　thought　of　again　entering　the　vile　and

hideous　village　of　the　raiders　she　saw　no　better　course

than　that　which　her　companion　had　suggested。



Calling　aloud　to　those　who　tended　the　gates；　Werper；

grasping　Jane　Clayton　by　the　arm；　walked　boldly　across

the　clearing。　　Those　who　opened　the　gates　to　him

permitted　their　surprise　to　show　clearly　in　their

expressions。　　That　the　discredited　and　hunted

lieutenant　should　be　thus　returning　fearlessly　of　his

own　volition；　seemed　to　disarm　them　quite　as

effectually　as　his　manner　toward　Lady　Greystoke　had

deceived　her。



The　sentries　at　the　gate　returned　Werper's　salutations；

and　viewed　with　astonishment　the　prisoner　whom　he

brought　into　the　village　with　him。



Immediately　the　Belgian　sought　the　Arab　who　had　been

left　in　charge　of　the　camp　during　Achmet　Zek's　absence；

and　again　his　boldness　disarmed　suspicion　and　won　the

acceptance　of　his　false　explanation　of　his　return。

The　fact　that　he　had　brought　back　with　him　the　woman

prisoner　who　had　escaped；　added　strength　to　his　claims；

and　Mohammed　Beyd　soon　found　himself　fraternizing

good…naturedly　with　the　very　man　whom　he　would　have　slain

without　compunction　had　he　discovered　him　alone　in　the

jungle　a　half　hour　before。



Jane　Clayton　was　again　confined　to　the　prison　hut　she

had　formerly　occupied；　but　as　she　realized　that　this

was　but　a　part　of　the　deception　which　she　and　Frecoult

were　playing　upon　the　credulous　raiders；　it　was　with

quite　a　different　sensation　that　she　again　entered　the

vile　and　filthy　interior；　from　that　which　she　had

previously　experienced；　when　hope　was　so　far　away。



Once　more　she　was　bound　and　sentries　placed　before　the

door　of　her　prison；　but　before　Werper　left　her　he

whispered　words　of　cheer　into　her　ear。　　Then　he　left；

and　made　his　way　back　to　the　tent　of　Mohammed　Beyd。

He　had　been　wondering　how　long　it　would　be　before　the

raiders　who　had　ridden　out　with　Achmet　Zek　would　return

with　the　murdered　body　of　their　chief；　and　the　more　he

thought　upon　the　matter　the　greater　his　fears　became；

that　without　accomplices　his　plan　would　fail。



What；　even；　if　he　got　away　from　the　camp　in　safety

before　any　returned　with　the　true　story　of　his　guilt

of　what　value　would　this　advantage　be　other　than　to

protract　for　a　few　days　his　mental　torture　and　his

life？　　These　hard　riders；　familiar　with　every　trail　and

bypath；　would　get　him　long　before　he　could　hope　to

reach　the　coast。



As　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　he　entered

the　tent　where　Mohammed　Beyd　sat　cross…legged　upon　a

rug；　smoking。　　The　Arab　looked　up　as　the　European　came

into　his　presence。



〃Greetings；　O　Brother！〃　he　said。



〃Greetings！〃　replied　Werper。



For　a　wh