tarzan and the jewels of opar-第4章

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with　the　hideous　challenge　of　their　master。



And　then　he　went　on　more　slowly　and　with　greater

stealth　and　caution；　for　now　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was

seeking　a　kill。　　Down　to　the　ground　he　came　in　the

utter　blackness　of　the　close…set　boles　and　the

overhanging　verdure　of　the　jungle。　He　stooped　from　time

to　time　and　put　his　nose　close　to　earth。　　He　sought　and

found　a　wide　game　trail　and　at　last　his　nostrils　were

rewarded　with　the　scent　of　the　fresh　spoor　of　Bara；　the

deer。　　Tarzan's　mouth　watered　and　a　low　growl　escaped

his　patrician　lips。　　Sloughed　from　him　was　the　last

vestige　of　artificial　casteonce　again　he　was　the

primeval　hunterthe　first　manthe　highest　caste　type

of　the　human　race。　　Up　wind　he　followed　the　elusive

spoor　with　a　sense　of　perception　so　transcending　that

of　ordinary　man　as　to　be　inconceivable　to　us。　　Through

counter　currents　of　the　heavy　stench　of　meat　eaters　he

traced　the　trail　of　Bara；　the　sweet　and　cloying　stink

of　Horta；　the　boar；　could　not　drown　his　quarry's　scent

the　permeating；　mellow　musk　of　the　deer's　foot。



Presently　the　body　scent　of　the　deer　told　Tarzan　that

his　prey　was　close　at　hand。　　It　sent　him　into　the　trees

againinto　the　lower　terrace　where　he　could　watch　the

ground　below　and　catch　with　ears　and　nose　the　first

intimation　of　actual　contact　with　his　quarry。　　Nor　was

it　long　before　the　ape…man　came　upon　Bara　standing

alert　at　the　edge　of　a　moon…bathed　clearing。

Noiselessly　Tarzan　crept　through　the　trees　until　he　was

directly　over　the　deer。　　In　the　ape…man's　right　hand

was　the　long　hunting　knife　of　his　father　and　in　his

heart　the　blood　lust　of　the　carnivore。　　Just　for　an

instant　he　poised　above　the　unsuspecting　Bara　and　then

he　launched　himself　downward　upon　the　sleek　back。　　The

impact　of　his　weight　carried　the　deer　to　its　knees　and

before　the　animal　could　regain　its　feet　the　knife　had

found　its　heart。　　As　Tarzan　rose　upon　the　body　of　his

kill　to　scream　forth　his　hideous　victory　cry　into　the

face　of　the　moon　the　wind　carried　to　his　nostrils

something　which　froze　him　to　statuesque　immobility　and

silence。　　His　savage　eyes　blazed　into　the　direction

from　which　the　wind　had　borne　down　the　warning　to　him

and　a　moment　later　the　grasses　at　one　side　of　the

clearing　parted　and　Numa；　the　lion；　strode　majestically

into　view。　　His　yellow…green　eyes　were　fastened　upon

Tarzan　as　he　halted　just　within　the　clearing　and　glared

enviously　at　the　successful　hunter；　for　Numa　had　had　no

luck　this　night。



From　the　lips　of　the　ape…man　broke　a　rumbling　growl　of

warning。　　Numa　answered　but　he　did　not　advance。

Instead　he　stood　waving　his　tail　gently　to　and　fro；

and　presently　Tarzan　squatted　upon　his　kill　and　cut　a

generous　portion　from　a　hind　quarter。　　Numa　eyed　him

with　growing　resentment　and　rage　as；　between　mouthfuls；

the　ape…man　growled　out　his　savage　warnings。　　Now　this

particular　lion　had　never　before　come　in　contact　with

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　and　he　was　much　mystified。　　Here　was

the　appearance　and　the　scent　of　a　man…thing　and　Numa

had　tasted　of　human　flesh　and　learned　that　though　not

the　most　palatable　it　was　certainly　by　far　the　easiest

to　secure；　yet　there　was　that　in　the　bestial　growls　of

the　strange　creature　which　reminded　him　of　formidable

antagonists　and　gave　him　pause；　while　his　hunger　and

the　odor　of　the　hot　flesh　of　Bara　goaded　him　almost　to

madness。　　Always　Tarzan　watched　him；　guessing　what　was

passing　in　the　little　brain　of　the　carnivore　and　well

it　was　that　he　did　watch　him；　for　at　last　Numa　could

stand　it　no　longer。　　His　tail　shot　suddenly　erect　and

at　the　same　instant　the　wary　ape…man；　knowing　all　too

well　what　the　signal　portended；　grasped　the　remainder

of　the　deer's　hind　quarter　between　his　teeth　and　leaped

into　a　nearby　tree　as　Numa　charged　him　with　all　the

speed　and　a　sufficient　semblance　of　the　weight　of　an

express　train。



Tarzan's　retreat　was　no　indication　that　he　felt　fear。

Jungle　life　is　ordered　along　different　lines　than　ours

and　different　standards　prevail。　　Had　Tarzan　been

famished　he　would；　doubtless；　have　stood　his　ground　and

met　the　lion's　charge。　　He　had　done　the　thing　before

upon　more　than　one　occasion；　just　as　in　the　past　he　had

charged　lions　himself；　but　tonight　he　was　far　from

famished　and　in　the　hind　quarter　he　had　carried　off

with　him　was　more　raw　flesh　than　he　could　eat；　yet　it

was　with　no　equanimity　that　he　looked　down　upon　Numa

rending　the　flesh　of　Tarzan's　kill。　　The　presumption　of

this　strange　Numa　must　be　punished！　　And　forthwith

Tarzan　set　out　to　make　life　miserable　for　the　big　cat。

Close　by　were　many　trees　bearing　large；　hard　fruits　and

to　one　of　these　the　ape…man　swung　with　the　agility　of　a

squirrel。　　Then　commenced　a　bombardment　which　brought

forth　earthshaking　roars　from　Numa。　　One　after　another

as　rapidly　as　he　could　gather　and　hurl　them；　Tarzan

pelted　the　hard　fruit　down　upon　the　lion。　　It　was

impossible　for　the　tawny　cat　to　eat　under　that　hail　of

missileshe　could　but　roar　and　growl　and　dodge　and

eventually　he　was　driven　away　entirely　from　the　carcass

of　Bara；　the　deer。　　He　went　roaring　and　resentful；　but

in　the　very　center　of　the　clearing　his　voice　was

suddenly　hushed　and　Tarzan　saw　the　great　head　lower　and

flatten　out；　the　body　crouch　and　the　long　tail　quiver；

as　the　beast　slunk　cautiously　toward　the　trees　upon　the

opposite　side。



Immediately　Tarzan　was　alert。　　He　lifted　his　head　and

sniffed　the　slow；　jungle　breeze。　　What　was　it　that　had

attracted　Numa's　attention　and　taken　him　soft…footed

and　silent　away　from　the　scene　of　his　discomfiture？

Just　as　the　lion　disappeared　among　the　trees　beyond　the

clearing　Tarzan　caught　upon　the　down…coming　wind　the

explanation　of　his　new　interestthe　scent　spoor　of　man

was　wafted　strongly　to　the　sensitive　nostrils。　　Caching

the　remainder　of　the　deer's　hind　quarter　in　the　crotch

of　a　tree　the　ape…man　wiped　his　greasy　palms　upon　his

naked　thighs　and　swung　off　in　pursuit　of　Numa。　　A

broad；　well…beaten　elephant　path　led　into　the　forest

from　the　clearing。　　Parallel　to　this　slunk　Numa；　while

above　him　Tarzan　moved　through　the　trees；　the　shadow　of

a　wraith。　　The　savage　cat　and　the　savage　man　saw　Numa's

quarry　almost　simultaneously；　though　both　had　known

before　it　came　within　the　vision　of　their　eyes　that　it

was　a　black　man。　　Their　sensitive　nostrils　had　told

them　this　much　and　Tarzan's　had　told　him　that　the　scent

spoor　was　that　of　a　strangerold　and　a　male；　for　race

and　sex　and　age　each　has　its　own　distinctive　scent。

It　was　an　old　man　that　made　his　way　alone　through　the

gloomy　jungle；　a　wrinkled；　dried　up；　little　old　man

hideously　scarred　and　tattooed　and　strangely　garbed；

with　the　skin　of　a　hyena　about　his　shoulders　and　the

dried　head　mounted　upon　his　grey　pate。　　Tarzan

recognized　the　ear…marks　of　the　witch…doctor　and

awaited　Numa's　charge　with　a　feeling　of　pleasurable

anticipation；　for　the　ape…man　had　no　love　for

witch…doctors；　but　in　the　instant　that　Numa　did　charge；

the　white　man　suddenly　recalled　that　the　lion　had　stolen

his　kill　a　few　minutes　before　and　that　revenge　is

sweet。



The　first　intimation　the　black　man　had　that　he　was　in

danger　was　the　crash　of　twigs　as　Numa　charged　through

the　bushes　into　the　game　trail　not　twenty　yards　behind

him。　　Then　he　turned　to　see　a　huge；　black…maned　lion

racing　toward　him　and　even　as　he　turned；　Numa　seized

him。　　At　the　same　instant　the　ape…man　dropped　from　an

overhanging　limb　full　upon　the　lion's　back　and　as　he

alighted　he　plunged　his　knife　into　the　tawny　side

behind　the　left　shoulder；　tangled　the　fingers　of　his

right　hand　in　the　long　mane；　buried　his　teeth　in　Numa's

neck　and　wound　his　powerful　legs　about　the　beast's

torso。　　With　a　roar　of　pain　and　rage；　Numa　reared　up

and　fell　backward　upon　the　ape…man；　but　still　the

mighty　man…thing　clung　to　his　hold　and　repeatedly　the

long　knife　plunged　rapidly　into　his　side。　　Over　and

over　rolled　Numa；　the　lion；　clawing　and