tarzan and the jewels of opar-第42章

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not　endure　the　silent　reproach　of　your　lifeless　body。〃



The　girl　held　up　her　hand　to　stop。　　A　smile　touched　her

lips。



〃Are　you　quite　mad？〃　she　asked。　　〃Do　you　imagine　that

the　sentries　will　credit　any　such　ridiculous　tale？〃



〃You　do　not　know　them；〃　he　replied。　　〃Beneath　their

rough　exteriors；　despite　their　calloused　and　criminal

natures；　there　exists　in　each　a　well…defined　strain　of

romantic　emotionalismyou　will　find　it　among　such　as

these　throughout　the　world。　　It　is　romance　which　lures

men　to　lead　wild　lives　of　outlawry　and　crime。　　The　ruse

will　succeednever　fear。〃



Jane　Clayton　shrugged。　　〃We　can　but　try　itand　then

what？〃



〃I　shall　hide　you　in　the　jungle；〃　continued　the

Belgian；　〃coming　for　you　alone　and　with　two　horses　in

the　morning。〃



〃But　how　will　you　explain　Mohammed　Beyd's　death？〃　she

asked。　　〃It　will　be　discovered　before　ever　you　can

escape　the　camp　in　the　morning。〃



〃I　shall　not　explain　it；〃　replied　Werper。　　〃Mohammed

Beyd　shall　explain　it　himselfwe　must　leave　that　to

him。　　Are　you　ready　for　the　venture？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃But　wait；　I　must　get　you　a　weapon　and　ammunition；〃

and　Werper　walked　quickly　from　the　tent。



Very　shortly　he　returned　with　an　extra　revolver　and

ammunition　belt　strapped　about　his　waist。



〃Are　you　ready？〃　he　asked。



〃Quite　ready；〃　replied　the　girl。



〃Then　come　and　throw　yourself　limply　across　my　left

shoulder；〃　and　Werper　knelt　to　receive　her。



〃There；〃　he　said；　as　he　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Now；　let

your　arms；　your　legs　and　your　head　hang　limply。

Remember　that　you　are　dead。〃



A　moment　later　the　man　walked　out　into　the　camp；　the

body　of　the　woman　across　his　shoulder。



A　thorn　boma　had　been　thrown　up　about　the　camp；　to

discourage　the　bolder　of　the　hungry　carnivora。　　A

couple　of　sentries　paced　to　and　fro　in　the　light　of　a

fire　which　they　kept　burning　brightly。　　The　nearer　of

these　looked　up　in　surprise　as　he　saw　Werper　approaching。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　cried。　　〃What　have　you　there？〃



Werper　raised　the　hood　of　his　burnoose　that　the　fellow

might　see　his　face。



〃This　is　the　body　of　the　woman；〃　he　explained。

〃Mohammed　Beyd　has　asked　me　to　take　it　into　the　jungle；

for　he　cannot　bear　to　look　upon　the　face　of　her　whom　he

loved；　and　whom　necessity　compelled　him　to　slay。　　He

suffers　greatlyhe　is　inconsolable。　　It　was　with

difficulty　that　I　prevented　him　taking　his　own　life。〃



Across　the　speaker's　shoulder；　limp　and　frightened；　the

girl　waited　for　the　Arab's　reply。　　He　would　laugh　at

this　preposterous　story；　of　that　she　was　sure。　　In　an

instant　he　would　unmask　the　deception　that　M。　Frecoult

was　attempting　to　practice　upon　him；　and　they　would

both　be　lost。　　She　tried　to　plan　how　best　she　might　aid

her　would…be　rescuer　in　the　fight　which　must　most

certainly　follow　within　a　moment　or　two。



Then　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　Arab　as　he　replied　to

M。　Frecoult。



〃Are　you　going　alone；　or　do　you　wish　me　to　awaken

someone　to　accompany　you？〃　he　asked；　and　his　tone

denoted　not　the　least　surprise　that　Mohammed　Beyd　had

suddenly　discovered　such　remarkably　sensitive

characteristics。



〃I　shall　go　alone；〃　replied　Werper；　and　he　passed　on

and　out　through　the　narrow　opening　in　the　boma；　by

which　the　sentry　stood。



A　moment　later　he　had　entered　among　the　boles　of　the

trees　with　his　burden；　and　when　safely　hidden　from　the

sentry's　view　lowered　the　girl　to　her　feet；　with　a　low；

〃sh…sh；〃　when　she　would　have　spoken。



Then　he　led　her　a　little　farther　into　the　forest；

halted　beneath　a　large　tree　with　spreading　branches；

buckled　a　cartridge　belt　and　revolver　about　her　waist；

and　assisted　her　to　clamber　into　the　lower　branches。



〃Tomorrow；〃　he　whispered；　〃as　soon　as　I　can　elude　them；

I　will　return　for　you。　　Be　brave；　Lady　Greystokewe

may　yet　escape。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　she　replied　in　a　low　tone。　　〃You　have　been

very　kind；　and　very　brave。〃



Werper　did　not　reply；　and　the　darkness　of　the　night　hid

the　scarlet　flush　of　shame　which　swept　upward　across

his　face。　　Quickly　he　turned　and　made　his　way　back　to

camp。　　The　sentry；　from　his　post；　saw　him　enter　his　own

tent；　but　he　did　not　see　him　crawl　under　the　canvas　at

the　rear　and　sneak　cautiously　to　the　tent　which　the

prisoner　had　occupied；　where　now　lay　the　dead　body　of

Mohammed　Beyd。



Raising　the　lower　edge　of　the　rear　wall；　Werper　crept

within　and　approached　the　corpse。　　Without　an　instant's

hesitation　he　seized　the　dead　wrists　and　dragged　the

body　upon　its　back　to　the　point　where　he　had　just

entered。　　On　hands　and　knees　he　backed　out　as　he　had

come　in；　drawing　the　corpse　after　him。　　Once　outside

the　Belgian　crept　to　the　side　of　the　tent　and　surveyed

as　much　of　the　camp　as　lay　within　his　visionno　one

was　watching。



Returning　to　the　body；　he　lifted　it　to　his　shoulder；

and　risking　all　on　a　quick　sally；　ran　swiftly　across

the　narrow　opening　which　separated　the　prisoner's　tent

from　that　of　the　dead　man。　　Behind　the　silken　wall　he

halted　and　lowered　his　burden　to　the　ground；　and　there

he　remained　motionless　for　several　minutes；　listening。



Satisfied；　at　last；　that　no　one　had　seen　him；　he

stooped　and　raised　the　bottom　of　the　tent　wall；　backed

in　and　dragged　the　thing　that　had　been　Mohammed　Beyd

after　him。　　To　the　sleeping　rugs　of　the　dead　raider　he

drew　the　corpse；　then　he　fumbled　about　in　the　darkness

until　he　had　found　Mohammed　Beyd's　revolver。　　With　the

weapon　in　his　hand　he　returned　to　the　side　of　the　dead

man；　kneeled　beside　the　bedding；　and　inserted　his　right

hand　with　the　weapon　beneath　the　rugs；　piled　a　number

of　thicknesses　of　the　closely　woven　fabric　over　and

about　the　revolver　with　his　left　hand。　　Then　he　pulled

the　trigger；　and　at　the　same　time　he　coughed。



The　muffled　report　could　not　have　been　heard　above　the

sound　of　his　cough　by　one　directly　outside　the　tent。

Werper　was　satisfied。　　A　grim　smile　touched　his　lips　as

he　withdrew　the　weapon　from　the　rugs　and　placed　it

carefully　in　the　right　hand　of　the　dead　man；　fixing

three　of　the　fingers　around　the　grip　and　the　index

finger　inside　the　trigger　guard。



A　moment　longer　he　tarried　to　rearrange　the　disordered

rugs；　and　then　he　left　as　he　had　entered；　fastening

down　the　rear　wall　of　the　tent　as　it　had　been　before　he

had　raised　it。



Going　to　the　tent　of　the　prisoner　he　removed　there　also

the　evidence　that　someone　might　have　come　or　gone

beneath　the　rear　wall。　　Then　he　returned　to　his　own

tent；　entered；　fastened　down　the　canvas；　and　crawled

into　his　blankets。



The　following　morning　he　was　awakened　by　the　excited

voice　of　Mohammed　Beyd's　slave　calling　to　him　at　the

entrance　of　his　tent。



〃Quick！　　Quick！〃　cried　the　black　in　a　frightened　tone。

〃Come！　　Mohammed　Beyd　is　dead　in　his　tentdead　by　his

own　hand。〃



Werper　sat　up　quickly　in　his　blankets　at　the　first

alarm；　a　startled　expression　upon　his　countenance；　but

at　the　last　words　of　the　black　a　sigh　of　relief　escaped

his　lips　and　a　slight　smile　replaced　the　tense　lines

upon　his　face。



〃I　come；〃　he　called　to　the　slave；　and　drawing　on　his

boots；　rose　and　went　out　of　his　tent。



Excited　Arabs　and　blacks　were　running　from　all　parts　of

the　camp　toward　the　silken　tent　of　Mohammed　Beyd；　and

when　Werper　entered　he　found　a　number　of　the　raiders

crowded　about　the　corpse；　now　cold　and　stiff。



Shouldering　his　way　among　them；　the　Belgian　halted

beside　the　dead　body　of　the　raider。　　He　looked　down　in

silence　for　a　moment　upon　the　still　face；　then　he

wheeled　upon　the　Arabs。



〃Who　has　done　this　thing？〃　he　cried。　　His　tone　was　both

menacing　and　accusing。　　〃Who　has　murdered　Mohammed　Beyd？〃



A　sudden　chorus　of　voices　arose　in　tumultuous　protest。



〃Mohammed　Beyd　was　not　murdered；〃　they　cried。　　〃He　died

by　his　own　hand。　　This；　and　Allah；　are　our　witnesses；〃

and　they　pointed　to　a　revolver　in　the　dead　man's　hand。



For　a　time　Werper　pretended　to　b