tarzan and the jewels of opar-第48章

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for　eluding　this　giant　Englishman；　who　was　at　once　his

savior　and　his　captor。



At　the　suggestion　Tarzan　started　as　though　struck　with

a　whip。



〃God！〃　he　cried；　〃she　might　be；　and　the　lions　are

attacking　themthey　are　in　the　camp。　　I　can　tell　from

the　screams　of　the　horsesand　there！　　that　was　the　cry

of　a　man　in　his　death　agonies。　　Stay　here　manI　will

come　back　for　you。　　I　must　go　first　to　them；〃　and

swinging　into　a　tree　the　lithe　figure　swung　rapidly　off

into　the　night　with　the　speed　and　silence　of　a

disembodied　spirit。



For　a　moment　Werper　stood　where　the　ape…man　had　left

him。　　Then　a　cunning　smile　crossed　his　lips。　　〃Stay

here？〃　he　asked　himself。　　〃Stay　here　and　wait　until　you

return　to　find　and　take　these　jewels　from　me？　　Not　I；　my

friend；　not　I；〃　and　turning　abruptly　eastward　Albert

Werper　passed　through　the　foliage　of　a　hanging　vine　and

out　of　the　sight　of　his　fellow…manforever。







24



Home





As　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　hurtled　through　the　trees　the

discordant　sounds　of　the　battle　between　the　Abyssinians

and　the　lions　smote　more　and　more　distinctly　upon　his

sensitive　ears；　redoubling　his　assurance　that　the

plight　of　the　human　element　of　the　conflict　was

critical　indeed。



At　last　the　glare　of　the　camp　fire　shone　plainly

through　the　intervening　trees；　and　a　moment　later　the

giant　figure　of　the　ape…man　paused　upon　an　overhanging

bough　to　look　down　upon　the　bloody　scene　of　carnage

below。



His　quick　eye　took　in　the　whole　scene　with　a　single

comprehending　glance　and　stopped　upon　the　figure　of　a

woman　standing　facing　a　great　lion　across　the　carcass

of　a　horse。



The　carnivore　was　crouching　to　spring　as　Tarzan

discovered　the　tragic　tableau。　　Numa　was　almost　beneath

the　branch　upon　which　the　ape…man　stood；　naked　and

unarmed。　　There　was　not　even　an　instant's　hesitation

upon　the　part　of　the　latterit　was　as　though　he　had

not　even　paused　in　his　swift　progress　through　the

trees；　so　lightning…like　his　survey　and　comprehension

of　the　scene　below　himso　instantaneous　his　consequent

action。



So　hopeless　had　seemed　her　situation　to　her　that　Jane

Clayton　but　stood　in　lethargic　apathy　awaiting　the

impact　of　the　huge　body　that　would　hurl　her　to　the

groundawaiting　the　momentary　agony　that　cruel　talons

and　grisly　fangs　may　inflict　before　the　coming　of　the

merciful　oblivion　which　would　end　her　sorrow　and　her

suffering。



What　use　to　attempt　escape？　　As　well　face　the　hideous

end　as　to　be　dragged　down　from　behind　in　futile　flight。

She　did　not　even　close　her　eyes　to　shut　out　the

frightful　aspect　of　that　snarling　face；　and　so　it　was

that　as　she　saw　the　lion　preparing　to　charge　she　saw；

too；　a　bronzed　and　mighty　figure　leap　from　an

overhanging　tree　at　the　instant　that　Numa　rose　in　his

spring。



Wide　went　her　eyes　in　wonder　and　incredulity；　as　she

beheld　this　seeming　apparition　risen　from　the　dead。

The　lion　was　forgottenher　own　perileverything　save

the　wondrous　miracle　of　this　strange　recrudescence。

With　parted　lips；　with　palms　tight　pressed　against　her

heaving　bosom；　the　girl　leaned　forward；　large…eyed；

enthralled　by　the　vision　of　her　dead　mate。



She　saw　the　sinewy　form　leap　to　the　shoulder　of　the

lion；　hurtling　against　the　leaping　beast　like　a　huge；

animate　battering　ram。　　She　saw　the　carnivore　brushed

aside　as　he　was　almost　upon　her；　and　in　the　instant　she

realized　that　no　substanceless　wraith　could　thus　turn

the　charge　of　a　maddened　lion　with　brute　force　greater

than　the　brute's。



Tarzan；　her　Tarzan；　lived！　　A　cry　of　unspeakable

gladness　broke　from　her　lips；　only　to　die　in　terror　as

she　saw　the　utter　defenselessness　of　her　mate；　and

realized　that　the　lion　had　recovered　himself　and　was

turning　upon　Tarzan　in　mad　lust　for　vengeance。



At　the　ape…man's　feet　lay　the　discarded　rifle　of　the

dead　Abyssinian　whose　mutilated　corpse　sprawled　where

Numa　had　abandoned　it。　　The　quick　glance　which　had

swept　the　ground　for　some　weapon　of　defense　discovered

it；　and　as　the　lion　reared　upon　his　hind　legs　to　seize

the　rash　man…thing　who　had　dared　interpose　its　puny

strength　between　Numa　and　his　prey；　the　heavy　stock

whirred　through　the　air　and　splintered　upon　the　broad

forehead。



Not　as　an　ordinary　mortal　might　strike　a　blow　did

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　strike；　but　with　the　maddened　frenzy

of　a　wild　beast　backed　by　the　steel　thews　which　his

wild；　arboreal　boyhood　had　bequeathed　him。　　When　the

blow　ended　the　splintered　stock　was　driven　through　the

splintered　skull　into　the　savage　brain；　and　the　heavy

iron　barrel　was　bent　into　a　rude　V。



In　the　instant　that　the　lion　sank；　lifeless；　to　the

ground；　Jane　Clayton　threw　herself　into　the　eager　arms

of　her　husband。　　For　a　brief　instant　he　strained　her

dear　form　to　his　breast；　and　then　a　glance　about　him

awakened　the　ape…man　to　the　dangers　which　still

surrounded　them。



Upon　every　hand　the　lions　were　still　leaping　upon　new

victims。　　Fear…maddened　horses　still　menaced　them　with

their　erratic　bolting　from　one　side　of　the　enclosure　to

the　other。　　Bullets　from　the　guns　of　the　defenders　who

remained　alive　but　added　to　the　perils　of　their

situation。



To　remain　was　to　court　death。　　Tarzan　seized　Jane

Clayton　and　lifted　her　to　a　broad　shoulder。　　The　blacks

who　had　witnessed　his　advent　looked　on　in　amazement　as

they　saw　the　naked　giant　leap　easily　into　the　branches

of　the　tree　from　whence　he　had　dropped　so　uncannily

upon　the　scene；　and　vanish　as　he　had　come；　bearing　away

their　prisoner　with　him。



They　were　too　well　occupied　in　self…defense　to　attempt

to　halt　him；　nor　could　they　have　done　so　other　than　by

the　wasting　of　a　precious　bullet　which　might　be　needed

the　next　instant　to　turn　the　charge　of　a　savage　foe。



And　so；　unmolested；　Tarzan　passed　from　the　camp　of　the

Abyssinians；　from　which　the　din　of　conflict　followed

him　deep　into　the　jungle　until　distance　gradually

obliterated　it　entirely。



Back　to　the　spot　where　he　had　left　Werper　went　the

ape…man；　joy　in　his　heart　now；　where　fear　and　sorrow　had

so　recently　reigned；　and　in　his　mind　a　determination　to

forgive　the　Belgian　and　aid　him　in　making　good　his

escape。　　But　when　he　came　to　the　place；　Werper　was

gone；　and　though　Tarzan　called　aloud　many　times　he

received　no　reply。　　Convinced　that　the　man　had

purposely　eluded　him　for　reasons　of　his　own；　John

Clayton　felt　that　he　was　under　no　obligations　to　expose

his　wife　to　further　danger　and　discomfort　in　the

prosecution　of　a　more　thorough　search　for　the　missing

Belgian。



〃He　has　acknowledged　his　guilt　by　his　flight；　Jane；〃　he

said。　　〃We　will　let　him　go　to　lie　in　the　bed　that　he

has　made　for　himself。〃



Straight　as　homing　pigeons；　the　two　made　their　way

toward　the　ruin　and　desolation　that　had　once　been　the

center　of　their　happy　lives；　and　which　was　soon　to　be

restored　by　the　willing　black　hands　of　laughing

laborers；　made　happy　again　by　the　return　of　the　master

and　mistress　whom　they　had　mourned　as　dead。



Past　the　village　of　Achmet　Zek　their　way　led　them；　and

there　they　found　but　the　charred　remains　of　the

palisade　and　the　native　huts；　still　smoking；　as　mute

evidence　of　the　wrath　and　vengeance　of　a　powerful

enemy。



〃The　Waziri；〃　commented　Tarzan　with　a　grim　smile。



〃God　bless　them！〃　cried　Jane　Clayton。



〃They　cannot　be　far　ahead　of　us；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃Basuli

and　the　others。　　The　gold　is　gone　and　the　jewels　of

Opar；　Jane；　but　we　have　each　other　and　the　Waziriand

we　have　love　and　loyalty　and　friendship。　　And　what　are

gold　and　jewels　to　these？〃



〃If　only　poor　Mugambi　lived；〃　she　replied；　〃and　those

other　brave　fellows　who　sacrificed　their　lives　in　vain

endeavor　to　protect　me！〃



In　the　silence　of　mingled　joy　and　sorrow　they　passed

along　through　the　familiar　jungle；　and　as　the　afternoon

was　waning　there　came　faintly　to　the　ears　of　the

ape…man　the　murmuring　cadence　of　distant　voices。



〃We　are　nearing