tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第51章
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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
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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 be skeptical； but at last permitted
himself to be convinced that Mohammed Beyd had indeed killed himself
in remorse for the death of the white woman he had； all unknown to his
followers； loved so devotedly。
Werper himself wrapped the blankets of the dead man about the corpse；
taking care to fold inward the scorched and bullet…torn fabric that had
muffled the report of the weapon he had fired the night before。 Then six
husky blacks carried the body out into the clearing where the camp stood；
and deposited it in a shallow grave。 As the loose earth fell upon the silent
form beneath the tell…tale blankets； Albert Werper heaved another sigh of
reliefhis plan had worked out even better than he had dared hope。
With Achmet Zek and Mohammed Beyd both dead； the raiders were
without a leader； and after a brief conference they decided to return into
the north on visits to the various tribes to which they belonged； Werper；
after learning the direction they intended taking； announced that for his
part； he was going east to the coast； and as they knew of nothing he
possessed which any of them coveted； they signified their willingness that
he should go his way。
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As they rode off； he sat his horse in the center of the clearing watching
them disappear one by one into the jungle； and thanked his God that he
had at last escaped their villainous clutches。
When he could no longer hear any sound of them； he turned to the
right and rode into the forest toward the tree where he had hidden Lady
Greystoke； and drawing rein beneath it； called up in a gay and hopeful
voice a pleasant； 〃Good morning！〃
There was no reply； and though his eyes searched the thick foliage
above him； he could see no sign of the girl。 Dismounting； he quickly
climbed into the tree； where he could obtain a view of all its branches。
The tree was emptyJane Clayton had vanished during the silent watches
of the jungle night。
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22
Tarzan Recovers His Reason
As Tarzan let the pebbles from the recovered pouch run through his
fingers； his thoughts returned to the pile of yellow ingots about which the
Arabs and the Abyssinians had waged their relentless battle。
What was there in common between that pile of dirty metal and the
beautiful； sparkling pebbles that had formerly been in his pouch？ What
was the metal？ From whence had it come？ What was that tantalizing
half…conviction which seemed to demand the recognition of his memory
that the yellow pile for which these men had fought and died had been
intimately connected with his pastthat it had been his？
What had been his past？ He shook his head。 Vaguely the memory
of his apish childhood passed slowly in review then came a strangely
tangled mass of faces； figures and events which seemed to have no
relation to Tarzan of the Apes； and yet which were； even in their
fragmentary form； familiar。
Slowly and painfully； recollection was attempting to reassert itself； the
hurt brain was mending； as the cause of its recent failure to function was
being slowly absorbed or removed by the healing processes of perfect
circulation。
The people who now passed before his mind's eye for the first time in
weeks wore familiar faces； but yet he could neither place them in the
niches they had once filled in his past life； nor call them by name。 One
was a fair she； and it was her face which most often moved through the
tangled recollections of his convalescing brain。 Who was she？ What
had she been to Tarzan of the Apes？ He seemed to see her about the very
spot upon which the pile of gold had been unearthed by the Abyssinians；
but the surroundings were vastly different from those which now obtained。
There was a buildingthere were many buildingsand there were
hedges； fences； and flowers。 Tarzan puckered his brow in puzzled study
of the wonderful problem。 For an instant he seemed to grasp the whole
of a true explanation； and then； just as success was within his grasp； the
picture faded into a jungle scene where a naked； white youth danced in
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company with a band of hairy； primordial ape…things。
Tarzan shook his head and sighed。 Why was it that he could not
recollect？ At least he was sure that in some way the pile of gold； the
place where it lay； the subtle aroma of the elusive she he had been
pursuing； the memory figure of the white woman； and he himself； were
inextricably connected by the ties of a forgotten past。
If the woman belonged there； what better place to search or await her
than the very spot which his broken recollections seemed to assign to her？
It was worth trying。 Tarzan slipped the thong of the empty pouch over
his shoulder and started off through the trees in the direction of the plain。
At the outskirts of
