the return of tarzan-第16章

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have　been　back　in　Paris　for　all　the　heart　thrills　of　homecoming

that　he　experienced。　　At　Oran　he　spent　a　day　wandering　through

the　narrow；　crooked　alleys　of　the　Arab　quarter　enjoying　the

strange；　new　sights。　　The　next　day　found　him　at　Sidi…bel…Abbes；

where　he　presented　his　letters　of　introduction　to　both　civil

and　military　authoritiesletters　which　gave　no　clew　to　the

real　significance　of　his　mission。



Tarzan　possessed　a　sufficient　command　of　English　to　enable

him　to　pass　among　Arabs　and　Frenchmen　as　an　American；

and　that　was　all　that　was　required　of　it。　　When　he　met　an

Englishman　he　spoke　French　in　order　that　he　might　not　betray

himself；　but　occasionally　talked　in　English　to　foreigners

who　understood　that　tongue；　but　could　not　note　the　slight

imperfections　of　accent　and　pronunciation　that　were　his。



Here　he　became　acquainted　with　many　of　the　French　officers；

and　soon　became　a　favorite　among　them。　　He　met　Gernois；

whom　he　found　to　be　a　taciturn；　dyspeptic…looking　man　of

about　forty；　having　little　or　no　social　intercourse　with

his　fellows。



For　a　month　nothing　of　moment　occurred。　　Gernois　apparently

had　no　visitors；　nor　did　he　on　his　occasional　visits

to　the　town　hold　communication　with　any　who　might　even

by　the　wildest　flight　of　imagination　be　construed　into　secret

agents　of　a　foreign　power。　　Tarzan　was　beginning　to　hope　that；

after　all；　the　rumor　might　have　been　false；　when　suddenly

Gernois　was　ordered　to　Bou　Saada　in　the　Petit　Sahara　far　to

the　south。



A　company　of　SPAHIS　and　three　officers　were　to　relieve

another　company　already　stationed　there。　　Fortunately　one　of

the　officers；　Captain　Gerard；　had　become　an　excellent　friend　of

Tarzan's；　and　so　when　the　ape…man　suggested　that　he　should

embrace　the　opportunity　of　accompanying　him　to　Bou　Saada；　where

he　expected　to　find　hunting；　it　caused　not　the　slightest　suspicion。



At　Bouira　the　detachment　detrained；　and　the　balance　of　the

journey　was　made　in　the　saddle。　　As　Tarzan　was　dickering　at

Bouira　for　a　mount　he　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　a　man　in

European　clothes　eying　him　from　the　doorway　of　a　native

coffeehouse；　but　as　Tarzan　looked　the　man　turned　and　entered　the

little；　low…ceilinged　mud　hut；　and　but　for　a　haunting　impression

that　there　had　been　something　familiar　about　the　face　or　figure

of　the　fellow；　Tarzan　gave　the　matter　no　further　thought。



The　march　to　Aumale　was　fatiguing　to　Tarzan；　whose

equestrian　experiences　hitherto　had　been　confined　to　a　course

of　riding　lessons　in　a　Parisian　academy；　and　so　it　was　that　he

quickly　sought　the　comforts　of　a　bed　in　the　Hotel　Grossat；

while　the　officers　and　troops　took　up　their　quarters　at　the

military　post。



Although　Tarzan　was　called　early　the　following　morning；

the　company　of　SPAHIS　was　on　the　march　before　he　had

finished　his　breakfast。　　He　was　hurrying　through　his　meal　that

the　soldiers　might　not　get　too　far　in　advance　of　him　when　he

glanced　through　the　door　connecting　the　dining　room　with　the　bar。



To　his　surprise；　he　saw　Gernois　standing　there　in

conversation　with　the　very　stranger　he　had　seen　in　the　coffee…

house　at　Bouira　the　day　previous。　　He　could　not　be　mistaken；

for　there　was　the　same　strangely　familiar　attitude　and　figure；

though　the　man's　back　was　toward　him。



As　his　eyes　lingered　on　the　two；　Gernois　looked　up　and

caught　the　intent　expression　on　Tarzan's　face。　　The　stranger

was　talking　in　a　low　whisper　at　the　time；　but　the　French

officer　immediately　interrupted　him；　and　the　two　at　once

turned　away　and　passed　out　of　the　range　of　Tarzan's　vision。



This　was　the　first　suspicious　occurrence　that　Tarzan　had

ever　witnessed　in　connection　with　Gernois'　actions；　but　he

was　positive　that　the　men　had　left　the　barroom　solely　because

Gernois　had　caught　Tarzan's　eyes　upon　them；　then　there　was

the　persistent　impression　of　familiarity　about　the　stranger

to　further　augment　the　ape…man's　belief　that　here　at　length

was　something　which　would　bear　watching。



A　moment　later　Tarzan　entered　the　barroom；　but　the　men

had　left；　nor　did　he　see　aught　of　them　in　the　street　beyond；

though　he　found　a　pretext　to　ride　to　various　shops　before　he

set　out　after　the　column　which　had　now　considerable　start　of　him。

He　did　not　overtake　them　until　he　reached　Sidi　Aissa　shortly

after　noon；　where　the　soldiers　had　halted　for　an　hour's　rest。

Here　he　found　Gernois　with　the　column；　but　there　was　no

sign　of　the　stranger。



It　was　market　day　at　Sidi　Aissa；　and　the　numberless　caravans

of　camels　coming　in　from　the　desert；　and　the　crowds　of

bickering　Arabs　in　the　market　place；　filled　Tarzan　with　a

consuming　desire　to　remain　for　a　day　that　he　might　see　more　of

these　sons　of　the　desert。　　Thus　it　was　that　the　company　of

SPAHIS　marched　on　that　afternoon　toward　Bou　Saada　without

him。　　He　spent　the　hours　until　dark　wandering　about　the

market　in　company　with　a　youthful　Arab；　one　Abdul；　who

had　been　recommended　to　him　by　the　innkeeper　as　a　trustworthy

servant　and　interpreter。



Here　Tarzan　purchased　a　better　mount　than　the　one　he

had　selected　at　Bouira；　and；　entering　into　conversation　with

the　stately　Arab　to　whom　the　animal　had　belonged；　learned

that　the　seller　was　Kadour　ben　Saden；　sheik　of　a　desert　tribe

far　south　of　Djelfa。　　Through　Abdul；　Tarzan　invited　his　new

acquaintance　to　dine　with　him。　　As　the　three　were　making

their　way　through　the　crowds　of　marketers；　camels；　donkeys；

and　horses　that　filled　the　market　place　with　a　confusing

babel　of　sounds；　Abdul　plucked　at　Tarzan's　sleeve。



〃Look；　master；　behind　us；〃　and　he　turned；　pointing　at　a

figure　which　disappeared　behind　a　camel　as　Tarzan　turned。

〃He　has　been　following　us　about　all　afternoon；〃　continued　Abdul。



〃I　caught　only　a　glimpse　of　an　Arab　in　a　dark…blue　burnoose

and　white　turban；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃Is　it　he　you　mean？〃



〃Yes。　　I　suspected　him　because　he　seems　a　stranger　here；

without　other　business　than　following　us；　which　is　not　the

way　of　the　Arab　who　is　honest；　and　also　because　he　keeps

the　lower　part　of　his　face　hidden；　only　his　eyes　showing。

He　must　be　a　bad　man；　or　he　would　have　honest　business　of

his　own　to　occupy　his　time。〃



〃He　is　on　the　wrong　scent　then；　Abdul；〃　replied　Tarzan；

〃for　no　one　here　can　have　any　grievance　against　me。

This　is　my　first　visit　to　your　country；　and　none　knows　me。

He　will　soon　discover　his　error；　and　cease　to　follow　us。〃



〃Unless　he　be　bent　on　robbery；〃　returned　Abdul。



〃Then　all　we　can　do　is　wait　until　he　is　ready　to　try　his

hand　upon　us；〃　laughed　Tarzan；　〃and　I　warrant　that　he　will

get　his　bellyful　of　robbing　now　that　we　are　prepared　for

him；〃　and　so　he　dismissed　the　subject　from　his　mind；　though

he　was　destined　to　recall　it　before　many　hours　through　a　most

unlooked…for　occurrence。



Kadour　ben　Saden；　having　dined　well；　prepared　to　take　leave

of　his　host。　　With　dignified　protestations　of　friendship；　he

invited　Tarzan　to　visit　him　in　his　wild　domain；　where　the

antelope；　the　stag；　the　boar；　the　panther；　and　the　lion　might

still　be　found　in　sufficient　numbers　to　tempt　an　ardent　huntsman。



On　his　departure　the　ape…man；　with　Abdul；　wandered　again

into　the　streets　of　Sidi　Aissa；　where　he　was　soon　attracted

by　the　wild　din　of　sound　coming　from　the　open　doorway　of

one　of　the　numerous　CAFES　MAURES。　　It　was　after　eight；　and

the　dancing　was　in　full　swing　as　Tarzan　entered。　　The　room

was　filled　to　repletion　with　Arabs。　　All　were　smoking；　and

drinking　their　thick；　hot　coffee。



Tarzan　and　Abdul　found　seats　near　the　center　of　the　room；

though　the　terrific　noise　produced　by　the　musicians　upon

their　Arab　drums　and　pipes　would　have　rendered　a　seat

farther　from　them　more　acceptable　to　the　quiet…loving　ape…man。

A　rather　good…looking　Ouled…Nail　was　dancing；　and；　perceiving

Tarzan's　European　clothes；　and　scenting　a　generous　gratuity；

she　threw　her　silken　handkerchief　upon　his　shoulder；

to　be　rewarded　with　a　franc。



When　her　place　upon　the　floor　ha