the return of tarzan-第17章

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she　threw　her　silken　handkerchief　upon　his　shoulder；

to　be　rewarded　with　a　franc。



When　her　place　upon　the　floor　had　been　taken　by　another

the　bright…eyed　Abdul　saw　her　in　conversation　with　two

Arabs　at　the　far　side　of　the　room；　near　a　side　door　that

let　upon　an　inner　court；　around　the　gallery　of　which　were

the　rooms　occupied　by　the　girls　who　danced　in　this　cafe。



At　first　he　thought　nothing　of　the　matter；　but　presently　he

noticed　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　one　of　the　men　nod　in

their　direction；　and　the　girl　turn　and　shoot　a　furtive　glance

at　Tarzan。　　Then　the　Arabs　melted　through　the　doorway　into

the　darkness　of　the　court。



When　it　came　again　the　girl's　turn　to　dance　she　hovered

close　to　Tarzan；　and　for　the　ape…man　alone　were　her　sweetest

smiles。　　Many　an　ugly　scowl　was　cast　upon　the　tall　European

by　swarthy；　dark…eyed　sons　of　the　desert；　but　neither　smiles

nor　scowls　produced　any　outwardly　visible　effect　upon　him。

Again　the　girl　cast　her　handkerchief　upon　his　shoulder；　and

again　was　she　rewarded　with　a　franc　piece。　　As　she　was　sticking

it　upon　her　forehead；　after　the　custom　of　her　kind；　she

bent　low　toward　Tarzan；　whispering　a　quick　word　in　his　ear。



〃There　are　two　without　in　the　court；〃　she　said　quickly；　in

broken　French；　〃who　would　harm　m'sieur。　　At　first　I　promised

to　lure　you　to　them；　but　you　have　been　kind；　and　I　cannot

do　it。　　Go　quickly；　before　they　find　that　I　have　failed　them。

I　think　that　they　are　very　bad　men。〃



Tarzan　thanked　the　girl；　assuring　her　that　he　would　be　careful；

and；　having　finished　her　dance；　she　crossed　to　the　little

doorway　and　went　out　into　the　court。　　But　Tarzan　did　not　leave

the　cafe　as　she　had　urged。



For　another　half　hour　nothing　unusual　occurred；　then　a

surly…looking　Arab　entered　the　cafe　from　the　street。　　He　stood

near　Tarzan；　where　he　deliberately　made　insulting　remarks

about　the　European；　but　as　they　were　in　his　native　tongue

Tarzan　was　entirely　innocent　of　their　purport　until　Abdul

took　it　upon　himself　to　enlighten　him。



〃This　fellow　is　looking　for　trouble；〃　warned　Abdul。　　〃He　is

not　alone。　　In　fact；　in　case　of　a　disturbance；　nearly　every

man　here　would　be　against　you。　　It　would　be　better　to　leave

quietly；　master。〃



〃Ask　the　fellow　what　he　wants；〃　commanded　Tarzan。



〃He　says　that　‘the　dog　of　a　Christian'　insulted　the　Ouled…

Nail；　who　belongs　to　him。　　He　means　trouble；　m'sieur。〃



〃Tell　him　that　I　did　not　insult　his　or　any　other　Ouled…

Nail；　that　I　wish　him　to　go　away　and　leave　me　alone。

That　I　have　no　quarrel　with　him；　nor　has　he　any　with　me。〃



〃He　says；〃　replied　Abdul；　after　delivering　this　message　to

the　Arab；　〃that　besides　being　a　dog　yourself　that　you　are　the

son　of　one；　and　that　your　grandmother　was　a　hyena。

Incidentally　you　are　a　liar。〃



The　attention　of　those　near　by　had　now　been　attracted

by　the　altercation；　and　the　sneering　laughs　that　followed

this　torrent　of　invective　easily　indicated　the　trend　of　the

sympathies　of　the　majority　of　the　audience。



Tarzan　did　not　like　being　laughed　at；　neither　did　he　relish

the　terms　applied　to　him　by　the　Arab；　but　he　showed　no

sign　of　anger　as　he　arose　from　his　seat　upon　the　bench。

A　half　smile　played　about　his　lips；　but　of　a　sudden　a　mighty

fist　shot　into　the　face　of　the　scowling　Arab；　and　back　of　it

were　the　terrible　muscles　of　the　ape…man。



At　the　instant　that　the　man　fell　a　half　dozen　fierce　plainsmen

sprang　into　the　room　from　where　they　had　apparently　been

waiting　for　their　cue　in　the　street　before　the　cafe。

With　cries　of　〃Kill　the　unbeliever！〃　and　〃Down　with　the

dog　of　a　Christian！〃　they　made　straight　for　Tarzan。

A　number　of　the　younger　Arabs　in　the　audience　sprang　to

their　feet　to　join　in　the　assault　upon　the　unarmed　white　man。

Tarzan　and　Abdul　were　rushed　back　toward　the　end　of

the　room　by　the　very　force　of　numbers　opposing　them。

The　young　Arab　remained　loyal　to　his　master；　and　with

drawn　knife　fought　at　his　side。



With　tremendous　blows　the　ape…man　felled　all　who　came

within　reach　of　his　powerful　hands。　　He　fought　quietly　and

without　a　word；　upon　his　lips　the　same　half　smile　they　had

worn　as　he　rose　to　strike　down　the　man　who　had　insulted　him。

It　seemed　impossible　that　either　he　or　Abdul　could　survive　the

sea　of　wicked…looking　swords　and　knives　that　surrounded

them；　but　the　very　numbers　of　their　assailants　proved　the

best　bulwark　of　their　safety。　　So　closely　packed　was　the

howling；　cursing　mob　that　no　weapon　could　be　wielded　to

advantage；　and　none　of　the　Arabs　dared　use　a　firearm　for

fear　of　wounding　one　of　his　compatriots。



Finally　Tarzan　succeeded　in　seizing　one　of　the　most

persistent　of　his　attackers。　　With　a　quick　wrench　he　disarmed

the　fellow；　and　then；　holding　him　before　them　as　a　shield；

he　backed　slowly　beside　Abdul　toward　the　little　door　which

led　into　the　inner　courtyard。　　At　the　threshold　he　paused　for

an　instant；　and；　lifting　the　struggling　Arab　above　his　head；

hurled　him；　as　though　from　a　catapult；　full　in　the　faces　of

his　on…pressing　fellows。



Then　Tarzan　and　Abdul　stepped　into　the　semidarkness　of

the　court。　　The　frightened　Ouled…Nails　were　crouching　at　the

tops　of　the　stairs　which　led　to　their　respective　rooms；　the

only　light　in　the　courtyard　coming　from　the　sickly　candles

which　each　girl　had　stuck　with　its　own　grease　to　the　woodwork

of　her　door…frame；　the　better　to　display　her　charms

to　those　who　might　happen　to　traverse　the　dark　inclosure。



Scarcely　had　Tarzan　and　Abdul　emerged　from　the　room　ere

a　revolver　spoke　close　at　their　backs　from　the　shadows

beneath　one　of　the　stairways；　and　as　they　turned　to　meet　this

new　antagonist；　two　muffled　figures　sprang　toward　them；

firing　as　they　came。　　Tarzan　leaped　to　meet　these　two　new

assailants。　　The　foremost　lay；　a　second　later；　in　the　trampled

dirt　of　the　court；　disarmed　and　groaning　from　a　broken　wrist。

Abdul's　knife　found　the　vitals　of　the　second　in　the　instant

that　the　fellow's　revolver　missed　fire　as　he　held　it　to　the

faithful　Arab's　forehead。



The　maddened　horde　within　the　cafe　were　now　rushing　out　in

pursuit　of　their　quarry。　　The　Ouled…Nails　had　extinguished

their　candles　at　a　cry　from　one　of　their　number；　and　the

only　light　within　the　yard　came　feebly　from　the　open　and

half…blocked　door　of　the　cafe。　　Tarzan　had　seized　a　sword

from　the　man　who　had　fallen　before　Abdul's　knife；　and　now

he　stood　waiting　for　the　rush　of　men　that　was　coming　in

search　of　them　through　the　darkness。



Suddenly　he　felt　a　light　hand　upon　his　shoulder　from　behind；

and　a　woman's　voice　whispering；　〃Quick；　m'sieur；　this　way。　　Follow　me。〃



〃Come；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan；　in　a　low　tone；　to　the　youth；

〃we　can　be　no　worse　off　elsewhere　than　we　are　here。〃



The　woman　turned　and　led　them　up　the　narrow　stairway

that　ended　at　the　door　of　her　quarters。　　Tarzan　was　close

beside　her。　　He　saw　the　gold　and　silver　bracelets　upon　her

bare　arms；　the　strings　of　gold　coin　that　depended　from　her　hair

ornaments；　and　the　gorgeous　colors　of　her　dress。　　He　saw　that

she　was　a　Ouled…Nail；　and　instinctively　he　knew　that　she

was　the　same　who　had　whispered　the　warning　in　his　ear

earlier　in　the　evening。



As　they　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs　they　could　hear　the

angry　crowd　searching　the　yard　beneath。



〃Soon　they　will　search　here；〃　whispered　the　girl。

〃They　must　not　find　you；　for；　though　you　fight　with　the

strength　of　many　men；　they　will　kill　you　in　the　end。

Hasten；　you　can　drop　from　the　farther　window　of　my　room　to　the

street　beyond。　　Before　they　discover　that　you　are　no　longer　in

the　court　of　the　buildings　you　will　be　safe　within　the　hotel。〃



But　even　as　she　spoke；　several　men　had　started　up　the

stairway　at　the　head　of　which　they　stood。　　There　was　a　sudden

cry　from　one　of　the　searchers。　　They　had　been　discovered。

Quickly　the　crowd　rushed　for　the　stairway。　　The　foremost

assailant　leaped　quickly　upward；　but　at　the　top　he　met　the

sudden　sword　that　he　had　not　expecte