the return of tarzan-第22章

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Tarzan　had　learned　enough　about　Arab　character　since

he　had　been　in　Algeria　to　know　that　this　was　no　real　motive；

for　the　Arab　is　never　overfond　of　the　companionship　of

strangers；　and　especially　of　French　soldiers。　　So　his

suspicions　were　aroused；　and　he　decided　to　keep　a　sharp　eye

on　the　little　party　that　trailed　behind　the　column　at　a　distance

of　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　　But　they　did　not　come　close

enough　even　during　the　halts　to　enable　him　to　obtain　a

close　scrutiny　of　them。



He　had　long　been　convinced　that　there　were　hired　assassins

on　his　trail；　nor　was　he　in　great　doubt　but　that　Rokoff　was

at　the　bottom　of　the　plot。　　Whether　it　was　to　be　revenge　for

the　several　occasions　in　the　past　that　Tarzan　had　defeated　the

Russian's　purposes　and　humiliated　him；　or　was　in　some　way

connected　with　his　mission　in　the　Gernois　affair；　he　could　not

determine。　　If　the　latter；　and　it　seemed　probable　since　the

evidence　he　had　had　that　Gernois　suspected　him；　then　he

had　two　rather　powerful　enemies　to　contend　with；　for　there

would　be　many　opportunities　in　the　wilds　of　Algeria；　for

which　they　were　bound；　to　dispatch　a　suspected　enemy

quietly　and　without　attracting　suspicion。



After　camping　at　Djelfa　for　two　days　the　column　moved　to　the

southwest；　from　whence　word　had　come　that　the　marauders　were

operating　against　the　tribes　whose　DOUARS　were　situated

at　the　foot　of　the　mountains。



The　little　band　of　Arabs　who　had　accompanied　them　from

Bou　Saada　had　disappeared　suddenly　the　very　night　that

orders　had　been　given　to　prepare　for　the　morrow's　march

from　Djelfa。　　Tarzan　made　casual　inquiries　among　the　men；

but　none　could　tell　him　why　they　had　left；　or　in　what

direction　they　had　gone。　　He　did　not　like　the　looks　of　it；

especially　in　view　of　the　fact　that　he　had　seen　Gernois　in

conversation　with　one　of　them　some　half　hour　after　Captain

Gerard　had　issued　his　instructions　relative　to　the　new　move。

Only　Gernois　and　Tarzan　knew　the　direction　of　the　proposed　march。

All　the　soldiers　knew　was　that　they　were　to　be　prepared　to

break　camp　early　the　next　morning。　　Tarzan　wondered　if

Gernois　could　have　revealed　their　destination　to　the　Arabs。



Late　that　afternoon　they　went　into　camp　at　a　little　oasis　in

which　was　the　DOUAR　of　a　sheik　whose　flocks　were　being

stolen；　and　whose　herdsmen　were　being　killed。　　The　Arabs

came　out　of　their　goatskin　tents；　and　surrounded　the　soldiers；

asking　many　questions　in　the　native　tongue；　for　the　soldiers

were　themselves　natives。　　Tarzan；　who；　by　this　time；　with　the

assistance　of　Abdul；　had　picked　up　quite　a　smattering　of

Arab；　questioned　one　of　the　younger　men　who　had　accompanied

the　sheik　while　the　latter　paid　his　respects　to　Captain　Gerard。



No；　he　had　seen　no　party　of　six　horsemen　riding　from

the　direction　of　Djelfa。　　There　were　other　oases　scattered

aboutpossibly　they　had　been　journeying　to　one　of　these。

Then　there　were　the　marauders　in　the　mountains　above

they　often　rode　north　to　Bou　Saada　in　small　parties；　and

even　as　far　as　Aumale　and　Bouira。　　It　might　indeed　have　been

a　few　marauders　returning　to　the　band　from　a　pleasure　trip

to　one　of　these　cities。



Early　the　next　morning　Captain　Gerard　split　his　command

in　two；　giving　Lieutenant　Gernois　command　of　one　party；

while　he　headed　the　other。　　They　were　to　scour　the　mountains

upon　opposite　sides　of　the　plain。



〃And　with　which　detachment　will　Monsieur　Tarzan　ride？〃

asked　the　captain。　　〃Or　maybe　it　is　that　monsieur　does　not

care　to　hunt　marauders？〃



〃Oh；　I　shall　be　delighted　to　go；〃　Tarzan　hastened　to　explain。

He　was　wondering　what　excuse　he　could　make　to　accompany　Gernois。

His　embarrassment　was　short…lived；　and　was　relieved　from　a　most

unexpected　source。　　It　was　Gernois　himself　who　spoke。



〃If　my　captain　will　forego　the　pleasure　of　Monsieur　Tarzan's

company　for　this　once；　I　shall　esteem　it　an　honor　indeed

to　have　monsieur　ride　with　me　today；〃　he　said；　nor　was　his

tone　lacking　in　cordiality。　　In　fact；　Tarzan　imagined

that　he　had　overdone　it　a　trifle；　but；　even　so；　he　was　both

astounded　and　pleased；　hastening　to　express　his　delight　at

the　arrangement。



And　so　it　was　that　Lieutenant　Gernois　and　Tarzan　rode

off　side　by　side　at　the　head　of　the　little　detachment　of

SPAHIS。　　Gernois'　cordiality　was　short…lived。　　No　soone

had　they　ridden　out　of　sight　of　Captain　Gerard　and　his　men

than　he　lapsed　once　more　into　his　accustomed　taciturnity。

As　they　advanced　the　ground　became　rougher。　　Steadily　it　ascended

toward　the　mountains；　into　which　they　filed　through　a　narrow

canon　close　to　noon。　　By　the　side　of　a　little　rivulet

Gernois　called　the　midday　halt。　　Here　the　men　prepared　and

ate　their　frugal　meal；　and　refilled　their　canteens。



After　an　hour's　rest　they　advanced　again　along　the　canon；

until　they　presently　came　to　a　little　valley；　from　which

several　rocky　gorges　diverged。　　Here　they　halted；　while

Gernois　minutely　examined　the　surrounding　heights　from

the　center　of　the　depression。



〃We　shall　separate　here；〃　he　said；　〃several　riding　into　each

of　these　gorges；〃　and　then　he　commenced　to　detail　his　various

squads　and　issue　instructions　to　the　non…commissioned　officers

who　were　to　command　them。　　When　he　had　done　he　turned　to　Tarzan。

〃Monsieur　will　be　so　good　as　to　remain　here　until　we　return。〃



Tarzan　demurred；　but　the　officer　cut　him　short。　　〃There　may

be　fighting　for　one　of　these　sections；〃　he　said；　〃and

troops　cannot　be　embarrassed　by　civilian　noncombatants

during　action。〃



〃But；　my　dear　lieutenant；〃　expostulated　Tarzan；　〃I　am

most　ready　and　willing　to　place　myself　under　command

of　yourself　or　any　of　your　sergeants　or　corporals；　and　to

fight　in　the　ranks　as　they　direct。　　It　is　what　I　came　for。〃



〃I　should　be　glad　to　think　so；〃　retorted　Gernois；　with　a

sneer　he　made　no　attempt　to　disguise。　　Then　shortly：

〃You　are　under　my　orders；　and　they　are　that　you　remain　here

until　we　return。　　Let　that　end　the　matter；〃　and　he　turned　and

spurred　away　at　the　head　of　his　men。　　A　moment　later　Tarzan

found　himself　alone　in　the　midst　of　a　desolate　mountain　fastness。



The　sun　was　hot；　so　he　sought　the　shelter　of　a　nearby

tree；　where　he　tethered　his　horse；　and　sat　down　upon　the

ground　to　smoke。　　Inwardly　he　swore　at　Gernois　for　the　trick

he　had　played　upon　him。　　A　mean　little　revenge；　thought

Tarzan；　and　then　suddenly　it　occurred　to　him　that　the　man

would　not　be　such　a　fool　as　to　antagonize　him　through　a

trivial　annoyance　of　so　petty　a　description。　　There　must　be

something　deeper　than　this　behind　it。　　With　the　thought　he

arose　and　removed　his　rifle　from　its　boot。　　He　looked　to　its

loads　and　saw　that　the　magazine　was　full。　　Then　he　inspected

his　revolver。　　After　this　preliminary　precaution　he　scanned　the

surrounding　heights　and　the　mouths　of　the　several　gorges

he　was　determined　that　he　should　not　be　caught　napping。



The　sun　sank　lower　and　lower；　yet　there　was　no　sign　of

returning　SPAHIS。　　At　last　the　valley　was　submerged　in

shadow　Tarzan　was　too　proud　to　go　back　to　camp　until　he　had

given　the　detachment　ample　time　to　return　to　the　valley；

which　he　thought　was　to　have　been　their　rendezvous。

With　the　closing　in　of　night　he　felt　safer　from　attack；　for

he　was　at　home　in　the　dark。　　He　knew　that　none　might　approach

him　so　cautiously　as　to　elude　those　alert　and　sensitive

ears　of　his；　then　there　were　his　eyes；　too；　for　he　could

see　well　at　night；　and　his　nose；　if　they　came　toward　him

from　up…wind；　would　apprise　him　of　the　approach　of　an　enemy

while　they　were　still　a　great　way　off。



So　he　felt　that　he　was　in　little　danger；　and　thus　lulled

to　a　sense　of　security　he　fell　asleep；　with　his　back　against

the　tree。



He　must　have　slept　for　several　hours；　for　when　he　was

suddenly　awakened　by　the　frightened　snorting　and　plunging

of　his　horse　the　moon　was　shining　full　upon　the　little　valley；

and　there；　not　ten　paces　before　him；　stood　the　grim　cause　of

the　terror　of　his　mount。