the return of tarzan-第62章

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After　Tarzan　reached　the　shaft　beyond　the　broken　wall；

he　felt　so　positive　of　the　successful　issue　of　his　flight　that

he　stopped　to　replace　the　tumbled　stones；　for　he　was　not

anxious　that　any　of　the　inmates　should　discover　this

forgotten　passage；　and　through　it　come　upon　the　treasure　chamber。

It　was　in　his　mind　to　return　again　to　Opar　and　bear　away

a　still　greater　fortune　than　he　had　already　buried　in　the

amphitheater　of　the　apes。



On　through　the　passageways　he　trotted；　past　the　first　door

and　through　the　treasure　vault；　past　the　second　door　and

into　the　long；　straight　tunnel　that　led　to　the　lofty　hidden

exit　beyond　the　city。　　Jane　Porter　was　still　unconscious。



At　the　crest　of　the　great　bowlder　he　halted　to　cast　a

backward　glance　toward　the　city。　　Coming　across　the　plain

he　saw　a　band　of　the　hideous　men　of　Opar。　　For　a　moment

he　hesitated。　　Should　he　descend　and　make　a　race　for　the　distant

cliffs；　or　should　he　hide　here　until　night？　　And　then　a　glance　at

the　girl's　white　face　determined　him。　　He　could　not　keep　her

here　and　permit　her　enemies　to　get　between　them　and　liberty。

For　aught　he　knew　they　might　have　been　followed

through　the　tunnels；　and　to　have　foes　before　and　behind

would　result　in　almost　certain　capture；　since　he　could　not

fight　his　way　through　the　enemy　burdened　as　he　was　with

the　unconscious　girl。



To　descend　the　steep　face　of　the　bowlder　with　Jane

Porter　was　no　easy　task；　but　by　binding　her　across　his

shoulders　with　the　grass　rope　he　succeeded　in　reaching　the

ground　in　safety　before　the　Oparians　arrived　at　the　great　rock。

As　the　descent　had　been　made　upon　the　side　away　from　the　city；

the　searching　party　saw　nothing　of　it；　nor　did　they　dream

that　their　prey　was　so　close　before　them。



By　keeping　the　KOPJE　between　them　and　their　pursuers；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　managed　to　cover　nearly　a　mile　before

the　men　of　Opar　rounded　the　granite　sentinel　and　saw

the　fugitive　before　them。　　With　loud　cries　of　savage　delight；

they　broke　into　a　mad　run；　thinking　doubtless　that　they

would　soon　overhaul　the　burdened　runner；　but　they　both

underestimated　the　powers　of　the　ape…man　and　overestimated

the　possibilities　of　their　own　short；　crooked　legs。



By　maintaining　an　easy　trot；　Tarzan　kept　the　distance

between　them　always　the　same。　　Occasionally　he　would　glance

at　the　face　so　near　his　own。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　faint

beating　of　the　heart　pressed　so　close　against　his　own；　he

would　not　have　known　that　she　was　alive；　so　white　and　drawn

was　the　poor；　tired　face。



And　thus　they　came　to　the　flat…topped　mountain　and　the

barrier　cliffs。　　During　the　last　mile　Tarzan　had　let　himself　out；

running　like　a　deer　that　he　might　have　ample　time　to　descend

the　face　of　the　cliffs　before　the　Oparians　could　reach　the

summit　and　hurl　rocks　down　upon　them。　　And　so　it　was　that

he　was　half　a　mile　down　the　mountainside　ere　the　fierce　little

men　came　panting　to　the　edge。



With　cries　of　rage　and　disappointment　they　ranged　along

the　cliff　top　shaking　their　cudgels；　and　dancing　up　and

down　in　a　perfect　passion　of　anger。　　But　this　time　they　did

not　pursue　beyond　the　boundary　of　their　own　country。

Whether　it　was　because　they　recalled　the　futility　of　their

former　long　and　irksome　search；　or　after　witnessing　the　ease

with　which　the　ape…man　swung　along　before　them；　and　the

last　burst　of　speed；　they　realized　the　utter　hopelessness　of

further　pursuit；　it　is　difficult　to　say；　but　as　Tarzan　reached

the　woods　that　began　at　the　base　of　the　foothills　which

skirted　the　barrier　cliffs　they　turned　their　faces　once　more

toward　Opar。



Just　within　the　forest's　edge；　where　he　could　yet　watch　the

cliff　tops；　Tarzan　laid　his　burden　upon　the　grass；　and　going　to

the　near…by　rivulet　brought　water　with　which　he　bathed

her　face　and　hands；　but　even　this　did　not　revive　her；　and；

greatly　worried；　he　gathered　the　girl　into　his　strong　arms　once

more　and　hurried　on　toward　the　west。



Late　in　the　afternoon　Jane　Porter　regained　consciousness。

She　did　not　open　her　eyes　at　onceshe　was　trying　to　recall

the　scenes　that　she　had　last　witnessed。　　Ah；　she　remembered　now。

The　altar；　the　terrible　priestess；　the　descending　knife。

She　gave　a　little　shudder；　for　she　thought　that　either　this　was

death　or　that　the　knife　had　buried　itself　in　her　heart　and

she　was　experiencing　the　brief　delirium　preceding　death。

And　when　finally　she　mustered　courage　to　open　her　eyes；

the　sight　that　met　them　confirmed　her　fears；　for　she　saw　that

she　was　being　borne　through　a　leafy　paradise　in　the　arms

of　her　dead　love。　　〃If　this　be　death；〃　she　murmured；　〃thank

God　that　I　am　dead。〃



〃You　spoke；　Jane！〃　cried　Tarzan。　　〃You　are　regaining　consciousness！〃



〃Yes；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　she　replied；　and　for　the　first

time　in　months　a　smile　of　peace　and　happiness　lighted　her　face。



〃Thank　God！〃　cried　the　ape…man；　coming　to　the　ground　in

a　little　grassy　clearing　beside　the　stream。　　〃I　was　in　time；

after　all。〃



〃In　time？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　she　questioned。



〃In　time　to　save　you　from　death　upon　the　altar；　dear；〃

he　replied。　　〃Do　you　not　remember？〃

〃Save　me　from　death？〃　she　asked；　in　a　puzzled　tone。

〃Are　we　not　both　dead；　my　Tarzan？〃



He　had　placed　her　upon　the　grass　by　now；　her　back　resting

against　the　stem　of　a　huge　tree。　　At　her　question　he

stepped　back　where　he　could　the　better　see　her　face。



〃Dead！〃　he　repeated；　and　then　he　laughed。　　〃You　are　not；

Jane；　and　if　you　will　return　to　the　city　of　Opar　and　ask

them　who　dwell　there　they　will　tell　you　that　I　was　not　dead

a　few　short　hours　ago。　　No；　dear；　we　are　both　very　much　alive。〃



〃But　both　Hazel　and　Monsieur　Thuran　told　me　that　you

had　fallen　into　the　ocean　many　miles　from　land；〃　she　urged；

as　though　trying　to　convince　him　that　he　must　indeed

be　dead。　　〃They　said　that　there　was　no　question　but　that

it　must　have　been　you；　and　less　that　you　could　have　survived

or　been　picked　up。〃



〃How　can　I　convince　you　that　I　am　no　spirit？〃　he　asked；

with　a　laugh。　　〃It　was　I　whom　the　delightful　Monsieur　Thuran

pushed　overboard；　but　I　did　not　drownI　will　tell　you　all

about　it　after　a　whileand　here　I　am　very　much　the　same

wild　man　you　first　knew；　Jane　Porter。〃



The　girl　rose　slowly　to　her　feet　and　came　toward　him。



〃I　cannot　even　yet　believe　it；〃　she　murmured。　　〃It　cannot

be　that　such　happiness　can　be　true　after　all　the　hideous

things　that　I　have　passed　through　these　awful　months　since

the　LADY　ALICE　went　down。〃



She　came　close　to　him　and　laid　a　hand；　soft　and　trembling；

upon　his　arm。



〃It　must　be　that　I　am　dreaming；　and　that　I　shall　awaken

in　a　moment　to　see　that　awful　knife　descending　toward　my

heartkiss　me；　dear；　just　once　before　I　lose　my　dream　forever。〃



Tarzan　of　the　Apes　needed　no　second　invitation。　　He　took

the　girl　he　loved　in　his　strong　arms；　and　kissed　her　not　once；

but　a　hundred　times；　until　she　lay　there　panting　for　breath；

yet　when　he　stopped　she　put　her　arms　about　his　neck　and

drew　his　lips　down　to　hers　once　more。



〃Am　I　alive　and　a　reality；　or　am　I　but　a　dream？〃　he　asked。



〃If　you　are　not　alive；　my　man；〃　she　answered；　〃I　pray

that　I　may　die　thus　before　I　awaken　to　the　terrible

realities　of　my　last　waking　moments。〃



For　a　while　both　were　silentgazing　into　each　others'

eyes　as　though　each　still　questioned　the　reality　of　the

wonderful　happiness　that　had　come　to　them。　　The　past；　with　all

its　hideous　disappointments　and　horrors；　was　forgottenthe

future　did　not　belong　to　them；　but　the　presentah；　it　was

theirs；　none　could　take　it　from　them。　　It　was　the　girl　who

first　broke　the　sweet　silence。



〃Where　are　we　going；　dear？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　are　we

going　to　do？〃



〃Where　would　you　like　best　to　go？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　would

you　like　best　to　do？〃



〃To　go　where　you　go；　my　man；　to　do　whatever　seems

best　to　you；〃　she　answered。



〃But　Clayton？〃　he　asked。　　For　a　moment　he　had　forgotten

that　there　existed　upon　the　ear