tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第25节
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〃Who knows？〃 asked the ape…man as he swung quickly into the trees
and raced off toward the east。
For a moment La stood looking after him； then her head drooped； a
sigh escaped her lips and like an old woman she took up the march toward
distant Opar。
Through the trees raced Tarzan of the Apes until the darkness of night
had settled upon the jungle； then he lay down and slept； with no thought
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beyond the morrow and with even La but the shadow of a memory within
his consciousness。
But a few marches to the north Lady Greystoke looked forward to the
day when her mighty lord and master should discover the crime of Achmet
Zek； and be speeding to rescue and avenge； and even as she pictured the
coming of John Clayton； the object of her thoughts squatted almost naked；
beside a fallen log； beneath which he was searching with grimy fingers for
a chance beetle or a luscious grub。
Two days elapsed following the theft of the jewels before Tarzan gave
them a thought。 Then； as they chanced to enter his mind； he conceived a
desire to play with them again； and； having nothing better to do than
satisfy the first whim which possessed him； he rose and started across the
plain from the forest in which he had spent the preceding day。
Though no mark showed where the gems had been buried； and though
the spot resembled the balance of an unbroken stretch several miles in
length； where the reeds terminated at the edge of the meadowland； yet the
ape…man moved with unerring precision directly to the place where he had
hid his treasure。
With his hunting knife he upturned the loose earth； beneath which the
pouch should be； but； though he excavated to a greater distance than the
depth of the original hole there was no sign of pouch or jewels。 Tarzan's
brow clouded as he discovered that he had been despoiled。 Little or no
reasoning was required to convince him of the identity of the guilty party；
and with the same celerity that had marked his decision to unearth the
jewels； he set out upon the trail of the thief。
Though the spoor was two days old； and practically obliterated in
many places； Tarzan followed it with comparative ease。 A white man
could not have followed it twenty paces twelve hours after it had been
made； a black man would have lost it within the first mile； but Tarzan of
the Apes had been forced in childhood to develop senses that an ordinary
mortal scarce ever uses。
We may note the garlic and whisky on the breath of a fellow strap
hanger； or the cheap perfume emanating from the person of the wondrous
lady sitting in front of us； and deplore the fact of our sensitive noses； but；
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as a matter of fact； we cannot smell at all； our olfactory organs are
practically atrophied； by comparison with the development of the sense
among the beasts of the wild。
Where a foot is placed an effluvium remains for a considerable time。
It is beyond the range of our sensibilities； but to a creature of the lower
orders； especially to the hunters and the hunted； as interesting and ofttimes
more lucid than is the printed page to us。
Nor was Tarzan dependent alone upon his sense of smell。 Vision and
hearing had been brought to a marvelous state of development by the
necessities of his early life； where survival itself depended almost daily
upon the exercise of the keenest vigilance and the constant use of all his
faculties。
And so he followed the old trail of the Belgian through the forest and
toward the north； but because of the age of the trail he was constrained to
a far from rapid progress。 The man he followed was two days ahead of
him when Tarzan took up the pursuit； and each day he gained upon the
ape…man。 The latter； however； felt not the slightest doubt as to the
outcome。 Some day he would overhaul his quarryhe could bide his
time in peace until that day dawned。 Doggedly he followed the faint
spoor； pausing by day only to kill and eat； and at night only to sleep and
refresh himself。
Occasionally he passed parties of savage warriors； but these he gave a
wide berth； for he was hunting with a purpose that was not to be distracted
by the minor accidents of the trail。
These parties were of the collecting hordes of the Waziri and their
allies which Basuli had scattered his messengers broadcast to summon。
They were marching to a common rendezvous in preparation for an assault
upon the stronghold of Achmet Zek； but to Tarzan they were enemieshe
retained no conscious memory of any friendship for the black men。
It was night when he halted outside the palisaded village of the Arab
raider。 Perched in the branches of a great tree he gazed down upon the
life within the enclosure。 To this place had the spoor led him。 His
quarry must be within； but how was he to find him among so many huts？
Tarzan； although cognizant of his mighty powers； realized also his
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limitations。 He knew that he could not successfully cope with great
numbers in open battle。 He must resort to the stealth and trickery of the
wild beast； if he were to succeed。
Sitting in the safety of his tree； munching upon the leg bone of Horta；
the boar； Tarzan waited a favorable opportunity to enter the village。 For
awhile he gnawed at the bulging； round ends of the large bone； splintering
off small pieces between his strong jaws； and sucking at the delicious
marrow within； but all the time he cast repeated glances into the village。
He saw white…robed figures； and half…naked blacks； but not once did he
see one who resembled the stealer of the gems。
Patiently he waited until the streets were deserted by all save the
sentries at the gates； then he dropped lightly to the ground； circled to the
opposite side of the village and approached the palisade。
At his side hung a long； rawhide ropea natural and more dependable
evolution from the grass rope of his childhood。 Loosening this； he spread
the noose upon the ground behind him； and with a quick movement of his
wrist tossed the coils over one of the sharpened projections of the summit
of the palisade。
Drawing the noose taut； he tested the solidity of its hold。 Satisfied； the
ape…man ran nimbly up the vertical wall； aided by the rope which he
clutched in both hands。 Once at the top it required but a moment to
gather the dangling rope once more into its coils； make it fast again at his
waist； take a quick glance downward within the palisade； and； assured that
no one lurked directly beneath him； drop softly to the ground。
Now he was within the village。 Before him stretched a series of tents
and native huts。 The business of exploring each of them would be
fraught with danger； but danger was only a natural factor of each day's
lifeit never appalled Tarzan。 The chances appealed to himthe chances
of life and death； with his prowess and his faculties pitted against those of
a worthy antagonist。
It was not necessary that he enter each habitation through a door； a
window or an open chink； his nose told him whether or not his prey lay
within。 For some time he found one disappointment following upon the
heels of another in quick succession。 No spoor of the Belgian was
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discernible。 But at last he came to a tent where the smell of the thief was
strong。 Tarzan listened； his ear close to the canvas at the rear； but no
sound came from within。
At last he cut one of the pin ropes； raised the bottom of the canvas； and
intruded his head within the interior。 All was quiet and dark。 Tarzan
