tarzan and the jewels of opar-第12节

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Too；　Werper　had　his　covetous　soul　set　upon　the　pouch　of

gems；　and　so　he　was　torn　between　the　various　emotions

of　avarice　and　fear。　　But　avarice　it　was　that　burned

most　strongly　in　his　breast；　to　the　end　that　he　dared

the　dangers　and　suffered　the　terrors　of　constant

association　with　him　he　thought　a　mad　man；　rather　than

give　up　the　hope　of　obtaining　possession　of　the　fortune

which　the　contents　of　the　little　pouch　represented。



Achmet　Zek　should　know　nothing　of　thesethese　would　be

for　Werper　alone；　and　so　soon　as　he　could　encompass　his

design　he　would　reach　the　coast　and　take　passage　for

America；　where　he　could　conceal　himself　beneath　the

veil　of　a　new　identity　and　enjoy　to　some　measure　the

fruits　of　his　theft。　　He　had　it　all　planned　out；　did

Lieutenant　Albert　Werper；　living　in　anticipation　the

luxurious　life　of　the　idle　rich。　　He　even　found　himself

regretting　that　America　was　so　provincial；　and　that

nowhere　in　the　new　world　was　a　city　that　might　compare

with　his　beloved　Brussels。



It　was　upon　the　third　day　of　their　progress　from　Opar

that　the　keen　ears　of　Tarzan　caught　the　sound　of　men

behind　them。　　Werper　heard　nothing　above　the　humming　of

the　jungle　insects；　and　the　chattering　life　of　the

lesser　monkeys　and　the　birds。



For　a　time　Tarzan　stood　in　statuesque　silence；

listening；　his　sensitive　nostrils　dilating　as　he

assayed　each　passing　breeze。　　Then　he　withdrew　Werper

into　the　concealment　of　thick　brush；　and　waited。

Presently；　along　the　game　trail　that　Werper　and　Tarzan

had　been　following；　there　came　in　sight　a　sleek；

black　warrior；　alert　and　watchful。



In　single　file　behind　him；　there　followed；　one　after

another；　near　fifty　others；　each　burdened　with　two

dull…yellow　ingots　lashed　upon　his　back。　　Werper

recognized　the　party　immediately　as　that　which　had

accompanied　Tarzan　on　his　journey　to　Opar。　　He　glanced

at　the　ape…man；　but　in　the　savage；　watchful　eyes　he　saw

no　recognition　of　Basuli　and　those　other　loyal　Waziri。



When　all　had　passed；　Tarzan　rose　and　emerged　from

concealment。　　He　looked　down　the　trail　in　the　direction

the　party　had　gone。　　Then　he　turned　to　Werper。



〃We　will　follow　and　slay　them；〃　he　said。



〃Why？〃　asked　the　Belgian。



〃They　are　black；〃　explained　Tarzan。　　〃It　was　a　black

who　killed　Kala。　　They　are　the　enemies　of　the

Manganis。〃



Werper　did　not　relish　the　idea　of　engaging　in　a　battle

with　Basuli　and　his　fierce　fighting　men。　　And；　again；

he　had　welcomed　the　sight　of　them　returning　toward　the

Greystoke　bungalow；　for　he　had　begun　to　have　doubts　as

to　his　ability　to　retrace　his　steps　to　the　Waziri

country。　　Tarzan；　he　knew；　had　not　the　remotest　idea　of

whither　they　were　going。　　By　keeping　at　a　safe　distance

behind　the　laden　warriors；　they　would　have　no

difficulty　in　following　them　home。　　Once　at　the

bungalow；　Werper　knew　the　way　to　the　camp　of　Achmet

Zek。　　There　was　still　another　reason　why　he　did　not

wish　to　interfere　with　the　Wazirithey　were　bearing

the　great　burden　of　treasure　in　the　direction　he　wished

it　borne。　　The　farther　they　took　it；　the　less　the

distance　that　he　and　Achmet　Zek　would　have　to　transport　it。



He　argued　with　the　ape…man　therefore；　against　the

latter's　desire　to　exterminate　the　blacks；　and　at　last

he　prevailed　upon　Tarzan　to　follow　them　in　peace；

saying　that　he　was　sure　they　would　lead　them　out　of　the

forest　into　a　rich　country；　teeming　with　game。



It　was　many　marches　from　Opar　to　the　Waziri　country；

but　at　last　came　the　hour　when　Tarzan　and　the　Belgian；

following　the　trail　of　the　warriors；　topped　the　last

rise；　and　saw　before　them　the　broad　Waziri　plain；　the

winding　river；　and　the　distant　forests　to　the　north　and

west。



A　mile　or　more　ahead　of　them；　the　line　of　warriors　was

creeping　like　a　giant　caterpillar　through　the　tall

grasses　of　the　plain。　　Beyond；　grazing　herds　of　zebra；

hartebeest；　and　topi　dotted　the　level　landscape；　while

closer　to　the　river　a　bull　buffalo；　his　head　and

shoulders　protruding　from　the　reeds　watched　the

advancing　blacks　for　a　moment；　only　to　turn　at　last　and

disappear　into　the　safety　of　his　dank　and　gloomy

retreat。



Tarzan　looked　out　across　the　familiar　vista　with　no

faintest　gleam　of　recognition　in　his　eyes。　　He　saw　the

game　animals；　and　his　mouth　watered；　but　he　did　not

look　in　the　direction　of　his　bungalow。　　Werper；

however；　did。　　A　puzzled　expression　entered　the

Belgian's　eyes。　　He　shaded　them　with　his　palms　and

gazed　long　and　earnestly　toward　the　spot　where　the

bungalow　had　stood。　　He　could　not　credit　the　testimony

of　his　eyesthere　was　no　bungalowno　barnsno

out…　houses。　　The　corrals；　the　hay　stacksall　were　gone。

What　could　it　mean？



And　then；　slowly　there　filtered　into　Werper's

consciousness　an　explanation　of　the　havoc　that　had　been

wrought　in　that　peaceful　valley　since　last　his　eyes　had

rested　upon　itAchmet　Zek　had　been　there！



Basuli　and　his　warriors　had　noted　the　devastation　the

moment　they　had　come　in　sight　of　the　farm。　　Now　they

hastened　on　toward　it　talking　excitedly　among

themselves　in　animated　speculation　upon　the　cause　and

meaning　of　the　catastrophe。



When；　at　last　they　crossed　the　trampled　garden　and

stood　before　the　charred　ruins　of　their　master's

bungalow；　their　greatest　fears　became　convictions　in

the　light　of　the　evidence　about　them。



Remnants　of　human　dead；　half　devoured　by　prowling

hyenas　and　others　of　the　carnivora　which　infested　the

region；　lay　rotting　upon　the　ground；　and　among　the

corpses　remained　sufficient　remnants　of　their　clothing

and　ornaments　to　make　clear　to　Basuli　the　frightful

story　of　the　disaster　that　had　befallen　his　master's

house。



〃The　Arabs；〃　he　said；　as　his　men　clustered　about　him。



The　Waziri　gazed　about　in　mute　rage　for　several

minutes。　　Everywhere　they　encountered　only　further

evidence　of　the　ruthlessness　of　the　cruel　enemy　that

had　come　during　the　Great　Bwana's　absence　and　laid

waste　his　property。



〃What　did　they　with　'Lady'？〃　asked　one　of　the　blacks。



They　had　always　called　Lady　Greystoke　thus。



〃The　women　they　would　have　taken　with　them；〃　said

Basuli。　　〃Our　women　and　his。〃



A　giant　black　raised　his　spear　above　his　head；　and　gave

voice　to　a　savage　cry　of　rage　and　hate。　　The　others

followed　his　example。　　Basuli　silenced　them　with　a　gesture。



〃This　is　no　time　for　useless　noises　of　the　mouth；〃　he

said。　　〃The　Great　Bwana　has　taught　us　that　it　is　acts

by　which　things　are　done；　not　words。　　Let　us　save　our

breathwe　shall　need　it　all　to　follow　up　the　Arabs　and

slay　them。　　If　'Lady'　and　our　women　live　the　greater

the　need　of　haste；　and　warriors　cannot　travel　fast　upon

empty　lungs。〃



From　the　shelter　of　the　reeds　along　the　river；　Werper

and　Tarzan　watched　the　blacks。　　They　saw　them　dig　a

trench　with　their　knives　and　fingers。　　They　saw　them

lay　their　yellow　burdens　in　it　and　scoop　the　overturned

earth　back　over　the　tops　of　the　ingots。



Tarzan　seemed　little　interested；　after　Werper　had

assured　him　that　that　which　they　buried　was　not　good　to

eat；　but　Werper　was　intensely　interested。　　He　would

have　given　much　had　he　had　his　own　followers　with　him；

that　he　might　take　away　the　treasure　as　soon　as　the

blacks　left；　for　he　was　sure　that　they　would　leave　this

scene　of　desolation　and　death　as　soon　as　possible。



The　treasure　buried；　the　blacks　removed　themselves　a

short　distance　up　wind　from　the　fetid　corpses；　where

they　made　camp；　that　they　might　rest　before　setting　out

in　pursuit　of　the　Arabs。　　It　was　already　dusk。　　Werper

and　Tarzan　sat　devouring　some　pieces　of　meat　they　had

brought　from　their　last　camp。　　The　Belgian　was　occupied

with　his　plans　for　the　immediate　future。　　He　was

positive　that　the　Waziri　would　pursue　Achmet　Zek；

for　he　knew　enough　of　savage　warfare；　and　of　the

characteristics　of　the　Arabs　and　their　degraded

followers　to　guess　that　they　had　carried　the　Waziri

women　off　into　slavery。　　This　alone　would　assure

immediate　pursuit　by　so　warlike　a　people　as　the　Waziri。



Werper　felt　that　he　should　find　the　means　and　the

opportunity　to　push　on　ahead；　that　he　might　warn　Achmet

Zek　of　the　coming　of　Basuli；　and　also　of　the　location

of　the　buried　treasure。　　What　the　Arab　would　now　do

with　Lady　Greystoke；　in　view　of　the　mental　affliction

of　her　husband；　Werper　neither　knew　nor　cared。　　It　was

enough　that　the　golden　treasure　buried　upon　the　site　of

the　burned　bungalow　was　infinitely　more　valuable　than

any　ransom　that　would　have　occurred　even　to　the

avaricious　mind　of　the　Arab；　and　if　Werper　could

persuade　the　raider　to　share　even　a　portion　of　it　with

him　he　would　be　well　satisfied。



But　by　far　the　most　important　consideration；　to　Werper；

at　least；　was　the　incalculably　valuable　treasure　in　the

little　leathern　pouch　at　Tarzan's　side。　　If　he　could

but　obtain　possession　of　this！　　He　must！　　He　would！



His　eyes　wandered　to　the　object　of　his　greed。

They　measu