tarzan and the jewels of opar-第13节

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His　eyes　wandered　to　the　object　of　his　greed。

They　measured　Tarzan's　giant　frame；　and　rested　upon

the　rounded　muscles　of　his　arms。　　It　was　hopeless。

What　could　he；　Werper；　hope　to　accomplish；　other　than　his

own　death；　by　an　attempt　to　wrest　the　gems　from　their

savage　owner？



Disconsolate；　Werper　threw　himself　upon　his　side。

His　head　was　pillowed　on　one　arm；　the　other　rested　across

his　face　in　such　a　way　that　his　eyes　were　hidden　from

the　ape…man；　though　one　of　them　was　fastened　upon　him

from　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　Belgian's　forearm。

For　a　time　he　lay　thus；　glowering　at　Tarzan；　and

originating　schemes　for　plundering　him　of　his　treasure

schemes　that　were　discarded　as　futile　as　rapidly　as

they　were　born。



Tarzan　presently　let　his　own　eyes　rest　upon　Werper。

The　Belgian　saw　that　he　was　being　watched；　and　lay　very

still。　　After　a　few　moments　he　simulated　the　regular

breathing　of　deep　slumber。



Tarzan　had　been　thinking。　　He　had　seen　the　Waziri　bury

their　belongings。　　Werper　had　told　him　that　they　were

hiding　them　lest　some　one　find　them　and　take　them　away。

This　seemed　to　Tarzan　a　splendid　plan　for　safeguarding

valuables。　　Since　Werper　had　evinced　a　desire　to

possess　his　glittering　pebbles；　Tarzan；　with　the

suspicions　of　a　savage；　had　guarded　the　baubles；　of

whose　worth　he　was　entirely　ignorant；　as　zealously　as

though　they　spelled　life　or　death　to　him。



For　a　long　time　the　ape…man　sat　watching　his　companion。

At　last；　convinced　that　he　slept；　Tarzan　withdrew　his

hunting　knife　and　commenced　to　dig　a　hole　in　the　ground

before　him。　　With　the　blade　he　loosened　up　the　earth；

and　with　his　hands　he　scooped　it　out　until　he　had

excavated　a　little　cavity　a　few　inches　in　diameter；　and

five　or　six　inches　in　depth。　　Into　this　he　placed　the

pouch　of　jewels。　　Werper　almost　forgot　to　breathe　after

the　fashion　of　a　sleeper　as　he　saw　what　the　ape…man　was

doinghe　scarce　repressed　an　ejaculation　of

satisfaction。



Tarzan　become　suddenly　rigid　as　his　keen　ears　noted　the

cessation　of　the　regular　inspirations　and　expirations

of　his　companion。　　His　narrowed　eyes　bored　straight

down　upon　the　Belgian。　　Werper　felt　that　he　was　lost

he　must　risk　all　on　his　ability　to　carry　on　the

deception。　　He　sighed；　threw　both　arms　outward；　and

turned　over　on　his　back　mumbling　as　though　in　the

throes　of　a　bad　dream。　　A　moment　later　he　resumed　the

regular　breathing。



Now　he　could　not　watch　Tarzan；　but　he　was　sure　that　the

man　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　at　him。　　Then；　faintly；

Werper　heard　the　other's　hands　scraping　dirt；　and　later

patting　it　down。　　He　knew　then　that　the　jewels　were

buried。



It　was　an　hour　before　Werper　moved　again；　then　he

rolled　over　facing　Tarzan　and　opened　his　eyes。　　The

ape…man　slept。　　By　reaching　out　his　hand　Werper　could

touch　the　spot　where　the　pouch　was　buried。



For　a　long　time　he　lay　watching　and　listening。

He　moved　about；　making　more　noise　than　necessary；

yet　Tarzan　did　not　awaken。　　He　drew　the　sacrificial　knife

from　his　belt；　and　plunged　it　into　the　ground。

Tarzan　did　not　move。　　Cautiously　the　Belgian　pushed　the

blade　downward　through　the　loose　earth　above　the　pouch。

He　felt　the　point　touch　the　soft；　tough　fabric　of　the

leather。　　Then　he　pried　down　upon　the　handle。

Slowly　the　little　mound　of　loose　earth　rose　and　parted。

An　instant　later　a　corner　of　the　pouch　came　into　view。

Werper　pulled　it　from　its　hiding　place；　and　tucked　it

in　his　shirt。　　Then　he　refilled　the　hole　and　pressed

the　dirt　carefully　down　as　it　had　been　before。



Greed　had　prompted　him　to　an　act；　the　discovery　of

which　by　his　companion　could　lead　only　to　the　most

frightful　consequences　for　Werper。　　Already　he　could

almost　feel　those　strong；　white　fangs　burying

themselves　in　his　neck。　　He　shuddered。　　Far　out　across

the　plain　a　leopard　screamed；　and　in　the　dense　reeds

behind　him　some　great　beast　moved　on　padded　feet。



Werper　feared　these　prowlers　of　the　night；　but

infinitely　more　he　feared　the　just　wrath　of　the　human

beast　sleeping　at　his　side。　　With　utmost　caution　the

Belgian　arose。　　Tarzan　did　not　move。　　Werper　took　a　few

steps　toward　the　plain　and　the　distant　forest　to　the

northwest；　then　he　paused　and　fingered　the　hilt　of　the

long　knife　in　his　belt。　　He　turned　and　looked　down　upon

the　sleeper。



〃Why　not？〃　he　mused。　　〃Then　I　should　be　safe。〃



He　returned　and　bent　above　the　ape…man。　　Clutched

tightly　in　his　hand　was　the　sacrificial　knife　of　the

High　Priestess　of　the　Flaming　God！







10



Achmet　Zek　Sees　the　Jewels





Mugambi；　weak　and　suffering；　had　dragged　his　painful

way　along　the　trail　of　the　retreating　raiders。

He　could　move　but　slowly；　resting　often；　but　savage　hatred

and　an　equally　savage　desire　for　vengeance　kept　him　to

his　task。　　As　the　days　passed　his　wounds　healed　and　his

strength　returned；　until　at　last　his　giant　frame　had

regained　all　of　its　former　mighty　powers。　　Now　he　went

more　rapidly；　but　the　mounted　Arabs　had　covered　a　great

distance　while　the　wounded　black　had　been　painfully

crawling　after　them。



They　had　reached　their　fortified　camp；　and　there　Achmet

Zek　awaited　the　return　of　his　lieutenant；　Albert

Werper。　　During　the　long；　rough　journey；　Jane　Clayton

had　suffered　more　in　anticipation　of　her　impending　fate

than　from　the　hardships　of　the　road。



Achmet　Zek　had　not　deigned　to　acquaint　her　with　his

intentions　regarding　her　future。　　She　prayed　that　she

had　been　captured　in　the　hope　of　ransom；　for　if　such

should　prove　the　case；　no　great　harm　would　befall　her

at　the　hands　of　the　Arabs；　but　there　was　the　chance；

the　horrid　chance；　that　another　fate　awaited　her。

She　had　heard　of　many　women；　among　whom　were　white　women；

who　had　been　sold　by　outlaws　such　as　Achmet　Zek　into

the　slavery　of　black　harems；　or　taken　farther　north

into　the　almost　equally　hideous　existence　of　some

Turkish　seraglio。



Jane　Clayton　was　of　sterner　stuff　than　that　which　bends

in　spineless　terror　before　danger。　　Until　hope　proved

futile　she　would　not　give　it　up；　nor　did　she　entertain

thoughts　of　self…destruction　only　as　a　final　escape

from　dishonor。　　So　long　as　Tarzan　lived　there　was　every

reason　to　expect　succor。　　No　man　nor　beast　who　roamed

the　savage　continent　could　boast　the　cunning　and　the

powers　of　her　lord　and　master。　　To　her；　he　was　little

short　of　omnipotent　in　his　native　worldthis　world　of

savage　beasts　and　savage　men。　　Tarzan　would　come；　and

she　would　be　rescued　and　avenged；　of　that　she　was

certain。　　She　counted　the　days　that　must　elapse　before

he　would　return　from　Opar　and　discover　what　had

transpired　during　his　absence。　　After　that　it　would　be

but　a　short　time　before　he　had　surrounded　the　Arab

stronghold　and　punished　the　motley　crew　of　wrongdoers

who　inhabited　it。



That　he　could　find　her　she　had　no　slightest　doubt。

No　spoor；　however　faint；　could　elude　the　keen　vigilance

of　his　senses。　　To　him；　the　trail　of　the　raiders　would　be

as　plain　as　the　printed　page　of　an　open　book　to　her。



And　while　she　hoped；　there　came　through　the　dark　jungle

another。　　Terrified　by　night　and　by　day；　came　Albert

Werper。　　A　dozen　times　he　had　escaped　the　claws　and

fangs　of　the　giant　carnivora　only　by　what　seemed　a

miracle　to　him。　　Armed　with　nothing　more　than　the　knife

he　had　brought　with　him　from　Opar；　he　had　made　his　way

through　as　savage　a　country　as　yet　exists　upon　the　face

of　the　globe。



By　night　he　had　slept　in　trees。　　By　day　he　had　stumbled

fearfully　on；　often　taking　refuge　among　the　branches

when　sight　or　sound　of　some　great　cat　warned　him　from

danger。　　But　at　last　he　had　come　within　sight　of　the

palisade　behind　which　were　his　fierce　companions。



At　almost　the　same　time　Mugambi　came　out　of　the　jungle

before　the　walled　village。　　As　he　stood　in　the　shadow

of　a　great　tree；　reconnoitering；　he　saw　a　man；　ragged

and　disheveled；　emerge　from　the　jungle　almost　at　his

elbow。　　Instantly　he　recognized　the　newcomer　as　he　who

had　been　a　guest　of　his　master　before　the　latter　had

departed　for　Opar。



The　black　was　upon　the　point　of　hailing　the　Belgian

when　something　stayed　him。　　He　saw　the　white　man

walking　confidently　across　the　clearing　toward　the

village　gate。　　No　sane　man　thus　approached　a　village　in

this　part　of　Africa　unless　he　was　sure　of　a　friendly

welcome。　　Mugambi　waited。　　His　suspicions　were　aroused。



He　heard　Werper　halloo；　he　saw　the　gates　swing　open；

and　he　witnessed　the　surprised　and　friendly　welcome

that　was　accorded　the　erstwhile　guest　of　Lord　and　Lady

Greystoke。　　A　light　broke　upon　the　understanding　of

Mugambi。　　This　white　man　had　been　a　traitor　and　a　spy。

It　was　to　him　they　owed　the　raid　during　the　absence　of

the　Great　Bwana。　　To　his　hate　for　the　Arabs；　Mugambi

added　a　still　greater　hate　for　the　white　spy。



Within　the　village　Werper　passed　hurriedly　toward　the

silken　tent　of　Achmet　Zek。　　The　Arab　arose　as　his

lieutenant　ente