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Albert Werper became a member of the ivory and slave

raiding band of the notorious Achmet Zek。



For months the renegade Belgian rode with the savage

raider。  He fought with a savage abandon; and a vicious

cruelty fully equal to that of his fellow desperadoes。

Achmet Zek watched his recruit with eagle eye; and with

a growing satisfaction which finally found expression

in a greater confidence in the man; and resulted in an

increased independence of action for Werper。



Achmet Zek took the Belgian into his confidence to a

great extent; and at last unfolded to him a pet scheme

which the Arab had long fostered; but which he never

had found an opportunity to effect。  With the aid of a

European; however; the thing might be easily

accomplished。  He sounded Werper。



〃You have heard of the man men call Tarzan?〃 he asked。



Werper nodded。  〃I have heard of him; but I do not know

him。〃



〃But for him we might carry on our 'trading' in safety

and with great profit;〃 continued the Arab。  〃For years

he has fought us; driving us from the richest part of

the country; harassing us; and arming the natives that

they may repel us when we come to 'trade。' He is very

rich。  If we could find some way to make him pay us

many pieces of gold we should not only be avenged upon

him; but repaid for much that he has prevented us from

winning from the natives under his protection。〃



Werper withdrew a cigaret from a jeweled case and

lighted it。



〃And you have a plan to make him pay?〃 he asked。



〃He has a wife;〃 replied Achmet Zek; 〃whom men say is

very beautiful。  She would bring a great price farther

north; if we found it too difficult to collect ransom

money from this Tarzan。〃



Werper bent his head in thought。  Achmet Zek stood

awaiting his reply。  What good remained in Albert

Werper revolted at the thought of selling a white woman

into the slavery and degradation of a Moslem harem。

He looked up at Achmet Zek。  He saw the Arab's eyes

narrow; and he guessed that the other had sensed his

antagonism to the plan。  What would it mean to Werper to

refuse?  His life lay in the hands of this semi…barbarian; 

who esteemed the life of an unbeliever less

highly than that of a dog。  Werper loved life。  What

was this woman to him; anyway?  She was a European;

doubtless; a member of organized society。  He was an

outcast。  The hand of every white man was against him。

She was his natural enemy; and if he refused to lend

himself to her undoing; Achmet Zek would have him

killed。



〃You hesitate;〃 murmured the Arab。



〃I was but weighing the chances of success;〃 lied

Werper; 〃and my reward。  As a European I can gain

admittance to their home and table。  You have no other

with you who could do so much。  The risk will be great。

I should be well paid; Achmet Zek。〃



A smile of relief passed over the raider's face。



〃Well said; Werper;〃 and Achmet Zek slapped his

lieutenant upon the shoulder。  〃You should be well paid

and you shall。  Now let us sit together and plan how

best the thing may be done;〃 and the two men squatted

upon a soft rug beneath the faded silks of Achmet's

once gorgeous tent; and talked together in low voices

well into the night。  Both were tall and bearded; and

the exposure to sun and wind had given an almost Arab

hue to the European's complexion。  In every detail of

dress; too; he copied the fashions of his chief; so

that outwardly he was as much an Arab as the other。

It was late when he arose and retired to his own tent。



The following day Werper spent in overhauling his

Belgian uniform; removing from it every vestige of

evidence that might indicate its military purposes。

From a heterogeneous collection of loot; Achmet Zek

procured a pith helmet and a European saddle; and from

his black slaves and followers a party of porters;

askaris and tent boys to make up a modest safari for a

big game hunter。  At the head of this party Werper set

out from camp。







2



On the Road To Opar





It was two weeks later that John Clayton; Lord

Greystoke; riding in from a tour of inspection of his

vast African estate; glimpsed the head of a column of

men crossing the plain that lay between his bungalow

and the forest to the north and west。



He reined in his horse and watched the little party as

it emerged from a concealing swale。  His keen eyes

caught the reflection of the sun upon the white helmet

of a mounted man; and with the conviction that a

wandering European hunter was seeking his hospitality;

he wheeled his mount and rode slowly forward to meet

the newcomer。



A half hour later he was mounting the steps leading to

the veranda of his bungalow; and introducing M。 Jules

Frecoult to Lady Greystoke。



〃I was completely lost;〃 M。 Frecoult was explaining。

〃My head man had never before been in this part of the

country and the guides who were to have accompanied me

from the last village we passed knew even less of the

country than we。  They finally deserted us two days

since。  I am very fortunate indeed to have stumbled so

providentially upon succor。  I do not know what I

should have done; had I not found you。〃



It was decided that Frecoult and his party should

remain several days; or until they were thoroughly

rested; when Lord Greystoke would furnish guides to

lead them safely back into country with which

Frecoult's head man was supposedly familiar。



In his guise of a French gentleman of leisure; Werper

found little difficulty in deceiving his host and in

ingratiating himself with both Tarzan and Jane Clayton;

but the longer he remained the less hopeful he became

of an easy accomplishment of his designs。



Lady Greystoke never rode alone at any great distance

from the bungalow; and the savage loyalty of the

ferocious Waziri warriors who formed a great part of

Tarzan's followers seemed to preclude the possibility

of a successful attempt at forcible abduction; or of

the bribery of the Waziri themselves。



A week passed; and Werper was no nearer the fulfillment

of his plan; in so far as he could judge; than upon the

day of his arrival; but at that very moment something

occurred which gave him renewed hope and set his mind

upon an even greater reward than a woman's ransom。



A runner had arrived at the bungalow with the weekly

mail; and Lord Greystoke had spent the afternoon in his

study reading and answering letters。  At dinner he

seemed distraught; and early in the evening he excused

himself and retired; Lady Greystoke following him very

soon after。  Werper; sitting upon the veranda; could

hear their voices in earnest discussion; and having

realized that something of unusual moment was afoot;

he quietly rose from his chair; and keeping well in the

shadow of the shrubbery growing profusely about the

bungalow; made his silent way to a point beneath the

window of the room in which his host and hostess slept。



Here he listened; and not without result; for almost

the first words he overheard filled him with

excitement。  Lady Greystoke was speaking as Werper came

within hearing。



〃I always feared for the stability of the company;〃 she

was saying; 〃but it seems incredible that they should

have failed for so enormous a sumunless there has

been some dishonest manipulation。〃



〃That is what I suspect;〃 replied Tarzan; 〃but whatever

the cause; the fact remains that I have lost

everything; and there is nothing for it but to return

to Opar and get more。〃



〃Oh; John;〃 cried Lady Greystoke; and Werper could feel

the shudder through her voice; 〃is there no other way?

I cannot bear to think of you returning to that

frightful city。  I would rather live in poverty always

than to have you risk the hideous dangers of Opar。〃



〃You need have no fear;〃 replied Tarzan; laughing。

〃I am pretty well able to take care of myself; and were

I not; the Waziri who will accompany me will see that no

harm befalls me。〃



〃They ran away from Opar once; and left you to your

fate;〃 she reminded him。



〃They will not do it again;〃 he answered。  〃They were

very much ashamed of themselves; and were coming back

when I met them。〃



〃But there must be some other way;〃 insisted the woman。



〃There is no other way half so easy to obtain another

fortune; as to go to the treasure vaults of Opar and

bring it away;〃 he replied。  〃I shall be very careful;

Jane; and the chances are that the inhabitants of Opar

will never know that I have been there again and

despoiled them of another portion of the treasure; the

very existence of which they are as ignorant of as they

would be of its value。〃



The finality in his tone seemed to assure Lady

Greystoke that further argument was futile; and so she

abandoned the subject。



Werper remained; listening; for a short time; and then;

confident that he had overheard all that was necessary

and 

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