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第33节

tarzan and the jewels of opar-第33节

小说: tarzan and the jewels of opar 字数: 每页4000字

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jealous of this future meal to permit it to escape with

ease。  And yet; too; there was another possibilitya

chance which hinged entirely upon the unknown temper of

the great beast。



His belly already partially filled; he might watch with

indifference the departure of the girl; yet could she

afford to chance so improbable a contingency?  She

doubted it。  Upon the other hand she was no more minded

to allow this frail opportunity for life to entirely

elude her without taking or attempting to take some

advantage from it。



She watched the lion narrowly。  He could not see her

without turning his head more than halfway around。  She

would attempt a ruse。  Silently she rolled over in the

direction of the nearest tree; and away from the lion;

until she lay again in the same position in which Numa

had left her; but a few feet farther from him。



Here she lay breathless watching the lion; but the

beast gave no indication that he had heard aught to

arouse his suspicions。  Again she rolled over; gaining

a few more feet and again she lay in rigid

contemplation of the beast's back。



During what seemed hours to her tense nerves; Jane

Clayton continued these tactics; and still the lion fed

on in apparent unconsciousness that his second prey was

escaping him。  Already the girl was but a few paces

from the treea moment more and she would be close

enough to chance springing to her feet; throwing

caution aside and making a sudden; bold dash for

safety。  She was halfway over in her turn; her face

away from the lion; when he suddenly turned his great

head and fastened his eyes upon her。  He saw her roll

over upon her side away from him; and then her eyes

were turned again toward him; and the cold sweat broke

from the girl's every pore as she realized that with

life almost within her grasp; death had found her out。



For a long time neither the girl nor the lion moved。

The beast lay motionless; his head turned upon his

shoulders and his glaring eyes fixed upon the rigid

victim; now nearly fifty yards away。  The girl stared

back straight into those cruel orbs; daring not to move

even a muscle。



The strain upon her nerves was becoming so unbearable

that she could scarcely restrain a growing desire to

scream; when Numa deliberately turned back to the

business of feeding; but his back…layed ears attested a

sinister regard for the actions of the girl behind him。



Realizing that she could not again turn without

attracting his immediate and perhaps fatal attention;

Jane Clayton resolved to risk all in one last attempt

to reach the tree and clamber to the lower branches。



Gathering herself stealthily for the effort; she leaped

suddenly to her feet; but almost simultaneously the

lion sprang up; wheeled and with wide…distended jaws

and terrific roars; charged swiftly down upon her。



Those who have spent lifetimes hunting the big game of

Africa will tell you that scarcely any other creature

in the world attains the speed of a charging lion。

For the short distance that the great cat can maintain it;

it resembles nothing more closely than the onrushing of

a giant locomotive under full speed; and so; though the

distance that Jane Clayton must cover was relatively

small; the terrific speed of the lion rendered her

hopes of escape almost negligible。



Yet fear can work wonders; and though the upward spring

of the lion as he neared the tree into which she was

scrambling brought his talons in contact with her boots

she eluded his raking grasp; and as he hurtled against

the bole of her sanctuary; the girl drew herself into

the safety of the branches above his reach。



For some time the lion paced; growling and moaning;

beneath the tree in which Jane Clayton crouched;

panting and trembling。  The girl was a prey to the

nervous reaction from the frightful ordeal through

which she had so recently passed; and in her

overwrought state it seemed that never again should she

dare descend to the ground among the fearsome dangers

which infested the broad stretch of jungle that she

knew must lie between herself and the nearest village

of her faithful Waziri。



It was almost dark before the lion finally quit the

clearing; and even had his place beside the remnants of

the mangled ape not been immediately usurped by a pack

of hyenas; Jane Clayton would scarcely have dared

venture from her refuge in the face of impending night;

and so she composed herself as best she could for the

long and tiresome wait; until daylight might offer some

means of escape from the dread vicinity in which she

had witnessed such terrifying adventures。



Tired nature at last overcame even her fears; and she

dropped into a deep slumber; cradled in a comparatively

safe; though rather uncomfortable; position against the

bole of the tree; and supported by two large branches

which grew outward; almost horizontally; but a few

inches apart。



The sun was high in the heavens when she at last awoke;

and beneath her was no sign either of Numa or the

hyenas。  Only the clean…picked bones of the ape;

scattered about the ground; attested the fact of what

had transpired in this seemingly peaceful spot but a

few hours before。



Both hunger and thirst assailed her now; and realizing

that she must descend or die of starvation; she at last

summoned courage to undertake the ordeal of continuing

her journey through the jungle。



Descending from the tree; she set out in a southerly

direction; toward the point where she believed the

plains of Waziri lay; and though she knew that only

ruin and desolation marked the spot where once her

happy home had stood; she hoped that by coming to the

broad plain she might eventually reach one of the

numerous Waziri villages that were scattered over the

surrounding country; or chance upon a roving band of

these indefatigable huntsmen。



The day was half spent when there broke unexpectedly

upon her startled ears the sound of a rifle shot not

far ahead of her。  As she paused to listen; this first

shot was followed by another and another and another。

What could it mean?  The first explanation which sprung

to her mind attributed the firing to an encounter

between the Arab raiders and a party of Waziri; but as

she did not know upon which side victory might rest; or

whether she were behind friend or foe; she dared not

advance nearer on the chance of revealing herself to an

enemy。



After listening for several minutes she became

convinced that no more than two or three rifles were

engaged in the fight; since nothing approximating the

sound of a volley reached her ears; but still she

hesitated to approach; and at last; determining to take

no chance; she climbed into the concealing foliage of a

tree beside the trail she had been following and there

fearfully awaited whatever might reveal itself。



As the firing became less rapid she caught the sound of

men's voices; though she could distinguish no words;

and at last the reports of the guns ceased; and she

heard two men calling to each other in loud tones。

Then there was a long silence which was finally broken

by the stealthy padding of footfalls on the trail ahead

of her; and in another moment a man appeared in view

backing toward her; a rifle ready in his hands; and his

eyes directed in careful watchfulness along the way

that he had come。



Almost instantly Jane Clayton recognized the man as M。

Jules Frecoult; who so recently had been a guest in her

home。  She was upon the point of calling to him in glad

relief when she saw him leap quickly to one side and

hide himself in the thick verdure at the trail's side。

It was evident that he was being followed by an enemy;

and so Jane Clayton kept silent; lest she distract

Frecoult's attention; or guide his foe to his hiding

place。



Scarcely had Frecoult hidden himself than the figure of

a white…robed Arab crept silently along the trail in

pursuit。  From her hiding place; Jane Clayton could see

both men plainly。  She recognized Achmet Zek as the

leader of the band of ruffians who had raided her home

and made her a prisoner; and as she saw Frecoult; the

supposed friend and ally; raise his gun and take

careful aim at the Arab; her heart stood still and

every power of her soul was directed upon a fervent

prayer for the accuracy of his aim。



Achmet Zek paused in the middle of the trail。  His keen

eyes scanned every bush and tree within the radius of

his vision。  His tall figure presented a perfect target

to the perfidious assassin。  There was a sharp report;

and a little puff of smoke arose from the bush that hid

the Belgian; as Achmet Zek stumbled forward and

pitched; face down; upon the trail。



As Werper stepped back into the trail; he was startled

by the sound of a glad cry from above him; and as he

wheeled about to discover the author of this unexpected

interrup

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