tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第22部分

As　Werper；　who；　with　Mugambi；　had　been　given　permission

to　enter　the　water；　removed　his　clothing；　the　black

noted　the　care　with　which　he　unfastened　something　which

circled　his　waist；　and　which　he　took　off　with　his

shirt；　keeping　the　latter　always　around　and　concealing

the　object　of　his　suspicious　solicitude。



It　was　this　very　carefulness　which　attracted　the

black's　attention　to　the　thing；　arousing　a　natural

curiosity　in　the　warrior's　mind；　and　so　it　chanced　that

when　the　Belgian；　in　the　nervousness　of　overcaution；

fumbled　the　hidden　article　and　dropped　it；　Mugambi　saw

it　as　it　fell　upon　the　ground；　spilling　a　portion　of

its　contents　on　the　sward。



Now　Mugambi　had　been　to　London　with　his　master。

He　was　not　the　unsophisticated　savage　that　his　apparel

proclaimed　him。　　He　had　mingled　with　the　cosmopolitan

hordes　of　the　greatest　city　in　the　world；　he　had

visited　museums　and　inspected　shop　windows；　and；

besides；　he　was　a　shrewd　and　intelligent　man。



The　instant　that　the　jewels　of　Opar　rolled；

scintillating；　before　his　astonished　eyes；　he

recognized　them　for　what　they　were；　but　he　recognized

something　else；　too；　that　interested　him　far　more

deeply　than　the　value　of　the　stones。　A　thousand　times

he　had　seen　the　leathern　pouch　which　dangled　at　his

master's　side；　when　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had；　in　a　spirit

of　play　and　adventure；　elected　to　return　for　a　few

hours　to　the　primitive　manners　and　customs　of　his

boyhood；　and　surrounded　by　his　naked　warriors　hunt　the

lion　and　the　leopard；　the　buffalo　and　the　elephant

after　the　manner　he　loved　best。



Werper　saw　that　Mugambi　had　seen　the　pouch　and　the

stones。　　Hastily　he　gathered　up　the　precious　gems　and

returned　them　to　their　container；　while　Mugambi；

assuming　an　air　of　indifference；　strolled　down　to　the

river　for　his　bath。



The　following　morning　Abdul　Mourak　was　enraged　and

chagrined　to　discover　that　this　huge；　black　prisoner

had　escaped　during　the　night；　while　Werper　was

terrified　for　the　same　reason；　until　his　trembling

fingers　discovered　the　pouch　still　in　its　place　beneath

his　shirt；　and　within　it　the　hard　outlines　of　its

contents。







16



Tarzan　Again　Leads　the　Mangani





Achmet　Zek　with　two　of　his　followers　had　circled　far　to

the　south　to　intercept　the　flight　of　his　deserting

lieutenant；　Werper。　　Others　had　spread　out　in　various

directions；　so　that　a　vast　circle　had　been　formed　by

them　during　the　night；　and　now　they　were　beating　in

toward　the　center。



Achmet　and　the　two　with　him　halted　for　a　short　rest

just　before　noon。　　They　squatted　beneath　the　trees　upon

the　southern　edge　of　a　clearing。　　The　chief　of　the

raiders　was　in　ill　humor。　　To　have　been　outwitted　by　an

unbeliever　was　bad　enough；　but　to　have；　at　the　same

time；　lost　the　jewels　upon　which　he　had　set　his

avaricious　heart　was　altogether　too　muchAllah　must；

indeed　be　angry　with　his　servant。



Well；　he　still　had　the　woman。　　She　would　bring　a　fair

price　in　the　north；　and　there　was；　too；　the　buried

treasure　beside　the　ruins　of　the　Englishman's　house。



A　slight　noise　in　the　jungle　upon　the　opposite　side　of

the　clearing　brought　Achmet　Zek　to　immediate　and　alert

attention。　　He　gathered　his　rifle　in　readiness　for

instant　use；　at　the　same　time　motioning　his　followers

to　silence　and　concealment。　　Crouching　behind　the

bushes　the　three　waited；　their　eyes　fastened　upon　the

far　side　of　the　open　space。



Presently　the　foliage　parted　and　a　woman's　face

appeared；　glancing　fearfully　from　side　to　side。

A　moment　later；　evidently　satisfied　that　no　immediate

danger　lurked　before　her；　she　stepped　out　into　the

clearing　in　full　view　of　the　Arab。



Achmet　Zek　caught　his　breath　with　a　muttered

exclamation　of　incredulity　and　an　imprecation。

The　woman　was　the　prisoner　he　had　thought　safely　guarded

at　his　camp！



Apparently　she　was　alone；　but　Achmet　Zek　waited　that　he

might　make　sure　of　it　before　seizing　her。　　Slowly　Jane

Clayton　started　across　the　clearing。　　Twice　already

since　she　had　quitted　the　village　of　the　raiders　had

she　barely　escaped　the　fangs　of　carnivora；　and　once　she

had　almost　stumbled　into　the　path　of　one　of　the

searchers。　　Though　she　was　almost　despairing　of　ever

reaching　safety　she　still　was　determined　to　fight　on；

until　death　or　success　terminated　her　endeavors。



As　the　Arabs　watched　her　from　the　safety　of　their

concealment；　and　Achmet　Zek　noted　with　satisfaction

that　she　was　walking　directly　into　his　clutches；

another　pair　of　eyes　looked　down　upon　the　entire　scene

from　the　foliage　of　an　adjacent　tree。



Puzzled；　troubled　eyes　they　were；　for　all　their　gray

and　savage　glint；　for　their　owner　was　struggling　with

an　intangible　suggestion　of　the　familiarity　of　the　face

and　figure　of　the　woman　below　him。



A　sudden　crashing　of　the　bushes　at　the　point　from　which

Jane　Clayton　had　emerged　into　the　clearing　brought　her

to　a　sudden　stop　and　attracted　the　attention　of　the

Arabs　and　the　watcher　in　the　tree　to　the　same　point。



The　woman　wheeled　about　to　see　what　new　danger　menaced

her　from　behind；　and　as　she　did　so　a　great；　anthropoid

ape　waddled　into　view。　　Behind　him　came　another　and

another；　but　Lady　Greystoke　did　not　wait　to　learn　how

many　more　of　the　hideous　creatures　were　so　close　upon

her　trail。



With　a　smothered　scream　she　rushed　toward　the　opposite

jungle；　and　as　she　reached　the　bushes　there；　Achmet　Zek

and　his　two　henchmen　rose　up　and　seized　her。　　At　the

same　instant　a　naked；　brown　giant　dropped　from　the

branches　of　a　tree　at　the　right　of　the　clearing。



Turning　toward　the　astonished　apes　he　gave　voice　to　a

short　volley　of　low　gutturals；　and　without　waiting　to

note　the　effect　of　his　words　upon　them；　wheeled　and

charged　for　the　Arabs。



Achmet　Zek　was　dragging　Jane　Clayton　toward　his

tethered　horse。　　His　two　men　were　hastily　unfastening

all　three　mounts。　　The　woman；　struggling　to　escape　the

Arab；　turned　and　saw　the　ape…man　running　toward　her。

A　glad　light　of　hope　illuminated　her　face。



〃John！〃　she　cried。　　〃Thank　God　that　you　have　come　in　time。〃



Behind　Tarzan　came　the　great　apes；　wondering；　but

obedient　to　his　summons。　　The　Arabs　saw　that　they　would

not　have　time　to　mount　and　make　their　escape　before　the

beasts　and　the　man　were　upon　them。　　Achmet　Zek

recognized　the　latter　as　the　redoubtable　enemy　of　such

as　he；　and　he　saw；　too；　in　the　circumstance　an

opportunity　to　rid　himself　forever　of　the　menace　of　the

ape…man's　presence。



Calling　to　his　men　to　follow　his　example　he　raised　his

rifle　and　leveled　it　upon　the　charging　giant。　　His

followers；　acting　with　no　less　alacrity　than　himself；

fired　almost　simultaneously；　and　with　the　reports　of

the　rifles；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　and　two　of　his　hairy

henchmen　pitched　forward　among　the　jungle　grasses。



The　noise　of　the　rifle　shots　brought　the　balance　of　the

apes　to　a　wondering　pause；　and；　taking　advantage　of

their　momentary　distraction；　Achmet　Zek　and　his　fellows

leaped　to　their　horses'　backs　and　galloped　away　with

the　now　hopeless　and　grief…stricken　woman。



Back　to　the　village　they　rode；　and　once　again　Lady

Greystoke　found　herself　incarcerated　in　the　filthy；

little　hut　from　which　she　had　thought　to　have　escaped

for　good。　　But　this　time　she　was　not　only　guarded　by　an

additional　sentry；　but　bound　as　well。



Singly　and　in　twos　the　searchers　who　had　ridden　out

with　Achmet　Zek　upon　the　trail　of　the　Belgian；　returned

empty　handed。　　With　the　report　of　each　the　raider's

rage　and　chagrin　increased；　until　he　was　in　such　a

transport　of　ferocious　anger　that　none　dared　approach

him。　　Threatening　and　cursing；　Achmet　Zek　paced　up　and

down　the　floor　of　his　silken　tent；　but　his　temper

served　him　naughtWerper　was　gone　and　with　him　the

fortune　in　scintillating　gems　which　had　aroused　the

cupidity　of　his　chief　and　placed　the　sentence　of　death

upon　the　head　of　the　lieutenant。



With　the　escape　of　the　Arabs　the　great　apes　had　turned

their　attention　to　their　fallen　comrades。　　One　was

dead；　but　another　and　the　great　white　ape　still

breathed。　　The　hairy　monsters　gathered　about　these　two；

grumbling　and　muttering　after　the　fashion　of　their　kind。



Tarzan　was　the　first　to　regain　consciousness。　　Sitting

up；　he　looked　about　him。　　Blood　was　flowing　from　a

wound　in　his　shoulder。　　The　shock　had　thrown　him　down

and　dazed　him；　but　he　was　far　from　dead。　　Rising　slowly

to　his　feet　he　let　his　eyes　wander　toward　the　spot

where　last　he　had　seen　the　she；　who　had　aroused　within

his　savage　breast　such　strange　emotions。



〃Where　is　she？〃　he　asked。



〃The　Tarmangani　took　her　away；〃　replied　one　of　the　apes。

〃Who　are　you　who　speak　the　language　of　the　Mangani？〃



〃I　am　Tarzan；〃　replied　the　ape…man；　〃mighty　hunter；

greatest　of　fighters。　　When　I　roar；　the　jungle　is

silent　and　trembles　with　terror。　　I　am　Tarzan　of　the

Apes。　　I　have　been　away；　but　now　I　have　come　back　to　my

people。〃



〃Yes；〃　spoke　up　an　old　ape；　〃he　is　Tarzan。　　I　know　him。

It　is　well　that　he　has　come　back。　　Now　we　shall　have

good　hunting。〃



The　other　apes　came　closer　and　sniffed　at　the　ape…man。

Tarzan　stood　very　still；　his　fangs　half　bared；　and　his

muscles　tense　and　ready　for　action；　but　there　was　none

there　to　question　his　right　to　be　with　them；　and

presently；　the　inspection　satisfactorily　concluded；　the

apes　again　returned　their　attention　to　the　other　survivor。



He　too　was　but　slightly　wounded；　a　bullet；　grazing　his

skull；　having　stunned　him；　so　that　when　he　regained

consciousness　he　was　apparently　as　fit　as　ever。



The　apes　told　Tarzan　that　they　had　been　traveling

toward　the　east　when　the　scent　spoor　of　the　she　had

attracted　them　and　they　had　stalked　her。　　Now　they

wished　to　continue　upon　their　interrupted　march；　but

Tarzan　preferred　to　follow　the　Arabs　and　take　the　woman

from　them。　　After　a　considerable　argument　it　was

decided　that　they　shoul