tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第31部分

search　of　it。　We　must　reach　the　camp　before　the

returning　raiders。〃



Unsuspicious　of　the　man's　true　character；　Jane　Clayton

saw　nothing　peculiar　in　his　plans；　or　in　his　specious

explanation　of　his　former　friendship　for　the　raider；

and　so　she　grasped　with　alacrity　the　seeming　hope　for

safety　which　he　proffered　her；　and　turning　about　she

set　out　with　Albert　Werper　toward　the　hostile　camp　in

which　she　so　lately　had　been　a　prisoner。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　second　day　before

they　reached　their　destination；　and　as　they　paused　upon

the　edge　of　the　clearing　before　the　gates　of　the　walled

village；　Werper　cautioned　the　girl　to　accede　to

whatever　he　might　suggest　by　his　conversation　with　the

raiders。



〃I　shall　tell　them；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　apprehended　you

after　you　escaped　from　the　camp；　that　I　took　you　to

Achmet　Zek；　and　that　as　he　was　engaged　in　a　stubborn

battle　with　the　Waziri；　he　directed　me　to　return　to

camp　with　you；　to　obtain　here　a　sufficient　guard；　and

to　ride　north　with　you　as　rapidly　as　possible　and

dispose　of　you　at　the　most　advantageous　terms　to　a

certain　slave　broker　whose　name　he　gave　me。〃



Again　the　girl　was　deceived　by　the　apparent　frankness

of　the　Belgian。　　She　realized　that　desperate　situations

required　desperate　handling；　and　though　she　trembled

inwardly　at　the　thought　of　again　entering　the　vile　and

hideous　village　of　the　raiders　she　saw　no　better　course

than　that　which　her　companion　had　suggested。



Calling　aloud　to　those　who　tended　the　gates；　Werper；

grasping　Jane　Clayton　by　the　arm；　walked　boldly　across

the　clearing。　　Those　who　opened　the　gates　to　him

permitted　their　surprise　to　show　clearly　in　their

expressions。　　That　the　discredited　and　hunted

lieutenant　should　be　thus　returning　fearlessly　of　his

own　volition；　seemed　to　disarm　them　quite　as

effectually　as　his　manner　toward　Lady　Greystoke　had

deceived　her。



The　sentries　at　the　gate　returned　Werper's　salutations；

and　viewed　with　astonishment　the　prisoner　whom　he

brought　into　the　village　with　him。



Immediately　the　Belgian　sought　the　Arab　who　had　been

left　in　charge　of　the　camp　during　Achmet　Zek's　absence；

and　again　his　boldness　disarmed　suspicion　and　won　the

acceptance　of　his　false　explanation　of　his　return。

The　fact　that　he　had　brought　back　with　him　the　woman

prisoner　who　had　escaped；　added　strength　to　his　claims；

and　Mohammed　Beyd　soon　found　himself　fraternizing

good…naturedly　with　the　very　man　whom　he　would　have　slain

without　compunction　had　he　discovered　him　alone　in　the

jungle　a　half　hour　before。



Jane　Clayton　was　again　confined　to　the　prison　hut　she

had　formerly　occupied；　but　as　she　realized　that　this

was　but　a　part　of　the　deception　which　she　and　Frecoult

were　playing　upon　the　credulous　raiders；　it　was　with

quite　a　different　sensation　that　she　again　entered　the

vile　and　filthy　interior；　from　that　which　she　had

previously　experienced；　when　hope　was　so　far　away。



Once　more　she　was　bound　and　sentries　placed　before　the

door　of　her　prison；　but　before　Werper　left　her　he

whispered　words　of　cheer　into　her　ear。　　Then　he　left；

and　made　his　way　back　to　the　tent　of　Mohammed　Beyd。

He　had　been　wondering　how　long　it　would　be　before　the

raiders　who　had　ridden　out　with　Achmet　Zek　would　return

with　the　murdered　body　of　their　chief；　and　the　more　he

thought　upon　the　matter　the　greater　his　fears　became；

that　without　accomplices　his　plan　would　fail。



What；　even；　if　he　got　away　from　the　camp　in　safety

before　any　returned　with　the　true　story　of　his　guilt

of　what　value　would　this　advantage　be　other　than　to

protract　for　a　few　days　his　mental　torture　and　his

life？　　These　hard　riders；　familiar　with　every　trail　and

bypath；　would　get　him　long　before　he　could　hope　to

reach　the　coast。



As　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　he　entered

the　tent　where　Mohammed　Beyd　sat　cross…legged　upon　a

rug；　smoking。　　The　Arab　looked　up　as　the　European　came

into　his　presence。



〃Greetings；　O　Brother！〃　he　said。



〃Greetings！〃　replied　Werper。



For　a　while　neither　spoke　further。　　The　Arab　was　the

first　to　break　the　silence。



〃And　my　master；　Achmet　Zek；　was　well　when　last　you　saw

him？〃　he　asked。



〃Never　was　he　safer　from　the　sins　and　dangers　of

mortality；〃　replied　the　Belgian。



〃It　is　well；〃　said　Mohammed　Beyd；　blowing　a　little　puff

of　blue　smoke　straight　out　before　him。



Again　there　was　silence　for　several　minutes。



〃And　if　he　were　dead？〃　asked　the　Belgian；　determined　to

lead　up　to　the　truth；　and　attempt　to　bribe　Mohammed

Beyd　into　his　service。



The　Arab's　eyes　narrowed　and　he　leaned　forward；　his

gaze　boring　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　Belgian。



〃I　have　been　thinking　much；　Werper；　since　you　returned

so　unexpectedly　to　the　camp　of　the　man　whom　you　had

deceived；　and　who　sought　you　with　death　in　his　heart。

I　have　been　with　Achmet　Zek　for　many　yearshis　own

mother　never　knew　him　so　well　as　I。　He　never　forgives

much　less　would　he　again　trust　a　man　who　had　once

betrayed　him；　that　I　know。



〃I　have　thought　much；　as　I　said；　and　the　result　of　my

thinking　has　assured　me　that　Achmet　Zek　is　deadfor

otherwise　you　would　never　have　dared　return　to　his

camp；　unless　you　be　either　a　braver　man　or　a　bigger

fool　than　I　have　imagined。　　And；　if　this　evidence　of　my

judgment　is　not　sufficient；　I　have　but　just　now

received　from　your　own　lips　even　more　confirmatory

witnessfor　did　you　not　say　that　Achmet　Zek　was　never

more　safe　from　the　sins　and　dangers　of　mortality？



〃Achmet　Zek　is　deadyou　need　not　deny　it。　　I　was　not

his　mother；　or　his　mistress；　so　do　not　fear　that　my

wailings　shall　disturb　you。　　Tell　me　why　you　have　come

back　here。　Tell　me　what　you　want；　and；　Werper；　if　you

still　possess　the　jewels　of　which　Achmet　Zek　told　me；

there　is　no　reason　why　you　and　I　should　not　ride　north

together　and　divide　the　ransom　of　the　white　woman　and

the　contents　of　the　pouch　you　wear　about　your　person。　Eh？〃



The　evil　eyes　narrowed；　a　vicious；　thin…lipped　smile

tortured　the　villainous　face；　as　Mohammed　Beyd　grinned

knowingly　into　the　face　of　the　Belgian。



Werper　was　both　relieved　and　disturbed　by　the　Arab's

attitude。　　The　complacency　with　which　he　accepted　the

death　of　his　chief　lifted　a　considerable　burden　of

apprehension　from　the　shoulders　of　Achmet　Zek's

assassin；　but　his　demand　for　a　share　of　the　jewels

boded　ill　for　Werper　when　Mohammed　Beyd　should　have

learned　that　the　precious　stones　were　no　longer　in　the

Belgian's　possession。



To　acknowledge　that　he　had　lost　the　jewels　might　be　to

arouse　the　wrath　or　suspicion　of　the　Arab　to　such　an

extent　as　would　jeopardize　his　new…found　chances　of

escape。　　His　one　hope　seemed；　then；　to　lie　in　fostering

Mohammed　Beyd's　belief　that　the　jewels　were　still　in

his　possession；　and　depend　upon　the　accidents　of　the

future　to　open　an　avenue　of　escape。



Could　he　contrive　to　tent　with　the　Arab　upon　the　march

north；　he　might　find　opportunity　in　plenty　to　remove

this　menace　to　his　life　and　libertyit　was　worth

trying；　and；　further；　there　seemed　no　other　way　out　of

his　difficulty。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃Achmet　Zek　is　dead。　　He　fell　in　battle

with　a　company　of　Abyssinian　cavalry　that　held　me

captive。　　During　the　fighting　I　escaped；　but　I　doubt　if

any　of　Achmet　Zek's　men　live；　and　the　gold　they　sought

is　in　the　possession　of　the　Abyssinians。　　Even　now　they

are　doubtless　marching　on　this　camp；　for　they　were　sent

by　Menelek　to　punish　Achmet　Zek　and　his　followers　for　a

raid　upon　an　Abyssinian　village。　　There　are　many　of

them；　and　if　we　do　not　make　haste　to　escape　we　shall

all　suffer　the　same　fate　as　Achmet　Zek。〃



Mohammed　Beyd　listened　in　silence。　　How　much　of　the

unbeliever's　story　he　might　safely　believe　he　did　not

know；　but　as　it　afforded　him　an　excuse　for　deserting

the　village　and　making　for　the　north　he　was　not

inclined　to　cross…question　the　Belgian　too　minutely。



〃And　if　I　ride　north　with　you；〃　he　asked；　〃half　the

jewels　and　half　the　ransom　of　the　woman　shall　be　mine？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Werper。



〃Good；〃　said　Mohammed　Beyd。　　〃I　go　now　to　give　the

order　for　the　breaking　of　camp　early　on　the　morrow；〃

and　he　rose　to　leave　the　tent。



Werper　laid　a　detaining　hand　upon　his　arm。



〃Wait；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　determine　how　many　shall

accompany　us。　　It　is　not　well　that　we　be　burdened　by

the　women　and　children；　for　then　indeed　we　might　be

overtaken　by　the　Abyssinians。　　It　would　be　far　better

to　select　a　small　guard　of　your　bravest　men；　and　leave

word　behind　that　we　are　riding　WEST。　　Then；　when

the　Abyssinians　come　they　will　be　put　upon　the　wrong

trail　should　they　have　it　in　their　hearts　to　pursue　us；

and　if　they　do　not　they　will　at　least　ride　north　with

less　rapidity　than　as　though　they　thought　that　we　were

ahead　of　them。〃



〃The　serpent　is　less　wise　than　thou；　Werper；〃　said

Mohammed　Beyd　with　a　smile。　　〃It　shall　be　done　as　you

say。　　Twenty　men　shall　accompany　us；　and　we　shall　ride

WESTwhen　we　leave　the　village。〃



〃Good；〃　cried　the　Belgian；　and　so　it　was　arranged。



Early　the　next　morning　Jane　Clayton；　after　an　almost

sleepless　night；　was　aroused　by　the　sound　of　voices

outside　her　prison；　and　a　moment　later；　M。　Frecoult；

and　two　Arabs　entered。　　The　latter　unbound　her　ankles

and　lifted　her　to　her　feet。　　Then　her　wrists　were

loosed；　she　was　given　a　handful　of　dry　bread；　and　led

out　into　the　faint　light　of　dawn。



She　looked　questioningly　at　Frecoult；　and　at　a　moment

that　the　Arab's　attention　was　attracted　in　another

direction　the　man　leaned　toward　her　and　whispered　that

all　was　working　out　as　he　had　planned。　　Thus　assured；

the　young　woman　felt　a　renewal　of　the　hope　which　the

long　and　miserable　night　of　bondage　had　almost　expunged。



Shortly　after；　she　was　lifted　to　the　back　of　a　horse；

and　surrounded　by　Arabs；　was　escorted　through　the

gateway　of　the　village　and　off