tarzan and the jewels of opar-第18章

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Now　he　was　within　the　village。　　Before　him　stretched　a

series　of　tents　and　native　huts。　　The　business　of

exploring　each　of　them　would　be　fraught　with　danger；

but　danger　was　only　a　natural　factor　of　each　day's

lifeit　never　appalled　Tarzan。　　The　chances　appealed

to　himthe　chances　of　life　and　death；　with　his　prowess

and　his　faculties　pitted　against　those　of　a　worthy

antagonist。



It　was　not　necessary　that　he　enter　each　habitation

through　a　door；　a　window　or　an　open　chink；　his　nose

told　him　whether　or　not　his　prey　lay　within。　　For　some

time　he　found　one　disappointment　following　upon　the

heels　of　another　in　quick　succession。　　No　spoor　of　the

Belgian　was　discernible。　But　at　last　he　came　to　a　tent

where　the　smell　of　the　thief　was　strong。　　Tarzan

listened；　his　ear　close　to　the　canvas　at　the　rear；　but

no　sound　came　from　within。



At　last　he　cut　one　of　the　pin　ropes；　raised　the　bottom

of　the　canvas；　and　intruded　his　head　within　the

interior。　　All　was　quiet　and　dark。　　Tarzan　crawled

cautiously　withinthe　scent　of　the　Belgian　was　strong；

but　it　was　not　live　scent。　Even　before　he　had　examined

the　interior　minutely；　Tarzan　knew　that　no　one　was

within　it。



In　one　corner　he　found　a　pile　of　blankets　and　clothing

scattered　about；　but　no　pouch　of　pretty　pebbles。

A　careful　examination　of　the　balance　of　the　tent　revealed

nothing　more；　at　least　nothing　to　indicate　the　presence

of　the　jewels；　but　at　the　side　where　the　blankets　and

clothing　lay；　the　ape…man　discovered　that　the　tent　wall

had　been　loosened　at　the　bottom；　and　presently　he

sensed　that　the　Belgian　had　recently　passed　out　of　the

tent　by　this　avenue。



Tarzan　was　not　long　in　following　the　way　that　his　prey

had　fled。　　The　spoor　led　always　in　the　shadow　and　at

the　rear　of　the　huts　and　tents　of　the　villageit　was

quite　evident　to　Tarzan　that　the　Belgian　had　gone　alone

and　secretly　upon　his　mission。　　Evidently　he　feared　the

inhabitants　of　the　village；　or　at　least　his　work　had

been　of　such　a　nature　that　he　dared　not　risk　detection。



At　the　back　of　a　native　hut　the　spoor　led　through　a

small　hole　recently　cut　in　the　brush　wall　and　into　the

dark　interior　beyond。　　Fearlessly；　Tarzan　followed　the

trail。　　On　hands　and　knees；　he　crawled　through　the

small　aperture。　　Within　the　hut　his　nostrils　were

assailed　by　many　odors；　but　clear　and　distinct　among

them　was　one　that　half　aroused　a　latent　memory　of　the

pastit　was　the　faint　and　delicate　odor　of　a　woman。

With　the　cognizance　of　it　there　rose　in　the　breast　of

the　ape…man　a　strange　uneasinessthe　result　of　an

irresistible　force　which　he　was　destined　to　become

acquainted　with　anewthe　instinct　which　draws　the　male

to　his　mate。



In　the　same　hut　was　the　scent　spoor　of　the　Belgian；

too；　and　as　both　these　assailed　the　nostrils　of　the

ape…man；　mingling　one　with　the　other；　a　jealous　rage

leaped　and　burned　within　him；　though　his　memory　held

before　the　mirror　of　recollection　no　image　of　the　she

to　which　he　had　attached　his　desire。



Like　the　tent　he　had　investigated；　the　hut；　too；　was

empty；　and　after　satisfying　himself　that　his　stolen

pouch　was　secreted　nowhere　within；　he　left；　as　he　had

entered；　by　the　hole　in　the　rear　wall。



Here　he　took　up　the　spoor　of　the　Belgian；　followed　it

across　the　clearing；　over　the　palisade；　and　out　into

the　dark　jungle　beyond。







15



The　Flight　of　Werper





After　Werper　had　arranged　the　dummy　in　his　bed；　and

sneaked　out　into　the　darkness　of　the　village　beneath

the　rear　wall　of　his　tent；　he　had　gone　directly　to　the

hut　in　which　Jane　Clayton　was　held　captive。



Before　the　doorway　squatted　a　black　sentry。　　Werper

approached　him　boldly；　spoke　a　few　words　in　his　ear；

handed　him　a　package　of　tobacco；　and　passed　into　the

hut。　　The　black　grinned　and　winked　as　the　European

disappeared　within　the　darkness　of　the　interior。



The　Belgian；　being　one　of　Achmet　Zek's　principal

lieutenants；　might　naturally　go　where　he　wished　within

or　without　the　village；　and　so　the　sentry　had　not

questioned　his　right　to　enter　the　hut　with　the　white；

woman　prisoner。



Within；　Werper　called　in　French　and　in　a　low　whisper：

〃Lady　Greystoke！　　It　is　I；　M。　Frecoult。　　Where　are　you？〃

But　there　was　no　response。　　Hastily　the　man　felt　around

the　interior；　groping　blindly　through　the　darkness　with

outstretched　hands。　　There　was　no　one　within！



Werper's　astonishment　surpassed　words。　　He　was　on　the

point　of　stepping　without　to　question　the　sentry；　when

his　eyes；　becoming　accustomed　to　the　dark；　discovered　a

blotch　of　lesser　blackness　near　the　base　of　the　rear

wall　of　the　hut。　Examination　revealed　the　fact　that　the

blotch　was　an　opening　cut　in　the　wall。　　It　was　large

enough　to　permit　the　passage　of　his　body；　and　assured

as　he　was　that　Lady　Greystoke　had　passed　out　through

the　aperture　in　an　attempt　to　escape　the　village；　he

lost　no　time　in　availing　himself　of　the　same　avenue；

but　neither　did　he　lose　time　in　a　fruitless　search　for

Jane　Clayton。



His　own　life　depended　upon　the　chance　of　his　eluding；

or　outdistancing　Achmet　Zek；　when　that　worthy　should

have　discovered　that　he　had　escaped。　　His　original　plan

had　contemplated　connivance　in　the　escape　of　Lady

Greystoke　for　two　very　good　and　sufficient　reasons。

The　first　was　that　by　saving　her　he　would　win　the

gratitude　of　the　English；　and　thus　lessen　the　chance　of

his　extradition　should　his　identity　and　his　crime

against　his　superior　officer　be　charged　against　him。



The　second　reason　was　based　upon　the　fact　that　only　one

direction　of　escape　was　safely　open　to　him。　　He　could

not　travel　to　the　west　because　of　the　Belgian

possessions　which　lay　between　him　and　the　Atlantic。

The　south　was　closed　to　him　by　the　feared　presence　of

the　savage　ape…man　he　had　robbed。　　To　the　north　lay　the

friends　and　allies　of　Achmet　Zek。　　Only　toward　the

east；　through　British　East　Africa；　lay　reasonable

assurance　of　freedom。



Accompanied　by　a　titled　Englishwoman　whom　he　had

rescued　from　a　frightful　fate；　and　his　identity　vouched

for　by　her　as　that　of　a　Frenchman　by　the　name　of

Frecoult；　he　had　looked　forward；　and　not　without

reason；　to　the　active　assistance　of　the　British　from

the　moment　that　he　came　in　contact　with　their　first

outpost。



But　now　that　Lady　Greystoke　had　disappeared；　though　he

still　looked　toward　the　east　for　hope；　his　chances　were

lessened；　and　another；　subsidiary　design　completely

dashed。　From　the　moment　that　he　had　first　laid　eyes

upon　Jane　Clayton　he　had　nursed　within　his　breast　a

secret　passion　for　the　beautiful　American　wife　of　the

English　lord；　and　when　Achmet　Zek's　discovery　of　the

jewels　had　necessitated　flight；　the　Belgian　had

dreamed；　in　his　planning；　of　a　future　in　which　he　might

convince　Lady　Greystoke　that　her　husband　was　dead；

and　by　playing　upon　her　gratitude　win　her　for　himself。



At　that　part　of　the　village　farthest　from　the　gates；

Werper　discovered　that　two　or　three　long　poles；　taken

from　a　nearby　pile　which　had　been　collected　for　the

construction　of　huts；　had　been　leaned　against　the　top

of　the　palisade；　forming　a　precarious；　though　not

impossible　avenue　of　escape。



Rightly；　he　inferred　that　thus　had　Lady　Greystoke　found

the　means　to　scale　the　wall；　nor　did　he　lose　even　a

moment　in　following　her　lead。　　Once　in　the　jungle　he

struck　out　directly　eastward。



A　few　miles　south　of　him；　Jane　Clayton　lay　panting

among　the　branches　of　a　tree　in　which　she　had　taken

refuge　from　a　prowling　and　hungry　lioness。



Her　escape　from　the　village　had　been　much　easier　than

she　had　anticipated。　　The　knife　which　she　had　used　to

cut　her　way　through　the　brush　wall　of　the　hut　to

freedom　she　had　found　sticking　in　the　wall　of　her

prison；　doubtless　left　there　by　accident　when　a　former

tenant　had　vacated　the　premises。



To　cross　the　rear　of　the　village；　keeping　always　in　the

densest　shadows；　had　required　but　a　few　moments；　and

the　fortunate　circumstance　of　the　discovery　of　the　hut

poles　lying　so　near　the　palisade　had　solved　for　her　the

problem　of　the　passage　of　the　high　wall。



For　an　hour　she　had　followed　the　old　game　trail　toward

the　south；　until　there　fell　upon　her　trained　hearing

the　stealthy　padding　of　a　stalking　beast　behind　her。

The　nearest　tree　gave　her　instant　sanctuary；　for　she

was　too　wise　in　the　ways　of　the　jungle　to　chance　her

safety　for　a　moment　after　discovering　that　she　was

being　hunted。



Werper；　with　better　success；　traveled　slowly　onward

until　dawn；　when；　to　his　chagrin；　he　discovered　a

mounted　Arab　upon　his　trail。　　It　was　one　of　Achmet

Zek's　minions；　many　of　whom　were　scattered　in　all

directions　through　the　forest；　searching　for　the

fugitive　Belgian。



Jane　Clayton's　escape　had　not　yet　been　discovered　when

Achmet　Zek　and　his　searchers　set　forth　to　overhaul

Werper。　The　only　man　who　had　seen　the　Belgian　after　his

departure　from　his　tent　was　the　black　sentry　before　the

doorway　of　Lady　Greystoke's　prison　hut；　and　he　had　been

silenced　by　the　discovery　of　the　dead　body　of　the　man

who　had　relieved　him；　the　sentry　that　Mugambi　had

dispatched。



The　bribe　taker　naturally　inferred　that　Werper　had

slain　his　fellow　and　dared　not　admit　that　he　had

permitted　him　to　enter　the　hut；　fearing　as　he　did；

the　anger　of　Achmet　Zek。　So；　as　chance　directed　that　he

should　be　the　one　to　discover　the　body　of　the　sentry

when　the　first　alarm　had　been　given　following　Achmet

Zek's　discovery　that　Werper　had　outwitted　him；　the

crafty　black　had　dragged　the　dead　body　to　the　interior

of　a　nearby　tent；　and　himself　resumed　his　station

before　the　doorway　of　the　hut　in　which　he　still

believed　the　woman　to　be。



With　the　discovery　of　the　Arab　close　behind　him；　the

Belgian　hid　in　the　foliage　of　a　leafy　bush。　　Here　the

trail　ran　straight　for　a　considerable　distance；　and

down　the　shady　forest　aisle；　beneath　the　overarching

branches　of　the　trees；　rode　the　white…robed　figure　of

the　pursuer。



Nearer　and　nearer　he　came。　　Werper　crouched　closer　to

the　ground　behind　the　leaves　of　his　hiding　place。

Across　the　trail　a　vine　moved。　　Werper's　eyes　instantly

centered　upon　the　spot。　　There　was　no　wind　to　stir　the

foliage　in　the　depths　of　the　jungle。　　Again　the　vine

moved。　　In　the　mind　of　the　Belgian　only　the　presence　of

a　sinister　and　malevolent　force　could　account　for　the

phenomenon。



The　man's　eyes　bored　steadily　into　the　screen　of　leaves

upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　trail。　　Gradually　a　form

took　shape　beyond　thema　tawny　form；　grim　and

terrible；　with　yellow…green　eyes　glaring　fearsomely

across　the　narrow　trail　straight　into　his。



Werper　could　have　screamed　in　fright；　but　up　the　trail

was　coming　the　messenger　of　another　death；　equally　sure

and　no　less　terrible。　　He　remained　silent；　almost

paralyzed　by　fear。　The　Arab　approached。　　Across　the

trail　from　Werper　the　lion　crouched　for　the　spring；

when