tarzan and the jewels of opar-第23章

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structure；　reinforced　by　the　wall　beneath；　held　his

enormous　weight　for　an　instant；　then　he　moved　forward　a

step；　the　roof　sagged；　the　thatching　parted　and　the

great　anthropoid　shot　through　into　the　interior。



The　sentries；　hearing　the　crashing　of　the　roof　poles；

leaped　to　their　feet　and　rushed　into　the　hut。　　Jane

Clayton　tried　to　roll　aside　as　the　great　form　lit　upon

the　floor　so　close　to　her　that　one　foot　pinned　her

clothing　to　the　ground。



The　ape；　feeling　the　movement　beside　him；　reached　down

and　gathered　the　girl　in　the　hollow　of　one　mighty　arm。

The　burnoose　covered　the　hairy　body　so　that　Jane

Clayton　believed　that　a　human　arm　supported　her；　and

from　the　extremity　of　hopelessness　a　great　hope　sprang

into　her　breast　that　at　last　she　was　in　the　keeping　of

a　rescuer。



The　two　sentries　were　now　within　the　hut；　but

hesitating　because　of　doubt　as　to　the　nature　of　the

cause　of　the　disturbance。　　Their　eyes；　not　yet

accustomed　to　the　darkness　of　the　interior；　told　them

nothing；　nor　did　they　hear　any　sound；　for　the　ape　stood

silently　awaiting　their　attack。



Seeing　that　they　stood　without　advancing；　and　realizing

that；　handicapped　as　he　was　by　the　weight　of　the　she；

he　could　put　up　but　a　poor　battle；　Taglat　elected　to

risk　a　sudden　break　for　liberty。　　Lowering　his　head；　he

charged　straight　for　the　two　sentries　who　blocked　the

doorway。　　The　impact　of　his　mighty　shoulders　bowled

them　over　upon　their　backs；　and　before　they　could

scramble　to　their　feet；　the　ape　was　gone；　darting　in

the　shadows　of　the　huts　toward　the　palisade　at　the　far

end　of　the　village。



The　speed　and　strength　of　her　rescuer　filled　Jane

Clayton　with　wonder。　　Could　it　be　that　Tarzan　had

survived　the　bullet　of　the　Arab？　　Who　else　in　all　the

jungle　could　bear　the　weight　of　a　grown　woman　as

lightly　as　he　who　held　her？　　She　spoke　his　name；　but

there　was　no　response。　　Still　she　did　not　give　up　hope。



At　the　palisade　the　beast　did　not　even　hesitate。

A　single　mighty　leap　carried　it　to　the　top；　where　it

poised　but　for　an　instant　before　dropping　to　the　ground

upon　the　opposite　side。　　Now　the　girl　was　almost

positive　that　she　was　safe　in　the　arms　of　her　husband；

and　when　the　ape　took　to　the　trees　and　bore　her　swiftly

into　the　jungle；　as　Tarzan　had　done　at　other　times　in

the　past；　belief　became　conviction。



In　a　little　moonlit　glade；　a　mile　or　so　from　the　camp

of　the　raiders；　her　rescuer　halted　and　dropped　her　to

the　ground。　　His　roughness　surprised　her；　but　still　she

had　no　doubts。　　Again　she　called　him　by　name；　and　at

the　same　instant　the　ape；　fretting　under　the　restraints

of　the　unaccustomed　garments　of　the　Tarmangani；　tore

the　burnoose　from　him；　revealing　to　the　eyes　of　the

horror…struck　woman　the　hideous　face　and　hairy　form　of

a　giant　anthropoid。



With　a　piteous　wail　of　terror；　Jane　Clayton　swooned；

while；　from　the　concealment　of　a　nearby　bush；　Numa；

the　lion；　eyed　the　pair　hungrily　and　licked　his　chops。







Tarzan；　entering　the　tent　of　Achmet　Zek；　searched　the

interior　thoroughly。　　He　tore　the　bed　to　pieces　and

scattered　the　contents　of　box　and　bag　about　the　floor。

He　investigated　whatever　his　eyes　discovered；　nor　did

those　keen　organs　overlook　a　single　article　within　the

habitation　of　the　raider　chief；　but　no　pouch　or　pretty

pebbles　rewarded　his　thoroughness。



Satisfied　at　last　that　his　belongings　were　not　in　the

possession　of　Achmet　Zek；　unless　they　were　on　the

person　of　the　chief　himself；　Tarzan　decided　to　secure

the　person　of　the　she　before　further　prosecuting　his

search　for　the　pouch。



Motioning　for　Chulk　to　follow　him；　he　passed　out　of　the

tent　by　the　same　way　that　he　had　entered　it；　and

walking　boldly　through　the　village；　made　directly　for

the　hut　where　Jane　Clayton　had　been　imprisoned。



He　noted　with　surprise　the　absence　of　Taglat；　whom　he

had　expected　to　find　awaiting　him　outside　the　tent　of

Achmet　Zek；　but；　accustomed　as　he　was　to　the

unreliability　of　apes；　he　gave　no　serious　attention　to

the　present　defection　of　his　surly　companion。　　So　long

as　Taglat　did　not　cause　interference　with　his　plans；

Tarzan　was　indifferent　to　his　absence。



As　he　approached　the　hut；　the　ape…man　noticed　that　a

crowd　had　collected　about　the　entrance。　　He　could　see

that　the　men　who　composed　it　were　much　excited；　and

fearing　lest　Chulk's　disguise　should　prove　inadequate

to　the　concealment　of　his　true　identity　in　the　face　of

so　many　observers；　he　commanded　the　ape　to　betake

himself　to　the　far　end　of　the　village；　and　there　await　him。



As　Chulk　waddled　off；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　Tarzan

advanced　boldly　toward　the　excited　group　before　the

doorway　of　the　hut。　　He　mingled　with　the　blacks　and　the

Arabs　in　an　endeavor　to　learn　the　cause　of　the

commotion；　in　his　interest　forgetting　that　he　alone　of

the　assemblage　carried　a　spear；　a　bow　and　arrows；　and

thus　might　become　an　object　of　suspicious　attention。



Shouldering　his　way　through　the　crowd　he　approached　the

doorway；　and　had　almost　reached　it　when　one　of　the

Arabs　laid　a　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　crying：　〃Who　is

this？〃　at　the　same　time　snatching　back　the　hood　from

the　ape…man's　face。



Tarzan　of　the　Apes　in　all　his　savage　life　had　never

been　accustomed　to　pause　in　argument　with　an

antagonist。　　The　primitive　instinct　of　self…preservation

acknowledges　many　arts　and　wiles；　but

argument　is　not　one　of　them；　nor　did　he　now　waste

precious　time　in　an　attempt　to　convince　the　raiders

that　he　was　not　a　wolf　in　sheep's　clothing。　　Instead　he

had　his　unmasker　by　the　throat　ere　the　man's　words　had

scarce　quitted　his　lips；　and　hurling　him　from　side　to

side　brushed　away　those　who　would　have　swarmed　upon　him。



Using　the　Arab　as　a　weapon；　Tarzan　forced　his　way

quickly　to　the　doorway；　and　a　moment　later　was　within

the　hut。　　A　hasty　examination　revealed　the　fact　that　it

was　empty；　and　his　sense　of　smell　discovered；　too；　the

scent　spoor　of　Taglat；　the　ape。　　Tarzan　uttered　a　low；

ominous　growl。　　Those　who　were　pressing　forward　at　the

doorway　to　seize　him；　fell　back　as　the　savage　notes　of

the　bestial　challenge　smote　upon　their　ears。　　They

looked　at　one　another　in　surprise　and　consternation。

A　man　had　entered　the　hut　alone；　and　yet　with　their　own

ears　they　had　heard　the　voice　of　a　wild　beast　within。

What　could　it　mean？　　Had　a　lion　or　a　leopard　sought

sanctuary　in　the　interior；　unbeknown　to　the　sentries？



Tarzan's　quick　eyes　discovered　the　opening　in　the　roof；

through　which　Taglat　had　fallen。　　He　guessed　that　the

ape　had　either　come　or　gone　by　way　of　the　break；　and

while　the　Arabs　hesitated　without；　he　sprang；　catlike；

for　the　opening；　grasped　the　top　of　the　wall　and

clambered　out　upon　the　roof；　dropping　instantly　to　the

ground　at　the　rear　of　the　hut。



When　the　Arabs　finally　mustered　courage　to　enter　the

hut；　after　firing　several　volleys　through　the　walls；

they　found　the　interior　deserted。　　At　the　same　time

Tarzan；　at　the　far　end　of　the　village；　sought　for

Chulk；　but　the　ape　was　nowhere　to　be　found。



Robbed　of　his　she；　deserted　by　his　companions；　and　as

much　in　ignorance　as　ever　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　his

pouch　and　pebbles；　it　was　an　angry　Tarzan　who　climbed

the　palisade　and　vanished　into　the　darkness　of　the

jungle。



For　the　present　he　must　give　up　the　search　for　his

pouch；　since　it　would　be　paramount　to　self…destruction

to　enter　the　Arab　camp　now　while　all　its　inhabitants

were　aroused　and　upon　the　alert。



In　his　escape　from　the　village；　the　ape…man　had　lost

the　spoor　of　the　fleeing　Taglat；　and　now　he　circled

widely　through　the　forest　in　an　endeavor　to　again　pick

it　up。



Chulk　had　remained　at　his　post　until　the　cries　and

shots　of　the　Arabs　had　filled　his　simple　soul　with

terror；　for　above　all　things　the　ape　folk　fear　the

thunder…sticks　of　the　Tarmangani；　then　he　had　clambered

nimbly　over　the　palisade；　tearing　his　burnoose　in　the

effort；　and　fled　into　the　depths　of　the　jungle；

grumbling　and　scolding　as　he　went。



Tarzan；　roaming　the　jungle　in　search　of　the　trail　of

Taglat　and　the　she；　traveled　swiftly。　　In　a　little

moonlit　glade　ahead　of　him　the　great　ape　was　bending

over　the　prostrate　form　of　the　woman　Tarzan　sought。

The　beast　was　tearing　at　the　bonds　that　confined　her

ankles　and　wrists；　pulling　and　gnawing　upon　the　cords。



The　course　the　ape…man　was　taking　would　carry　him　but　a

short　distance　to　the　right　of　them；　and　though　he

could　not　have　seen　them　the　wind　was　bearing　down　from　them

to　him；　carrying　their　scent　spoor　strongly　toward　him。



A　moment　more　and　Jane　Clayton's　safety　might　have　been

assured；　even　though　Numa；　the　lion；　was　already

gathering　himself　in　preparation　for　a　charge；　but

Fate；　already　all　too　cruel；　now　outdid　herselfthe

wind　veered　suddenly　for　a　few　moments；　the　scent　spoor

that　would　have　led　the　ape…man　to　the　girl's　side　was

wafted　in　the　opposite　direction；　Tarzan　passed　within

fifty　yards　of　the　tragedy　that　was　being　enacted　in

the　glade；　and　the　opportunity　was　gone　beyond　recall。







18



The　Fight　For　the　Treasure





It　was　morning　before　Tarzan　could　bring　himself　to　a

realization　of　the　possibility　of　failure　of　his　quest；

and　even　then　he　would　only　admit　that　success　was　but

delayed。　　He　would　eat　and　sleep；　and　then　set　forth

again。　　The　jungle　was　wide；　but　wide　too　were　the

experience　and　cunning　of　Tarzan。　　Taglat　might　travel

far；　but　Tarzan　would　find　him　in　the　end；　though　he

had　to　search　every　tree　in　the　mighty　forest。



Soliloquizing　thus；　the　ape…man　followed　the　spoor　of

Bara；　the　deer；　the　unfortunate　upon　which　he　had

decided　to　satisfy　his　hunger。　　For　half　an　hour　the

trail　led　the　ape…man　toward　the　east　along　a

well…marked　game　path；　when　suddenly；　to　the　stalker's

astonishment；　the　quarry　broke　into　sight；　racing　madly

back　along　the　narrow　way　straight　toward　the　hunter。



Tarzan；　who　had　been　following　along　the　trail；　leaped

so　quickly　to　the　concealing　verdure　at　the　side　that

the　deer　was　still　unaware　of　the　presence　of　an　enemy

in　this　direction；　and　while　the　animal　was　still　some

distance　away；　the　ape…man　swung　into　the　lower

branches　of　the　tree　which　overhung　the　trail。　　There

he　crouched；　a　savage　beast　of　prey；　awaiting　the

coming　of　its　victim。



What　had　frightened　the　deer　into　so　frantic　a　retreat；

Tarzan　did　not　knowNuma；　the　lion；　perhaps；　or

Sheeta；　the　panther；　but　whatsoever　it　was　mattered

little　to　Tarzan　of　the　Apeshe　was　ready　and　willing

to　defend　his　kill　against　any　other　denizen　of　the

jungle。　　If　he　were　unable　to　do　it　by　means　of

physical　prowess；　he　had　at　his　command　another　and　a

greater　powerhis　shrewd　intelligence。



And　so；　on　came　the　running　deer；　straight　into　the

jaws　of　death。　　The　ape…man　turned　so　that　his　back　was

toward　the　approaching　animal。　　He　poised　with　bent