tarzan and the jewels of opar-第24章

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

toward　the　approaching　animal。　　He　poised　with　bent

knees　upon　the　gently　swaying　limb　above　the　trail；

timing　with　keen　ears　the　nearing　hoof　beats　of

frightened　Bara。



In　a　moment　the　victim　flashed　beneath　the　limb　and　at

the　same　instant　the　ape…man　above　sprang　out　and　down

upon　its　back。　　The　weight　of　the　man's　body　carried

the　deer　to　the　ground。　　It　stumbled　forward　once　in　a

futile　effort　to　rise；　and　then　mighty　muscles　dragged

its　head　far　back；　gave　the　neck　a　vicious　wrench；　and

Bara　was　dead。



Quick　had　been　the　killing；　and　equally　quick　were　the

ape…man's　subsequent　actions；　for　who　might　know　what

manner　of　killer　pursued　Bara；　or　how　close　at　hand　he

might　be？　　Scarce　had　the　neck　of　the　victim　snapped

than　the　carcass　was　hanging　over　one　of　Tarzan's　broad

shoulders；　and　an　instant　later　the　ape…man　was　perched

once　more　among　the　lower　branches　of　a　tree　above　the

trail；　his　keen；　gray　eyes　scanning　the　pathway　down

which　the　deer　had　fled。



Nor　was　it　long　before　the　cause　of　Bara's　fright

became　evident　to　Tarzan；　for　presently　came　the

unmistakable　sounds　of　approaching　horsemen。　　Dragging

his　kill　after　him　the　ape…man　ascended　to　the　middle

terrace；　and　settling　himself　comfortably　in　the　crotch

of　a　tree　where　he　could　still　view　the　trail　beneath；

cut　a　juicy　steak　from　the　deer's　loin；　and　burying　his

strong；　white　teeth　in　the　hot　flesh　proceeded　to　enjoy

the　fruits　of　his　prowess　and　his　cunning。



Nor　did　he　neglect　the　trail　beneath　while　he　satisfied

his　hunger。　　His　sharp　eyes　saw　the　muzzle　of　the

leading　horse　as　it　came　into　view　around　a　bend　in　the

tortuous　trail；　and　one　by　one　they　scrutinized　the

riders　as　they　passed　beneath　him　in　single　file。



Among　them　came　one　whom　Tarzan　recognized；　but　so

schooled　was　the　ape…man　in　the　control　of　his　emotions

that　no　slightest　change　of　expression；　much　less　any

hysterical　demonstration　that　might　have　revealed　his

presence；　betrayed　the　fact　of　his　inward　excitement。



Beneath　him；　as　unconscious　of　his　presence　as　were　the

Abyssinians　before　and　behind　him；　rode　Albert　Werper；

while　the　ape…man　scrutinized　the　Belgian　for　some　sign

of　the　pouch　which　he　had　stolen。



As　the　Abyssinians　rode　toward　the　south；　a　giant

figure　hovered　ever　upon　their　traila　huge；　almost

naked　white　man；　who　carried　the　bloody　carcass　of　a

deer　upon　his　shoulders；　for　Tarzan　knew　that　he　might

not　have　another　opportunity　to　hunt　for　some　time　if

he　were　to　follow　the　Belgian。



To　endeavor　to　snatch　him　from　the　midst　of　the　armed

horsemen；　not　even　Tarzan　would　attempt　other　than　in

the　last　extremity；　for　the　way　of　the　wild　is　the　way

of　caution　and　cunning；　unless　they　be　aroused　to

rashness　by　pain　or　anger。



So　the　Abyssinians　and　the　Belgian　marched　southward

and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　swung　silently　after　them

through　the　swaying　branches　of　the　middle　terrace。



A　two　days'　march　brought　them　to　a　level　plain　beyond

which　lay　mountainsa　plain　which　Tarzan　remembered

and　which　aroused　within　him　vague　half　memories　and

strange　longings。　　Out　upon　the　plain　the　horsemen

rode；　and　at　a　safe　distance　behind　them　crept　the　ape…man；

taking　advantage　of　such　cover　as　the　ground　afforded。



Beside　a　charred　pile　of　timbers　the　Abyssinians

halted；　and　Tarzan；　sneaking　close　and　concealing

himself　in　nearby　shrubbery；　watched　them　in

wonderment。　　He　saw　them　digging　up　the　earth；　and　he

wondered　if　they　had　hidden　meat　there　in　the　past　and

now　had　come　for　it。　　Then　he　recalled　how　he　had

buried　his　pretty　pebbles；　and　the　suggestion　that　had

caused　him　to　do　it。　　They　were　digging　for　the　things

the　blacks　had　buried　here！



Presently　he　saw　them　uncover　a　dirty；　yellow　object；

and　he　witnessed　the　joy　of　Werper　and　of　Abdul　Mourak

as　the　grimy　object　was　exposed　to　view。　　One　by　one

they　unearthed　many　similar　pieces；　all　of　the　same

uniform；　dirty　yellow；　until　a　pile　of　them　lay　upon

the　ground；　a　pile　which　Abdul　Mourak　fondled　and

petted　in　an　ecstasy　of　greed。



Something　stirred　in　the　ape…man's　mind　as　he　looked

long　upon　the　golden　ingots。　　Where　had　he　seen　such

before？　　What　were　they？　　Why　did　these　Tarmangani　covet

them　so　greatly？　　To　whom　did　they　belong？



He　recalled　the　black　men　who　had　buried　them。

The　things　must　be　theirs。　　Werper　was　stealing　them　as

he　had　stolen　Tarzan's　pouch　of　pebbles。　　The　ape…man's

eyes　blazed　in　anger。　　He　would　like　to　find　the　black

men　and　lead　them　against　these　thieves。　　He　wondered

where　their　village　might　be。



As　all　these　things　ran　through　the　active　mind；　a

party　of　men　moved　out　of　the　forest　at　the　edge　of　the

plain　and　advanced　toward　the　ruins　of　the　burned　bungalow。



Abdul　Mourak；　always　watchful；　was　the　first　to　see

them；　but　already　they　were　halfway　across　the　open。

He　called　to　his　men　to　mount　and　hold　themselves　in

readiness；　for　in　the　heart　of　Africa　who　may　know

whether　a　strange　host　be　friend　or　foe？



Werper；　swinging　into　his　saddle；　fastened　his　eyes

upon　the　newcomers；　then；　white　and　trembling　he　turned

toward　Abdul　Mourak。



〃It　is　Achmet　Zek　and　his　raiders；〃　he　whispered。

〃They　are　come　for　the　gold。〃



It　must　have　been　at　about　the　same　instant　that　Achmet

Zek　discovered　the　pile　of　yellow　ingots　and　realized

the　actuality　of　what　he　had　already　feared　since　first

his　eyes　had　alighted　upon　the　party　beside　the　ruins

of　the　Englishman's　bungalow。　　Someone　had　forestalled

himanother　had　come　for　the　treasure　ahead　of　him。



The　Arab　was　crazed　by　rage。　　Recently　everything　had

gone　against　him。　　He　had　lost　the　jewels；　the　Belgian；

and　for　the　second　time　he　had　lost　the　Englishwoman。

Now　some　one　had　come　to　rob　him　of　this　treasure　which

he　had　thought　as　safe　from　disturbance　here　as　though

it　never　had　been　mined。



He　cared　not　whom　the　thieves　might　be。　　They　would　not

give　up　the　gold　without　a　battle；　of　that　he　was

certain；　and　with　a　wild　whoop　and　a　command　to　his

followers；　Achmet　Zek　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　dashed

down　upon　the　Abyssinians；　and　after　him；　waving　their

long　guns　above　their　heads；　yelling　and　cursing；　came

his　motley　horde　of　cut…throat　followers。



The　men　of　Abdul　Mourak　met　them　with　a　volley　which

emptied　a　few　saddles；　and　then　the　raiders　were　among

them；　and　sword；　pistol　and　musket；　each　was　doing　its

most　hideous　and　bloody　work。



Achmet　Zek；　spying　Werper　at　the　first　charge；　bore

down　upon　the　Belgian；　and　the　latter；　terrified　by

contemplation　of　the　fate　he　deserved；　turned　his

horse's　head　and　dashed　madly　away　in　an　effort　to

escape。　　Shouting　to　a　lieutenant　to　take　command；　and

urging　him　upon　pain　of　death　to　dispatch　the

Abyssinians　and　bring　the　gold　back　to　his　camp；　Achmet

Zek　set　off　across　the　plain　in　pursuit　of　the　Belgian；

his　wicked　nature　unable　to　forego　the　pleasures　of

revenge；　even　at　the　risk　of　sacrificing　the　treasure。



As　the　pursued　and　the　pursuer　raced　madly　toward　the

distant　forest　the　battle　behind　them　raged　with　bloody

savageness。　　No　quarter　was　asked　or　given　by　either

the　ferocious　Abyssinians　or　the　murderous　cut…throats

of　Achmet　Zek。



From　the　concealment　of　the　shrubbery　Tarzan　watched

the　sanguinary　conflict　which　so　effectually　surrounded

him　that　he　found　no　loop…hole　through　which　he　might

escape　to　follow　Werper　and　the　Arab　chief。



The　Abyssinians　were　formed　in　a　circle　which　included

Tarzan's　position；　and　around　and　into　them　galloped

the　yelling　raiders；　now　darting　away；　now　charging　in

to　deliver　thrusts　and　cuts　with　their　curved　swords。



Numerically　the　men　of　Achmet　Zek　were　superior；　and

slowly　but　surely　the　soldiers　of　Menelek　were　being

exterminated。　　To　Tarzan　the　result　was　immaterial。

He　watched　with　but　a　single　purposeto　escape　the　ring

of　blood…mad　fighters　and　be　away　after　the　Belgian　and

his　pouch。



When　he　had　first　discovered　Werper　upon　the　trail

where　he　had　slain　Bara；　he　had　thought　that　his　eyes

must　be　playing　him　false；　so　certain　had　he　been　that

the　thief　had　been　slain　and　devoured　by　Numa；　but

after　following　the　detachment　for　two　days；　with　his

keen　eyes　always　upon　the　Belgian；　he　no　longer　doubted

the　identity　of　the　man；　though　he　was　put　to　it　to

explain　the　identity　of　the　mutilated　corpse　he　had

supposed　was　the　man　he　sought。



As　he　crouched　in　hiding　among　the　unkempt　shrubbery

which　so　short　a　while　since　had　been　the　delight　and

pride　of　the　wife　he　no　longer　recalled；　an　Arab　and　an

Abyssinian　wheeled　their　mounts　close　to　his　position

as　they　slashed　at　each　other　with　their　swords。



Step　by　step　the　Arab　beat　back　his　adversary　until　the

latter's　horse　all　but　trod　upon　the　ape…man；　and　then

a　vicious　cut　clove　the　black　warrior's　skull；　and　the

corpse　toppled　backward　almost　upon　Tarzan。



As　the　Abyssinian　tumbled　from　his　saddle　the

possibility　of　escape　which　was　represented　by　the

riderless　horse　electrified　the　ape…man　to　instant

action。　　Before　the　frightened　beast　could　gather

himself　for　flight　a　naked　giant　was　astride　his　back。

A　strong　hand　had　grasped　his　bridle　rein；　and　the

surprised　Arab　discovered　a　new　foe　in　the　saddle　of

him；　whom　he　had　slain。



But　this　enemy　wielded　no　sword；　and　his　spear　and　bow

remained　upon　his　back。　　The　Arab；　recovered　from　his

first　surprise；　dashed　in　with　raised　sword　to

annihilate　this　presumptuous　stranger。　　He　aimed　a

mighty　blow　at　the　ape…man's　head；　a　blow　which　swung

harmlessly　through　thin　air　as　Tarzan　ducked　from　its

path；　and　then　the　Arab　felt　the　other's　horse　brushing

his　leg；　a　great　arm　shot　out　and　encircled　his　waist；

and　before　he　could　recover　himself　he　was　dragged　from

his　saddle；　and　forming　a　shield　for　his　antagonist　was

borne　at　a　mad　run　straight　through　the　encircling

ranks　of　his　fellows。



Just　beyond　them　he　was　tossed　aside　upon　the　ground；

and　the　last　he　saw　of　his　strange　foeman　the　latter

was　galloping　off　across　the　plain　in　the　direction　of

the　forest　at　its　farther　edge。



For　another　hour　the　battle　raged　nor　did　it　cease

until　the　last　of　the　Abyssinians　lay　dead　upon　the

ground；　or　had　galloped　off　toward　the　north　in　flight。

But　a　handful　of　men　escaped；　among　them　Abdul　Mourak。



The　victorious　raiders　collected　about　the　pile　of

golden　ingots　which　the　Abyssinians　had　uncovered；　and

there　awaited　the　return　of　their　leader。　　Their

exultation　was　slightly　tempered　by　the　glimpse　they

had　had　of　the　strange　apparition　of　the　naked　white

man　galloping　away　upon　the　horse　of　one　of　their

foemen　and　carrying　a　companion　who　was　now　among　them

expatiating　upon　the　superhuman　strength　of　the　ape…man。

None　of　them　there　but