tarzan and the jewels of opar-第27章

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self…possession　in　the　face　of　the　startling　surprise

which　her　new…found　consciousness　revealed　to　her。　　She

neither　cried　out　nor　moved　a　muscle；　until　she　had

taken　in　every　detail　of　the　scene　which　lay　within　the

range　of　her　vision。



She　saw　that　the　lion　had　killed　the　ape；　and　that　he

was　devouring　his　prey　less　than　fifty　feet　from　where

she　lay；　but　what　could　she　do？　　Her　hands　and　feet　were

bound。　　She　must　wait　then；　in　what　patience　she　could

command；　until　Numa　had　eaten　and　digested　the　ape；

when；　without　doubt；　he　would　return　to　feast　upon　her；

unless；　in　the　meantime；　the　dread　hyenas　should

discover　her；　or　some　other　of　the　numerous　prowling

carnivora　of　the　jungle。



As　she　lay　tormented　by　these　frightful　thoughts；　she

suddenly　became　conscious　that　the　bonds　at　her　wrists

and　ankles　no　longer　hurt　her；　and　then　of　the　fact

that　her　hands　were　separated；　one　lying　upon　either

side　of　her；　instead　of　both　being　confined　at　her　back。



Wonderingly　she　moved　a　hand。　　What　miracle　had　been

performed？　　It　was　not　bound！　　Stealthily　and　noiselessly

she　moved　her　other　limbs；　only　to　discover　that　she

was　free。　　She　could　not　know　how　the　thing　had

happened；　that　Taglat；　gnawing　upon　them　for　sinister

purposes　of　his　own；　had　cut　them　through　but　an

instant　before　Numa　had　frightened　him　from　his　victim。



For　a　moment　Jane　Clayton　was　overwhelmed　with　joy　and

thanksgiving；　but　only　for　a　moment。　　What　good　was　her

new…found　liberty　in　the　face　of　the　frightful　beast

crouching　so　close　beside　her？　　If　she　could　have　had

this　chance　under　different　conditions；　how　happily　she

would　have　taken　advantage　of　it；　but　now　it　was　given

to　her　when　escape　was　practically　impossible。



The　nearest　tree　was　a　hundred　feet　away；　the　lion　less

than　fifty。　　To　rise　and　attempt　to　reach　the　safety　of

those　tantalizing　branches　would　be　but　to　invite

instant　destruction；　for　Numa　would　doubtless　be　too

jealous　of　this　future　meal　to　permit　it　to　escape　with

ease。　　And　yet；　too；　there　was　another　possibilitya

chance　which　hinged　entirely　upon　the　unknown　temper　of

the　great　beast。



His　belly　already　partially　filled；　he　might　watch　with

indifference　the　departure　of　the　girl；　yet　could　she

afford　to　chance　so　improbable　a　contingency？　　She

doubted　it。　　Upon　the　other　hand　she　was　no　more　minded

to　allow　this　frail　opportunity　for　life　to　entirely

elude　her　without　taking　or　attempting　to　take　some

advantage　from　it。



She　watched　the　lion　narrowly。　　He　could　not　see　her

without　turning　his　head　more　than　halfway　around。　　She

would　attempt　a　ruse。　　Silently　she　rolled　over　in　the

direction　of　the　nearest　tree；　and　away　from　the　lion；

until　she　lay　again　in　the　same　position　in　which　Numa

had　left　her；　but　a　few　feet　farther　from　him。



Here　she　lay　breathless　watching　the　lion；　but　the

beast　gave　no　indication　that　he　had　heard　aught　to

arouse　his　suspicions。　　Again　she　rolled　over；　gaining

a　few　more　feet　and　again　she　lay　in　rigid

contemplation　of　the　beast's　back。



During　what　seemed　hours　to　her　tense　nerves；　Jane

Clayton　continued　these　tactics；　and　still　the　lion　fed

on　in　apparent　unconsciousness　that　his　second　prey　was

escaping　him。　　Already　the　girl　was　but　a　few　paces

from　the　treea　moment　more　and　she　would　be　close

enough　to　chance　springing　to　her　feet；　throwing

caution　aside　and　making　a　sudden；　bold　dash　for

safety。　　She　was　halfway　over　in　her　turn；　her　face

away　from　the　lion；　when　he　suddenly　turned　his　great

head　and　fastened　his　eyes　upon　her。　　He　saw　her　roll

over　upon　her　side　away　from　him；　and　then　her　eyes

were　turned　again　toward　him；　and　the　cold　sweat　broke

from　the　girl's　every　pore　as　she　realized　that　with

life　almost　within　her　grasp；　death　had　found　her　out。



For　a　long　time　neither　the　girl　nor　the　lion　moved。

The　beast　lay　motionless；　his　head　turned　upon　his

shoulders　and　his　glaring　eyes　fixed　upon　the　rigid

victim；　now　nearly　fifty　yards　away。　　The　girl　stared

back　straight　into　those　cruel　orbs；　daring　not　to　move

even　a　muscle。



The　strain　upon　her　nerves　was　becoming　so　unbearable

that　she　could　scarcely　restrain　a　growing　desire　to

scream；　when　Numa　deliberately　turned　back　to　the

business　of　feeding；　but　his　back…layed　ears　attested　a

sinister　regard　for　the　actions　of　the　girl　behind　him。



Realizing　that　she　could　not　again　turn　without

attracting　his　immediate　and　perhaps　fatal　attention；

Jane　Clayton　resolved　to　risk　all　in　one　last　attempt

to　reach　the　tree　and　clamber　to　the　lower　branches。



Gathering　herself　stealthily　for　the　effort；　she　leaped

suddenly　to　her　feet；　but　almost　simultaneously　the

lion　sprang　up；　wheeled　and　with　wide…distended　jaws

and　terrific　roars；　charged　swiftly　down　upon　her。



Those　who　have　spent　lifetimes　hunting　the　big　game　of

Africa　will　tell　you　that　scarcely　any　other　creature

in　the　world　attains　the　speed　of　a　charging　lion。

For　the　short　distance　that　the　great　cat　can　maintain　it；

it　resembles　nothing　more　closely　than　the　onrushing　of

a　giant　locomotive　under　full　speed；　and　so；　though　the

distance　that　Jane　Clayton　must　cover　was　relatively

small；　the　terrific　speed　of　the　lion　rendered　her

hopes　of　escape　almost　negligible。



Yet　fear　can　work　wonders；　and　though　the　upward　spring

of　the　lion　as　he　neared　the　tree　into　which　she　was

scrambling　brought　his　talons　in　contact　with　her　boots

she　eluded　his　raking　grasp；　and　as　he　hurtled　against

the　bole　of　her　sanctuary；　the　girl　drew　herself　into

the　safety　of　the　branches　above　his　reach。



For　some　time　the　lion　paced；　growling　and　moaning；

beneath　the　tree　in　which　Jane　Clayton　crouched；

panting　and　trembling。　　The　girl　was　a　prey　to　the

nervous　reaction　from　the　frightful　ordeal　through

which　she　had　so　recently　passed；　and　in　her

overwrought　state　it　seemed　that　never　again　should　she

dare　descend　to　the　ground　among　the　fearsome　dangers

which　infested　the　broad　stretch　of　jungle　that　she

knew　must　lie　between　herself　and　the　nearest　village

of　her　faithful　Waziri。



It　was　almost　dark　before　the　lion　finally　quit　the

clearing；　and　even　had　his　place　beside　the　remnants　of

the　mangled　ape　not　been　immediately　usurped　by　a　pack

of　hyenas；　Jane　Clayton　would　scarcely　have　dared

venture　from　her　refuge　in　the　face　of　impending　night；

and　so　she　composed　herself　as　best　she　could　for　the

long　and　tiresome　wait；　until　daylight　might　offer　some

means　of　escape　from　the　dread　vicinity　in　which　she

had　witnessed　such　terrifying　adventures。



Tired　nature　at　last　overcame　even　her　fears；　and　she

dropped　into　a　deep　slumber；　cradled　in　a　comparatively

safe；　though　rather　uncomfortable；　position　against　the

bole　of　the　tree；　and　supported　by　two　large　branches

which　grew　outward；　almost　horizontally；　but　a　few

inches　apart。



The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　she　at　last　awoke；

and　beneath　her　was　no　sign　either　of　Numa　or　the

hyenas。　　Only　the　clean…picked　bones　of　the　ape；

scattered　about　the　ground；　attested　the　fact　of　what

had　transpired　in　this　seemingly　peaceful　spot　but　a

few　hours　before。



Both　hunger　and　thirst　assailed　her　now；　and　realizing

that　she　must　descend　or　die　of　starvation；　she　at　last

summoned　courage　to　undertake　the　ordeal　of　continuing

her　journey　through　the　jungle。



Descending　from　the　tree；　she　set　out　in　a　southerly

direction；　toward　the　point　where　she　believed　the

plains　of　Waziri　lay；　and　though　she　knew　that　only

ruin　and　desolation　marked　the　spot　where　once　her

happy　home　had　stood；　she　hoped　that　by　coming　to　the

broad　plain　she　might　eventually　reach　one　of　the

numerous　Waziri　villages　that　were　scattered　over　the

surrounding　country；　or　chance　upon　a　roving　band　of

these　indefatigable　huntsmen。



The　day　was　half　spent　when　there　broke　unexpectedly

upon　her　startled　ears　the　sound　of　a　rifle　shot　not

far　ahead　of　her。　　As　she　paused　to　listen；　this　first

shot　was　followed　by　another　and　another　and　another。

What　could　it　mean？　　The　first　explanation　which　sprung

to　her　mind　attributed　the　firing　to　an　encounter

between　the　Arab　raiders　and　a　party　of　Waziri；　but　as

she　did　not　know　upon　which　side　victory　might　rest；　or

whether　she　were　behind　friend　or　foe；　she　dared　not

advance　nearer　on　the　chance　of　revealing　herself　to　an

enemy。



After　listening　for　several　minutes　she　became

convinced　that　no　more　than　two　or　three　rifles　were

engaged　in　the　fight；　since　nothing　approximating　the

sound　of　a　volley　reached　her　ears；　but　still　she

hesitated　to　approach；　and　at　last；　determining　to　take

no　chance；　she　climbed　into　the　concealing　foliage　of　a

tree　beside　the　trail　she　had　been　following　and　there

fearfully　awaited　whatever　might　reveal　itself。



As　the　firing　became　less　rapid　she　caught　the　sound　of

men's　voices；　though　she　could　distinguish　no　words；

and　at　last　the　reports　of　the　guns　ceased；　and　she

heard　two　men　calling　to　each　other　in　loud　tones。

Then　there　was　a　long　silence　which　was　finally　broken

by　the　stealthy　padding　of　footfalls　on　the　trail　ahead

of　her；　and　in　another　moment　a　man　appeared　in　view

backing　toward　her；　a　rifle　ready　in　his　hands；　and　his

eyes　directed　in　careful　watchfulness　along　the　way

that　he　had　come。



Almost　instantly　Jane　Clayton　recognized　the　man　as　M。

Jules　Frecoult；　who　so　recently　had　been　a　guest　in　her

home。　　She　was　upon　the　point　of　calling　to　him　in　glad

relief　when　she　saw　him　leap　quickly　to　one　side　and

hide　himself　in　the　thick　verdure　at　the　trail's　side。

It　was　evident　that　he　was　being　followed　by　an　enemy；

and　so　Jane　Clayton　kept　silent；　lest　she　distract

Frecoult's　attention；　or　guide　his　foe　to　his　hiding

place。



Scarcely　had　Frecoult　hidden　himself　than　the　figure　of

a　white…robed　Arab　crept　silently　along　the　trail　in

pursuit。　　From　her　hiding　place；　Jane　Clayton　could　see

both　men　plainly。　　She　recognized　Achmet　Zek　as　the

leader　of　the　band　of　ruffians　who　had　raided　her　home

and　made　her　a　prisoner；　and　as　she　saw　Frecoult；　the

supposed　friend　and　ally；　raise　his　gun　and　take

careful　aim　at　the　Arab；　her　heart　stood　still　and

every　power　of　her　soul　was　directed　upon　a　fervent

prayer　for　the　accuracy　of　his　aim。



Achmet　Zek　paused　in　the　middle　of　the　trail。　　His　keen

eyes　scanned　every　bush　and　tree　within　the　radius　of

his　vision。　　His　tall　figure　presented　a　perfect　target

to　the　perfidious　assassin。　　There　was　a　sharp　report；

and　a　little　puff　of　smoke　arose　from　the　bush　that　hid

the　Belgian；　as　Achmet　Zek　stumbled　forward　and

pitched；　face　down；　upon　the　trail。



As　Werper　stepped　back　into　the　trail；　he　was　startled

by　the　sound　of　a　glad　cry　from　above　him；　and　as　he

wheeled　about　to　discover　the　author　of　this　unexpected