tarzan and the jewels of opar-第32章

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the　direction　of　the　plain。



At　the　outskirts　of　the　forest　he　met　the　Arabs

returning　in　search　of　Achmet　Zek。　　Hiding；　he　let　them

pass；　and　then　resumed　his　way　toward　the　charred　ruins

of　the　home　he　had　been　almost　upon　the　point　of

recalling　to　his　memory。



His　journey　across　the　plain　was　interrupted　by　the

discovery　of　a　small　herd　of　antelope　in　a　little

swale；　where　the　cover　and　the　wind　were　well　combined

to　make　stalking　easy。　　A　fat　yearling　rewarded　a　half

hour　of　stealthy　creeping　and　a　sudden；　savage　rush；

and　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon　when　the　ape…man

settled　himself　upon　his　haunches　beside　his　kill　to

enjoy　the　fruits　of　his　skill；　his　cunning；　and　his

prowess。



His　hunger　satisfied；　thirst　next　claimed　his

attention。　　The　river　lured　him　by　the　shortest　path

toward　its　refreshing　waters；　and　when　he　had　drunk；

night　already　had　fallen　and　he　was　some　half　mile　or

more　down　stream　from　the　point　where　he　had　seen　the

pile　of　yellow　ingots；　and　where　he　hoped　to　meet　the

memory　woman；　or　find　some　clew　to　her　whereabouts　or

her　identity。



To　the　jungle　bred；　time　is　usually　a　matter　of　small

moment；　and　haste；　except　when　engendered　by　terror；

by　rage；　or　by　hunger；　is　distasteful。　　Today　was　gone。

Therefore　tomorrow；　of　which　there　was　an　infinite

procession；　would　answer　admirably　for　Tarzan's　further

quest。　　And；　besides；　the　ape…man　was　tired　and　would

sleep。



A　tree　afforded　him　the　safety；　seclusion　and　comforts

of　a　well…appointed　bedchamber；　and　to　the　chorus　of

the　hunters　and　the　hunted　of　the　wild　river　bank　he

soon　dropped　off　into　deep　slumber。



Morning　found　him　both　hungry　and　thirsty　again；　and

dropping　from　his　tree　he　made　his　way　to　the　drinking

place　at　the　river's　edge。　　There　he　found　Numa；　the

lion；　ahead　of　him。　　The　big　fellow　was　lapping　the

water　greedily；　and　at　the　approach　of　Tarzan　along　the

trail　in　his　rear；　he　raised　his　head；　and　turning　his

gaze　backward　across　his　maned　shoulders　glared　at　the

intruder。　　A　low　growl　of　warning　rumbled　from　his

throat；　but　Tarzan；　guessing　that　the　beast　had　but

just　quitted　his　kill　and　was　well　filled；　merely　made

a　slight　detour　and　continued　to　the　river；　where　he

stopped　a　few　yards　above　the　tawny　cat；　and　dropping

upon　his　hands　and　knees　plunged　his　face　into　the　cool

water。　　For　a　moment　the　lion　continued　to　eye　the　man；

then　he　resumed　his　drinking；　and　man　and　beast

quenched　their　thirst　side　by　side　each　apparently

oblivious　of　the　other's　presence。



Numa　was　the　first　to　finish。　　Raising　his　head；　he

gazed　across　the　river　for　a　few　minutes　with　that

stony　fixity　of　attention　which　is　a　characteristic　of

his　kind。　　But　for　the　ruffling　of　his　black　mane　to

the　touch　of　the　passing　breeze　he　might　have　been

wrought　from　golden　bronze；　so　motionless；　so

statuesque　his　pose。



A　deep　sigh　from　the　cavernous　lungs　dispelled　the

illusion。　　The　mighty　head　swung　slowly　around　until

the　yellow　eyes　rested　upon　the　man。　　The　bristled　lip

curved　upward；　exposing　yellow　fangs。　　Another　warning

growl　vibrated　the　heavy　jowls；　and　the　king　of　beasts

turned　majestically　about　and　paced　slowly　up　the　trail

into　the　dense　reeds。



Tarzan　of　the　Apes　drank　on；　but　from　the　corners　of

his　gray　eyes　he　watched　the　great　brute's　every　move

until　he　had　disappeared　from　view；　and；　after；　his

keen　ears　marked　the　movements　of　the　carnivore。



A　plunge　in　the　river　was　followed　by　a　scant　breakfast

of　eggs　which　chance　discovered　to　him；　and　then　he　set

off　up　river　toward　the　ruins　of　the　bungalow　where　the

golden　ingots　had　marked　the　center　of　yesterday's

battle。



And　when　he　came　upon　the　spot；　great　was　his　surprise

and　consternation；　for　the　yellow　metal　had

disappeared。　　The　earth；　trampled　by　the　feet　of　horses

and　men；　gave　no　clew。　　It　was　as　though　the　ingots　had

evaporated　into　thin　air。



The　ape…man　was　at　a　loss　to　know　where　to　turn　or　what

next　to　do。　　There　was　no　sign　of　any　spoor　which　might

denote　that　the　she　had　been　here。　　The　metal　was　gone；

and　if　there　was　any　connection　between　the　she　and　the

metal　it　seemed　useless　to　wait　for　her　now　that　the

latter　had　been　removed　elsewhere。



Everything　seemed　to　elude　himthe　pretty　pebbles；　the

yellow　metal；　the　she；　his　memory。　　Tarzan　was

disgusted。　　He　would　go　back　into　the　jungle　and　look

for　Chulk；　and　so　he　turned　his　steps　once　more　toward

the　forest。　　He　moved　rapidly；　swinging　across　the

plain　in　a　long；　easy　trot；　and　at　the　edge　of　the

forest；　taking　to　the　trees　with　the　agility　and　speed

of　a　small　monkey。



His　direction　was　aimlesshe　merely　raced　on　and　on

through　the　jungle；　the　joy　of　unfettered　action　his

principal　urge；　with　the　hope　of　stumbling　upon　some

clew　to　Chulk　or　the　she；　a　secondary　incentive。



For　two　days　he　roamed　about；　killing；　eating；　drinking

and　sleeping　wherever　inclination　and　the　means　to

indulge　it　occurred　simultaneously。　　It　was　upon　the

morning　of　the　third　day　that　the　scent　spoor　of　horse

and　man　were　wafted　faintly　to　his　nostrils。　　Instantly

he　altered　his　course　to　glide　silently　through　the

branches　in　the　direction　from　which　the　scent　came。



It　was　not　long　before　he　came　upon　a　solitary　horseman

riding　toward　the　east。　　Instantly　his　eyes　confirmed

what　his　nose　had　previously　suspectedthe　rider　was

he　who　had　stolen　his　pretty　pebbles。　　The　light　of

rage　flared　suddenly　in　the　gray　eyes　as　the　ape…man

dropped　lower　among　the　branches　until　he　moved　almost

directly　above　the　unconscious　Werper。



There　was　a　quick　leap；　and　the　Belgian　felt　a　heavy

body　hurtle　onto　the　rump　of　his　terror…stricken　mount。

The　horse；　snorting；　leaped　forward。　　Giant　arms

encircled　the　rider；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　he

was　dragged　from　his　saddle　to　find　himself　lying　in

the　narrow　trail　with　a　naked；　white　giant　kneeling

upon　his　breast。



Recognition　came　to　Werper　with　the　first　glance　at　his

captor's　face；　and　a　pallor　of　fear　overspread　his

features。　　Strong　fingers　were　at　his　throat；　fingers

of　steel。　　He　tried　to　cry　out；　to　plead　for　his　life；

but　the　cruel　fingers　denied　him　speech；　as　they　were

as　surely　denying　him　life。



〃The　pretty　pebbles？〃　cried　the　man　upon　his　breast。

〃What　did　you　with　the　pretty　pebbleswith　Tarzan's

pretty　pebbles？〃



The　fingers　relaxed　to　permit　a　reply。　　For　some　time

Werper　could　only　choke　and　coughat　last　he　regained

the　powers　of　speech。



〃Achmet　Zek；　the　Arab；　stole　them　from　me；〃　he　cried；

〃he　made　me　give　up　the　pouch　and　the　pebbles。〃



〃I　saw　all　that；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃but　the　pebbles　in

the　pouch　were　not　the　pebbles　of　Tarzanthey　were

only　such　pebbles　as　fill　the　bottoms　of　the　rivers；

and　the　shelving　banks　beside　them。　　Even　the　Arab

would　not　have　them；　for　he　threw　them　away　in　anger

when　he　had　looked　upon　them。　　It　is　my　pretty　pebbles

that　I　wantwhere　are　they？〃



〃I　do　not　know；　I　do　not　know；〃　cried　Werper。　　〃I　gave

them　to　Achmet　Zek　or　he　would　have　killed　me。　　A　few

minutes　later　he　followed　me　along　the　trail　to　slay

me；　although　he　had　promised　to　molest　me　no　further；

and　I　shot　and　killed　him；　but　the　pouch　was　not　upon

his　person　and　though　I　searched　about　the　jungle　for

some　time　I　could　not　find　it。〃



〃I　found　it；　I　tell　you；〃　growled　Tarzan；　〃and　I　also

found　the　pebbles　which　Achmet　Zek　had　thrown　away　in

disgust。　　They　were　not　Tarzan's　pebbles。　　You　have

hidden　them！　　Tell　me　where　they　are　or　I　will　kill

you；〃　and　the　brown　fingers　of　the　ape…man　closed　a

little　tighter　upon　the　throat　of　his　victim。



Werper　struggled　to　free　himself。　　〃My　God；　Lord

Greystoke；〃　he　managed　to　scream；　〃would　you　commit

murder　for　a　handful　of　stones？〃



The　fingers　at　his　throat　relaxed；　a　puzzled；　far…away

expression　softened　the　gray　eyes。



〃Lord　Greystoke！〃　repeated　the　ape…man。　　〃Lord

Greystoke！　　Who　is　Lord　Greystoke？　　Where　have　I　heard

that　name　before？〃



〃Why　man；　you　are　Lord　Greystoke；〃　cried　the　Belgian。

〃You　were　injured　by　a　falling　rock　when　the　earthquake

shattered　the　passage　to　the　underground　chamber　to

which　you　and　your　black　Waziri　had　come　to　fetch

golden　ingots　back　to　your　bungalow。　　The　blow

shattered　your　memory。　　You　are　John　Clayton；　Lord

Greystokedon't　you　remember？〃



〃John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke！〃　repeated　Tarzan。　　Then

for　a　moment　he　was　silent。　　Presently　his　hand　went

falteringly　to　his　forehead；　an　expression　of

wonderment　filled　his　eyesof　wonderment　and　sudden

understanding。　　The　forgotten　name　had　reawakened　the

returning　memory　that　had　been　struggling　to　reassert

itself。　　The　ape…man　relinquished　his　grasp　upon　the

throat　of　the　Belgian；　and　leaped　to　his　feet。



〃God！〃　he　cried；　and　then；　〃Jane！〃　Suddenly　he　turned

toward　Werper。　　〃My　wife？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　has　become

of　her？　　The　farm　is　in　ruins。　　You　know。　　You　have　had

something　to　do　with　all　this。　　You　followed　me　to

Opar；　you　stole　the　jewels　which　I　thought　but　pretty

pebbles。　　You　are　a　crook！　　Do　not　try　to　tell　me　that

you　are　not。〃



〃He　is　worse　than　a　crook；〃　said　a　quiet　voice　close

behind　them。



Tarzan　turned　in　astonishment　to　see　a　tall　man　in

uniform　standing　in　the　trail　a　few　paces　from　him。

Back　of　the　man　were　a　number　of　black　soldiers　in　the

uniform　of　the　Congo　Free　State。



〃He　is　a　murderer；　Monsieur；〃　continued　the　officer。

〃I　have　followed　him　for　a　long　time　to　take　him　back

to　stand　trial　for　the　killing　of　his　superior

officer。〃



Werper　was　upon　his　feet　now；　gazing；　white　and

trembling；　at　the　fate　which　had　overtaken　him　even　in

the　fastness　of　the　labyrinthine　jungle。　　Instinctively

he　turned　to　flee；　but　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　reached　out　a

strong　hand　and　grasped　him　by　the　shoulder。



〃Wait！〃　said　the　ape…man　to　his　captive。　　〃This

gentleman　wishes　you；　and　so　do　I。　When　I　am　through

with　you；　he　may　have　you。　　Tell　me　what　has　become　of

my　wife。〃



The　Belgian　officer　eyed　the　almost　naked；　white　giant

with　curiosity。　　He　noted　the　strange　contrast　of

primitive　weapons　and　apparel；　and　the　easy；　fluent

French　which　the　man　spoke。　　The　former　denoted　the

lowest；　the　latter　the　highest　type　of　culture。　　He

could　not　quite　determine　the　social　status　of　this

strange　creature；　but　he　knew　that　he　did　not　relish

the　easy　assurance　with　which　the　fellow　presumed　to

dictate　when　he　might　take　possession　of　the　prisoner。



〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　stepping　forward　and　placing　his

hand　on　Werper's　other　shoulder；　〃but　this　gentleman　is

my　prisoner。　　He　must　come　with　me。〃



〃When　I　am　through　with　him；〃　replied　Tarzan；　quietly。



The　officer　turned　and　beckoned　to　the　soldiers

standing　in　the　trail　behind　him。　　A　company　of

uniformed　blacks　stepped　qui