tarzan and the jewels of opar-第7章

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into　the　tribe；　which　now　contained　no　member　more

jealous　of　its　traditions　and　its　prowess　than　he。



Achmet　Zek　drew　to　one　side　of　his　horde；　speaking　to

his　men　in　a　low　voice。　　A　moment　later；　without

warning；　a　ragged　volley　was　poured　into　the　ranks　of

the　Waziri。　　A　couple　of　warriors　fell；　the　others　were

for　charging　the　attackers；　but　Mugambi　was　a　cautious

as　well　as　a　brave　leader。　　He　knew　the　futility　of

charging　mounted　men　armed　with　muskets。　　He　withdrew

his　force　behind　the　shrubbery　of　the　garden。　　Some　he

dispatched　to　various　other　parts　of　the　grounds

surrounding　the　bungalow。　　Half　a　dozen　he　sent　to　the

bungalow　itself　with　instructions　to　keep　their

mistress　within　doors；　and　to　protect　her　with　their　lives。



Adopting　the　tactics　of　the　desert　fighters　from　which

he　had　sprung；　Achmet　Zek　led　his　followers　at　a　gallop

in　a　long；　thin　line；　describing　a　great　circle　which

drew　closer　and　closer　in　toward　the　defenders。



At　that　part　of　the　circle　closest　to　the　Waziri；

a　constant　fusillade　of　shots　was　poured　into　the　bushes

behind　which　the　black　warriors　had　concealed

themselves。　　The　latter；　on　their　part；　loosed　their

slim　shafts　at　the　nearest　of　the　enemy。



The　Waziri；　justly　famed　for　their　archery；　found　no

cause　to　blush　for　their　performance　that　day。

Time　and　again　some　swarthy　horseman　threw　hands　above

his　head　and　toppled　from　his　saddle；　pierced　by　a

deadly　arrow；　but　the　contest　was　uneven。　　The　Arabs

outnumbered　the　Waziri；　their　bullets　penetrated　the

shrubbery　and　found　marks　that　the　Arab　riflemen　had

not　even　seen；　and　then　Achmet　Zek　circled　inward　a

half　mile　above　the　bungalow；　tore　down　a　section　of

the　fence；　and　led　his　marauders　within　the　grounds。



Across　the　fields　they　charged　at　a　mad　run。　　Not　again

did　they　pause　to　lower　fences；　instead；　they　drove

their　wild　mounts　straight　for　them；　clearing　the

obstacles　as　lightly　as　winged　gulls。



Mugambi　saw　them　coming；　and；　calling　those　of　his

warriors　who　remained；　ran　for　the　bungalow　and　the

last　stand。　　Upon　the　veranda　Lady　Greystoke　stood；

rifle　in　hand。　　More　than　a　single　raider　had　accounted

to　her　steady　nerves　and　cool　aim　for　his　outlawry；

more　than　a　single　pony　raced；　riderless；　in　the　wake

of　the　charging　horde。



Mugambi　pushed　his　mistress　back　into　the　greater

security　of　the　interior；　and　with　his　depleted　force

prepared　to　make　a　last　stand　against　the　foe。



On　came　the　Arabs；　shouting　and　waving　their　long　guns

above　their　heads。　　Past　the　veranda　they　raced；

pouring　a　deadly　fire　into　the　kneeling　Waziri　who

discharged　their　volley　of　arrows　from　behind　their

long；　oval　shieldsshields　well　adapted；　perhaps；

to　stop　a　hostile　arrow；　or　deflect　a　spear；　but　futile；

quite；　before　the　leaden　missiles　of　the　riflemen。



From　beneath　the　half…raised　shutters　of　the　bungalow

other　bowmen　did　effective　service　in　greater　security；

and　after　the　first　assault；　Mugambi　withdrew　his

entire　force　within　the　building。



Again　and　again　the　Arabs　charged；　at　last　forming　a

stationary　circle　about　the　little　fortress；　and

outside　the　effective　range　of　the　defenders'　arrows。

From　their　new　position　they　fired　at　will　at　the

windows。　　One　by　one　the　Waziri　fell。　　Fewer　and　fewer

were　the　arrows　that　replied　to　the　guns　of　the

raiders；　and　at　last　Achmet　Zek　felt　safe　in　ordering

an　assault。



Firing　as　they　ran；　the　bloodthirsty　horde　raced　for

the　veranda。　　A　dozen　of　them　fell　to　the　arrows　of　the

defenders；　but　the　majority　reached　the　door。

Heavy　gun　butts　fell　upon　it。　　The　crash　of　splintered

wood　mingled　with　the　report　of　a　rifle　as　Jane　Clayton

fired　through　the　panels　upon　the　relentless　foe。



Upon　both　sides　of　the　door　men　fell；　but　at　last　the

frail　barrier　gave　to　the　vicious　assaults　of　the

maddened　attackers；　it　crumpled　inward　and　a　dozen

swarthy　murderers　leaped　into　the　living…room。

At　the　far　end　stood　Jane　Clayton　surrounded　by　the　remnant

of　her　devoted　guardians。　　The　floor　was　covered　by　the

bodies　of　those　who　already　had　given　up　their　lives　in

her　defense。　　In　the　forefront　of　her　protectors　stood

the　giant　Mugambi。　　The　Arabs　raised　their　rifles　to

pour　in　the　last　volley　that　would　effectually　end　all

resistance；　but　Achmet　Zek　roared　out　a　warning　order

that　stayed　their　trigger　fingers。



〃Fire　not　upon　the　woman！〃　he　cried。　　〃Who　harms　her；

dies。　　Take　the　woman　alive！〃



The　Arabs　rushed　across　the　room；　the　Waziri　met　them

with　their　heavy　spears。　　Swords　flashed；　long…barreled

pistols　roared　out　their　sullen　death　dooms。　　Mugambi

launched　his　spear　at　the　nearest　of　the　enemy　with　a

force　that　drove　the　heavy　shaft　completely　through　the

Arab's　body；　then　he　seized　a　pistol　from　another；　and

grasping　it　by　the　barrel　brained　all　who　forced　their

way　too　near　his　mistress。



Emulating　his　example　the　few　warriors　who　remained　to

him　fought　like　demons；　but　one　by　one　they　fell；　until

only　Mugambi　remained　to　defend　the　life　and　honor　of

the　ape…man's　mate。



From　across　the　room　Achmet　Zek　watched　the　unequal

struggle　and　urged　on　his　minions。　　In　his　hands　was　a

jeweled　musket。　　Slowly　he　raised　it　to　his　shoulder；

waiting　until　another　move　should　place　Mugambi　at　his

mercy　without　endangering　the　lives　of　the　woman　or　any

of　his　own　followers。



At　last　the　moment　came；　and　Achmet　Zek　pulled　the

trigger。　　Without　a　sound　the　brave　Mugambi　sank　to　the

floor　at　the　feet　of　Jane　Clayton。



An　instant　later　she　was　surrounded　and　disarmed。

Without　a　word　they　dragged　her　from　the　bungalow。

A　giant　Negro　lifted　her　to　the　pommel　of　his　saddle；

and　while　the　raiders　searched　the　bungalow　and　outhouses

for　plunder　he　rode　with　her　beyond　the　gates　and

waited　the　coming　of　his　master。



Jane　Clayton　saw　the　raiders　lead　the　horses　from　the

corral；　and　drive　the　herds　in　from　the　fields。

She　saw　her　home　plundered　of　all　that　represented

intrinsic　worth　in　the　eyes　of　the　Arabs；　and　then　she　saw

the　torch　applied；　and　the　flames　lick　up　what　remained。



And　at　last；　when　the　raiders　assembled　after　glutting

their　fury　and　their　avarice；　and　rode　away　with　her

toward　the　north；　she　saw　the　smoke　and　the　flames

rising　far　into　the　heavens　until　the　winding　of　the　trail

into　the　thick　forests　hid　the　sad　view　from　her　eyes。



As　the　flames　ate　their　way　into　the　living…room；

reaching　out　forked　tongues　to　lick　up　the　bodies　of

the　dead；　one　of　that　gruesome　company　whose　bloody

welterings　had　long　since　been　stilled；　moved　again。

It　was　a　huge　black　who　rolled　over　upon　his　side　and

opened　blood…shot；　suffering　eyes。　　Mugambi；　whom　the

Arabs　had　left　for　dead；　still　lived。　　The　hot　flames

were　almost　upon　him　as　he　raised　himself　painfully

upon　his　hands　and　knees　and　crawled　slowly　toward　the

doorway。



Again　and　again　he　sank　weakly　to　the　floor；　but　each

time　he　rose　again　and　continued　his　pitiful　way　toward

safety。　　After　what　seemed　to　him　an　interminable　time；

during　which　the　flames　had　become　a　veritable　fiery

furnace　at　the　far　side　of　the　room；　the　great　black

managed　to　reach　the　veranda；　roll　down　the　steps；

and　crawl　off　into　the　cool　safety　of　some　nearby

shrubbery。



All　night　he　lay　there；　alternately　unconscious　and

painfully　sentient；　and　in　the　latter　state　watching

with　savage　hatred　the　lurid　flames　which　still　rose

from　burning　crib　and　hay　cock。　　A　prowling　lion　roared

close　at　hand；　but　the　giant　black　was　unafraid。　　There

was　place　for　but　a　single　thought　in　his　savage　mind

revenge！　　revenge！　　revenge！







7



The　Jewel…Room　of　Opar





For　some　time　Tarzan　lay　where　he　had　fallen　upon　the

floor　of　the　treasure　chamber　beneath　the　ruined　walls

of　Opar。　　He　lay　as　one　dead；　but　he　was　not　dead。

At　length　he　stirred。　　His　eyes　opened　upon　the　utter

darkness　of　the　room。　　He　raised　his　hand　to　his　head

and　brought　it　away　sticky　with　clotted　blood。　　He

sniffed　at　his　fingers；　as　a　wild　beast　might　sniff　at

the　life…blood　upon　a　wounded　paw。



Slowly　he　rose　to　a　sitting　posturelistening。

No　sound　reached　to　the　buried　depths　of　his　sepulcher。

He　staggered　to　his　feet；　and　groped　his　way　about

among　the　tiers　of　ingots。　　What　was　he？　　Where　was　he？

His　head　ached；　but　otherwise　he　felt　no　ill　effects

from　the　blow　that　had　felled　him。　　The　accident　he　did　not

recall；　nor　did　he　recall　aught　of　what　had　led　up　to　it。



He　let　his　hands　grope　unfamiliarly　over　his　limbs；

his　torso；　and　his　head。　　He　felt　of　the　quiver　at　his

back；　the　knife　in　his　loin　cloth。　　Something　struggled

for　recognition　within　his　brain。　　Ah！　　he　had　it。

There　was　something　missing。　　He　crawled　about　upon

the　floor；　feeling　with　his　hands　for　the　thing　that

instinct　warned　him　was　gone。　　At　last　he　found　itthe

heavy　war　spear　that　in　past　years　had　formed　so

important　a　feature　of　his　daily　life；　almost　of　his

very　existence；　so　inseparably　had　it　been　connected

with　his　every　action　since　the　long…gone　day　that　he

had　wrested　his　first　spear　from　the　body　of　a　black

victim　of　his　savage　training。



Tarzan　was　sure　that　there　was　another　and　more　lovely

world　than　that　which　was　confined　to　the　darkness　of

the　four　stone　walls　surrounding　him。　　He　continued　his

search　and　at　last　found　the　doorway　leading　inward

beneath　the　city　and　the　temple。　　This　he　followed；

most　incautiously。　　He　came　to　the　stone　steps　leading

upward　to　the　higher　level。　　He　ascended　them　and

continued　onward　toward　the　well。



Nothing　spurred　his　hurt　memory　to　a　recollection　of

past　familiarity　with　his　surroundings。　　He　blundered

on　through　the　darkness　as　though　he　were　traversing　an

open　plain　under　the　brilliance　of　a　noonday　sun；　and

suddenly　there　happened　that　which　had　to　happen　under

the　circumstances　of　his　rash　advance。



He　reached　the　brink　of　the　well；　stepped　outward　into

space；　lunged　forward；　and　shot　downward　into　the　inky

depths　below。　　Still　clutching　his　spear；　he　struck　the

water；　and　sank　beneath　its　surface；　plumbing　the

depths。



The　fall　had　not　injured　him；　and　when　he　rose　to　the

surface；　he　shook　the　water　from　his　eyes；　and　found

that　he　could　see。　　Daylight　was　filtering　into　the

well　from　the　orifice　far　above　his　head。　　It　illumined

the　inner　walls　faintly。　　Tarzan　gazed　about　him。

On　the　level　with　the　surface　of　the　water　he　saw　a

large　opening　in　the　dark　and　slimy　wall。　　He　swam　to　it；

and　drew　himself　out　upon　the　wet　floor　of　a　tunnel。



Along　this　he　passed；　but　now　he　went　warily；　for

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　learning。　　The　unexpected　pit

had　taught　him　care　in　the　traversing　of　dark

passagewayshe　needed　no　second　lesson。



For　a　long　distance　the　passage　went　straight　as　an

arrow。　　The　floor　was　slippe