the son of tarzan-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　it　was　a　great　mysterythere　was　something　uncanny　about　the　whole　thinghe　hated　to　think　about　it；　and　he　dreaded　the　coming　of　night。

It　was　a　great　mystery　to　Herr　Skopfand；　doubtless；　still　is。



Chapter　5

Captain　Armand　Jacot　of　the　Foreign　Legion　sat　upon　an　outspread　saddle　blanket　at　the　foot　of　a　stunted　palm　tree。　His　broad　shoulders　and　his　close…cropped　head　rested　in　luxurious　ease　against　the　rough　bole　of　the　palm。　　His　long　legs　were　stretched　straight　before　him　overlapping　the　meager　blanket；　his　spurs　buried　in　the　sandy　soil　of　the　little　desert　oasis。　　The　captain　was　taking　his　ease　after　a　long　day　of　weary　riding　across　the　shifting　sands　of　the　desert。

Lazily　he　puffed　upon　his　cigarette　and　watched　his　orderly　who　was　preparing　his　evening　meal。　　Captain　Armand　Jacot　was　well　satisfied　with　himself　and　the　world。　　A　little　to　his　right　rose　the　noisy　activity　of　his　troop　of　sun…tanned　veterans；　released　for　the　time　from　the　irksome　trammels　of　discipline；　relaxing　tired　muscles；　laughing；　joking；　and　smoking　as　they；　too；　prepared　to　eat　after　a　twelve…hour　fast。　　Among　them；　silent　and　taciturn；　squatted　five　white…robed　Arabs；　securely　bound　and　under　heavy　guard。

It　was　the　sight　of　these　that　filled　Captain　Armand　Jacot　with　the　pleasurable　satisfaction　of　a　duty　well…performed。　　For　a　long；　hot；　gaunt　month　he　and　his　little　troop　had　scoured　the　places　of　the　desert　waste　in　search　of　a　band　of　marauders　to　the　sin…stained　account　of　which　were　charged　innumerable　thefts　of　camels；　horses；　and　goats；　as　well　as　murders　enough　to　have　sent　the　whole　unsavory　gang　to　the　guillotine　several　times　over。

A　week　before；　he　had　come　upon　them。　　In　the　ensuing　battle　he　had　lost　two　of　his　own　men；　but　the　punishment　inflicted　upon　the　marauders　had　been　severe　almost　to　extinction。　　A　half　dozen；　perhaps；　had　escaped；　but　the　balance；　with　the　exception　of　the　five　prisoners；　had　expiated　their　crimes　before　the　nickel　jacketed　bullets　of　the　legionaries。　　And；　best　of　all；　the　ring　leader；　Achmet　ben　Houdin；　was　among　the　prisoners。

From　the　prisoners　Captain　Jacot　permitted　his　mind　to　traverse　the　remaining　miles　of　sand　to　the　little　garrison　post　where；　upon　the　morrow；　he　should　find　awaiting　him　with　eager　welcome　his　wife　and　little　daughter。　　His　eyes　softened　to　the　memory　of　them；　as　they　always　did。　　Even　now　he　could　see　the　beauty　of　the　mother　reflected　in　the　childish　lines　of　little　Jeanne's　face；　and　both　those　faces　would　be　smiling　up　into　his　as　he　swung　from　his　tired　mount　late　the　following　afternoon。　Already　he　could　feel　a　soft　cheek　pressed　close　to　each　of　hisvelvet　against　leather。

His　reverie　was　broken　in　upon　by　the　voice　of　a　sentry　summoning　a　non…commissioned　officer。　　Captain　Jacot　raised　his　eyes。　　The　sun　had　not　yet　set；　but　the　shadows　of　the　few　trees　huddled　about　the　water　hole　and　of　his　men　and　their　horses　stretched　far　away　into　the　east　across　the　now　golden　sand。　　The　sentry　was　pointing　in　this　direction；　and　the　corporal；　through　narrowed　lids；　was　searching　the　distance。　　Captain　Jacot　rose　to　his　feet。　　He　was　not　a　man　content　to　see　through　the　eyes　of　others。　　He　must　see　for　himself。　　Usually　he　saw　things　long　before　others　were　aware　that　there　was　anything　to　seea　trait　that　had　won　for　him　the　sobriquet　of　Hawk。　　Now　he　saw；　just　beyond　the　long　shadows；　a　dozen　specks　rising　and　falling　among　the　sands。　　They　disappeared　and　reappeared；　but　always　they　grew　larger。　　Jacot　recognized　them　immediately。　　They　were　horsemenhorsemen　of　the　desert。　　Already　a　sergeant　was　running　toward　him。　　The　entire　camp　was　straining　its　eyes　into　the　distance。　　Jacot　gave　a　few　terse　orders　to　the　sergeant　who　saluted；　turned　upon　his　heel　and　returned　to　the　men。　　Here　he　gathered　a　dozen　who　saddled　their　horses；　mounted　and　rode　out　to　meet　the　strangers。　　The　remaining　men　disposed　themselves　in　readiness　for　instant　action。　　It　was　not　entirely　beyond　the　range　of　possibilities　that　the　horsemen　riding　thus　swiftly　toward　the　camp　might　be　friends　of　the　prisoners　bent　upon　the　release　of　their　kinsmen　by　a　sudden　attack。　　Jacot　doubted　this；　however；　since　the　strangers　were　evidently　making　no　attempt　to　conceal　their　presence。　　They　were　galloping　rapidly　toward　the　camp　in　plain　view　of　all。　　There　might　be　treachery　lurking　beneath　their　fair　appearance；　but　none　who　knew　The　Hawk　would　be　so　gullible　as　to　hope　to　trap　him　thus。

The　sergeant　with　his　detail　met　the　Arabs　two　hundred　yards　from　the　camp。　　Jacot　could　see　him　in　conversation　with　a　tall；　white…robed　figureevidently　the　leader　of　the　band。　　Presently　the　sergeant　and　this　Arab　rode　side　by　side　toward　camp。　　Jacot　awaited　them。　　The　two　reined　in　and　dismounted　before　him。

〃Sheik　Amor　ben　Khatour；〃　announced　the　sergeant　by　way　of　introduction。

Captain　Jacot　eyed　the　newcomer。　　He　was　acquainted　with　nearly　every　principal　Arab　within　a　radius　of　several　hundred　miles。　　This　man　he　never　had　seen。　　He　was　a　tall；　weather　beaten；　sour　looking　man　of　sixty　or　more。　　His　eyes　were　narrow　and　evil。　　Captain　Jacot　did　not　relish　his　appearance。

〃Well？〃　he　asked；　tentatively。

The　Arab　came　directly　to　the　point。

〃Achmet　ben　Houdin　is　my　sister's　son；〃　he　said。　　〃If　you　will　give　him　into　my　keeping　I　will　see　that　he　sins　no　more　against　the　laws　of　the　French。〃

Jacot　shook　his　head。　　〃That　cannot　be；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　must　take　him　back　with　me。　　He　will　be　properly　and　fairly　tried　by　a　civil　court。　　If　he　is　innocent　he　will　be　released。〃

〃And　if　he　is　not　innocent？〃　asked　the　Arab。

〃He　is　charged　with　many　murders。　　For　any　one　of　these；　if　he　is　proved　guilty；　he　will　have　to　die。〃

The　Arab's　left　hand　was　hidden　beneath　his　burnous。　　Now　he　withdrew　it　disclosing　a　large　goatskin　purse；　bulging　and　heavy　with　coins。　　He　opened　the　mouth　of　the　purse　and　let　a　handful　of　the　contents　trickle　into　the　palm　of　his　right　hand　all　were　pieces　of　good　French　gold。　　From　the　size　of　the　purse　and　its　bulging　proportions　Captain　Jacot　concluded　that　it　must　contain　a　small　fortune。　　Sheik　Amor　ben　Khatour　dropped　the　spilled　gold　pieces　one　by　one　back　into　the　purse。　　Jacot　was　eyeing　him　narrowly。　　They　were　alone。　　The　sergeant；　having　introduced　the　visitor；　had　withdrawn　to　some　little　distance　his　back　was　toward　them。　　Now　the　sheik；　having　returned　all　the　gold　pieces；　held　the　bulging　purse　outward　upon　his　open　palm　toward　Captain　Jacot。

〃Achmet　ben　Houdin；　my　sister's　son；　MIGHT　escape　tonight；〃　he　said。　　〃Eh？〃

Captain　Armand　Jacot　flushed　to　the　roots　of　his　close…cropped　hair。　　Then　he　went　very　white　and　took　a　half…step　toward　the　Arab。　　His　fists　were　clenched。　　Suddenly　he　thought　better　of　whatever　impulse　was　moving　him。

〃Sergeant！〃　he　called。　　The　non…commissioned　officer　hurried　toward　him；　saluting　as　his　heels　clicked　together　before　his　superior。

〃Take　this　black　dog　back　to　his　people；〃　he　ordered。　　〃See　that　they　leave　at　once。　　Shoot　the　first　man　who　comes　within　range　of　camp　tonight。〃

Sheik　Amor　ben　Khatour　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height。　His　evil　eyes　narrowed。　　He　raised　the　bag　of　gold　level　with　the　eyes　of　the　French　officer。

〃You　will　pay　more　than　this　for　the　life　of　Achmet　ben　Houdin；　my　sister's　son；〃　he　said。　　〃And　as　much　again　for　the　name　that　you　have　called　me　and　a　hundred　fold　in　sorrow　in　the　bargain。〃

〃Get　out　of　here！〃　growled　Captain　Armand　Jacot；　〃before　I　kick　you　out。〃

All　of　this　happened　some　three　years　before　the　opening　of　this　tale。　　The　trail　of　Achmet　ben　Houdin　and　his　accomplices　is　a　matter　of　recordyou　may　verify　it　if　you　care　to。　　He　met　the　death　he　deserved；　and　he　met　it　with　the　stoicism　of　the　Arab。

A　month　later　little　Jeanne　Jacot；　the　seven…year…old　daughter　of　Captain　Armand　Jacot；　mysteriously　disappeared。　　Neither　the　wealth　of　her　father　and　mother；　or　all　the　powerful　resources　of　the　great　republic　were　able　to　wrest　the　secret　of　her　whereabouts　from　the　inscrutable　desert　that　had　swallowed　her　and　her　abductor。

A　reward　of　such　enormous　proportions　was　offered　that　many　adventurers　were　attracted　to　the　hunt。　　This　was　no　case　for　the　modern　detective　of　civilization；　yet　several　of　these　threw　themselves　into　the　searchthe　bones　of　some　are　already　bleaching　beneath　the　African　sun　upon　the　silent　sands　of　the　Sahara。

Two　Swedes；　Carl　Jenssen　and　Sven　Malbihn；　after　three　years　of　following　false　leads　at　last　gave　up　the　search　far　to　the　south　of　the　Sahara　to　turn　their　attention　to　the　more　profitable　business　of　ivory　poaching。　　In　a　great　district　they　were　already　known　for　their　relentless　cruelty　and　their　greed　for　ivory。　　The　natives　feared　and　hated　them。　　The　European　governments　in　whose　possessions　they　worked　had　long　sought　them；　but；　working　their　way　slowly　out　of　the　north　they　had　learned　many　things　in　the　no…man's…land　south　of　the　Sahara　which　gave　them　immunity　from　capture　through　easy　avenues　of　escape　that　were　unknown　to　those　who　pursued　them。　　Their　raids　were　sudden　and　swift。　　They　seized　ivory　and　retreated　into　the　trackless　wastes　of　the　north　before　the　guardians　of　the　territory　they　rap