the return of tarzan-第17节

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wayfarer　who　meets　EL　ADREA　abroad　at　night。〃



Without　further　mishap　they　reached　the　hotel。　　The　sleepy

landlord　objected　strenuously　to　instituting　a　search　for

Kadour　ben　Saden　until　the　following　morning；　but　a　piece

of　gold　put　a　different　aspect　on　the　matter；　so　that　a　few

moments　later　a　servant　had　started　to　make　the　rounds　of

the　lesser　native　hostelries　where　it　might　be　expected　that　a

desert　sheik　would　find　congenial　associations。　　Tarzan　had

felt　it　necessary　to　find　the　girl's　father　that　night；　for

fear　he　might　start　on　his　homeward　journey　too　early　in　the

morning　to　be　intercepted。



They　had　waited　perhaps　half　an　hour　when　the　messenger

returned　with　Kadour　ben　Saden。　　The　old　sheik　entered

the　room　with　a　questioning　expression　upon　his　proud　face。



〃Monsieur　has　done　me　the　honor　to〃　he　commenced；　and

then　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　girl。　　With　outstretched　arms

he　crossed　the　room　to　meet　her。　　〃My　daughter！〃　he　cried。

〃Allah　is　merciful！〃　and　tears　dimmed　the　martial　eyes　of

the　old　warrior。



When　the　story　of　her　abduction　and　her　final　rescue　had

been　told　to　Kadour　ben　Saden　he　extended　his　hand　to　Tarzan。



〃All　that　is　Kadour　ben　Saden's　is　thine；　my　friend；　even

to　his　life；〃　he　said　very　simply；　but　Tarzan　knew　that

those　were　no　idle　words。



It　was　decided　that　although　three　of　them　would　have　to

ride　after　practically　no　sleep；　it　would　be　best　to　make　an

early　start　in　the　morning；　and　attempt　to　ride　all　the

way　to　Bou　Saada　in　one　day。　　It　would　have　been

comparatively　easy　for　the　men；　but　for　the　girl　it

was　sure　to　be　a　fatiguing　journey。



She；　however；　was　the　most　anxious　to　undertake　it；　for

it　seemed　to　her　that　she　could　not　quickly　enough　reach　the

family　and　friends　from　whom　she　had　been　separated　for

two　years。



It　seemed　to　Tarzan　that　he　had　not　closed　his　eyes　before

he　was　awakened；　and　in　another　hour　the　party　was　on　its

way　south　toward　Bou　Saada。　　For　a　few　miles　the　road　was

good；　and　they　made　rapid　progress；　but　suddenly　it　became

only　a　waste　of　sand；　into　which　the　horses　sank　fetlock

deep　at　nearly　every　step。　　In　addition　to　Tarzan；　Abdul；

the　sheik；　and　his　daughter　were　four　of　the　wild　plainsmen

of　the　sheik's　tribe　who　had　accompanied　him　upon　the　trip

to　Sidi　Aissa。　　Thus；　seven　guns　strong；　they　entertained　little

fear　of　attack　by　day；　and　if　all　went　well　they　should　reach

Bou　Saada　before　nightfall。



A　brisk　wind　enveloped　them　in　the　blowing　sand　of　the

desert；　until　Tarzan's　lips　were　parched　and　cracked。　　What

little　he　could　see　of　the　surrounding　country　was　far　from

alluringa　vast　expanse　of　rough　country；　rolling　in　little；

barren　hillocks；　and　tufted　here　and　there　with　clumps　of

dreary　shrub。　　Far　to　the　south　rose　the　dim　lines　of　the

Saharan　Atlas　range。　　How　different；　thought　Tarzan；　from

the　gorgeous　Africa　of　his　boyhood！



Abdul；　always　on　the　alert；　looked　backward　quite　as　often

as　he　did　ahead。　　At　the　top　of　each　hillock　that　they　mounted

he　would　draw　in　his　horse　and；　turning；　scan　the　country　to

the　rear　with　utmost　care。　　At　last　his　scrutiny　was　rewarded。



〃Look！〃　he　cried。　　〃There　are　six　horsemen　behind　us。〃



〃Your　friends　of　last　evening；　no　doubt；　monsieur；〃　remarked

Kadour　ben　Saden　dryly　to　Tarzan。



〃No　doubt；〃　replied　the　ape…man。　　〃I　am　sorry　that　my

society　should　endanger　the　safety　of　your　journey。　　At　the

next　village　I　shall　remain　and　question　these　gentlemen；

while　you　ride　on。　　There　is　no　necessity　for　my　being　at　Bou

Saada　tonight；　and　less　still　why　you　should　not　ride　in　peace。〃



〃If　you　stop　we　shall　stop；〃　said　Kadour　ben　Saden。　　〃Until

you　are　safe　with　your　friends；　or　the　enemy　has　left　your

trail；　we　shall　remain　with　you。　　There　is　nothing　more　to　say。〃



Tarzan　nodded　his　head。　　He　was　a　man　of　few　words；

and　possibly　it　was　for　this　reason　as　much　as　any　that

Kadour　ben　Saden　had　taken　to　him；　for　if　there　be　one

thing　that　an　Arab　despises　it　is　a　talkative　man。



All　the　balance　of　the　day　Abdul　caught　glimpses　of　the

horsemen　in　their　rear。　　They　remained　always　at　about　the

same　distance。　　During　the　occasional　halts　for　rest；　and

at　the　longer　halt　at　noon；　they　approached　no　closer。



〃They　are　waiting　for　darkness；〃　said　Kadour　ben　Saden。



And　darkness　came　before　they　reached　Bou　Saada。　　The

last　glimpse　that　Abdul　had　of　the　grim；　white…robed　figures

that　trailed　them；　just　before　dusk　made　it　impossible　to

distinguish　them；　had　made　it　apparent　that　they　were　rapidly

closing　up　the　distance　that　intervened　between　them　and

their　intended　quarry。　　He　whispered　this　fact　to　Tarzan；　for

he　did　not　wish　to　alarm　the　girl。　　The　ape…man　drew　back

beside　him。



〃You　will　ride　ahead　with　the　others；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan。

〃This　is　my　quarrel。　　I　shall　wait　at　the　next　convenient

spot；　and　interview　these　fellows。〃



〃Then　Abdul　shall　wait　at　thy　side；〃　replied　the　young

Arab；　nor　would　any　threats　or　commands　move　him　from

his　decision。



〃Very　well；　then；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃Here　is　as　good　a　place

as　we　could　wish。　　Here　are　rocks　at　the　top　of　this　hillock。

We　shall　remain　hidden　here　and　give　an　account　of　ourselves

to　these　gentlemen　when　they　appear。〃



They　drew　in　their　horses　and　dismounted。　　The　others

riding　ahead　were　already　out　of　sight　in　the　darkness。

Beyond　them　shone　the　lights　of　Bou　Saada。　　Tarzan　removed

his　rifle　from　its　boot　and　loosened　his　revolver　in　its　holster。

He　ordered　Abdul　to　withdraw　behind　the　rocks　with　the

horses；　so　that　they　should　be　shielded　from　the　enemies'

bullets　should　they　fire。　　The　young　Arab　pretended　to　do　as

he　was　bid；　but　when　he　had　fastened　the　two　animals　securely

to　a　low　shrub　he　crept　back　to　lie　on　his　belly　a　few

paces　behind　Tarzan。



The　ape…man　stood　erect　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　waiting。

Nor　did　he　have　long　to　wait。　　The　sound　of　galloping

horses　came　suddenly　out　of　the　darkness　below　him；　and　a

moment　later　he　discerned　the　moving　blotches　of　lighter

color　against　the　solid　background　of　the　night。



〃Halt；〃　he　cried；　〃or　we　fire！〃



The　white　figures　came　to　a　sudden　stop；　and　for　a　moment

there　was　silence。　　Then　came　the　sound　of　a　whispered　council；

and　like　ghosts　the　phantom　riders　dispersed　in　all　directions。

Again　the　desert　lay　still　about　him；　yet　it　was　an　ominous

stillness　that　foreboded　evil。



Abdul　raised　himself　to　one　knee。　　Tarzan　cocked　his

jungle…trained　ears；　and　presently　there　came　to　him　the

sound　of　horses　walking　quietly　through　the　sand　to　the

east　of　him；　to　the　west；　to　the　north；　and　to　the　south。

They　had　been　surrounded。　　Then　a　shot　came　from　the　direction

in　which　he　was　looking；　a　bullet　whirred　through　the　air

above　his　head；　and　he　fired　at　the　flash　of　the　enemy's　gun。



Instantly　the　soundless　waste　was　torn　with　the　quick

staccato　of　guns　upon　every　hand。　　Abdul　and　Tarzan　fired

only　at　the　flashesthey　could　not　yet　see　their　foemen。

Presently　it　became　evident　that　the　attackers　were　circling

their　position；　drawing　closer　and　closer　in　as　they　began　to

realize　the　paltry　numbers　of　the　party　which　opposed　them。



But　one　came　too　close；　for　Tarzan　was　accustomed　to　using

his　eyes　in　the　darkness　of　the　jungle　night；　than　which

there　is　no　more　utter　darkness　this　side　the　grave；　and

with　a　cry　of　pain　a　saddle　was　emptied。



〃The　odds　are　evening；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan；　with　a　low　laugh。



But　they　were　still　far　too　one…sided；　and　when　the　five

remaining　horsemen　whirled　at　a　signal　and　charged　full

upon　them　it　looked　as　if　there　would　be　a　sudden　ending

of　the　battle。　　Both　Tarzan　and　Abdul　sprang　to　the　shelter　of

the　rocks；　that　they　might　keep　the　enemy　in　front　of　them。

There　was　a　mad　clatter　of　galloping　hoofs；　a　volley　of　shots

from　both　sides；　and　the　Arabs　withdrew　to　repeat　the

maneuver；　but　there　were　now　only　four　against　the　two。



For　a　few　moments　there　came　no　sound　from　out　of

the　surrounding　blackness。　　Tarzan　could　not　tell　whether　the

Arabs；　satisfied　with　their　losses；　had　given　up　the　fight；　or

were　waiting　farther　along　the　road　to　waylay　them　as　they

proceeded　on　toward　Bou　Saada。　　But　he　was　not　left　long　in

doubt；　for　now　all　from　one　direction　came　the　sound　of　a

new　charge。　　But　scarcely　had　the　first　gun　spoken　ere　a

dozen　shots　rang　out　behind　the　Arabs。　　There　came　the　wild

shouts　of　a　new　party　to　the　controversy；　and　the　pounding

of　the　feet　of　many　horses　from　down　the　road　to　Bou　Saada。



The　Arabs　did　not　wait　to　learn　the　identity　of　the　oncomers。

With　a　parting　volley　as　they　dashed　by　the　position　which

Tarzan　and　Abdul　were　holding；　they　plunged　off　along　the

road　toward　Sidi　Aissa。　　A　moment　later　Kadour　ben　Saden

and　his　men　dashed　up。



The　old　sheik　was　much　relieved　to　find　that　neither

Tarzan　nor　Abdul　had　receiv