tarzan and the jewels of opar-第31节

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expended　his　last　shot。



〃Go　your　way；　then；〃　he　growled；　〃leaving　the　pouch　in

plain　sight　behind　you。　　See；　I　lay　my　gun　thus；　with

the　butt　toward　you。　　Go。〃



Werper　removed　the　pouch　from　about　his　waist。

Sorrowfully　and　affectionately　he　let　his　fingers　press

the　hard　outlines　of　the　contents。　　Ah；　if　he　could

extract　a　little　handful　of　the　precious　stones！　　But

Achmet　Zek　was　standing　now；　his　eagle　eyes　commanding

a　plain　view　of　the　Belgian　and　his　every　act。



Regretfully　Werper　laid　the　pouch；　its　contents

undisturbed；　upon　the　body　of　his　horse；　rose；　and

taking　his　rifle　with　him；　backed　slowly　down　the　trail

until　a　turn　hid　him　from　the　view　of　the　watchful　Arab。



Even　then　Achmet　Zek　did　not　advance；　fearful　as　he　was

of　some　such　treachery　as　he　himself　might　have　been

guilty　of　under　like　circumstances；　nor　were　his

suspicions　groundless；　for　the　Belgian；　no　sooner　had

he　passed　out　of　the　range　of　the　Arab's　vision；　halted

behind　the　bole　of　a　tree；　where　he　still　commanded　an

unobstructed　view　of　his　dead　horse　and　the　pouch；　and

raising　his　rifle　covered　the　spot　where　the　other's

body　must　appear　when　he　came　forward　to　seize　the

treasure。



But　Achmet　Zek　was　no　fool　to　expose　himself　to　the

blackened　honor　of　a　thief　and　a　murderer。　　Taking　his

long　gun　with　him；　he　left　the　trail；　entering　the　rank

and　tangled　vegetation　which　walled　it；　and　crawling

slowly　forward　on　hands　and　knees　he　paralleled　the

trail；　but　never　for　an　instant　was　his　body　exposed　to

the　rifle　of　the　hidden　assassin。



Thus　Achmet　Zek　advanced　until　he　had　come　opposite　the

dead　horse　of　his　enemy。　　The　pouch　lay　there　in　full

view；　while　a　short　distance　along　the　trail；　Werper

waited　in　growing　impatience　and　nervousness；　wondering

why　the　Arab　did　not　come　to　claim　his　reward。



Presently　he　saw　the　muzzle　of　a　rifle　appear　suddenly

and　mysteriously　a　few　inches　above　the　pouch；　and

before　he　could　realize　the　cunning　trick　that　the　Arab

had　played　upon　him　the　sight　of　the　weapon　was

adroitly　hooked　into　the　rawhide　thong　which　formed　the

carrying　strap　of　the　pouch；　and　the　latter　was　drawn

quickly　from　his　view　into　the　dense　foliage　at　the

trail's　side。



Not　for　an　instant　had　the　raider　exposed　a　square　inch

of　his　body；　and　Werper　dared　not　fire　his　one

remaining　shot　unless　every　chance　of　a　successful　hit

was　in　his　favor。



Chuckling　to　himself；　Achmet　Zek　withdrew　a　few　paces

farther　into　the　jungle；　for　he　was　as　positive　that

Werper　was　waiting　nearby　for　a　chance　to　pot　him　as

though　his　eyes　had　penetrated　the　jungle　trees　to　the

figure　of　the　hiding　Belgian；　fingering　his　rifle

behind　the　bole　of　the　buttressed　giant。



Werper　did　not　dare　advancehis　cupidity　would　not

permit　him　to　depart；　and　so　he　stood　there；　his　rifle

ready　in　his　hands；　his　eyes　watching　the　trail　before

him　with　catlike　intensity。



But　there　was　another　who　had　seen　the　pouch　and

recognized　it；　who　did　advance　with　Achmet　Zek；

hovering　above　him；　as　silent　and　as　sure　as　death

itself；　and　as　the　Arab；　finding　a　little　spot　less

overgrown　with　bushes　than　he　had　yet　encountered；

prepared　to　gloat　his　eyes　upon　the　contents　of　the

pouch；　Tarzan　paused　directly　above　him；　intent　upon

the　same　object。



Wetting　his　thin　lips　with　his　tongue；　Achmet　Zek

loosened　the　tie　strings　which　closed　the　mouth　of　the

pouch；　and　cupping　one　claw…like　hand　poured　forth　a

portion　of　the　contents　into　his　palm。



A　single　look　he　took　at　the　stones　lying　in　his　hand。

His　eyes　narrowed；　a　curse　broke　from　his　lips；　and　he

hurled　the　small　objects　upon　the　ground；　disdainfully。

Quickly　he　emptied　the　balance　of　the　contents　until　he

had　scanned　each　separate　stone；　and　as　he　dumped　them

all　upon　the　ground　and　stamped　upon　them　his　rage　grew

until　the　muscles　of　his　face　worked　in　demon…like

fury；　and　his　fingers　clenched　until　his　nails　bit　into

the　flesh。



Above；　Tarzan　watched　in　wonderment。　　He　had　been

curious　to　discover　what　all　the　pow…wow　about　his

pouch　had　meant。　　He　wanted　to　see　what　the　Arab　would

do　after　the　other　had　gone　away；　leaving　the　pouch

behind　him；　and；　having　satisfied　his　curiosity；　he

would　then　have　pounced　upon　Achmet　Zek　and　taken　the

pouch　and　his　pretty　pebbles　away　from　him；　for　did

they　not　belong　to　Tarzan？



He　saw　the　Arab　now　throw　aside　the　empty　pouch；　and

grasping　his　long　gun　by　the　barrel；　clublike；　sneak

stealthily　through　the　jungle　beside　the　trail　along

which　Werper　had　gone。



As　the　man　disappeared　from　his　view；　Tarzan　dropped　to

the　ground　and　commenced　gathering　up　the　spilled

contents　of　the　pouch；　and　the　moment　that　he　obtained

his　first　near　view　of　the　scattered　pebbles　he

understood　the　rage　of　the　Arab；　for　instead　of　the

glittering　and　scintillating　gems　which　had　first

caught　and　held　the　attention　of　the　ape…man；　the　pouch

now　contained　but　a　collection　of　ordinary　river

pebbles。







19



Jane　Clayton　and　the　Beasts　of　the　Jungle





Mugambi；　after　his　successful　break　for　liberty；

had　fallen　upon　hard　times。　　His　way　had　led　him　through

a　country　with　which　he　was　unfamiliar；　a　jungle　country

in　which　he　could　find　no　water；　and　but　little　food；

so　that　after　several　days　of　wandering　he　found

himself　so　reduced　in　strength　that　he　could　barely

drag　himself　along。



It　was　with　growing　difficulty　that　he　found　the

strength　necessary　to　construct　a　shelter　by　night

wherein　he　might　be　reasonably　safe　from　the　large

carnivora；　and　by　day　he　still　further　exhausted　his

strength　in　digging　for　edible　roots；　and　searching　for

water。



A　few　stagnant　pools　at　considerable　distances　apart

saved　him　from　death　by　thirst；　but　his　was　a　pitiable

state　when　finally　he　stumbled　by　accident　upon　a　large

river　in　a　country　where　fruit　was　abundant；　and　small

game　which　he　might　bag　by　means　of　a　combination　of

stealth；　cunning；　and　a　crude　knob…stick　which　he　had

fashioned　from　a　fallen　limb。



Realizing　that　he　still　had　a　long　march　ahead　of　him

before　he　could　reach　even　the　outskirts　of　the　Waziri

country；　Mugambi　wisely　decided　to　remain　where　he　was

until　he　had　recuperated　his　strength　and　health。　　A

few　days'　rest　would　accomplish　wonders　for　him；　he

knew；　and　he　could　ill　afford　to　sacrifice　his　chances

for　a　safe　return　by　setting　forth　handicapped　by

weakness。



And　so　it　was　that　he　constructed　a　substantial　thorn

boma；　and　rigged　a　thatched　shelter　within　it；　where　he

might　sleep　by　night　in　security；　and　from　which　he

sallied　forth　by　day　to　hunt　the　flesh　which　alone

could　return　to　his　giant　thews　their　normal　prowess。



One　day；　as　he　hunted；　a　pair　of　savage　eyes　discovered

him　from　the　concealment　of　the　branches　of　a　great

tree　beneath　which　the　black　warrior　passed。

Bloodshot；　wicked　eyes　they　were；　set　in　a　fierce　and

hairy　face。



They　watched　Mugambi　make　his　little　kill　of　a　small

rodent；　and　they　followed　him　as　he　returned　to　his

hut；　their　owner　moving　quietly　through　the　trees　upon

the　trail　of　the　Negro。



The　creature　was　Chulk；　and　he　looked　down　upon　the

unconscious　man　more　in　curiosity　than　in　hate。　　The

wearing　of　the　Arab　burnoose　which　Tarzan　had　placed

upon　his　person　had　aroused　in　the　mind　of　the

anthropoid　a　desire　for　similar　mimicry　of　the

Tarmangani。　　The　burnoose；　though；　had　obstructed　his

movements　and　proven　such　a　nuisance　that　the　ape　had

long　since　torn　it　from　him　and　thrown　it　away。



Now；　however；　he　saw　a　Gomangani　arrayed　in　less

cumbersome　apparela　loin　cloth；　a　few　copper

ornaments　and　a　feather　headdress。　　These　were　more　in

line　with　Chulk's　desires　than　a　flowing　robe　which　was

constantly　getting　between　one's　legs；　and　catching

upon　every　limb　and　bush　along　the　leafy　trail。



Chulk　eyed　the　pouch；　which；　suspended　over　Mugambi's

shoulder；　swung　beside　his　black　hip。　　This　took　his

fancy；　for　it　was　ornamented　with　feathers　and　a

fringe；　and　so　the　ape　hung　about　Mugambi's　boma；

waiting　an　opportunity　to　seize　either　by　stealth　or

might　some　object　of　the　black's　apparel。



Nor　was　it　long　before　the　opportunity　came。　　Feeling

safe　within　his　thorny　enclosure；　Mugambi　was　wont　to

stretch　himself　in　the　shade　of　his　shelter　during　the

heat　of　the　day；　and　sleep　in　peaceful　security　until

the　declining　sun　carried　with　it　the　enervating

temperature　of　midday。



Watching　from　above；　Chulk　saw　the　black　warrior

stretched　thus　in　the　unconsciousness　of　sleep　one

sultry　afternoon。　　Creeping　out　upon　an　overhanging

branch　the　anthropoid　dropped　to　the　ground　within　the

boma。　　He　approached　the　sleeper　upon　padded　feet　which

gave　forth　no　sound；　and　with　an　uncanny　woodcraft　that

rustled　not　a　leaf　or　a　grass　blade。



Pausing　beside　the　man；　the　ape　bent　over　and　examin