tarzan and the jewels of opar-第36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！



front　and　another　at　the　back；　and　with　these

precautions　it　had　not　been　thought　necessary　to

confine　the　prisoner　to　bonds。　　The　evening　following

her　interview　with　Mohammed　Beyd；　Jane　Clayton　sat　for

some　time　at　the　opening　of　her　tent　watching　the　rough

activities　of　the　camp。　　She　had　eaten　the　meal　that

had　been　brought　her　by　Mohammed　Beyd's　Negro　slavea

meal　of　cassava　cakes　and　a　nondescript　stew　in　which　a

new…killed　monkey；　a　couple　of　squirrels　and　the

remains　of　a　zebra；　slain　the　previous　day；　were

impartially　and　unsavorily　combined；　but　the　one…time

Baltimore　belle　had　long　since　submerged　in　the　stern

battle　for　existence；　an　estheticism　which　formerly

revolted　at　much　slighter　provocation。



As　the　girl's　eyes　wandered　across　the　trampled　jungle

clearing；　already　squalid　from　the　presence　of　man；　she

no　longer　apprehended　either　the　nearer　objects　of　the

foreground；　the　uncouth　men　laughing　or　quarreling

among　themselves；　or　the　jungle　beyond；　which

circumscribed　the　extreme　range　of　her　material　vision。

Her　gaze　passed　through　all　these；　unseeing；　to　center

itself　upon　a　distant　bungalow　and　scenes　of　happy

security　which　brought　to　her　eyes　tears　of　mingled　joy

and　sorrow。　　She　saw　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　man

riding　in　from　distant　fields；　she　saw　herself　waiting

to　greet　him　with　an　armful　of　fresh…cut　roses　from　the

bushes　which　flanked　the　little　rustic　gate　before　her。

All　this　was　gone；　vanished　into　the　past；　wiped　out　by

the　torches　and　bullets　and　hatred　of　these　hideous　and

degenerate　men。　　With　a　stifled　sob；　and　a　little

shudder；　Jane　Clayton　turned　back　into　her　tent　and

sought　the　pile　of　unclean　blankets　which　were　her　bed。

Throwing　herself　face　downward　upon　them　she　sobbed

forth　her　misery　until　kindly　sleep　brought　her；　at

least　temporary；　relief。



And　while　she　slept　a　figure　stole　from　the　tent　that

stood　to　the　right　of　hers。　　It　approached　the　sentry

before　the　doorway　and　whispered　a　few　words　in　the

man's　ear。　　The　latter　nodded；　and　strode　off　through

the　darkness　in　the　direction　of　his　own　blankets。

The　figure　passed　to　the　rear　of　Jane　Clayton's　tent

and　spoke　again　to　the　sentry　there；　and　this　man　also

left；　following　in　the　trail　of　the　first。



Then　he　who　had　sent　them　away　stole　silently　to　the

tent　flap　and　untying　the　fastenings　entered　with　the

noiselessness　of　a　disembodied　spirit。







21



The　Flight　to　the　Jungle





Sleepless　upon　his　blankets；　Albert　Werper　let　his　evil

mind　dwell　upon　the　charms　of　the　woman　in　the　nearby

tent。　　He　had　noted　Mohammed　Beyd's　sudden　interest　in

the　girl；　and　judging　the　man　by　his　own　standards；　had

guessed　at　the　basis　of　the　Arab's　sudden　change　of

attitude　toward　the　prisoner。



And　as　he　let　his　imaginings　run　riot　they　aroused

within　him　a　bestial　jealousy　of　Mohammed　Beyd；　and　a

great　fear　that　the　other　might　encompass　his　base

designs　upon　the　defenseless　girl。　　By　a　strange

process　of　reasoning；　Werper；　whose　designs　were

identical　with　the　Arab's；　pictured　himself　as　Jane

Clayton's　protector；　and　presently　convinced　himself

that　the　attentions　which　might　seem　hideous　to　her

if　proffered　by　Mohammed　Beyd；　would　be　welcomed　from

Albert　Werper。



Her　husband　was　dead；　and　Werper　fancied　that　he　could

replace　in　the　girl's　heart　the　position　which　had　been

vacated　by　the　act　of　the　grim　reaper。　　He　could　offer

Jane　Clayton　marriagea　thing　which　Mohammed　Beyd

would　not　offer；　and　which　the　girl　would　spurn　from

him　with　as　deep　disgust　as　she　would　his　unholy　lust。



It　was　not　long　before　the　Belgian　had　succeeded　in

convincing　himself　that　the　captive　not　only　had　every

reason　for　having　conceived　sentiments　of　love　for　him；

but　that　she　had　by　various　feminine　methods

acknowledged　her　new…born　affection。



And　then　a　sudden　resolution　possessed　him。　　He　threw

the　blankets　from　him　and　rose　to　his　feet。　　Pulling　on

his　boots　and　buckling　his　cartridge　belt　and　revolver

about　his　hips　he　stepped　to　the　flap　of　his　tent　and

looked　out。　　There　was　no　sentry　before　the　entrance　to

the　prisoner's　tent！　　What　could　it　mean？　　Fate　was

indeed　playing　into　his　hands。



Stepping　outside　he　passed　to　the　rear　of　the　girl's

tent。　　There　was　no　sentry　there；　either！　　And　now；

boldly；　he　walked　to　the　entrance　and　stepped　within。



Dimly　the　moonlight　illumined　the　interior。　　Across　the

tent　a　figure　bent　above　the　blankets　of　a　bed。　　There

was　a　whispered　word；　and　another　figure　rose　from　the

blankets　to　a　sitting　position。　　Slowly　Albert　Werper's

eyes　were　becoming　accustomed　to　the　half　darkness　of

the　tent。　　He　saw　that　the　figure　leaning　over　the　bed

was　that　of　a　man；　and　he　guessed　at　the　truth　of　the

nocturnal　visitor's　identity。



A　sullen；　jealous　rage　enveloped　him。　　He　took　a　step

in　the　direction　of　the　two。　　He　heard　a　frightened　cry

break　from　the　girl's　lips　as　she　recognized　the

features　of　the　man　above　her；　and　he　saw　Mohammed　Beyd

seize　her　by　the　throat　and　bear　her　back　upon　the

blankets。



Cheated　passion　cast　a　red　blur　before　the　eyes　of　the

Belgian。　　No！　　The　man　should　not　have　her。　　She　was　for

him　and　him　alone。　　He　would　not　be　robbed　of　his　rights。



Quickly　he　ran　across　the　tent　and　threw　himself　upon

the　back　of　Mohammed　Beyd。　　The　latter；　though

surprised　by　this　sudden　and　unexpected　attack；　was　not

one　to　give　up　without　a　battle。　　The　Belgian's　fingers

were　feeling　for　his　throat；　but　the　Arab　tore　them

away；　and　rising　wheeled　upon　his　adversary。　　As　they

faced　each　other　Werper　struck　the　Arab　a　heavy　blow　in

the　face；　sending　him　staggering　backward。　　If　he　had

followed　up　his　advantage　he　would　have　had　Mohammed

Beyd　at　his　mercy　in　another　moment；　but　instead　he

tugged　at　his　revolver　to　draw　it　from　its　holster；　and

Fate　ordained　that　at　that　particular　moment　the　weapon

should　stick　in　its　leather　scabbard。



Before　he　could　disengage　it；　Mohammed　Beyd　had

recovered　himself　and　was　dashing　upon　him。　　Again

Werper　struck　the　other　in　the　face；　and　the　Arab

returned　the　blow。　　Striking　at　each　other　and

ceaselessly　attempting　to　clinch；　the　two　battled

about　the　small　interior　of　the　tent；　while　the　girl；

wide…eyed　in　terror　and　astonishment；　watched　the

duel　in　frozen　silence。



Again　and　again　Werper　struggled　to　draw　his　weapon。

Mohammed　Beyd；　anticipating　no　such　opposition　to　his

base　desires；　had　come　to　the　tent　unarmed；　except　for

a　long　knife　which　he　now　drew　as　he　stood　panting

during　the　first　brief　rest　of　the　encounter。



〃Dog　of　a　Christian；〃　he　whispered；　〃look　upon　this

knife　in　the　hands　of　Mohammed　Beyd！　　Look　well；

unbeliever；　for　it　is　the　last　thing　in　life　that　you

shall　see　or　feel。　　With　it　Mohammed　Beyd　will　cut　out

your　black　heart。　　If　you　have　a　God　pray　to　him　now

in　a　minute　more　you　shall　be　dead；〃　and　with　that　he

rushed　viciously　upon　the　Belgian；　his　knife　raised

high　above　his　head。



Werper　was　still　dragging　futilely　at　his　weapon。　　The

Arab　was　almost　upon　him。　　In　desperation　the　European

waited　until　Mohammed　Beyd　was　all　but　against　him；

then　he　threw　himself　to　one　side　to　the　floor　of　the

tent；　leaving　a　leg　extended　in　the　path　of　the　Arab。



The　trick　succeeded。　　Mohammed　Beyd；　carried　on　by　the

momentum　of　his　charge；　stumbled　over　the　projecting

obstacle　and　crashed　to　the　ground。　　Instantly　he　was

up　again　and　wheeling　to　renew　the　battle；　but　Werper

was　on　foot　ahead　of　him；　and　now　his　revolver；

loosened　from　its　holster；　flashed　in　his　hand。



The　Arab　dove　headfirst　to　grapple　with　him；　there　was

a　sharp　report；　a　lurid　gleam　of　flame　in　the　darkness；

and　Mohammed　Beyd　rolled　over　and　over　upon　the　floor

to　come　to　a　final　rest　beside　the　bed　of　the　woman　he

had　sought　to　dishonor。



Almost　immediately　following　the　report　came　the　sound

of　excited　voices　in　the　camp　without。　　Men　were

calling　back　and　forth　to　one　another　asking　the

meaning　of　the　shot。　　Werper　could　hear　them　running

hither　and　thither；　investigating。



Jane　Clayton　had　risen　to　her　feet　as　the　Arab　died；

and　now　she　came　forward　with　outstretched　hands　toward

Werper。



〃How　can　I　ever　thank　you；　my　friend？〃　she　asked。

〃And　to　think　that　only　today　I　had　almost　believed　the

infamous　story　which　this　beast　told　me　of　your　perfidy

and　of　your　past。　　Forgive　me；　M。　Frecoult。　　I　might

have　known　that　a　white　man　and　a　gentleman　could　be

naught　else　than　the　protector　of　a　woman　of　his　own

race　amid　the　dangers　of　this　savage　land。〃



Werper's　hands　dropped　limply　at　his　sides。　　He　stood

looking　at　the　girl；　but　he　could　find　no　words　to

reply　to　her。　　Her　innocent　arraignment　of　his　true

purposes　was　unanswerable。



Outside；　the　Arabs　were　searching　for　the　author　of

the　disturbing　shot。　　The　two　sentries　who　had　been