tarzan and the jewels of opar-第41节

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realized　that　resistance　was　futile；　and　came　slowly

down　to　stand　upon　the　ground　before　this　new　captor

and　plead　her　cause　in　the　name　of　justice　and　humanity。



Angered　by　recent　defeat；　and　by　the　loss　of　the　gold；

the　jewels；　and　his　prisoners；　Abdul　Mourak　was　in　no

mood　to　be　influenced　by　any　appeal　to　those　softer

sentiments　to　which；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　almost

a　stranger　even　under　the　most　favourable　conditions。



He　looked　for　degradation　and　possible　death　in

punishment　for　his　failures　and　his　misfortunes　when　he

should　have　returned　to　his　native　land　and　made　his

report　to　Menelek；　but　an　acceptable　gift　might　temper

the　wrath　of　the　emperor；　and　surely　this　fair　flower

of　another　race　should　be　gratefully　received　by　the

black　ruler！



When　Jane　Clayton　had　concluded　her　appeal；　Abdul

Mourak　replied　briefly　that　he　would　promise　her

protection；　but　that　he　must　take　her　to　his　emperor。

The　girl　did　not　need　ask　him　why；　and　once　again　hope

died　within　her　breast。　　Resignedly　she　permitted

herself　to　be　lifted　to　a　seat　behind　one　of　the

troopers；　and　again；　under　new　masters；　her　journey　was

resumed　toward　what　she　now　began　to　believe　was　her

inevitable　fate。



Abdul　Mourak；　bereft　of　his　guides　by　the　battle　he　had

waged　against　the　raiders；　and　himself　unfamiliar　with

the　country；　had　wandered　far　from　the　trail　he　should

have　followed；　and　as　a　result　had　made　but　little

progress　toward　the　north　since　the　beginning　of　his

flight。　　Today　he　was　beating　toward　the　west　in　the

hope　of　coming　upon　a　village　where　he　might　obtain

guides；　but　night　found　him　still　as　far　from　a

realization　of　his　hopes　as　had　the　rising　sun。



It　was　a　dispirited　company　which　went　into　camp；

waterless　and　hungry；　in　the　dense　jungle。　　Attracted

by　the　horses；　lions　roared　about　the　boma；　and　to

their　hideous　din　was　added　the　shrill　neighs　of　the

terror…stricken　beasts　they　hunted。　　There　was　little

sleep　for　man　or　beast；　and　the　sentries　were　doubled

that　there　might　be　enough　on　duty　both　to　guard

against　the　sudden　charge　of　an　overbold；　or　overhungry

lion；　and　to　keep　the　fire　blazing　which　was　an　even

more　effectual　barrier　against　them　than　the　thorny　boma。



It　was　well　past　midnight；　and　as　yet　Jane　Clayton；

notwithstanding　that　she　had　passed　a　sleepless　night

the　night　before；　had　scarcely　more　than　dozed。　　A

sense　of　impending　danger　seemed　to　hang　like　a　black

pall　over　the　camp。　　The　veteran　troopers　of　the　black

emperor　were　nervous　and　ill　at　ease。　　Abdul　Mourak

left　his　blankets　a　dozen　times　to　pace　restlessly　back

and　forth　between　the　tethered　horses　and　the　crackling

fire。　　The　girl　could　see　his　great　frame　silhouetted

against　the　lurid　glare　of　the　flames；　and　she　guessed

from　the　quick；　nervous　movements　of　the　man　that　he

was　afraid。



The　roaring　of　the　lions　rose　in　sudden　fury　until　the

earth　trembled　to　the　hideous　chorus。　　The　horses

shrilled　their　neighs　of　terror　as　they　lay　back　upon

their　halter　ropes　in　their　mad　endeavors　to　break

loose。　　A　trooper；　braver　than　his　fellows；　leaped

among　the　kicking；　plunging；　fear…maddened　beasts　in　a

futile　attempt　to　quiet　them。　　A　lion；　large；　and

fierce；　and　courageous；　leaped　almost　to　the　boma；　full

in　the　bright　light　from　the　fire。　　A　sentry　raised　his

piece　and　fired；　and　the　little　leaden　pellet

unstoppered　the　vials　of　hell　upon　the　terror…stricken

camp。



The　shot　ploughed　a　deep　and　painful　furrow　in　the

lion's　side；　arousing　all　the　bestial　fury　of　the

little　brain；　but　abating　not　a　whit　the　power　and

vigor　of　the　great　body。



Unwounded；　the　boma　and　the　flames　might　have　turned

him　back；　but　now　the　pain　and　the　rage　wiped　caution

from　his　mind；　and　with　a　loud；　and　angry　roar　he

topped　the　barrier　with　an　easy　leap　and　was　among　the

horses。



What　had　been　pandemonium　before　became　now　an

indescribable　tumult　of　hideous　sound。　　The　stricken

horse　upon　which　the　lion　leaped　shrieked　out　its

terror　and　its　agony。　　Several　about　it　broke　their

tethers　and　plunged　madly　about　the　camp。　　Men　leaped

from　their　blankets　and　with　guns　ready　ran　toward　the

picket　line；　and　then　from　the　jungle　beyond　the　boma　a

dozen　lions；　emboldened　by　the　example　of　their　fellow

charged　fearlessly　upon　the　camp。



Singly　and　in　twos　and　threes　they　leaped　the　boma；

until　the　little　enclosure　was　filled　with　cursing　men

and　screaming　horses　battling　for　their　lives　with　the

green…eyed　devils　of　the　jungle。



With　the　charge　of　the　first　lion；　Jane　Clayton　had

scrambled　to　her　feet；　and　now　she　stood　horror…struck

at　the　scene　of　savage　slaughter　that　swirled　and

eddied　about　her。　　Once　a　bolting　horse　knocked　her

down；　and　a　moment　later　a　lion；　leaping　in　pursuit　of

another　terror…stricken　animal；　brushed　her　so　closely

that　she　was　again　thrown　from　her　feet。



Amidst　the　cracking　of　the　rifles　and　the　growls　of　the

carnivora　rose　the　death　screams　of　stricken　men　and

horses　as　they　were　dragged　down　by　the　blood…mad　cats。

The　leaping　carnivora　and　the　plunging　horses；

prevented　any　concerted　action　by　the　Abyssiniansit

was　every　man　for　himselfand　in　the　melee；　the

defenseless　woman　was　either　forgotten　or　ignored　by

her　black　captors。　　A　score　of　times　was　her　life

menaced　by　charging　lions；　by　plunging　horses；　or　by

the　wildly　fired　bullets　of　the　frightened　troopers；

yet　there　was　no　chance　of　escape；　for　now　with　the

fiendish　cunning　of　their　kind；　the　tawny　hunters

commenced　to　circle　about　their　prey；　hemming　them

within　a　ring　of　mighty；　yellow　fangs；　and　sharp；　long

talons。　　Again　and　again　an　individual　lion　would　dash

suddenly　among　the　frightened　men　and　horses；　and

occasionally　a　horse；　goaded　to　frenzy　by　pain　or

terror；　succeeded　in　racing　safely　through　the　circling

lions；　leaping　the　boma；　and　escaping　into　the　jungle；

but　for　the　men　and　the　woman　no　such　escape　was

possible。



A　horse；　struck　by　a　stray　bullet；　fell　beside　Jane

Clayton；　a　lion　leaped　across　the　expiring　beast　full

upon　the　breast　of　a　black　trooper　just　beyond。　　The

man　clubbed　his　rifle　and　struck　futilely　at　the　broad

head；　and　then　he　was　down　and　the　carnivore　was

standing　above　him。



Shrieking　out　his　terror；　the　soldier　clawed　with　puny

fingers　at　the　shaggy　breast　in　vain　endeavor　to　push

away　the　grinning　jaws。　　The　lion　lowered　his　head；　the

gaping　fangs　closed　with　a　single　sickening　crunch　upon

the　fear…distorted　face；　and　turning　strode　back　across

the　body　of　the　dead　horse　dragging　his　limp　and　bloody

burden　with　him。



Wide…eyed　the　girl　stood　watching。　　She　saw　the

carnivore　step　upon　the　corpse；　stumblingly；　as　the

grisly　thing　swung　between　its　forepaws；　and　her　eyes

remained　fixed　in　fascination　while　the　beast　passed

within　a　few　paces　of　her。



The　interference　of　the　body　seemed　to　enrage　the　lion。

He　shook　the　inanimate　clay　venomously。　　He　growled　and

roared　hideously　at　the　dead；　insensate　thing；　and　then

he　dropped　it　and　raised　his　head　to　look　about　in

search　of　some　living　victim　upon　which　to　wreak　his

ill　temper。　　His　yellow　eyes　fastened　themselves

balefully　upon　the　figure　of　the　girl；　the　bristling

lips　raised；　disclosing　the　grinning　fangs。　　A　terrific

roar　broke　from　the　savage　throat；　and　the　great　beast

crouched　to　spring　upon　this　new　and　helpless　victim。



Quiet　had　fallen　early　upon　the　camp　where　Tarzan　and

Werper　lay　securely　bound。　　Two　nervous　sentries　paced

their　beats；　their　eyes　rolling　often　toward　the

impenetrable　shadows　of　the　gloomy　jungle。　　The　others

slept　or　tried　to　sleepall　but　the　ape…man。　　Silently

and　powerfully　he　strained　at　the　bonds　which　fettered

his　wrists。



The　muscles　knotted　beneath　the　smooth；　brown　skin　of

his　arms　and　shoulders；　the　veins　stood　out　upon　his

temples　from　the　force　of　his　exertionsa　strand

parted；　another　and　another；　and　one　hand　was　free。

Then　from　the　jungle　came　a　low　guttural；　and　the

ape…man　became　suddenly　a　silent；　rigid　statue；　with　ears

and　nostrils　straining　to　span　the　black　void　where　his

eyesight　could　not　reach。



Again　came　the　uncanny　sound　from　the　thick　verdure

beyond　the　camp。　　A　sentry　halted　abruptly；　straining

his　eyes　into　the　gloom。　　The　kinky　wool　upon　his　head

stiffened　and　raised。　　He　called　to　his　comrade　in　a

hoarse　whisper。



〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　he　asked。



The　other　came　closer；　trembling。



〃Hear　what？〃



Again　was　the　weird　sound　repeated；　followed　almost

immediately　by　a　similar　and　answering　sound　from　the

camp。　　The　sentries　drew　close　together；　watching　the

black　spot　from　which　the　voice　seemed　to　come。



Trees　overhung　the　boma　at　this　point　which　was　upon

the　opposite　side　of　the　camp　from　them。　　They　dared

not　approach。　　Their　terror　even　prevented　them　from

arousing　their　fellowsthey