tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第36章
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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 relieved and sent to their blankets by
Mohammed Beyd were the first to suggest going to the tent of the prisoner。
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It occurred to them that possibly the woman had successfully defended
herself against their leader。
Werper heard the men approaching。 To be apprehended as the slayer
of Mohammed Beyd would be equivalent to a sentence of immediate
death。 The fierce and brutal raiders would tear to pieces a Christian who
had dared spill the blood of their leader。 He must find some excuse to
delay the finding of Mohammed Beyd's dead body。
Returning his revolver to its holster； he walked quickly to the entrance
of the tent。 Parting the flaps he stepped out and confronted the men； who
were rapidly approaching。 Somehow he found within him the necessary
bravado to force a smile to his lips； as he held up his hand to bar their
farther progress。
〃The woman resisted；〃 he said； 〃and Mohammed Beyd was forced to
shoot her。 She is not deadonly slightly wounded。 You may go back to
your blankets。 Mohammed Beyd and I will look after the prisoner；〃 then
he turned and re…entered the tent； and the raiders； satisfied by this
explanation； gladly returned to their broken slumbers。
As he again faced Jane Clayton； Werper found himself animated by
quite different intentions than those which had lured him from his blankets
but a few minutes before。 The excitement of his encounter with
Mohammed Beyd； as well as the dangers which he now faced at the hands
of the raiders when morning must inevitably reveal the truth of what had
occurred in the tent of the prisoner that night； had naturally cooled the hot
passion which had dominated him when he entered the tent。
But another and stronger force was exerting itself in the girl's favor。
However low a man may sink； honor and chivalry； has he ever possessed
them； are never entirely eradicated from his character； and though Albert
Werper had long since ceased to evidence the slightest claim to either the
one or the other； the spontaneous acknowledgment of them which the girl's
speech had presumed had reawakened them both within him。
For the first time he realized the almost hopeless and frightful position
of the fair captive； and the depths of ignominy to which he had sunk； that
had made it possible for him； a well…born； European gentleman； to have
entertained even for a moment the part that he had taken in the ruin of her
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home； happiness； and herself。
Too much of baseness already lay at the threshold of his conscience for
him ever to hope entirely to redeem himself； but in the first； sudden burst
of contrition the man conceived an honest intention to undo； in so far as
lay within his power； the evil that his criminal avarice had brought upon
this sweet and unoffending woman。
As he stood apparently listening to the retreating footstepsJane
Clayton approached him。
〃What are we to do now？〃 she asked。 〃Morning will bring discovery
of this；〃 and she pointed to the still body of Mohammed Beyd。 〃They
will kill you when they find him。〃
For a time Werper did not reply； then he turned suddenly toward the
woman。
〃I have a plan；〃 he cried。 〃It will require nerve and courage on your
part； but you have already shown that you possess both。 Can you endure
still more？〃
〃I can endure anything；〃 she replied with a brave smile； 〃that may
offer us even a slight chance for escape。〃
〃You must simulate death；〃 he explained； 〃while I carry you from the
camp。 I will explain to the sentries that Mohammed Beyd has ordered
me to take your body into the jungle。 This seemingly unnecessary act I
shall explain upon the grounds that Mohammed Beyd had conceived a
violent passion for you and that he so regretted the act by which he had
become your slayer that he could not endure the silent reproach of your
lifeless body。〃
The girl held up her hand to stop。 A smile touched her lips。
〃Are you quite mad？〃 she asked。 〃Do you imagine that the sentries
will credit any such ridiculous tale？〃
〃You do not know them；〃 he replied。 〃Beneath their rough exteriors；
despite their calloused and criminal natures； there exists in each a well…
defined strain of romantic emotionalismyou will find it among such as
these throughout the world。 It is romance which lures men to lead wild
lives of outlawry and crime。 The ruse will succeednever fear。〃
Jane Clayton shrugged。 〃We can but try itand then what？〃
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〃I shall hide you in the jungle；〃 continued the Belgian； 〃coming for
you alone and with two horses in the morning。〃
〃But how will you explain Mohammed Beyd's death？〃 she asked。 〃It
will be discovered before ever you can escape the camp in the morning。〃
〃I shall not explain it；〃 replied Werper。 〃Mohammed Beyd shall
explain it himselfwe must leave that to him。 Are you ready for the
venture？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But wait； I must get you a weapon and ammunition；〃 and Werper
walked quickly from the tent。
Very shortly he returned with an extra revolver and ammunition belt
strapped about his waist。
〃Are you ready？〃 he asked。
〃Quite ready；〃 replied the girl。
〃Then come and throw yourself limply across my left shoulder；〃 and
Werper knelt to receive her。
〃There；〃 he said； as he rose to his feet。 〃Now； let your arms； your
legs and your head hang limply。 Remember that you are dead。〃
A moment later the man walked out into the camp； the body of the
woman across his shoulder。
A thorn boma had been thrown up about the camp； to discourage the
bolder of the hungry carnivora。 A couple of sentries paced to and fro in
the light of a fire which they kept burning brightly。 The nearer of these
looked up in surprise as he saw Werper approaching。
〃Who are you？〃 he cried。 〃What have you there？〃
Werper raised the hood of his burnoose that the fellow might see his
face。
〃This is the body of the woman；〃 he explained。 〃Mohammed Beyd has
asked me to take it into the jungle； for he cannot bear to look upon the face
of her whom he loved； and whom necessity compelled him to slay。 He
suffers greatlyhe is inconsolable。 It was with difficulty that I prevented
him taking his own life。〃
Across the speaker's shoulder； limp and frightened； the girl waited for
the Arab's reply。 He would laugh at this preposterous story； of that she
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was sure。 In an instant he would unmask the deception that M。 Frecoult
was attempting to practice upon him； and they would both be lost。 She
tried to plan how best she might aid her would…be rescuer in the fight
which must most certainly follow within a moment or two。
Then she heard the voice of the Arab as he replied to M。 Frecoult。
〃Are you going alone； or do you wish me to awaken someone to
accompany you？〃 he asked； and his tone denoted not the least surprise that
Mohammed Beyd had suddenly discovered such remarkably sensitive
