tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第37章
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accompany you？〃 he asked； and his tone denoted not the least surprise that
Mohammed Beyd had suddenly discovered such remarkably sensitive
characteristics。
〃I shall go alone；〃 replied Werper； and he passed on and out through
the narrow opening in the boma； by which the sentry stood。
A moment later he had entered among the boles of the trees with his
burden； and when safely hidden from the sentry's view lowered the girl to
her feet； with a low； 〃sh…sh；〃 when she would have spoken。
Then he led her a little farther into the forest； halted beneath a large
tree with spreading branches； buckled a cartridge belt and revolver about
her waist； and assisted her to clamber into the lower branches。
〃Tomorrow；〃 he whispered； 〃as soon as I can elude them； I will return
for you。 Be brave； Lady Greystokewe may yet escape。〃
〃Thank you；〃 she replied in a low tone。 〃You have been very kind；
and very brave。〃
Werper did not reply； and the darkness of the night hid the scarlet flush
of shame which swept upward across his face。 Quickly he turned and
made his way back to camp。 The sentry； from his post； saw him enter his
own tent； but he did not see him crawl under the canvas at the rear and
sneak cautiously to the tent which the prisoner had occupied； where now
lay the dead body of Mohammed Beyd。
Raising the lower edge of the rear wall； Werper crept within and
approached the corpse。 Without an instant's hesitation he seized the dead
wrists and dragged the body upon its back to the point where he had just
entered。 On hands and knees he backed out as he had come in； drawing
the corpse after him。 Once outside the Belgian crept to the side of the
tent and surveyed as much of the camp as lay within his visionno one
was watching。
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Returning to the body； he lifted it to his shoulder； and risking all on a
quick sally； ran swiftly across the narrow opening which separated the
prisoner's tent from that of the dead man。 Behind the silken wall he
halted and lowered his burden to the ground； and there he remained
motionless for several minutes； listening。
Satisfied； at last； that no one had seen him； he stooped and raised the
bottom of the tent wall； backed in and dragged the thing that had been
Mohammed Beyd after him。 To the sleeping rugs of the dead raider he
drew the corpse； then he fumbled about in the darkness until he had found
Mohammed Beyd's revolver。 With the weapon in his hand he returned to
the side of the dead man； kneeled beside the bedding； and inserted his
right hand with the weapon beneath the rugs； piled a number of
thicknesses of the closely woven fabric over and about the revolver with
his left hand。 Then he pulled the trigger； and at the same time he
coughed。
The muffled report could not have been heard above the sound of his
cough by one directly outside the tent。 Werper was satisfied。 A grim
smile touched his lips as he withdrew the weapon from the rugs and
placed it carefully in the right hand of the dead man； fixing three of the
fingers around the grip and the index finger inside the trigger guard。
A moment longer he tarried to rearrange the disordered rugs； and then
he left as he had entered； fastening down the rear wall of the tent as it had
been before he had raised it。
Going to the tent of the prisoner he removed there also the evidence
that someone might have come or gone beneath the rear wall。 Then he
returned to his own tent； entered； fastened down the canvas； and crawled
into his blankets。
The following morning he was awakened by the excited voice of
Mohammed Beyd's slave calling to him at the entrance of his tent。
〃Quick！ Quick！〃 cried the black in a frightened tone。 〃Come！
Mohammed Beyd is dead in his tentdead by his own hand。〃
Werper sat up quickly in his blankets at the first alarm； a startled
expression upon his countenance； but at the last words of the black a sigh
of relief escaped his lips and a slight smile replaced the tense lines upon
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his face。
〃I come；〃 he called to the slave； and drawing on his boots； rose and
went out of his tent。
Excited Arabs and blacks were running from all parts of the camp
toward the silken tent of Mohammed Beyd； and when Werper entered he
found a number of the raiders crowded about the corpse； now cold and
stiff。
Shouldering his way among them； the Belgian halted beside the dead
body of the raider。 He looked down in silence for a moment upon the
still face； then he wheeled upon the Arabs。
〃Who has done this thing？〃 he cried。 His tone was both menacing
and accusing。 〃Who has murdered Mohammed Beyd？〃
A sudden chorus of voices arose in tumultuous protest。
〃Mohammed Beyd was not murdered；〃 they cried。 〃He died by his
own hand。 This； and Allah； are our witnesses；〃 and they pointed to a
revolver in the dead man's hand。
For a time Werper pretended to be skeptical； but at last permitted
himself to be convinced that Mohammed Beyd had indeed killed himself
in remorse for the death of the white woman he had； all unknown to his
followers； loved so devotedly。
Werper himself wrapped the blankets of the dead man about the corpse；
taking care to fold inward the scorched and bullet…torn fabric that had
muffled the report of the weapon he had fired the night before。 Then six
husky blacks carried the body out into the clearing where the camp stood；
and deposited it in a shallow grave。 As the loose earth fell upon the silent
form beneath the tell…tale blankets； Albert Werper heaved another sigh of
reliefhis plan had worked out even better than he had dared hope。
With Achmet Zek and Mohammed Beyd both dead； the raiders were
without a leader； and after a brief conference they decided to return into
the north on visits to the various tribes to which they belonged； Werper；
after learning the direction they intended taking； announced that for his
part； he was going east to the coast； and as they knew of nothing he
possessed which any of them coveted； they signified their willingness that
he should go his way。
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As they rode off； he sat his horse in the center of the clearing watching
them disappear one by one into the jungle； and thanked his God that he
had at last escaped their villainous clutches。
When he could no longer hear any sound of them； he turned to the
right and rode into the forest toward the tree where he had hidden Lady
Greystoke； and drawing rein beneath it； called up in a gay and hopeful
voice a pleasant； 〃Good morning！〃
There was no reply； and though his eyes searched the thick foliage
above him； he could see no sign of the girl。 Dismounting； he quickly
climbed into the tree； where he could obtain a view of all its branches。
The tree was emptyJane Clayton had vanished during the silent watches
of the jungle night。
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22
Tarzan Recovers His Reason
As Tarzan let the pebbles from the recovered pouch run through his
fingers； his thoughts returned to the pile of yellow ingots about which the
Arabs and the Abyssinians had waged their relentless battle。
What was there in common between that pile of dirty metal and the
beautiful； sparkling pebbles that had formerly been in his pouch？ What
was the metal？ From whence had it come？ What was that tantalizing
half…conviction which seemed to demand the recognition of his memory
that the yellow pile for which these men had fought and died had been
intimately connected with his pastthat it had been his？
What had been his past？ He shook his head。 Vaguely the memory
of his apish childhood passed slowly in review then came a strangely
tangled mass of faces； figures and events which seemed to have no
relation to Tarzan of the Apes； and yet which were； even in their
fragmentary form； familiar。
Slowly and painfully； recollection was attempting to reassert itself； the
hurt brain was mending； as the cause of its recent failure to function was
being slowly absorbed or removed by the healing processes of perfect
circulation。
The people who now passed before his mind's eye for the first time in
weeks wore familiar faces； but yet he could neither place them in the
niches they had once filled in his past life； nor call them by name。 One
was a fair she； and it was her face which most often moved through the
tangled recollections of his convalescing brain。 Who was she？ What
had she been to Tarzan of the Apes？ He seemed to see her about the very
spot upon which the pile of gold had been unearthed by the Abyssinians；
but the surroundings were vastly different from those which now obtained。
There was a buildingthere were many buildingsand there were
hedges； fences； and flowers。 Tarzan puckered his brow in puzzled study
of the wonderful problem。 For an instant he seemed to grasp the whole
of a true explanation； and then； just as success was within his grasp； the
picture faded into a jungle scene where a naked； white youth danced in
