tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第40章
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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
23
A Night of Terror
To Jane Clayton； waiting in the tree where Werper had placed her； it
seemed that the long night would never end； yet end it did at last； and
within an hour of the coming of dawn her spirits leaped with renewed
hope at sight of a solitary horseman approaching along the trail。
The flowing burnoose； with its loose hood； hid both the face and the
figure of the rider； but that it was M。 Frecoult the girl well knew； since he
had been garbed as an Arab； and he alone might be expected to seek her
hiding place。
That which she saw relieved the strain of the long night vigil； but there
was much that she did not see。 She did not see the black face beneath the
white hood； nor the file of ebon horsemen beyond the trail's bend riding
slowly in the wake of their leader。 These things she did not see at first；
and so she leaned downward toward the approaching rider； a cry of
welcome forming in her throat。
At the first word the man looked up； reining in in surprise； and as she
saw the black face of Abdul Mourak； the Abyssinian； she shrank back in
terror among the branches； but it was too late。 The man had seen her；
and now he called to her to descend。 At first she refused； but when a
dozen black cavalrymen drew up behind their leader； and at Abdul
Mourak's command one of them started to climb the tree after her she
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
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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
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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
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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 th
