the return of tarzan-第13章

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！





With　tremendous　blows　the　ape…man　felled　all　who　came

within　reach　of　his　powerful　hands。　　He　fought　quietly　and

without　a　word；　upon　his　lips　the　same　half　smile　they　had

worn　as　he　rose　to　strike　down　the　man　who　had　insulted　him。

It　seemed　impossible　that　either　he　or　Abdul　could　survive　the

sea　of　wicked…looking　swords　and　knives　that　surrounded

them；　but　the　very　numbers　of　their　assailants　proved　the

best　bulwark　of　their　safety。　　So　closely　packed　was　the

howling；　cursing　mob　that　no　weapon　could　be　wielded　to

advantage；　and　none　of　the　Arabs　dared　use　a　firearm　for

fear　of　wounding　one　of　his　compatriots。



Finally　Tarzan　succeeded　in　seizing　one　of　the　most

persistent　of　his　attackers。　　With　a　quick　wrench　he　disarmed

the　fellow；　and　then；　holding　him　before　them　as　a　shield；

he　backed　slowly　beside　Abdul　toward　the　little　door　which

led　into　the　inner　courtyard。　　At　the　threshold　he　paused　for

an　instant；　and；　lifting　the　struggling　Arab　above　his　head；

hurled　him；　as　though　from　a　catapult；　full　in　the　faces　of

his　on…pressing　fellows。



Then　Tarzan　and　Abdul　stepped　into　the　semidarkness　of

the　court。　　The　frightened　Ouled…Nails　were　crouching　at　the

tops　of　the　stairs　which　led　to　their　respective　rooms；　the

only　light　in　the　courtyard　coming　from　the　sickly　candles

which　each　girl　had　stuck　with　its　own　grease　to　the　woodwork

of　her　door…frame；　the　better　to　display　her　charms

to　those　who　might　happen　to　traverse　the　dark　inclosure。



Scarcely　had　Tarzan　and　Abdul　emerged　from　the　room　ere

a　revolver　spoke　close　at　their　backs　from　the　shadows

beneath　one　of　the　stairways；　and　as　they　turned　to　meet　this

new　antagonist；　two　muffled　figures　sprang　toward　them；

firing　as　they　came。　　Tarzan　leaped　to　meet　these　two　new

assailants。　　The　foremost　lay；　a　second　later；　in　the　trampled

dirt　of　the　court；　disarmed　and　groaning　from　a　broken　wrist。

Abdul's　knife　found　the　vitals　of　the　second　in　the　instant

that　the　fellow's　revolver　missed　fire　as　he　held　it　to　the

faithful　Arab's　forehead。



The　maddened　horde　within　the　cafe　were　now　rushing　out　in

pursuit　of　their　quarry。　　The　Ouled…Nails　had　extinguished

their　candles　at　a　cry　from　one　of　their　number；　and　the

only　light　within　the　yard　came　feebly　from　the　open　and

half…blocked　door　of　the　cafe。　　Tarzan　had　seized　a　sword

from　the　man　who　had　fallen　before　Abdul's　knife；　and　now

he　stood　waiting　for　the　rush　of　men　that　was　coming　in

search　of　them　through　the　darkness。



Suddenly　he　felt　a　light　hand　upon　his　shoulder　from　behind；

and　a　woman's　voice　whispering；　〃Quick；　m'sieur；　this　way。　　Follow　me。〃



〃Come；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan；　in　a　low　tone；　to　the　youth；

〃we　can　be　no　worse　off　elsewhere　than　we　are　here。〃



The　woman　turned　and　led　them　up　the　narrow　stairway

that　ended　at　the　door　of　her　quarters。　　Tarzan　was　close

beside　her。　　He　saw　the　gold　and　silver　bracelets　upon　her

bare　arms；　the　strings　of　gold　coin　that　depended　from　her　hair

ornaments；　and　the　gorgeous　colors　of　her　dress。　　He　saw　that

she　was　a　Ouled…Nail；　and　instinctively　he　knew　that　she

was　the　same　who　had　whispered　the　warning　in　his　ear

earlier　in　the　evening。



As　they　reached　the　top　of　the　stairs　they　could　hear　the

angry　crowd　searching　the　yard　beneath。



〃Soon　they　will　search　here；〃　whispered　the　girl。

〃They　must　not　find　you；　for；　though　you　fight　with　the

strength　of　many　men；　they　will　kill　you　in　the　end。

Hasten；　you　can　drop　from　the　farther　window　of　my　room　to　the

street　beyond。　　Before　they　discover　that　you　are　no　longer　in

the　court　of　the　buildings　you　will　be　safe　within　the　hotel。〃



But　even　as　she　spoke；　several　men　had　started　up　the

stairway　at　the　head　of　which　they　stood。　　There　was　a　sudden

cry　from　one　of　the　searchers。　　They　had　been　discovered。

Quickly　the　crowd　rushed　for　the　stairway。　　The　foremost

assailant　leaped　quickly　upward；　but　at　the　top　he　met　the

sudden　sword　that　he　had　not　expectedthe　quarry　had　been

unarmed　before。



With　a　cry；　the　man　toppled　back　upon　those　behind　him。

Like　tenpins　they　rolled　down　the　stairs。　　The　ancient　and

rickety　structure　could　not　withstand　the　strain　of　this

unwonted　weight　and　jarring。　　With　a　creaking　and　rending

of　breaking　wood　it　collapsed　beneath　the　Arabs；　leaving

Tarzan；　Abdul；　and　the　girl　alone　upon　the　frail　platform

at　the　top。



〃Come！〃　cried　the　Ouled…Nail。　　〃They　will　reach　us　from

another　stairway　through　the　room　next　to　mine。　　We　have

not　a　moment　to　spare。〃



Just　as　they　were　entering　the　room　Abdul　heard　and

translated　a　cry　from　the　yard　below　for　several　to　hasten

to　the　street　and　cut　off　escape　from　that　side。



〃We　are　lost　now；〃　said　the　girl　simply。



〃We？〃　questioned　Tarzan。



〃Yes；　m'sieur；〃　she　responded；　〃they　will　kill　me　as　well。

Have　I　not　aided　you？〃



This　put　a　different　aspect　on　the　matter。　　Tarzan　had　rather

been　enjoying　the　excitement　and　danger　of　the　encounter。

He　had　not　for　an　instant　supposed　that　either　Abdul　or　the

girl　could　suffer　except　through　accident；　and　he　had　only

retreated　just　enough　to　keep　from　being　killed　himself。

He　had　had　no　intention　of　running　away　until　he　saw　that

he　was　hopelessly　lost　were　he　to　remain。



Alone　he　could　have　sprung　into　the　midst　of　that　close…

packed　mob；　and；　laying　about　him　after　the　fashion　of

Numa；　the　lion；　have　struck　the　Arabs　with　such　consternation

that　escape　would　have　been　easy。　　Now　he　must　think

entirely　of　these　two　faithful　friends。



He　crossed　to　the　window　which　overlooked　the　street。　　In

a　minute　there　would　be　enemies　below。　　Already　he　could

hear　the　mob　clambering　the　stairway　to　the　next　quarters

they　would　be　at　the　door　beside　him　in　another　instant。

He　put　a　foot　upon　the　sill　and　leaned　out；　but　he　did　not

look　down。　　Above　him；　within　arm's　reach；　was　the　low　roof

of　the　building。　　He　called　to　the　girl。　　She　came　and　stood

beside　him。　　He　put　a　great　arm　about　her　and　lifted　her　across

his　shoulder。



〃Wait　here　until　I　reach　down　for　you　from　above；〃　he

said　to　Abdul。　　〃In　the　meantime　shove　everything　in　the

room　against　that　doorit　may　delay　them　long　enough。〃

Then　he　stepped　to　the　sill　of　the　narrow　window　with　the

girl　upon　his　shoulders。　　〃Hold　tight；〃　he　cautioned　her。

A　moment　later　he　had　clambered　to　the　roof　above　with　the

ease　and　dexterity　of　an　ape。　　Setting　the　girl　down；　he　leaned

far　over　the　roof's　edge；　calling　softly　to　Abdul。　　The　youth

ran　to　the　window。



〃Your　hand；〃　whispered　Tarzan。　　The　men　in　the　room　beyond

were　battering　at　the　door。　　With　a　sudden　crash　it　fell

splintering　in；　and　at　the　same　instant　Abdul　felt　himself

lifted　like　a　feather　onto　the　roof　above。　　They　were　not　a

moment　too　soon；　for　as　the　men　broke　into　the　room　which

they　had　just　quitted　a　dozen　more　rounded　the　corner　in　the

street　below　and　came　running　to　a　spot　beneath　the　girl's　window。







Chapter　8





The　Fight　in　the　Desert





As　the　three　squatted　upon　the　roof　above　the　quarters　of

the　Ouled…Nails　they　heard　the　angry　cursing　of　the

Arabs　in　the　room　beneath。　　Abdul　translated　from　time

to　time　to　Tarzan。



〃They　are　berating　those　in　the　street　below　now；〃　said

Abdul；　〃for　permitting　us　to　escape　so　easily。　　Those　in　the

street　say　that　we　did　not　come　that　waythat　we　are　still

within　the　building；　and　that　those　above；　being　too　cowardly

to　attack　us；　are　attempting　to　deceive　them　into　believing

that　we　have　escaped。　　In　a　moment　they　will　have　fighting

of　their　own　to　attend　to　if　they　continue　their　brawling。〃



Presently　those　in　the　building　gave　up　the　search；　and

returned　to　the　cafe。　　A　few　remained　in　the　street　below；

smoking　and　talking。



Tarzan　spoke　to　the　girl；　thanking　her　for　the　sacrifice　she

had　made　for　him；　a　total　stranger。



〃I　liked　you；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃You　were　unlike　the　others

who　come　to　the　cafe。　　You　did　not　speak　coarsely　to　me

the　manner　in　which　you　gave　me　money　was　not　an　insult。〃



〃What　shall　you　do　after　tonight？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　cannot　return

to　the　cafe。　　Can　you　even　remain　with　safety　in　Sidi　Aissa？〃



〃Tomorrow　it　will　be　forgotten；〃　she　replied。　　〃But　I　should

be　glad　if　it　might　be　that　I　need　never　return　to　this　or

another　cafe。　　I　have　not　remained　because　I　wished　to；

I　have　been　a　prisoner。〃



〃A　prisoner！〃　ejaculated　Tarzan　incredulously。



〃A　slave　would　be　the　better　word；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　stolen

in　the　night　from　my　father's　DOUAR　by　a　band　of　marauders。

They　brought　me　here　and　sold　me　to　the　Arab　who　keeps　this　cafe。

It　has　been　nearly　two　years　now　since　I　saw　the　last　of　mine

own　people。　　They　are　very　far　to　the　south。　　They　never　come

to　Sidi　Aissa。〃



〃You　would　like　to　return　to　your　people？〃　asked　Tarzan。

〃Then　I　shall　promise　to　see　you　safely　so　far　as　Bou　Saada

at　least。　　There　we　can　doubtless　arrange　with　the　commandant

to　send　you　the　rest　of　the　way。〃



〃Oh；　m'sieur；〃　she　cried；　〃how　can　I　ever　repay　you！　　You

cannot　really　mean　that　you　will　do　so　much　for　a　poor

Ouled…Nail。　　But　my　father　can　reward　you；　and　he　will；　for

is　he　not　a　great　sheik？　　He　is　Kadour　ben　Saden。〃



〃Kadour　ben　Saden！〃　ejaculated　Tarzan。　　〃Why；　Kadour

ben　Saden　is　in　Sidi　Aissa　this　very　night。　　He　dined

with　me　but　a　few　hours　since。〃



〃My　father　in　Sidi　Aissa？〃　cried　the　amazed　girl。

〃Allah　be　praised　then；　for　I　am　indeed　saved。〃



〃Hssh！〃　cautioned　Abdul。　　〃Listen。〃



From　below　came　the　sound　of　voices；　quite　distinguishable

upon　the　still　night　air。　　Tarzan　could　not　understand　the

words；　but　Abdul　and　the　girl　translated。



〃They　have　gone　now；〃　said　the　latter。　　〃It　is　you　they　want；　m'sieur。

One　of　them　said　that　the　stranger　who　had　offered

money　for　your　slaying　lay　in　the　house　of　Akmed　din

Soulef　with　a　broken　wrist；　but　that　he　had　offered　a　still

greater　reward　if　some　would　lay　in　wait　for　you　upon　the

road　to　Bou　Saada　and　kill　you。〃



〃It　is　he　who　followed　m'sieur　about　the　market　today；〃

exclaimed　Abdul。　　〃I　saw　him　again　within　the　cafehim

and　another；　and　the　two　went　out　into　the　inner　court　after

talking　with　this　girl　here。　　It　was　they　who　attacked　and

fired　upon　us；　as　we　came　out　of　the　cafe。　　Why　do　they　wish

to　kill　you；　m'sieur？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Tarzan；　and　then；　after　a　pause：

〃Unless〃　　But　he　did　not　finish；　for　the　thought　that　had

come　to　his　mind；　while　it　seemed　the　only　reasonable　solution

of　the　mystery；　appeared　at　the　same　time　quite　improbable。

Presently　the　men　in　the　street　went　away。　　The　courtyard

and　the　cafe　were　deserted。　　Cautiously　Tarzan　lowered

himself　to　the　sill　of　the　girl's　window。　　The　room　was　empty。

He　returned　to　the　roof　and　let　Abdul　down；　then　he

lowered　the　girl　to　the　arms　of　the　waiting　Arab。