the return of tarzan-第41章

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part　of　the　ape…man。　　Ten　spears　were　fastened　end　to　end；

and　with　one　end　of　this　remarkable　chain　attached　to　his

waist；　Tarzan　at　last　succeeded　in　reaching　the　summit。



Once　there；　he　drew　up　one　of　his　blacks；　and　in　this　way

the　entire　party　was　finally　landed　in　safety　upon　the

bowlder's　top。　　Immediately　Tarzan　led　them　to　the

treasure　chamber；　where　to　each　was　allotted　a　load　of

two　ingots；　for　each　about　eighty　pounds。



By　midnight　the　entire　party　stood　once　more　at　the

foot　of　the　bowlder；　but　with　their　heavy　loads　it　was　mid…

forenoon　ere　they　reached　the　summit　of　the　cliffs。

From　there　on　the　homeward　journey　was　slow；　as　these　proud

fighting　men　were　unaccustomed　to　the　duties　of　porters。

But　they　bore　their　burdens　uncomplainingly；　and　at　the　end

of　thirty　days　entered　their　own　country。



Here；　instead　of　continuing　on　toward　the　northwest　and

their　village；　Tarzan　guided　them　almost　directly　west；　until

on　the　morning　of　the　thirty…third　day　he　bade　them　break

camp　and　return　to　their　own　village；　leaving　the　gold　where

they　had　stacked　it　the　previous　night。



〃And　you；　Waziri？〃　they　asked。



〃I　shall　remain　here　for　a　few　days；　my　children；〃　he　replied。

〃Now　hasten　back　to　thy　wives　and　children。〃



When　they　had　gone　Tarzan　gathered　up　two　of　the　ingots

and；　springing　into　a　tree；　ran　lightly　above　the　tangled　and

impenetrable　mass　of　undergrowth　for　a　couple　of　hundred　yards；

to　emerge　suddenly　upon　a　circular　clearing　about　which　the

giants　of　the　jungle　forest　towered　like　a　guardian　host。

In　the　center　of　this　natural　amphitheater；　was　a　little

flat…topped　mound　of　hard　earth。



Hundreds　of　times　before　had　Tarzan　been　to　this　secluded

spot；　which　was　so　densely　surrounded　by　thorn　bushes

and　tangled　vines　and　creepers　of　huge　girth　that

not　even　Sheeta；　the　leopard；　could　worm　his　sinuous　way

within；　nor　Tantor；　with　his　giant　strength；　force　the

barriers　which　protected　the　council　chamber　of　the　great

apes　from　all　but　the　harmless　denizens　of　the　savage　jungle。



Fifty　trips　Tarzan　made　before　he　had　deposited　all　the

ingots　within　the　precincts　of　the　amphitheater。　　Then　from

the　hollow　of　an　ancient；　lightning…blasted　tree　he　produced

the　very　spade　with　which　he　had　uncovered　the　chest　of

Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　which　he　had　once；　apelike；

buried　in　this　selfsame　spot。　　With　this　he　dug　a　long　trench；

into　which　he　laid　the　fortune　that　his　blacks　had　carried

from　the　forgotten　treasure　vaults　of　the　city　of　Opar。



That　night　he　slept　within　the　amphitheater；　and　early　the

next　morning　set　out　to　revisit　his　cabin　before　returning　to

his　Waziri。　　Finding　things　as　he　had　left　them；　he　went

forth　into　the　jungle　to　hunt；　intending　to　bring　his　prey　to

the　cabin　where　he　might　feast　in　comfort；　spending　the

night　upon　a　comfortable　couch。



For　five　miles　toward　the　south　he　roamed；　toward　the

banks　of　a　fair…sized　river　that　flowed　into　the　sea　about　six

miles　from　his　cabin。　　He　had　gone　inland　about　half　a　mile

when　there　came　suddenly　to　his　trained　nostrils　the　one

scent　that　sets　the　whole　savage　jungle　aquiverTarzan

smelled　man。



The　wind　was　blowing　off　the　ocean；　so　Tarzan　knew　that

the　authors　of　the　scent　were　west　of　him。　　Mixed　with　the

man　scent　was　the　scent　of　Numa。　　Man　and　lion。

〃I　had　better　hasten；〃　thought　the　ape…man；　for　he　had

recognized　the　scent　of　whites。　　〃Numa　may　be　a…hunting。〃



When　he　came　through　the　trees　to　the　edge　of　the　jungle

he　saw　a　woman　kneeling　in　prayer；　and　before　her　stood　a

wild；　primitive…looking　white　man；　his　face　buried　in　his　arms。

Behind　the　man　a　mangy　lion　was　advancing　slowly　toward　this

easy　prey。　　The　man's　face　was　averted；　the　woman's　bowed

in　prayer。　　He　could　not　see　the　features　of　either。



Already　Numa　was　about　to　spring。　　There　was　not　a

second　to　spare。　　Tarzan　could　not　even　unsling　his　bow　and

fit　an　arrow　in　time　to　send　one　of　his　deadly　poisoned

shafts　into　the　yellow　hide。　　He　was　too　far　away　to　reach

the　beast　in　time　with　his　knife。　　There　was　but　a　single

hopea　lone　alternative。　　And　with　the　quickness　of　thought

the　ape…man　acted。



A　brawny　arm　flew　backfor　the　briefest　fraction　of　an

instant　a　huge　spear　poised　above　the　giant's　shoulderand

then　the　mighty　arm　shot　out；　and　swift　death　tore　through

the　intervening　leaves　to　bury　itself　in　the　heart　of　the

leaping　lion。　　Without　a　sound　he　rolled　over　at　the　very

feet　of　his　intended　victimsdead。



For　a　moment　neither　the　man　nor　the　woman　moved。　　Then　the

latter　opened　her　eyes　to　look　with　wonder　upon　the　dead

beast　behind　her　companion。　　As　that　beautiful　head　went

up　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　gave　a　gasp　of　incredulous　astonishment。

Was　he　mad？　　It　could　not　be　the　woman　he　loved！

But；　indeed；　it　was　none　other。



And　the　woman　rose；　and　the　man　took　her　in　his　arms

to　kiss　her；　and　of　a　sudden　the　ape…man　saw　red　through

a　bloody　mist　of　murder；　and　the　old　scar　upon　his

forehead　burned　scarlet　against　his　brown　hide。



There　was　a　terrible　expression　upon　his　savage　face　as　he

fitted　a　poisoned　shaft　to　his　bow。　　An　ugly　light　gleamed

in　those　gray　eyes　as　he　sighted　full　at　the　back　of　the

unsuspecting　man　beneath　him。



For　an　instant　he　glanced　along　the　polished　shaft；

drawing　the　bowstring　far　back；　that　the　arrow　might　pierce

through　the　heart　for　which　it　was　aimed。



But　he　did　not　release　the　fatal　messenger。　　Slowly　the

point　of　the　arrow　drooped；　the　scar　upon　the　brown

forehead　faded；　the　bowstring　relaxed；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；

with　bowed　head；　turned　sadly　into　the　jungle　toward　the

village　of　the　Waziri。







Chapter　23





The　Fifty　Frightful　Men





For　several　long　minutes　Jane　Porter　and　William　Cecil

Clayton　stood　silently　looking　at　the　dead　body　of　the

beast　whose　prey　they　had　so　narrowly　escaped　becoming。



The　girl　was　the　first　to　speak　again　after　her　outbreak

of　impulsive　avowal。



〃Who　could　it　have　been？〃　she　whispered。



〃God　knows！〃　was　the　man's　only　reply。



〃If　it　is　a　friend；　why　does　he　not　show　himself？〃

continued　Jane。　　〃Wouldn't　it　be　well　to　call　out　to　him；

and　at　least　thank　him？〃



Mechanically　Clayton　did　her　bidding；　but　there　was　no　response。



Jane　Porter　shuddered。　　〃The　mysterious　jungle；〃　she　murmured。

〃The　terrible　jungle。　　It　renders　even　the　manifestations　of

friendship　terrifying。〃



〃We　had　best　return　to　the　shelter；〃　said　Clayton。　　〃You

will　be　at　least　a　little　safer　there。　　I　am　no　protection

whatever；〃　he　added　bitterly。



〃Do　not　say　that；　William；〃　she　hastened　to　urge；　acutely

sorry　for　the　wound　her　words　had　caused。　　〃You　have

done　the　best　you　could。　　You　have　been　noble；　and　self…

sacrificing；　and　brave。　　It　is　no　fault　of　yours　that　you　are

not　a　superman。　　There　is　only　one　other　man　I　have　ever

known　who　could　have　done　more　than　you。　　My　words　were

ill　chosen　in　the　excitement　of　the　reactionI　did　not　wish

to　wound　you。　　All　that　I　wish　is　that　we　may　both　understand

once　and　for　all　that　I　can　never　marry　youthat　such　a

marriage　would　be　wicked。〃



〃I　think　I　understand；〃　he　replied。　　〃Let　us　not　speak　of

it　againat　least　until　we　are　back　in　civilization。〃



The　next　day　Thuran　was　worse。　　Almost　constantly　he　was　in

a　state　of　delirium。　　They　could　do　nothing　to　relieve　him；

nor　was　Clayton　over…anxious　to　attempt　anything。　　On　the

girl's　account　he　feared　the　Russianin　the　bottom

　of　his　heart　he　hoped　the　man　would　die。　　The　thought

that　something　might　befall　him　that　would　leave　her

entirely　at　the　mercy　of　this　beast　caused　him　greater

anxiety　than　the　probability　that　almost　certain　death

awaited　her　should　she　be　left　entirely　alone　upon　the

outskirts　of　the　cruel　forest。



The　Englishman　had　extracted　the　heavy　spear　from　the　body

of　the　lion；　so　that　when　he　went　into　the　forest　to　hunt

that　morning　he　had　a　feeling　of　much　greater　security　than

at　any　time　since　they　had　been　cast　upon　the　savage　shore。

The　result　was　that　he　penetrated　farther　from　the　shelter

than　ever　before。



To　escape　as　far　as　possible　from　the　mad　ravings　of　the

fever…stricken　Russian；　Jane　Porter　had　descended　from　the

shelter　to　the　foot　of　the　treeshe　dared　not　venture　farther。

Here；　beside　the　crude　ladder　Clayton　had　constructed　for　her；

she　sat　looking　out　to　sea；　in　the　always　surviving　hope

that　a　vessel　might　be　sighted。



Her　back　was　toward　the　jungle；　and　so　she　did　not　see

the　grasses　part；　or　the　savage　face　that　peered　from　between。

Little；　bloodshot；　close…set　eyes　scanned　her　intently；

roving　from　time　to　time　about　the　open　beach　for　indications

of　the　presence　of　others　than　herself。　　Presently　another

head　appeared；　and　then　another　and　another。　　The　man　in

the　shelter　commenced　to　rave　again；　and　the　heads

disappeared　as　silently　and　as　suddenly　as　they　had　come。

But　soon　they　were　thrust　forth　once　more；　as　the　girl

gave　no　sign　of　perturbation　at　the　continued　wailing

of　the　man　above。



One　by　one　grotesque　forms　emerged　from　the　jungle　to

creep　stealthily　upon　the　unsuspecting　woman。　　A　faint

rustling　of　the　grasses　attracted　her　attention。　　She　turned；

and　at　the　sight　that　confronted　her　staggered　to　her

feet　with　a　little　shriek　of　fear。　　Then　they　closed　upon　her

with　a　rush。　　Lifting　her　bodily　in　his　long；　gorilla…like　arms；

one　of　the　creatures　turned　and　bore　her　into　the　jungle。

A　filthy　paw　covered　her　mouth　to　stifle　her　screams。

Added　to　the　weeks　of　torture　she　had　already　undergone；

the　shock　was　more　than　she　could　withstand。　　Shattered　nerves

collapsed；　and　she　lost　consciousness。

When　she　regained　her　senses　she　found　herself　in　the

thick　of　the　primeval　forest。　　It　was　night。　　A　huge　fire　burned

brightly　in　the　little　clearing　in　which　she　lay。　　About　it

squatted　fifty　frightful　men。　　Their　heads　and　faces　were

covered　with　matted　hair。　　Their　long　arms　rested　upon　the　bent

knees　of　their　short；　crooked　legs。　　They　were　gnawing；　like

beasts；　upon　unclean　food。　　A　pot　boiled　upon　the　edge　of　the

fire；　and　out　of　it　one　of　the　creatures　would　occasionally

drag　a　hunk　of　meat　with　a　sharpened　stick。



When　they　discovered　that　their　captive　had　regained

consciousness；　a　piece　of　this　repulsive　stew　was　tossed　to　her

from　the　foul　hand　of　a　nearby　feaster。　　It　rolled　close　to　her

side；　but　she　only　closed　her　eyes　as　a　qualm　of　nausea

surged　through　her。



For　many　days　they　traveled　through　the　dense　forest。　　The　girl；

footsore　and　exhausted；　was　half　dragged；　half　pushed　through

the　long；　hot；　tedious　days。　　Occasionally；　when　she　would

stumble　and　fall；　she　was　cuffed　and　kicked　by　the　nearest

of　the　frightful　men。　　Long　before　they　reached　their

journey's　end　her　shoes　had　been　discardedthe　soles

entir