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this wealth appeared to mean nothing。
On the two went； chance leading them toward the broad
avenue which lay between the stately piles of the
half…ruined edifices and the inner wall of the city。
Great apes jabbered at them and menaced them； but Tarzan
answered them after their own kind； giving back taunt
for taunt； insult for insult； challenge for challenge。
Werper saw a hairy bull swing down from a broken column
and advance； stiff…legged and bristling； toward the
naked giant。 The yellow fangs were bared； angry snarls
and barkings rumbled threateningly through the thick
and hanging lips。
The Belgian watched his companion。 To his horror； he
saw the man stoop until his closed knuckles rested upon
the ground as did those of the anthropoid。 He saw him
circle； stiff…legged about the circling ape。 He heard
the same bestial barkings and growlings issue from the
human throat that were coming from the mouth of the
brute。 Had his eyes been closed he could not have
known but that two giant apes were bridling for combat。
But there was no battle。 It ended as the majority of
such jungle encounters endone of the boasters loses
his nerve； and becomes suddenly interested in a blowing
leaf； a beetle； or the lice upon his hairy stomach。
In this instance it was the anthropoid that retired in
stiff dignity to inspect an unhappy caterpillar； which
he presently devoured。 For a moment Tarzan seemed
inclined to pursue the argument。 He swaggered
truculently； stuck out his chest； roared and advanced
closer to the bull。 It was with difficulty that Werper
finally persuaded him to leave well enough alone and
continue his way from the ancient city of the Sun
Worshipers。
The two searched for nearly an hour before they found
the narrow exit through the inner wall。 From there the
well…worn trail led them beyond the outer fortification
to the desolate valley of Opar。
Tarzan had no idea； in so far as Werper could discover；
as to where he was or whence he came。 He wandered
aimlessly about； searching for food； which he
discovered beneath small rocks； or hiding in the shade
of the scant brush which dotted the ground。
The Belgian was horrified by the hideous menu of his
companion。 Beetles； rodents and caterpillars were
devoured with seeming relish。 Tarzan was indeed an ape
again。
At last Werper succeeded in leading his companion
toward the distant hills which mark the northwestern
boundary of the valley； and together the two set out in
the direction of the Greystoke bungalow。
What purpose prompted the Belgian in leading the victim
of his treachery and greed back toward his former home
it is difficult to guess； unless it was that without
Tarzan there could be no ransom for Tarzan's wife。
That night they camped in the valley beyond the hills；
and as they sat before a little fire where cooked a
wild pig that had fallen to one of Tarzan's arrows； the
latter sat lost in speculation。 He seemed continually
to be trying to grasp some mental image which as
constantly eluded him。
At last he opened the leathern pouch which hung at his
side。 From it he poured into the palm of his hand a
quantity of glittering gems。 The firelight playing
upon them conjured a multitude of scintillating rays；
and as the wide eyes of the Belgian looked on in rapt
fascination； the man's expression at last acknowledged
a tangible purpose in courting the society of the ape…man。
9
The Theft of the Jewels
For two days Werper sought for the party that had
accompanied him from the camp to the barrier cliffs；
but not until late in the afternoon of the second day
did he find clew to its whereabouts； and then in such
gruesome form that he was totally unnerved by the
sight。
In an open glade he came upon the bodies of three of
the blacks； terribly mutilated； nor did it require
considerable deductive power to explain their murder。
Of the little party only these three had not been
slaves。 The others； evidently tempted to hope for
freedom from their cruel Arab master； had taken
advantage of their separation from the main camp； to
slay the three representatives of the hated power which
held them in slavery； and vanish into the jungle。
Cold sweat exuded from Werper's forehead as he
contemplated the fate which chance had permitted him to
escape； for had he been present when the conspiracy
bore fruit； he； too； must have been of the garnered。
Tarzan showed not the slightest surprise or interest in
the discovery。 Inherent in him was a calloused
familiarity with violent death。 The refinements of his
recent civilization expunged by the force of the sad
calamity which had befallen him； left only the
primitive sensibilities which his childhood's training
had imprinted indelibly upon the fabric of his mind。
The training of Kala； the examples and precepts of
Kerchak； of Tublat； and of Terkoz now formed the basis
of his every thought and action。 He retained a
mechanical knowledge of French and English speech。
Werper had spoken to him in French； and Tarzan had
replied in the same tongue without conscious
realization that he had departed from the anthropoidal
speech in which he had addressed La。 Had Werper used
English； the result would have been the same。
Again； that night； as the two sat before their camp
fire； Tarzan played with his shining baubles。 Werper
asked him what they were and where he had found them。
The ape…man replied that they were gay…colored stones；
with which he purposed fashioning a necklace； and that
he had found them far beneath the sacrificial court of
the temple of the Flaming God。
Werper was relieved to find that Tarzan had no
conception of the value of the gems。 This would make
it easier for the Belgian to obtain possession of them。
Possibly the man would give them to him for the asking。
Werper reached out his hand toward the little pile that
Tarzan had arranged upon a piece of flat wood before
him。
〃Let me see them；〃 said the Belgian。
Tarzan placed a large palm over his treasure。 He bared
his fighting fangs； and growled。 Werper withdrew his
hand more quickly than he had advanced it。 Tarzan
resumed his playing with the gems； and his conversation
with Werper as though nothing unusual had occurred。
He had but exhibited the beast's jealous protective
instinct for a possession。 When he killed he shared
the meat with Werper； but had Werper ever； by accident；
laid a hand upon Tarzan's share； he would have aroused
the same savage； and resentful warning。
From that occurrence dated the beginning of a great
fear in the breast of the Belgian for his savage
companion。 He had never understood the transformation
that had been wrought in Tarzan by the blow upon his
head； other than to attribute it to a form of amnesia。
That Tarzan had once been； in truth； a savage； jungle
beast； Werper had