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tarzan and the jewels of opar-第44章

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to ride north with you as rapidly as possible and

dispose of you at the most advantageous terms to a

certain slave broker whose name he gave me。〃



Again the girl was deceived by the apparent frankness

of the Belgian。  She realized that desperate situations

required desperate handling; and though she trembled

inwardly at the thought of again entering the vile and

hideous village of the raiders she saw no better course

than that which her companion had suggested。



Calling aloud to those who tended the gates; Werper;

grasping Jane Clayton by the arm; walked boldly across

the clearing。  Those who opened the gates to him

permitted their surprise to show clearly in their

expressions。  That the discredited and hunted

lieutenant should be thus returning fearlessly of his

own volition; seemed to disarm them quite as

effectually as his manner toward Lady Greystoke had

deceived her。



The sentries at the gate returned Werper's salutations;

and viewed with astonishment the prisoner whom he

brought into the village with him。



Immediately the Belgian sought the Arab who had been

left in charge of the camp during Achmet Zek's absence;

and again his boldness disarmed suspicion and won the

acceptance of his false explanation of his return。

The fact that he had brought back with him the woman

prisoner who had escaped; added strength to his claims;

and Mohammed Beyd soon found himself fraternizing

good…naturedly with the very man whom he would have slain

without compunction had he discovered him alone in the

jungle a half hour before。



Jane Clayton was again confined to the prison hut she

had formerly occupied; but as she realized that this

was but a part of the deception which she and Frecoult

were playing upon the credulous raiders; it was with

quite a different sensation that she again entered the

vile and filthy interior; from that which she had

previously experienced; when hope was so far away。



Once more she was bound and sentries placed before the

door of her prison; but before Werper left her he

whispered words of cheer into her ear。  Then he left;

and made his way back to the tent of Mohammed Beyd。

He had been wondering how long it would be before the

raiders who had ridden out with Achmet Zek would return

with the murdered body of their chief; and the more he

thought upon the matter the greater his fears became;

that without accomplices his plan would fail。



What; even; if he got away from the camp in safety

before any returned with the true story of his guilt

of what value would this advantage be other than to

protract for a few days his mental torture and his

life?  These hard riders; familiar with every trail and

bypath; would get him long before he could hope to

reach the coast。



As these thoughts passed through his mind he entered

the tent where Mohammed Beyd sat cross…legged upon a

rug; smoking。  The Arab looked up as the European came

into his presence。



〃Greetings; O Brother!〃 he said。



〃Greetings!〃 replied Werper。



For a while neither spoke further。  The Arab was the

first to break the silence。



〃And my master; Achmet Zek; was well when last you saw

him?〃 he asked。



〃Never was he safer from the sins and dangers of

mortality;〃 replied the Belgian。



〃It is well;〃 said Mohammed Beyd; blowing a little puff

of blue smoke straight out before him。



Again there was silence for several minutes。



〃And if he were dead?〃 asked the Belgian; determined to

lead up to the truth; and attempt to bribe Mohammed

Beyd into his service。



The Arab's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward; his

gaze boring straight into the eyes of the Belgian。



〃I have been thinking much; Werper; since you returned

so unexpectedly to the camp of the man whom you had

deceived; and who sought you with death in his heart。

I have been with Achmet Zek for many yearshis own

mother never knew him so well as I。 He never forgives

much less would he again trust a man who had once

betrayed him; that I know。



〃I have thought much; as I said; and the result of my

thinking has assured me that Achmet Zek is deadfor

otherwise you would never have dared return to his

camp; unless you be either a braver man or a bigger

fool than I have imagined。  And; if this evidence of my

judgment is not sufficient; I have but just now

received from your own lips even more confirmatory

witnessfor did you not say that Achmet Zek was never

more safe from the sins and dangers of mortality?



〃Achmet Zek is deadyou need not deny it。  I was not

his mother; or his mistress; so do not fear that my

wailings shall disturb you。  Tell me why you have come

back here。 Tell me what you want; and; Werper; if you

still possess the jewels of which Achmet Zek told me;

there is no reason why you and I should not ride north

together and divide the ransom of the white woman and

the contents of the pouch you wear about your person。 Eh?〃



The evil eyes narrowed; a vicious; thin…lipped smile

tortured the villainous face; as Mohammed Beyd grinned

knowingly into the face of the Belgian。



Werper was both relieved and disturbed by the Arab's

attitude。  The complacency with which he accepted the

death of his chief lifted a considerable burden of

apprehension from the shoulders of Achmet Zek's

assassin; but his demand for a share of the jewels

boded ill for Werper when Mohammed Beyd should have

learned that the precious stones were no longer in the

Belgian's possession。



To acknowledge that he had lost the jewels might be to

arouse the wrath or suspicion of the Arab to such an

extent as would jeopardize his new…found chances of

escape。  His one hope seemed; then; to lie in fostering

Mohammed Beyd's belief that the jewels were still in

his possession; and depend upon the accidents of the

future to open an avenue of escape。



Could he contrive to tent with the Arab upon the march

north; he might find opportunity in plenty to remove

this menace to his life and libertyit was worth

trying; and; further; there seemed no other way out of

his difficulty。



〃Yes;〃 he said; 〃Achmet Zek is dead。  He fell in battle

with a company of Abyssinian cavalry that held me

captive。  During the fighting I escaped; but I doubt if

any of Achmet Zek's men live; and the gold they sought

is in the possession of the Abyssinians。  Even now they

are doubtless marching on this camp; for they were sent

by Menelek to punish Achmet Zek and his followers for a

raid upon an Abyssinian village。  There are many of

them; and if we do not make haste to escape we shall

all suffer the same fate as Achmet Zek。〃



Mohammed Beyd listened in silence。  How much of the

unbeliever's story he might safely believe he did not

know; but as it afforded him an excuse for deserting

the village and making for the north he was not

inclined to cross…question the Belgian too minutely。



〃And if I ride north with you;〃 
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