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directions； seized both him and Werper and bore them
off toward the jungle。
By dint of threats； reproaches and profanity the
Belgian officer succeeded in persuading his trembling
command to fire a volley after the retreating apes。 A
ragged； straggling volley it was； but at least one of
its bullets found a mark； for as the jungle closed
about the hairy rescuers； Chulk； who bore Werper across
one broad shoulder； staggered and fell。
In an instant he was up again； but the Belgian guessed
from his unsteady gait that he was hard hit。 He lagged
far behind the others； and it was several minutes after
they had halted at Tarzan's command before he came
slowly up to them； reeling from side to side； and at
last falling again beneath the weight of his burden and
the shock of his wound。
As Chulk went down he dropped Werper； so that the
latter fell face downward with the body of the ape
lying half across him。 In this position the Belgian
felt something resting against his hands； which were
still bound at his backsomething that was not a part
of the hairy body of the ape。
Mechanically the man's fingers felt of the object
resting almost in their graspit was a soft pouch；
filled with small； hard particles。 Werper gasped in
wonderment as recognition filtered through the
incredulity of his mind。 It was impossible； and yet
it was true！
Feverishly he strove to remove the pouch from the ape
and transfer it to his own possession； but the
restricted radius to which his bonds held his hands
prevented this； though he did succeed in tucking the
pouch with its precious contents inside the waist band
of his trousers。
Tarzan； sitting at a short distance； was busy with the
remaining knots of the cords which bound him。
Presently he flung aside the last of them and rose to
his feet。 Approaching Werper he knelt beside him。 For
a moment he examined the ape。
〃Quite dead；〃 he announced。 〃It is too badhe was a
splendid creature；〃 and then he turned to the work of
liberating the Belgian。
He freed his hands first； and then commenced upon the
knots at his ankles。
〃I can do the rest；〃 said the Belgian。 〃I have a small
pocketknife which they overlooked when they searched
me；〃 and in this way he succeeded in ridding himself of
the ape…man's attentions that he might find and open
his little knife and cut the thong which fastened the
pouch about Chulk's shoulder； and transfer it from his
waist band to the breast of his shirt。 Then he rose
and approached Tarzan。
Once again had avarice claimed him。 Forgotten were the
good intentions which the confidence of Jane Clayton in
his honor had awakened。 What she had done； the little
pouch had undone。 How it had come upon the person of
the great ape； Werper could not imagine； unless it had
been that the anthropoid had witnessed his fight with
Achmet Zek； seen the Arab with the pouch and taken it
away from him； but that this pouch contained the jewels
of Opar； Werper was positive； and that was all that
interested him greatly。
〃Now；〃 said the ape…man； 〃keep your promise to me。
Lead me to the spot where you last saw my wife。〃
It was slow work pushing through the jungle in the dead
of night behind the slow…moving Belgian。 The ape…man
chafed at the delay； but the European could not swing
through the trees as could his more agile and muscular
companions； and so the speed of all was limited to that
of the slowest。
The apes trailed out behind the two white men for a
matter of a few miles； but presently their interest
lagged； the foremost of them halted in a little glade
and the others stopped at his side。 There they sat
peering from beneath their shaggy brows at the figures
of the two men forging steadily ahead； until the latter
disappeared in the leafy trail beyond the clearing。
Then an ape sought a comfortable couch beneath a tree；
and one by one the others followed his example； so that
Werper and Tarzan continued their journey alone； nor
was the latter either surprised or concerned。
The two had gone but a short distance beyond the glade
where the apes had deserted them； when the roaring of
distant lions fell upon their ears。 The ape…man paid
no attention to the familiar sounds until the crack of
a rifle came faintly from the same direction； and when
this was followed by the shrill neighing of horses； and
an almost continuous fusillade of shots intermingled
with increased and savage roaring of a large troop of
lions； he became immediately concerned。
〃Someone is having trouble over there；〃 he said；
turning toward Werper。 〃I'll have to go to themthey
may be friends。〃
〃Your wife might be among them；〃 suggested the Belgian；
for since he had again come into possession of the
pouch he had become fearful and suspicious of the
ape…man； and in his mind had constantly revolved many plans
for eluding this giant Englishman； who was at once his
savior and his captor。
At the suggestion Tarzan started as though struck with
a whip。
〃God！〃 he cried； 〃she might be； and the lions are
attacking themthey are in the camp。 I can tell from
the screams of the horsesand there！ that was the cry
of a man in his death agonies。 Stay here manI will
come back for you。 I must go first to them；〃 and
swinging into a tree the lithe figure swung rapidly off
into the night with the speed and silence of a
disembodied spirit。
For a moment Werper stood where the ape…man had left
him。 Then a cunning smile crossed his lips。 〃Stay
here？〃 he asked himself。 〃Stay here and wait until you
return to find and take these jewels from me？ Not I； my
friend； not I；〃 and turning abruptly eastward Albert
Werper passed through the foliage of a hanging vine and
out of the sight of his fellow…manforever。
24
Home
As Tarzan of the Apes hurtled through the trees the
discordant sounds of the battle between the Abyssinians
and the lions smote more and more distinctly upon his
sensitive ears； redoubling his assurance that the
plight of the human element of the conflict was
critical indeed。
At last the glare of the camp fire shone plainly
through the intervening trees； and a moment later the
giant figure of the ape…man paused upon an overhanging
bough to look down upon the bloody scene of carnage
below。
His quick eye took in the whole scene with a single
comprehending glance and stopped upon the figure of a
woman standing facing a great lion across the carcass
of a horse。
The carnivore was crouching to spring as Tarzan
discovered the tragic tableau。 Numa was almost beneath
the branch upon which the ape…man stood； naked and
unarmed。 There was not even an instant's hesitation
upon the part of the latterit was as though he had
not even paused in his swift progress through the
trees； so lightning…like his survey and comprehension
of the scene below himso instanta