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you know。〃
A look of disappointment came over Monsieur Thuran's face。
〃Very well；〃 he replied hesitatingly。 〃It will not be long
until night。 I have waited for many daysI can wait a few
hours longer。〃
〃Thank you； my friend；〃 murmured Clayton。 〃Now I shall go
to her side and remain with her until it is time。 I would
like to have an hour or two with her before I die。〃
When Clayton reached the girl's side she was unconscious
he knew that she was dying； and he was glad that she
should not have to see or know the awful tragedy that was
shortly to be enacted。 He took her hand and raised it to his
cracked and swollen lips。 For a long time he lay caressing the
emaciated； clawlike thing that had once been the beautiful；
shapely white hand of the young Baltimore belle。
It was quite dark before he knew it； but he was recalled
to himself by a voice out of the night。 It was the Russian
calling him to his doom。
〃I am coming； Monsieur Thuran；〃 he hastened to reply。
Thrice he attempted to turn himself upon his hands and
knees； that he might crawl back to his death； but in the
few hours that he had lain there he had become too
weak to return to Thuran's side。
〃You will have to come to me； monsieur；〃 he called weakly。
〃I have not sufficient strength to gain my hands and knees。〃
〃SAPRISTI！〃 muttered Monsieur Thuran。 〃You are attempting
to cheat me out of my winnings。〃
Clayton heard the man shuffling about in the bottom of
the boat。 Finally there was a despairing groan。 〃I cannot
crawl；〃 he heard the Russian wail。 〃It is too late。 You have
tricked me； you dirty English dog。〃
〃I have not tricked you； monsieur；〃 replied Clayton。
〃I have done my best to rise； but I shall try again；
and if you will try possibly each of us can crawl halfway；
and then you shall have your ‘winnings。'〃
Again Clayton exerted his remaining strength to the utmost；
and he heard Thuran apparently doing the same。 Nearly an hour
later the Englishman succeeded in raising himself to his
hands and knees； but at the first forward movement
he pitched upon his face。
A moment later he heard an exclamation of relief from
Monsieur Thuran。
〃I am coming；〃 whispered the Russian。
Again Clayton essayed to stagger on to meet his fate； but
once more he pitched headlong to the boat's bottom； nor；
try as he would； could he again rise。 His last effort caused
him to roll over on his back； and there he lay looking up at
the stars； while behind him； coming ever nearer and nearer；
he could hear the laborious shuffling； and the stertorous
breathing of the Russian。
It seemed that he must have lain thus an hour waiting for the
thing to crawl out of the dark and end his misery。 It was quite
close now； but there were longer and longer pauses between
its efforts to advance； and each forward movement seemed
to the waiting Englishman to be almost imperceptible。
Finally he knew that Thuran was quite close beside him。
He heard a cackling laugh； something touched his face； and
he lost consciousness。
Chapter 19
The City of Gold
The very night that Tarzan of the Apes became chief of
the Waziri the woman he loved lay dying in a tiny boat
two hundred miles west of him upon the Atlantic。
As he danced among his naked fellow savages； the firelight
gleaming against his great； rolling muscles； the
personification of physical perfection and strength；
the woman who loved him lay thin and emaciated in the
last coma that precedes death by thirst and starvation。
The week following the induction of Tarzan into the kingship
of the Waziri was occupied in escorting the Manyuema of
the Arab raiders to the northern boundary of Waziri in
accordance with the promise which Tarzan had made them。
Before he left them he exacted a pledge from them that they
would not lead any expeditions against the Waziri in the
future； nor was it a difficult promise to obtain。 They had had
sufficient experience with the fighting tactics of the new
Waziri chief not to have the slightest desire to accompany
another predatory force within the boundaries of his domain。
Almost immediately upon his return to the village Tarzan
commenced making preparations for leading an expedition
in search of the ruined city of gold which old Waziri had
described to him。 He selected fifty of the sturdiest
warriors of his tribe； choosing only men who seemed anxious
to accompany him on the arduous march； and share the dangers
of a new and hostile country。
The fabulous wealth of the fabled city had been almost
constantly in his mind since Waziri had recounted the
strange adventures of the former expedition which had
stumbled upon the vast ruins by chance。 The lure of
adventure may have been quite as powerful a factor in urging
Tarzan of the Apes to undertake the journey as the lure of
gold； but the lure of gold was there； too； for he had learned
among civilized men something of the miracles that may
be wrought by the possessor of the magic yellow metal。 What
he would do with a golden fortune in the heart of savage
Africa it had not occurred to him to considerit would be
enough to possess the power to work wonders； even though he
never had an opportunity to employ it。
So one glorious tropical morning Waziri； chief of the Waziri；
set out at the head of fifty clean…limbed ebon warriors
in quest of adventure and of riches。 They followed the course
which old Waziri had described to Tarzan。 For days they
marchedup one river； across a low divide； down another
river； up a third； until at the end of the twenty…fifth day
they camped upon a mountainside； from the summit of
which they hoped to catch their first view of the marvelous
city of treasure。
Early the next morning they were climbing the almost
perpendicular crags which formed the last； but greatest；
natural barrier between them and their destination。
It was nearly noon before Tarzan； who headed the thin
line of climbing warriors； scrambled over the top of
the last cliff and stood upon the little flat table…land
of the mountaintop。
On either hand towered mighty peaks thousands of feet
higher than the pass through which they were entering the
forbidden valley。 Behind him stretched the wooded valley
across which they had marched for many days； and at the
opposite side the low range which marked the boundary of
their own country。
But before him was the view that centered his attention。
Here lay a desolate valleya shallow； narrow valley dotted
with stunted trees and covered with many great bowlders。
And on the far side of the valley lay what appeared to be
a mighty city； its great walls； its lofty spires； its turrets；
minarets； and domes showing red and yellow in the sunlight。
Tarzan was yet too far away to note the marks of ruinto
him it appeared a wonderful city of magnificent beauty；
and in imagination he people