the return of tarzan-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





The　ape…man　stood　erect　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　waiting。

Nor　did　he　have　long　to　wait。　　The　sound　of　galloping

horses　came　suddenly　out　of　the　darkness　below　him；　and　a

moment　later　he　discerned　the　moving　blotches　of　lighter

color　against　the　solid　background　of　the　night。



〃Halt；〃　he　cried；　〃or　we　fire！〃



The　white　figures　came　to　a　sudden　stop；　and　for　a　moment

there　was　silence。　　Then　came　the　sound　of　a　whispered　council；

and　like　ghosts　the　phantom　riders　dispersed　in　all　directions。

Again　the　desert　lay　still　about　him；　yet　it　was　an　ominous

stillness　that　foreboded　evil。



Abdul　raised　himself　to　one　knee。　　Tarzan　cocked　his

jungle…trained　ears；　and　presently　there　came　to　him　the

sound　of　horses　walking　quietly　through　the　sand　to　the

east　of　him；　to　the　west；　to　the　north；　and　to　the　south。

They　had　been　surrounded。　　Then　a　shot　came　from　the　direction

in　which　he　was　looking；　a　bullet　whirred　through　the　air

above　his　head；　and　he　fired　at　the　flash　of　the　enemy's　gun。



Instantly　the　soundless　waste　was　torn　with　the　quick

staccato　of　guns　upon　every　hand。　　Abdul　and　Tarzan　fired

only　at　the　flashesthey　could　not　yet　see　their　foemen。

Presently　it　became　evident　that　the　attackers　were　circling

their　position；　drawing　closer　and　closer　in　as　they　began　to

realize　the　paltry　numbers　of　the　party　which　opposed　them。



But　one　came　too　close；　for　Tarzan　was　accustomed　to　using

his　eyes　in　the　darkness　of　the　jungle　night；　than　which

there　is　no　more　utter　darkness　this　side　the　grave；　and

with　a　cry　of　pain　a　saddle　was　emptied。



〃The　odds　are　evening；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan；　with　a　low　laugh。



But　they　were　still　far　too　one…sided；　and　when　the　five

remaining　horsemen　whirled　at　a　signal　and　charged　full

upon　them　it　looked　as　if　there　would　be　a　sudden　ending

of　the　battle。　　Both　Tarzan　and　Abdul　sprang　to　the　shelter　of

the　rocks；　that　they　might　keep　the　enemy　in　front　of　them。

There　was　a　mad　clatter　of　galloping　hoofs；　a　volley　of　shots

from　both　sides；　and　the　Arabs　withdrew　to　repeat　the

maneuver；　but　there　were　now　only　four　against　the　two。



For　a　few　moments　there　came　no　sound　from　out　of

the　surrounding　blackness。　　Tarzan　could　not　tell　whether　the

Arabs；　satisfied　with　their　losses；　had　given　up　the　fight；　or

were　waiting　farther　along　the　road　to　waylay　them　as　they

proceeded　on　toward　Bou　Saada。　　But　he　was　not　left　long　in

doubt；　for　now　all　from　one　direction　came　the　sound　of　a

new　charge。　　But　scarcely　had　the　first　gun　spoken　ere　a

dozen　shots　rang　out　behind　the　Arabs。　　There　came　the　wild

shouts　of　a　new　party　to　the　controversy；　and　the　pounding

of　the　feet　of　many　horses　from　down　the　road　to　Bou　Saada。



The　Arabs　did　not　wait　to　learn　the　identity　of　the　oncomers。

With　a　parting　volley　as　they　dashed　by　the　position　which

Tarzan　and　Abdul　were　holding；　they　plunged　off　along　the

road　toward　Sidi　Aissa。　　A　moment　later　Kadour　ben　Saden

and　his　men　dashed　up。



The　old　sheik　was　much　relieved　to　find　that　neither

Tarzan　nor　Abdul　had　received　a　scratch。　　Not　even　had　their

horses　been　wounded。　　They　sought　out　the　two　men　who　had

fallen　before　Tarzan's　shots；　and；　finding　that　both　were

dead；　left　them　where　they　lay。



〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　that　you　contemplated　ambushing

those　fellows？〃　asked　the　sheik　in　a　hurt　tone。　　〃We　might

have　had　them　all　if　the　seven　of　us　had　stopped　to　meet　them。〃



〃Then　it　would　have　been　useless　to　stop　at　all；〃　replied

Tarzan；　〃for　had　we　simply　ridden　on　toward　Bou　Saada　they

would　have　been　upon　us　presently；　and　all　could　have　been

engaged。　　It　was　to　prevent　the　transfer　of　my　own　quarrel

to　another's　shoulders　that　Abdul　and　I　stopped　off　to

question　them。　　Then　there　is　your　daughterI　could　not　be　the

cause　of　exposing　her　needlessly　to　the　marksmanship　of　six　men。〃



Kadour　ben　Saden　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　He　did　not

relish　having　been　cheated　out　of　a　fight。



The　little　battle　so　close　to　Bou　Saada　had　drawn　out　a

company　of　soldiers。　　Tarzan　and　his　party　met　them　just

outside　the　town。　　The　officer　in　charge　halted　them　to　learn

the　significance　of　the　shots。



〃A　handful　of　marauders；〃　replied　Kadour　ben　Saden。

〃They　attacked　two　of　our　number　who　had　dropped　behind；

but　when　we　returned　to　them　the　fellows　soon　dispersed。

They　left　two　dead。　　None　of　my　party　was　injured。〃



This　seemed　to　satisfy　the　officer；　and　after　taking　the

names　of　the　party　he　marched　his　men　on　toward　the　scene

of　the　skirmish　to　bring　back　the　dead　men　for　purposes　of

identification；　if　possible。



Two　days　later；　Kadour　ben　Saden；　with　his　daughter　and

followers；　rode　south　through　the　pass　below　Bou　Saada；

bound　for　their　home　in　the　far　wilderness。　　The　sheik　had

urged　Tarzan　to　accompany　him；　and　the　girl　had　added　her

entreaties　to　those　of　her　father；　but；　though　he　could　not

explain　it　to　them；　Tarzan's　duties　loomed　particularly　large

after　the　happenings　of　the　past　few　days；　so　that　he　could　not

think　of　leaving　his　post　for　an　instant。　　But　he　promised　to

come　later　if　it　lay　within　his　power　to　do　so；　and　they　had

to　content　themselves　with　that　assurance。



During　these　two　days　Tarzan　had　spent　practically　all　his

time　with　Kadour　ben　Saden　and　his　daughter。　　He　was　keenly

interested　in　this　race　of　stern　and　dignified　warriors；　and

embraced　the　opportunity　which　their　friendship　offered　to

learn　what　he　could　of　their　lives　and　customs。　　He　even

commenced　to　acquire　the　rudiments　of　their　language　under　the

pleasant　tutorage　of　the　brown…eyed　girl。　　It　was　with　real

regret　that　he　saw　them　depart；　and　he　sat　his　horse　at　the

opening　to　the　pass；　as　far　as　which　he　had　accompanied

them；　gazing　after　the　little　party　as　long　as　he　could　catch　a

glimpse　of　them。



Here　were　people　after　his　own　heart！　　Their　wild；　rough

lives；　filled　with　danger　and　hardship；　appealed　to　this　half…

savage　man　as　nothing　had　appealed　to　him　in　the　midst　of　the

effeminate　civilization　of　the　great　cities　he　had　visited。　　Here

was　a　life　that　excelled　even　that　of　the　jungle；　for　here　he

might　have　the　society　of　menreal　men　whom　he　could　honor　and

respect；　and　yet　be　near　to　the　wild　nature　that　he　loved。

In　his　head　revolved　an　idea　that　when　he　had　completed　his

mission　he　would　resign　and　return　to　live　for　the　remainder

of　his　life　with　the　tribe　of　Kadour　ben　Saden。



Then　he　turned　his　horse's　head　and　rode　slowly　back　to　Bou　Saada。



The　front　of　the　Hotel　du　Petit　Sahara；　where　Tarzan

stopped　in　Bou　Saada；　is　taken　up　with　the　bar；　two　dining…

rooms；　and　the　kitchens。　　Both　of　the　dining…rooms　open

directly　off　the　bar；　and　one　of　them　is　reserved　for　the　use

of　the　officers　of　the　garrison。　　As　you　stand　in　the　barroom

you　may　look　into　either　of　the　dining…rooms　if　you　wish。



It　was　to　the　bar　that　Tarzan　repaired　after　speeding

Kadour　ben　Saden　and　his　party　on　their　way。　　It　was　yet

early　in　the　morning；　for　Kadour　ben　Saden　had　elected　to

ride　far　that　day；　so　that　it　happened　that　when　Tarzan

returned　there　were　guests　still　at　breakfast。



As　his　casual　glance　wandered　into　the　officers'　dining…

room；　Tarzan　saw　something　which　brought　a　look　of　interest

to　his　eyes。　　Lieutenant　Gernois　was　sitting　there；　and　as

Tarzan　looked　a　white…robed　Arab　approached　and；　bending；

whispered　a　few　words　into　the　lieutenant's　ear。　　Then　he

passed　on　out　of　the　building　through　another　door。



In　itself　the　thing　was　nothing；　but　as　the　man　had　stooped

to　speak　to　the　officer；　Tarzan　had　caught　sight　of　something

which　the　accidental　parting　of　the　man's　burnoose　had

revealedhe　carried　his　left　arm　in　a　sling。







Chapter　9





Numa　〃El　Adrea〃





On　the　same　day　that　Kadour　ben　Saden　rode　south　the

diligence　from　the　north　brought　Tarzan　a　letter　from

D'Arnot　which　had　been　forwarded　from　Sidi…bel…Abbes。

It　opened　the　old　wound　that　Tarzan　would　have

been　glad　to　have　forgotten；　yet　he　was　not　sorry　that

D'Arnot　had　written；　for　one　at　least　of　his　subjects　could

never　cease　to　interest　the　ape…man。　　Here　is　the　letter：



MY　DEAR　JEAN：



Since　last　I　wrote　you　I　have　been　across　to　London　on　a

matter　of　business。　　I　was　there　but　three　days。　　The　very　first

day　I　came　upon　an　old　friend　of　yoursquite　unexpectedlyin

Henrietta　Street。　　Now　you　never　in　the　world　would　guess　whom。

None　other　than　Mr。　Samuel　T。　Philander。　　But　it　is　true。

I　can　see　your　look　of　incredulity。　　Nor　is　this　all。

He　insisted　that　I　return　to　the　hotel　with　him；　and　there

I　found　the　othersProfessor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter；　Miss

Porter；　and　that　enormous　black　woman；　Miss　Porter's　maid

Esmeralda；　you　will　recall。　　While　I　was　there　Clayton

came　in。　　They　are　to　be　married　soon；　or　rather　sooner；　for

I　rather　suspect　that　we　shall　receive　announcements　almost

any　day。　　On　account　of　his　father's　death　it　is　to　be　a

very　quiet　affaironly　blood　relatives。



While　I　was　alone　with　Mr。　Philander　the　old　fellow　became

rather　confidential。　　Said　Miss　Porter　had　already　postponed

the　wedding　on　three　different　occasions。　　He　confided

that　it　appeared　to　him　that　she　was　not　particularly　anxious

to　marry　Clayton　at　all；　but　this　time　it　seems　that　it　is

quite　likely　to　go　through。



Of　course　they　all　asked　after　you；　but　I　respected　your

wishes　in　the　matter　of　your　true　origin；　and　only　spoke　to

them　of　your　present　affairs。



Miss　Porter　was　especially　interested　in　everything　I　had

to　say　about　you；　and　asked　many　questions。　　I　am　afraid　I

took　a　rather　unchivalrous　delight　in　picturing　your　desire

and　resolve　to　go　back　eventually　to　your　native　jungle。

I　was　sorry　afterward；　for　it　did　seem　to　cause　her　real

anguish　to　contemplate　the　awful　dangers　to　which　you　wished

to　return。　　〃And　yet；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　know。　　There　ar