the return of tarzan-第15部分

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had　made　for　him；　a　total　stranger。



〃I　liked　you；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃You　were　unlike　the　others

who　come　to　the　cafe。　　You　did　not　speak　coarsely　to　me

the　manner　in　which　you　gave　me　money　was　not　an　insult。〃



〃What　shall　you　do　after　tonight？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　cannot　return

to　the　cafe。　　Can　you　even　remain　with　safety　in　Sidi　Aissa？〃



〃Tomorrow　it　will　be　forgotten；〃　she　replied。　　〃But　I　should

be　glad　if　it　might　be　that　I　need　never　return　to　this　or

another　cafe。　　I　have　not　remained　because　I　wished　to；

I　have　been　a　prisoner。〃



〃A　prisoner！〃　ejaculated　Tarzan　incredulously。



〃A　slave　would　be　the　better　word；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　stolen

in　the　night　from　my　father's　DOUAR　by　a　band　of　marauders。

They　brought　me　here　and　sold　me　to　the　Arab　who　keeps　this　cafe。

It　has　been　nearly　two　years　now　since　I　saw　the　last　of　mine

own　people。　　They　are　very　far　to　the　south。　　They　never　come

to　Sidi　Aissa。〃



〃You　would　like　to　return　to　your　people？〃　asked　Tarzan。

〃Then　I　shall　promise　to　see　you　safely　so　far　as　Bou　Saada

at　least。　　There　we　can　doubtless　arrange　with　the　commandant

to　send　you　the　rest　of　the　way。〃



〃Oh；　m'sieur；〃　she　cried；　〃how　can　I　ever　repay　you！　　You

cannot　really　mean　that　you　will　do　so　much　for　a　poor

Ouled…Nail。　　But　my　father　can　reward　you；　and　he　will；　for

is　he　not　a　great　sheik？　　He　is　Kadour　ben　Saden。〃



〃Kadour　ben　Saden！〃　ejaculated　Tarzan。　　〃Why；　Kadour

ben　Saden　is　in　Sidi　Aissa　this　very　night。　　He　dined

with　me　but　a　few　hours　since。〃



〃My　father　in　Sidi　Aissa？〃　cried　the　amazed　girl。

〃Allah　be　praised　then；　for　I　am　indeed　saved。〃



〃Hssh！〃　cautioned　Abdul。　　〃Listen。〃



From　below　came　the　sound　of　voices；　quite　distinguishable

upon　the　still　night　air。　　Tarzan　could　not　understand　the

words；　but　Abdul　and　the　girl　translated。



〃They　have　gone　now；〃　said　the　latter。　　〃It　is　you　they　want；　m'sieur。

One　of　them　said　that　the　stranger　who　had　offered

money　for　your　slaying　lay　in　the　house　of　Akmed　din

Soulef　with　a　broken　wrist；　but　that　he　had　offered　a　still

greater　reward　if　some　would　lay　in　wait　for　you　upon　the

road　to　Bou　Saada　and　kill　you。〃



〃It　is　he　who　followed　m'sieur　about　the　market　today；〃

exclaimed　Abdul。　　〃I　saw　him　again　within　the　cafehim

and　another；　and　the　two　went　out　into　the　inner　court　after

talking　with　this　girl　here。　　It　was　they　who　attacked　and

fired　upon　us；　as　we　came　out　of　the　cafe。　　Why　do　they　wish

to　kill　you；　m'sieur？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Tarzan；　and　then；　after　a　pause：

〃Unless〃　　But　he　did　not　finish；　for　the　thought　that　had

come　to　his　mind；　while　it　seemed　the　only　reasonable　solution

of　the　mystery；　appeared　at　the　same　time　quite　improbable。

Presently　the　men　in　the　street　went　away。　　The　courtyard

and　the　cafe　were　deserted。　　Cautiously　Tarzan　lowered

himself　to　the　sill　of　the　girl's　window。　　The　room　was　empty。

He　returned　to　the　roof　and　let　Abdul　down；　then　he

lowered　the　girl　to　the　arms　of　the　waiting　Arab。



From　the　window　Abdul　dropped　the　short　distance　to　the

street　below；　while　Tarzan　took　the　girl　in　his　arms　and　leaped

down　as　he　had　done　on　so　many　other　occasions　in　his

own　forest　with　a　burden　in　his　arms。　　A　little　cry　of　alarm

was　startled　from　the　girl's　lips；　but　Tarzan　landed　in　the

street　with　but　an　imperceptible　jar；　and　lowered　her　in　safety

to　her　feet。



She　clung　to　him　for　a　moment。



〃How　strong　m'sieur　is；　and　how　active；〃　she　cried。

〃EL　ADREA；　the　black　lion；　himself　is　not　more　so。〃



〃I　should　like　to　meet　this　EL　ADREA　of　yours；〃　he　said。

〃I　have　heard　much　about　him。〃



〃And　you　come　to　the　DOUAR　of　my　father　you　shall　see

him；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃He　lives　in　a　spur　of　the　mountains

north　of　us；　and　comes　down　from　his　lair　at　night　to　rob　my

father's　DOUAR。　　With　a　single　blow　of　his　mighty　paw　he

crushes　the　skull　of　a　bull；　and　woe　betide　the　belated

wayfarer　who　meets　EL　ADREA　abroad　at　night。〃



Without　further　mishap　they　reached　the　hotel。　　The　sleepy

landlord　objected　strenuously　to　instituting　a　search　for

Kadour　ben　Saden　until　the　following　morning；　but　a　piece

of　gold　put　a　different　aspect　on　the　matter；　so　that　a　few

moments　later　a　servant　had　started　to　make　the　rounds　of

the　lesser　native　hostelries　where　it　might　be　expected　that　a

desert　sheik　would　find　congenial　associations。　　Tarzan　had

felt　it　necessary　to　find　the　girl's　father　that　night；　for

fear　he　might　start　on　his　homeward　journey　too　early　in　the

morning　to　be　intercepted。



They　had　waited　perhaps　half　an　hour　when　the　messenger

returned　with　Kadour　ben　Saden。　　The　old　sheik　entered

the　room　with　a　questioning　expression　upon　his　proud　face。



〃Monsieur　has　done　me　the　honor　to〃　he　commenced；　and

then　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　girl。　　With　outstretched　arms

he　crossed　the　room　to　meet　her。　　〃My　daughter！〃　he　cried。

〃Allah　is　merciful！〃　and　tears　dimmed　the　martial　eyes　of

the　old　warrior。



When　the　story　of　her　abduction　and　her　final　rescue　had

been　told　to　Kadour　ben　Saden　he　extended　his　hand　to　Tarzan。



〃All　that　is　Kadour　ben　Saden's　is　thine；　my　friend；　even

to　his　life；〃　he　said　very　simply；　but　Tarzan　knew　that

those　were　no　idle　words。



It　was　decided　that　although　three　of　them　would　have　to

ride　after　practically　no　sleep；　it　would　be　best　to　make　an

early　start　in　the　morning；　and　attempt　to　ride　all　the

way　to　Bou　Saada　in　one　day。　　It　would　have　been

comparatively　easy　for　the　men；　but　for　the　girl　it

was　sure　to　be　a　fatiguing　journey。



She；　however；　was　the　most　anxious　to　undertake　it；　for

it　seemed　to　her　that　she　could　not　quickly　enough　reach　the

family　and　friends　from　whom　she　had　been　separated　for

two　years。



It　seemed　to　Tarzan　that　he　had　not　closed　his　eyes　before

he　was　awakened；　and　in　another　hour　the　party　was　on　its

way　south　toward　Bou　Saada。　　For　a　few　miles　the　road　was

good；　and　they　made　rapid　progress；　but　suddenly　it　became

only　a　waste　of　sand；　into　which　the　horses　sank　fetlock

deep　at　nearly　every　step。　　In　addition　to　Tarzan；　Abdul；

the　sheik；　and　his　daughter　were　four　of　the　wild　plainsmen

of　the　sheik's　tribe　who　had　accompanied　him　upon　the　trip

to　Sidi　Aissa。　　Thus；　seven　guns　strong；　they　entertained　little

fear　of　attack　by　day；　and　if　all　went　well　they　should　reach

Bou　Saada　before　nightfall。



A　brisk　wind　enveloped　them　in　the　blowing　sand　of　the

desert；　until　Tarzan's　lips　were　parched　and　cracked。　　What

little　he　could　see　of　the　surrounding　country　was　far　from

alluringa　vast　expanse　of　rough　country；　rolling　in　little；

barren　hillocks；　and　tufted　here　and　there　with　clumps　of

dreary　shrub。　　Far　to　the　south　rose　the　dim　lines　of　the

Saharan　Atlas　range。　　How　different；　thought　Tarzan；　from

the　gorgeous　Africa　of　his　boyhood！



Abdul；　always　on　the　alert；　looked　backward　quite　as　often

as　he　did　ahead。　　At　the　top　of　each　hillock　that　they　mounted

he　would　draw　in　his　horse　and；　turning；　scan　the　country　to

the　rear　with　utmost　care。　　At　last　his　scrutiny　was　rewarded。



〃Look！〃　he　cried。　　〃There　are　six　horsemen　behind　us。〃



〃Your　friends　of　last　evening；　no　doubt；　monsieur；〃　remarked

Kadour　ben　Saden　dryly　to　Tarzan。



〃No　doubt；〃　replied　the　ape…man。　　〃I　am　sorry　that　my

society　should　endanger　the　safety　of　your　journey。　　At　the

next　village　I　shall　remain　and　question　these　gentlemen；

while　you　ride　on。　　There　is　no　necessity　for　my　being　at　Bou

Saada　tonight；　and　less　still　why　you　should　not　ride　in　peace。〃



〃If　you　stop　we　shall　stop；〃　said　Kadour　ben　Saden。　　〃Until

you　are　safe　with　your　friends；　or　the　enemy　has　left　your

trail；　we　shall　remain　with　you。　　There　is　nothing　more　to　say。〃



Tarzan　nodded　his　head。　　He　was　a　man　of　few　words；

and　possibly　it　was　for　this　reason　as　much　as　any　that

Kadour　ben　Saden　had　taken　to　him；　for　if　there　be　one

thing　that　an　Arab　despises　it　is　a　talkative　man。



All　the　balance　of　the　day　Abdul　caught　glimpses　of　the

horsemen　in　their　rear。　　They　remained　always　at　about　the

same　distance。　　During　the　occasional　halts　for　rest；　and

at　the　longer　halt　at　noon；　they　approached　no　closer。



〃They　are　waiting　for　darkness；〃　said　Kadour　ben　Saden。



And　darkness　came　before　they　reached　Bou　Saada。　　The

last　glimpse　that　Abdul　had　of　the　grim；　white…robed　figures

that　trailed　them；　just　before　dusk　made　it　impossible　to

distinguish　them；　had　made　it　apparent　that　they　were　rapidly

closing　up　the　distance　that　intervened　between　them　and

their　intended　quarry。　　He　whispered　this　fact　to　Tarzan；　for

he　did　not　wish　to　alarm　the　girl。　　The　ape…man　drew　back

beside　him。



〃You　will　ride　ahead　with　the　others；　Abdul；〃　said　Tarzan。

〃This　is　my　quarrel。　　I　shall　wait　at　the　next　convenient

spot；　and　interview　these　fellows。〃



〃Then　Abdul　shall　wait　at　thy　side；〃　replied　the　young

Arab；　nor　would　any　threats　or　commands　move　him　from

his　decision。



〃Very　well；　then；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃Here　is　as　good　a　place

as　we　could　wish。　　Here　are　rocks　at　the　top　of　this　hillock。

We　shall　remain　hidden　here　and　give　an　account　of　ourselves

to　these　gentlemen　when　they　appear。〃



They　drew　in　their　horses　and　dismounted。　　The　others

riding　ahead　were　already　out　of　sight　in　the　darkness。

Beyond　them　shone　the　lights　of　Bou　Saada。　　Tarzan　removed

his　rifle　from　its　boot　and　loosened　his　revolver　in　its　holster。

He　ordered　Abdul　to　withdraw　behind　the　rocks　with　the

horses；　so　that　they　should　be　shielded　from　the　enemies'

bullets　should　they　fire。　　The　young　Arab　pretended　to　do　as

he　was　bid；　but　when　he　had　fastened　the　two　animals　securely

to　a　low　shrub　he　crept　back　to　lie　on　his　belly　a　few

paces　behind　Tarzan。



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

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