Part 12 (1/2)

”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 , and attempt to ride all the way to Bou Saada in one day It would have been coirl it was sure to be a fatiguing journey

She, however, was the most anxious to undertake it, for it seeh 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 akened, and in another hour the party was on its way south toward Bou Saada For a few ress, 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 accouns strong, they entertained little fear of attack by day, and if all ell they should reach Bou Saada before nightfall

A brisk wind enveloped the sand of the desert, until Tarzan's lips were parched and cracked What little he could see of the surrounding country was far fro in little, barren hillocks, and tufted here and there with clumps of dreary shrub Far to the south rose the diht Tarzan, froeous 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 , scan the country to the rear with utmost care

At last his scrutiny was rewarded

”Look!” he cried ”There are six horse, no doubt, monsieur,” remarked Kadour ben Saden dryly to Tarzan

”No doubt,” replied the ape-er the safety of your journey At the next village I shall reentle 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 re more to say”

Tarzan nodded his head He was a man of feords, and possibly it was for this reason as much as any that Kadour ben Saden had taken to hi that an Arab despises it is a talkative limpses of the horsemen in their rear They re 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 caliures that trailed theuish the up the distance that intervened between them and their intended quarry He whispered this fact to Tarzan, for he did not wish to alarirl 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 reentlemen when they appear”

They drew in their horses and disht in the darkness Beyond thehts 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 shi+elded fro 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- Nor did he have long to wait The sound of galloping horses came suddenly out of the darkness below hihter 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 cahosts the phantoain the desert lay still about him, yet it was an ominous stillness that foreboded evil