Part 21 (1/2)
The ape-man was at a loss to knohere to turn or what next to do There was no sign of any spoor which one, and if there was any connection between the she and the metal it seemed useless to wait for her now that the latter had been re seemed to elude him-the pretty pebbles, the yellow o back into the jungle and look for Chulk, and so he turned his steps onceacross the plain in a long, easy trot, and at the edge of the forest, taking to the trees with the agility and speed of a small monkey
His direction was aile, the joy of unfettered action his principal urge, with the hope of stu upon some clew to Chulk or the she, a secondary incentive
For two days he roa wherever inclination and the e it occurred si of the third day that the scent spoor of horse and man afted faintly to his nostrils Instantly he altered his course to glide silently through the branches in the direction fro before he ca toward the east Instantly his eyes confirmed what his nose had previously suspected-the rider was he who had stolen his pretty pebbles The light of rage flared suddenly in the gray eyes as the ape- the branches until he moved almost directly above the unconscious Werper
There was a quick leap, and the Belgian felt a heavy body hurtle onto the ru, leaped forward Giant ar of an eye he was dragged fro in the narrow trail with a naked, white giant kneeling upon his breast
Recognition calance at his captor's face, and a pallor of fear overspread his features Strong fingers were at his throat, fingers of steel He tried to cry out, to plead for his life; but the cruel fingers denied hi him life
”The pretty pebbles?” cried the man upon his breast ”What did you with the pretty pebbles-with Tarzan's pretty pebbles?”
The fingers relaxed to perh-at last he regained the powers of speech
”Achmet Zek, the Arab, stole theive up the pouch and the pebbles”
”I saw all that,” replied Tarzan; ”but the pebbles in the pouch were not the pebbles of Tarzan-they were only such pebbles as fill the botto banks beside them Even the Arab would not have theer when he had looked upon them It is my pretty pebbles that I here are they?”
”I do not know, I do not know,” cried Werper ”I gave them to Achmet Zek or he would have killedthe trail to slay h he had promised to molest me no further, and I shot and killed hih I searched about the jungle for some tirowled Tarzan, ”and I also found the pebbles which Achust They were not Tarzan's pebbles You have hidden them! Tell ers of the ape-hter upon the throat of his victiled to free hied to scream, ”would you coers at his throat relaxed, a puzzled, far-away expression softened the gray eyes
”Lord Greystoke!” repeated the ape-man ”Lord Greystoke! Who is Lord Greystoke? Where have I heard that name before?”
”Why ian ”You were injured by a falling rock when the earthquake shattered the passage to the underground chaolden ingots back to your bungalow The blow shattered your memory You are John Clayton, Lord Greystoke-don't you remember?”
”John Clayton, Lord Greystoke!” repeated Tarzan Then for a ly to his forehead, an expression of wonder The forgotten naling to reassert itself The ape-ian, and leaped to his feet
”God!” he cried, and then, ”Jane!” Suddenly he turned toward Werper ”My wife?” he asked ”What has become of her? The far to do with all this You followed ht but pretty pebbles You are a crook! Do not try to tell me that you are not”
”He is worse than a crook,” said a quiet voice close behind them
Tarzan turned in astonish in the trail a few paces from him Back of the o Free State
”He is a murderer, Monsieur,” continued the officer ”I have followed hi ti of his superior officer”
Werper was upon his feet now, gazing, white and tre, at the fate which had overtaken hile Instinctively he turned to flee; but Tarzan of the Apes reached out a strong hand and grasped him by the shoulder