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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
corral； and drive the herds in from the fields。
She saw her home plundered of all that represented
intrinsic worth in the eyes of the Arabs； and then she saw
the torch applied； and the flames lick up what remained。
And at last； when the raiders assembled after glutting
their fury and their avarice； and rode away with her
toward the north； she saw the smoke and the flames
rising far into the heavens until the winding of the trail
into the thick forests hid the sad view from her eyes。
As the flames ate their way into the living…room；
reaching out forked tongues to lick up the bodies of
the dead； one of that gruesome company whose bloody
welterings had long since been stilled； moved again。
It was a huge black who rolled over upon his side and
opened blood…shot； suffering eyes。 Mugambi； whom the
Arabs had left for dead； still lived。 The hot flames
were almost upon him as he raised himself painfully
upon his hands and knees and crawled slowly toward the
doorway。
Again and again he sank weakly to the floor； but each
time he rose again and continued his pitiful way toward
safety。 After what seemed to him an interminable time；
during which the flames had become a veritable fiery
furnace at the far side of the room； the great black
managed to reach the veranda； roll down the steps；
and crawl off into the cool safety of some nearby
shrubbery。
All night he lay there； alternately unconscious and
painfully sentient； and in the latter state watching
with savage hatred the lurid flames which still rose
from burning crib and hay cock。 A prowling lion roared
close at hand； but the giant black was unafraid。 There
was place for but a single thought in his savage mind
revenge！ revenge！ revenge！
7
The Jewel…Room of Opar
For some time Tarzan lay where he had fallen upon the
floor of the treasure chamber beneath the ruined walls
of Opar。 He lay as one dead； but he was not dead。
At length he stirred。 His eyes opened upon the utter
darkness of the room。 He raised his hand to his head
and brought it away sticky with clotted blood。 He
sniffed at his fingers； as a wild beast might sniff at
the life…blood upon a wounded paw。
Slowly he rose to a sitting posturelistening。
No sound reached to the buried depths of his sepulcher。
He staggered to his feet； and groped his way about
among the tiers of ingots。 What was he？ Where was he？
His head ached； but otherwise he felt no ill effects
from the blow that had felled him。 The accident he did not
recall； nor did he recall aught of what had led up to it。
He let his hands grope unfamiliarly over his limbs；
his torso； and his head。 He felt of the quiver at his
back； the knife in his loin cloth。 Something struggled
for recognition within his brain。 Ah！ he had it。
There was something missing。 He crawled about upon
the floor； feeling with his hands for the thing that
instinct warned him was gone。 At last he found itthe
heavy war spear that in past years had formed so
important a feature of his daily life； almost of his
very existence； so inseparably had it been connected
with his every action since the long…gone day that he
had wrested his first spear from the body of a black
victim of his savage training。
Tarzan was sure that there was another and more lovely
world than that which was confined to the darkness of
the four stone walls surrounding him。 He continued his
search and at last found the doorway leading inward
beneath the city and the temple。 This he followed；
most incautiously。 He came to the stone steps leading
upward to the higher level。 He ascended them and
continued onward toward the well。
Nothing spurred his hurt memory to a recollection of
past familiarity with his surroundings。 He blundered
on through the darkness as though he were traversing an
open plain under the brilliance of a noonday sun； and
suddenly there happened that which had to happen under
the circumstances of his rash advance。
He reached the brink of the well； stepped outward into
space； lunged forward； and shot downward into the inky
depths below。 Still clutching his spear； he struck the
water； and sank beneath its surface； plumbing the
depths。
The fall had not injured him； and when he rose to the
surface； he shook the water from his eyes； and found
that he could see。 Daylight was filtering into the
well from the orifice far above his head。 It illumined
the inner walls faintly。 Tarzan gazed about him。
On the level with the surface of the water he saw a
large opening in the dark and slimy wall。 He swam to it；
and drew himself out upon the wet floor of a tunnel。
Along this he passed； but now he went warily； for
Tarzan of the Apes was learning。 The unexpected pit
had taught him care in the traversing of dark
passagewayshe needed no second lesson。
For a long distance the passage went straight as an
arrow。 The floor was slippery； as though at times the
rising waters of the well overflowed and flooded it。
This； in itself； retarded Tarzan's pace； for it was
with difficulty that he kept his footing。
The foot of a stairway ended the passage。 Up this he
made his way。 It turned back and forth many times；
leading； at last； into a small； circular chamber；
the gloom of which was relieved by a faint light which
found ingress through a tubular shaft several feet in
diameter which rose from the center of the room's
ceiling； upward to a distance of a hundred feet or
more； where it terminated in a stone grating through
which Tarzan could see a blue and sun…lit sky。
Curiosity prompted the ape…man to investigate his
surroundings。 Several metal…bound； copper…studded
chests constituted the sole furniture of the round
room。 Tarzan let his hands run over these。 He felt
of the copper studs； he pulled upon the hinges； and at
last； by chance； he raised the cover of one。
An exclamation of delight broke from his lips at sight
of the pretty contents。 Gleaming and glistening in the
subdued light of the chamber； lay a great tray full of
brilliant stones。 Tarzan； reverted to the primitive by
his accident； had no conception of the fabulous value
of his find。 To him they were but pretty pebbles。
He plunged his hands into them and let the priceless gems
filter through his fingers。 He went to others of the
chests； only to find still further stores of precious
stones。 Nearly all were cut； and from these he
gathered a handful and filled the pouch which dangled at
his sidethe uncut stones he tossed back into the chests。
Unwittingly； the ape…man had stumbled upon the
forgotten jewel…room of Opar。 For ages it had lain
buried beneath the temple of the Flaming God； midway of
one of the many inky passages which the superstitious
descendants of the ancient Sun Worshipers had either
dared not or cared not to explore。
Tiring at last of this diversion； Tarzan took up his way
along the corridor which led upward from the jewel…room
by a steep incline。 Winding and twisting； but always
tending upward； the tunnel led him nearer and
nearer to the surface； ending finally in a low…ceiled
room； lighter than any that he had as yet discovered。
Above him an opening in the ceiling at the upper end of
a flight of concrete steps revealed a brilliant sunlit
scene。 Tarzan viewed the vine…covered columns in mild
wonderment。 He puckered his brows in an attempt to
recall some recollection of similar things。 He was not
sure of himself。 There was a tantalizing suggestion
always present in his mind that something was eluding
himthat he should know many things which he did not know。
His earnest cogitation was rudely interrupted by a
thunderous roar from the opening above him。 Following
the roar came the cries and screams of men and women。
Tarzan grasped his spear more firmly and ascended the
steps。 A strange sight met his eyes