The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-02-20


giant frame and rested upon the
rounded muscles OF hisaarms. It was
hopeless. WHAT could he, -Werper'
hope to accomplish, other than his
own death, by an attempt to wrest the
gems from their savage owner?
Disconsolate, Werper threw him
self upon his side. His head was pill
lowed on one arm, the other rested
across his face in such a way that
his eyes were hidden from the ape
man, though ole of them was faS-
tened upon him from beneath the
shadow of the Belgian's forearm.
Tarzan presently let his own eyes
rest upon Werper. The Belgian saw that
he was being watched, and lay very
still. After q few moments he simu-
lated the regular breathing of deep
slumber.
Tarzan had been thinking. He had
seen the Waziri bury their belongings.
Werper had told him that they were
hiding them lest someone find them
and take them away. This seemed to
Tarzan a splendid plan for safeguard
ing valuables. Since Werper had
evinced desire to possess his glitter
ing pebbles Tarzan, with the suspi-
cions of a savage, had guarded the
baubles, of whose worth he was en-
tirely ignorant, as zealously as though
they spelled life or death to him.
For a long time the ape-man sat
watching his companion. At last, con-
viEced that he slept, Tarzan withdrew
his hunting knife and commenced to
dig hole in the ground before him.
With the blade he loOsened up the
earth, and with his hands he scooped
1t out until he had excavated little
cavity few inches in diameter, and
five or six inches in depth. Into this
he placed the pouch Of jewels. Wer-
per almost forgot to breathe after the
fashion Of sleeper as he saw what
the ape-man was doing-he scarce re-
pressed an ejaculation of satisfaction.
Tarzan became suddenly rigid as
his keen ears noted the cessation Of
the regular inspirations and expira-
tons of his companion. His narrowed
eyes bored straight down upon the
Belgian. Werper' felt that he was
lost-he must risk all on his ability to
carry on the deception. He sighed,
threw both arms outward, and turned
over on his back mumbling as though
in the throes of a bad dream. A mo-
ment later he resumed the regular
breathing.
Now he could not watch Tarzan, but
he was sure that the man sat for a
long time looking at him. Then, faint
ly, Werper heard the others hands
scraping dirt, and later 1patting 1t
down. He knew then that the jewels
were buried.
1t was an hour before Werper moved
again, then he rolled over facing Tar
Fan and opened his eyes. The ape
man slept. By reaching out his hand
Werper could touch the spot where the
pouch was buried.
For a long time he lay watching and
listening. He moved about, making
more noise than necessary, yet Tar
Fan did not awaken. He drew the sac
rificial knife from his belt and plunged
| 1t into the ground. Tarzan did not
move. Cautiously the Belgian pushed
the blade downward through the loose
earth above the pouch. He felt the
point touch the soft, tough fabric of
the leather. Then he pried down upon
the handle. Slowly the little mound
of loose earth rose and parted. An
instant later corner of the pouch
came into view. Werper pulled it from
it's hiding place and tucked it in his
shirt. Then he reilled the hole and
pressed the dirt carefully down as it
had been before.
Greed had prompted him to act, the
discovery of which by his companion
could lead only to the most frightful
consequences for Werper. Already he
could almost feel those strong, white
fangs burying themselves in his neck.
He shuddered. Far out across the
plain a leopard screamed, and in the
dense reeds behind him some great
beast moved on padded feet.
Werper feared these providers of
the night; but infinitely more he
feared the just wrath of the human
beast sleeping at his side. With ut
most caution the Belgian arose. Tar
IAN did not move. Werrer took few
steps toward the plain and the dis
tant forest to the northwest, then he
paused and fingered the hilt of the
long knife in his belt. He turned and
looked down upon the sleeper.
'Why not?" he unused. 'Then I
should be SAFE"
He returned and bent above the ape
man. Clutched tightly in his hand
was the sacrificlal knife of the high
priestess of the Flaming God!
CHAPTER Viii.