de their way. Within,
Achmet Zek conversed with several of his lieutenants. Without, Tarzan
listened.

17

The Deadly Peril of Jane Clayton

Lieutenant Albert Werper, terrified by contemplation of the fate which
might await him at Adis Abeba, cast about for some scheme of escape,
but after the black Mugambi had eluded their vigilance the Abyssinians
redoubled their precautions to prevent Werper following the lead of the
Negro.

For some time Werper entertained the idea of bribing Abdul Mourak with
a portion of the contents of the pouch; but fearing that the man would
demand all the gems as the price of liberty, the Belgian, influenced by
avarice, sought another avenue from his dilemma.

It was then that there dawned upon him the possibility of the success
of a different course which would still leave him in possession of the
jewels, while at the same time satisfying the greed of the Abyssinian
with the conviction that he had obtained all that Werper had to offer.

And so it was that a day or so after Mugambi had disappeared, Werper
asked for an audience with Abdul Mourak. As the Belgian entered the
presence of his captor the scowl upon the features of the latter boded
ill for any hope which Werper might entertain, still he fortified
himself by recalling the common weakness of mankind, which permits the
most inflexible of natures to bend to the consuming desire for wealth.

Abdul Mourak eyed him, frowningly. "What do you want now?" he asked.

"My liberty," replied Werper.

The Abyssinian sneered. "And you disturbed me thus to tell me what any
fool might know," he said.

"I can pay for it," said Werper.

Abdul Mourak laughed loudly. "Pay for it?" he cried. "What with--the
rags that you have upon your back? Or, perhaps you are concealing
beneath your coat a thousand pounds of ivory. Get out! You are a
fool. Do not bother me again or I shall have you whipped."

But Werper persisted. His liberty and perhaps his life depended upon
his success.

"Listen to me," he pleaded. "If I can give you as much gold as ten men
may carry will you promise that I shall be conducted in safety to the
nearest English commissioner?"

"As much gold as ten men may carry!" repeated Abdul Mourak. "You are
crazy. Where have you so much gold as that?"

"I know where it is hid," said Werper. "Promise, and I will lead you
to it--if ten loads is enough?"

Abdul Mourak had ceased to laugh. He was eyeing the Be