oiced the
desires of all when he announced that he intended riding forth toward
the forest in search of Achmet Zek. Instantly every man of them sprang
to his mount.

"The gold will be safe here," cried one. "We have killed the
Abyssinians and there are no others to carry it away. Let us ride in
search of Achmet Zek!"

And a moment later, amidst a cloud of dust, the raiders were galloping
madly across the plain, and out from the concealment of the reeds along
the river, crept a party of black warriors toward the spot where the
golden ingots of Opar lay piled on the ground.

Werper had still been in advance of Achmet Zek when he reached the
forest; but the latter, better mounted, was gaining upon him. Riding
with the reckless courage of desperation the Belgian urged his mount to
greater speed even within the narrow confines of the winding, game
trail that the beast was following.

Behind him he could hear the voice of Achmet Zek crying to him to halt;
but Werper only dug the spurs deeper into the bleeding sides of his
panting mount. Two hundred yards within the forest a broken branch lay
across the trail. It was a small thing that a horse might ordinarily
take in his natural stride without noticing its presence; but Werper's
horse was jaded, his feet were heavy with weariness, and as the branch
caught between his front legs he stumbled, was unable to recover
himself, and went down, sprawling in the trail.

Werper, going over his head, rolled a few yards farther on, scrambled
to his feet and ran back. Seizing the reins he tugged to drag the
beast to his feet; but the animal would not or could not rise, and as
the Belgian cursed and struck at him, Achmet Zek appeared in view.

Instantly the Belgian ceased his efforts with the dying animal at his
feet, and seizing his rifle, dropped behind the horse and fired at the
oncoming Arab.

His bullet, going low, struck Achmet Zek's horse in the breast,
bringing him down a hundred yards from where Werper lay preparing to
fire a second shot.

The Arab, who had gone down with his mount, was standing astride him,
and seeing the Belgian's strategic position behind his fallen horse,
lost no time in taking up a similar one behind his own.

And there the two lay, alternately firing at and cursing each other,
while from behind the Arab, Tarzan of the Apes approached to the edge
of the forest. Here he heard the occasional shots of the duelists, and
choosing the safer and s