wifter avenue of the forest branches to the
uncertain transportation afforded by a half-broken Abyssinian pony,
took to the trees.

Keeping to one side of the trail, the ape-man came presently to a point
where he could look down in comparative safety upon the fighters.
First one and then the other would partially raise himself above his
breastwork of horseflesh, fire his weapon and immediately drop flat
behind his shelter, where he would reload and repeat the act a moment
later.

Werper had but little ammunition, having been hastily armed by Abdul
Mourak from the body of one of the first of the Abyssinians who had
fallen in the fight about the pile of ingots, and now he realized that
soon he would have used his last bullet, and be at the mercy of the
Arab--a mercy with which he was well acquainted.

Facing both death and despoilment of his treasure, the Belgian cast
about for some plan of escape, and the only one that appealed to him as
containing even a remote possibility of success hinged upon the chance
of bribing Achmet Zek.

Werper had fired all but a single cartridge, when, during a lull in the
fighting, he called aloud to his opponent.

"Achmet Zek," he cried, "Allah alone knows which one of us may leave
our bones to rot where he lies upon this trail today if we keep up our
foolish battle. You wish the contents of the pouch I wear about my
waist, and I wish my life and my liberty even more than I do the
jewels. Let us each, then, take that which he most desires and go our
separate ways in peace. I will lay the pouch upon the carcass of my
horse, where you may see it, and you, in turn, will lay your gun upon
your horse, with butt toward me. Then I will go away, leaving the
pouch to you, and you will let me go in safety. I want only my life,
and my freedom."

The Arab thought in silence for a moment. Then he spoke. His reply was
influenced by the fact that he had expended his last shot.

"Go your way, then," he growled, "leaving the pouch in plain sight
behind you. See, I lay my gun thus, with the butt toward you. Go."

Werper removed the pouch from about his waist. Sorrowfully and
affectionately he let his fingers press the hard outlines of the
contents. Ah, if he could extract a little handful of the precious
stones! But Achmet Zek was standing now, his eagle eyes commanding a
plain view of the Belgian and his every act.

Regretfully Werper laid the pouch, its contents undisturbed, upon the