Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1920 — TARZAN AND THE Jewels of Opar [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TARZAN AND THE Jewels of Opar

By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

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OopyiigM. 3M4, by A. 0. MaOmg A Co.

SYNOPSIS. - CHAPTER I.—Hiding In the iungle after killing his captain in a fit of brooding madness, Lieut. Albert Werper, Belgian officer, la captured by Achmet Zek, Arab alave raider, who spares his life and proposes to him a scheme to kidnap Jane, wife of Tartan (Lord Greystoke) and sell her into slavery. v Werper accepts. CHAPTER ll.—Posing as Jules Frecoult, French traveler, Werper is hospitably received by the Greystokes. He learns bls host is In financial straits and plans an expedition to the treasure vaults of Opar to procure gold. Werper informs Achmet Zek of the opportunity to seise Lady Greystoke, and follows Tarsan to learn the secret of Ouar CHAPTER HL-Spying on Taman, Werper sees him load his blacks with gold from the treasure chamber of the Bun Worshipers A convulsion of Nature causes the collapse of the vault imprisoning both men. CHAPTER IV.—Werper recovers from the shock and finding Tarsan apparently dead he leaves him. Seeking a way to safety Werper is seised by priests of the Flaming God, a degenerate race He is about to be offered up as a sacrifice when the ceremonies are Interrupted by the ap3>earanoe of a hunger-maddened lion.

CHAPTER V. The Arab Raid. After their first terror had subsided subsequent to the shock of the earthquake, Basuli and his warriors hastened back into the passageway in search of Tarzan and two of their own number who were also missing. They found the way blocked by Jammed and distorted rock. For two days they labored to tear a way through to their imprisoned friends; but when, after Herculean efforts, they had unearthed but a few yards of the choked passage, and discovered the mangled remains of one of their fellows they were forced to the conclusion that Tarzan and the second Wazlri also lay dead beneath the rock mass further In, beyond human aid, and no longer susceptible of It. They gave up the search. Tearfully they cast a last look at the shattered tomb of their master, shouldered the heavy burden of gold that would at least furnish comfort, if not happiness, to their bereaved and beloved mistress, and made their mournful way back across the desolate valley of Opar, and downward through the forests beyond tdward the distant bungalow.

And as they marched what sorry fate was already drawing upon that peaceful, happy home! From the north came Achmet Zek, riding to the summons of his lieutenant's letter. With him came his horde of renegade Arabs, outlawed marauders, these, and equally degraded blacks, garnered from the more debased and Ignorant tribes of savage cannibals through whose countries the raider passed to and fro with perfect impunity. ' Mugambi, the ebon Hercules, who had shared the dangers and vicissitudes of bls beloved Bwana from Jungle Island almost to the headwaters of the Ugambl, was the first to note the bold approach of the sinister caravan. He it was whom Tarzan had left in charge Of the warriors who remained to guard Lady Greystoke, nor could a braver or more loyal guardian have been found in any dime or upon any soil. A giant in stature, a savage, fearless warrior, the huge black possessed also soul and judgment in proportion to his bulk and his ferocity. The raiders were still a long way off when the warrior’s keen eyes discovered them. He issued orders rapidly. In compliance with tyem the men seized upon their weapons and their shields. Some ran to call In the workers from the fields and to warn the tenders of the flocks and herds. The majority followed Mugambi back toward the bungalow.

The dust of the raiders was still a long distance away. Mugambi could not know positively that it hid an enemy; but be had spent a lifetime of savage life In savageAfifica, and he had seen parties before come thus unheralded. Sometimes they had come In peace and sometimes they had come in war—one could never tell. It was well to be prepared. ' The Greystoke bungalow was not well adapted for defense. No palisade surrounded it, for, situated as it was, in the heart of loyal Wazlri, its ‘master had anticipated no possibility of an attack in force by any enemy. Heavy wooden shutters there were to close the window apertures against hostile arrows, and these Mugambi was engaged in lowering when Lady Greystoke appeared upon the veranda. “Why, Ifugambl I" she exclaimed. “What has happened? Why are you lowering the shutters?” _ Mugambi pointed out across the to where a white-robed force of mannted men was now distinctly visible. “Arabo,” be explained. “They come for no good purpose in the absence of The raiders bad halted a hundred yards out upon the plain. Mugambi kaataoad dan to Into his wan.

--——"""1 ————~~ J non. tie aavancea a rew yards Before them and, raising his voice, hailed the strangers. Achmet Zek sat straight in his saddle before his henchmen. “Arab!” cried Mugambi. “What do you want here?” “We come in peace,” Achmet Zek called back. “Then turn and go in peace,” replied MugambL “We do not want you here. There can be no peace between Arab and Wazlri.” Achmet Zek drew to one side of his horde, speaking to bls men In a low voice. A moment later, without warning, a ragged volley was poured into the ranks of the Wazlri. A couple of the warriors fell, the others were for charging the attackers; but Mugambi was a cautious as well as a brave leader. He knew the futility of charging mounted men armed with muskets. He withdrew his force behind the shrubbery of the garden. Half a dozen he sent to the bungalow itself with instructions to keep their mistress within doors and to protect her with their lives.

Adopting the tactics of the desert fighters from which he had sprung, Achmet Zek led his followers at a gallop in a long, thin line, describing a great circle which drew closer and closer in toward the defenders. The Wazlri, Justly famed for. their archery, found no cause to blush for their performance that day. Time and again some swarthy horseman threw hands above his head and toppled from his saddle, pierced by a deadly arrow; but the contest was uneven. The Arabs outnumbered the Wazlri; their bullets penetrated the shrubbery and found marks that the Arab riflemen had not even seen; and then Achmet Zek circled inward a half mile above the bungalow, tore down a section of the fence, and led his marauders within the grounds. Mugambi saw them coming, and, calling those of his warriors who remained, ran for the bungalow and the last stand. Upon the veranda Lady Greystoke stood, rifle in hand. More than a single raider had accounted to her steady nerves and cool aim for his outlawry; more than a single pony raced, riderless, in the wake of the charging horde.

Mugambi pushed his mistress back into the greater security of the interior, and with his depleted force prepared to make a last stand against the foe. On came the Arabs, shouting and waving their long guns above their heads. Past the veranda they raced, pouring a deadly fire into the kneeling Wazlri who discharged thefr volley of arrows from behind their long, oval shields —shields well adapted, perhaps, to stop a hostile arrow, or deflect a spear; but futile, quite, before the leaden missiles of the riflemen. Mugambi withdrew his force within the building. Again and again the Arabs charged, at last forming a stationary circle about the little fortress, and outside the effective range of the defenders’ arrows. From their new position they fired at will at the windows. One by one the Wazlri fell. Fewer and fewer were the arrows that replied to the guns of the raiders, and at last Achmet Zek felt safe In ordering an assault.

Firing as they ran, the bloodthirsty horde raced for the veranda. A dozen of them fell to the arrows of the de fenders; but the majority reached the door. Heavy gun butts fell upon It. The crash of splintered wood mingled with the report of a rifle as Jane Clayton fired through the panels upon the relentless foe. Upon both sides of the door men fell; but at last the frail barrier gave to the vicious assaults of the maddened attackers; It crumpled inward and a dozen swarthy murderers leaped into the living room. At the far end stood Jane Clayton surrounded by the remnant of her devoted The floor was covered by the bodies oi those who already had given up theh lives in her defense. In ti e forefront

of her protectors stood the giant Mu gwmhi. The Arabs raised their rifles to pour in the last volley that wonk effectually end all resistance; but Ach met Zek roared out a warning ordei that stayed their trigger fingers. “Fire not upon the woman !” h< cried. “Who harms her, dies. the woman alive!” The Arabs rushed across the room the Wazlri met them with their heavy asoaah gw«rds flashed. taM-harrelec

ptstois roarea out tneir sunen uenu dooms. Mugambi launched his speai at the nearest of the enemy with t force that drove the heavy shaft com pletely through the Arab’s body, ther he seized a pistol from another, ant grasping It by the barrel brained al who forced their way too near hli mistress. Emulating his example the few war riors who remained to him fought like demons; but one by one they fell, until only Mugambi remained to defend the life and honor of the ape-man's mate. From across the room Achmet Zek watched the .unequal struggle and urged on bls minions. In his hands was a jeweled musket. Slowly he raised It to' his shoulder, waiting until another move should place Mugambi at his mercy without endangering the lives of the woman or any of his own followers. At last the moment came, and Achmet Zek pulled the trigger. Without a sound the brave Mugambi sank to the floor at the feet of Jane Clayton. An instant later she was surrounded and disarmed. Without a word they dragged her from the bungalow. A giant negro lifted her to the pommel of his saddle, and while the raiders searched the bungalow and outhouses for plunder he rode with her beyond the gates and waited the coming of bls master. When the raiders assembled after glutting their fury and their avarice, and rode away with Jane Clayton toward the north, she saw the smoke and 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. 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 I revenge! revenge 1 (TO BE CONTINUED.)

In the Forefront of Her Protectors Stood the Giant Mugambi.