make their escape before the beasts and the man were upon them.
Achmet Zek recognized the latter as the redoubtable enemy of such
as he, and he saw, too, in the circumstance an opportunity to rid
himself forever of the menace of the ape-man's presence.

Calling to his men to follow his example he raised his rifle and
leveled it upon the charging giant. His followers, acting with no
less alacrity than himself, fired almost simultaneously, and with
the reports of the rifles, Tarzan of the Apes and two of his hairy
henchmen pitched forward among the jungle grasses.

The noise of the rifle shots brought the balance of the apes to a
wondering pause, and, taking advantage of their momentary distraction,
Achmet Zek and his fellows leaped to their horses' backs and galloped
away with the now hopeless and grief-stricken woman.

Back to the village they rode, and once again Lady Greystoke found
herself incarcerated in the filthy, little hut from which she had
thought to have escaped for good. But this time she was not only
guarded by an additional sentry, but bound as well.

Singly and in twos the searchers who had ridden out with Achmet
Zek upon the trail of the Belgian, returned empty handed. With
the report of each the raider's rage and chagrin increased, until
he was in such a transport of ferocious anger that none dared approach
him. Threatening and cursing, Achmet Zek paced up and down the
floor of his silken tent; but his temper served him naught--Werper
was gone and with him the fortune in scintillating gems which had
aroused the cupidity of his chief and placed the sentence of death
upon the head of the lieutenant.