"You must be quite insane to think that you can frighten me with any such wild threats. Those things are not done today, you know, outside of story books. Hurry up and dictate your note; and I'll promise you'll have the map back as quickly as your messenger can bring it, but what assurance have I that you'll keep your end of the bargain and release me?"
"You have only my word," replied Atan Thome, "but I can assure you that I have no wish to harm you. The map is all I wish. Come and sit here while I dictate."
As the sun sank into the west behind tall trees and the shadows lengthened to impart to Loango the semblance of a softened beauty the which the squalid little village did not possess in its own right, the three men discussing the details of the forthcoming safari became suddenly aware of the lateness of the hour.
"I wonder what can be keeping Helen," said Gregory; "it's almost dark. I don't like to have her out so late in a place like this. She should have been back long ago."
"She should never have gone alone," said d'Arnot. "It is not safe here for a woman."
"It is not," agreed Tarzan. "It is never safe where there is civilization."
"I think we should go and look for her," suggested d'Arnot.
"Yes," said Tarzan, "you and I. Mr. Gregory should remain here in case she returns."
"Don't worry, Monsieur Gregory," said d'Arnot, as he and Tarzan left the room; "I'm sure we'll find her safe and sound in some curio shop," but his words were only to reassure Gregory. In his heart was only fear.
As he waited, Gregory tried to convince himself that there was nothing to worry about. He tried to read, but could not fix his mind upon the book. After he had reread one sentence half a dozen times without grasping its sense, he gave up; then he commenced to pace the floor, smoking one cigar after another. He was on the point of starting out himself to search when d'Arnot returned. Gregory looked at him eagerly.
D'Arnot shook his head. "No luck," he said. "I found a number of shop keepers who recalled seeing her, but none who knew when she left the bazaar."
"Where is Tarzan?" asked Gregory.
"He is investigating in the village. If the natives have any knowledge of her, Tarzan will get it out of them. He speaks their language in every sense of the term."
"Here he is now," said Gregory as the ape-man entered the room.
Both men looked up at him questioningly. "You didn't find any trace of her?" asked d'Arnot.
Tarzan shook his head. "None. In the jungle, I could have found her; but here—here, in civilization, a man cannot even find himself."
As he ceased speaking, a window pane crashed behind them; and a missile fell to the floor.
"Mon dieu!" cried d'Arnot. "What is that?"
"Look out!" cried Gregory. "It may be a bomb."
"No," said Tarzan, "it is just a note tied to a stone. Here, let's have a look at it."
"It must be about Helen," said Gregory, taking the note from Tarzan's hand. "Yes, it is. It's from her. Listen! 'Dear Dad: The people who are holding me want Brian's road map to Ashair. They threaten to take me into the interior and sell me if they don't get it. I believe they mean it. Tie the map to stone and throw it out window. Do not follow their messenger, or they will kill me. They promise to return me unharmed as soon as they get the map.' Yes, it's from Helen all right, it's her handwriting. But the fools! They could have had the map for the asking. I only want to find Brian. I'll get the map."
He rose and went into Helen's room, which adjoined his. They heard him strike a match to light a lamp, and then give vent to an exclamation of astonishment that brought the other two men into the room. Gregory was standing before the open upper drawer of the dresser, his face white.
"It's gone," he said. "Some one has stolen the map!"
Chapter 4
IN A SQUALID room, Wolff sat at a table laboriously wielding a pencil by the light of a kerosene lamp—evidently an unaccustomed task. Every time he made a mark, he wet the tip of the pencil on his tongue, which, in the interims, he chewed. At last his work was completed; and as he eyed it, not without pride, he heaved a sigh and rose.
"I guess this ain't a pretty night's work or anything!" he soliloquized complacently. "Now they'll both pay-and how!"
Atan Thome sat alone in the back room of Wong Feng's shop. If he were nervous, the only outward indication of it was the innumerable cigarettes that he smoked. Magra was guarding Helen in the little bedroom adjoining. All three were waiting for the return of Lal Taask with the route map to Ashair. Helen, alone, was positive that it would be forthcoming. The others only hoped.
"Will he let me go when the map comes?" asked Helen.
"He may have to keep you until he can get safely away," replied Magra, "but I'm sure he will let you go then."
"Poor Dad," said the girl. "He'll be worrying terribly. If there's going to be any delay about my release, I'd like to write him another note."
"I'll try and arrange it," said Magra. "I'm very sorry about all this, Miss Gregory," she added after a short silence. "I am really quite as helpless in the matter as you, for reasons which I may not explain; but I may tell you that Atan Thome is obsessed by this desire to possess The Father of Diamonds. At heart he is not a bad man, but I know that he will stop at nothing to realize this one desire; so I hope your father sends the map."
"You really think that he would sell me in the interior if he didn't get it?" demanded the American girl.
"Absolutely," replied Magra. "If he were pressed, he might kill you."
Helen shuddered. "I am glad that he is going to get the map," she said.
Lal Taask opened the door to the back room of Wong Feng's shop, and entered. Atan Thome looked up. "Well?" he inquired.
"They threw it out all right," said Taask; "here it is." He handed the paper to Thome. It was still wrapped around the stone. Thome opened it and read. His face turned dark.
"Is it the map?" asked Lal Taask.
"No," growled Thome. "They say the map has been stolen. They lie! They can't fool Atan Thome, though. They'll never see the girl again, and I'll find Ashair without their map. Listen! There is someone at the door. See who it is."
Lal Taask opened the door a crack and looked out. "It is Wolff," he said.
"Bring him in."
"Nice evening," said Wolff, as he entered the room.
"You didn't come here to tell me that," said Thome. "What is it?"
"What would you give for the route map to Ashair?" asked Wolff.
"Five hundred pounds," replied Thome.
"Not enough. Make it a thousand and a half interest in the diamond, and I'll get the map for you."
"How?"
"I already have it. I stole it from the girl's room."
"Have you got it here?" inquired Thome.
"Yes," replied Wolff, "but don't try any funny business. I left a note with the old woman I'm stopping with. If I'm not back in an hour, she'll take it to the police."
"Let's see the map," said Thome.
Wolff took it from his pocket and held it up in front of the other man, but not near enough for him to snatch it. "Fork over the money, and the map's yours," he said.
Atan Thome drew a thick wallet from an inner pocket and counted out five hundred pounds in Bank of England notes.
"If I had that roll of yours I wouldn't be riskin' my neck lookin' for no Father of Diamonds," said Wolff, as he took the notes and stuffed them in his pocket.
"Are you still going along with the Gregory safari?" asked Thome.
"Sure," replied Wolff; "a poor man's got to work; but I'm goin' to be right with you when you get that diamond. I'm goin' to have my half."