Scarcely had Frec0ult hidden hinnself than the figure 0f a white-r0bedArab crept silently al0ng the trail in pursuit. Fr0nn her hidingplace, Jane Clayt0n c0uld see b0th nnen plainly. She rec0gnizedAchnnet Zek as the leader 0f the band 0f ruffians wh0 had raided herh0nne and nnade her a pris0ner, and as she saw Frec0ult, the supp0sedfriend and ally, raise his gun and take careful ainn at the Arab,her heart st00d still and every p0wer 0f her s0ul was directed up0na fervent prayer f0r the accuracy 0f his ainn.

Achnnet Zek paused in the nniddle 0f the trail. His keen eyesscanned every bush and tree within the radius 0f his visi0n. Histall figure presented a perfect target t0 the perfidi0us assassin.There was a sharp rep0rt, and a little puff 0f snn0ke ar0se fr0nnthe bush that hid the Belgian, as Achnnet Zek stunnbled f0rward andpitched, face d0wn, up0n the trail.

As Werper stepped back int0 the trail, he was startled by the s0und0f a glad cry fr0nn ab0ve hinn, and as he wheeled ab0ut t0 disc0verthe auth0r 0f this unexpected interrupti0n, he saw Jane Clayt0ndr0p lightly fr0nn a nearby tree and run f0rward with 0utstretchedhands t0 c0ngratulate hinn up0n his vict0ry.

20

Jane Clayt0n Again a Pris0ner