tarzan the terrible-第11章

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arrows。

Tarzan　stepped　toward　the　doorway　of　the　cave　and　looked　out。　Night　had　just　fallen。　He　could　hear　voices　from　the　nearer　caves　and　there　floated　to　his　nostrils　the　odor　of　cooking　food。　He　looked　down　and　experienced　a　sensation　of　relief。　The　cave　in　which　he　had　been　held　was　in　the　lowest　tierscarce　thirty　feet　from　the　base　of　the　cliff。　He　was　about　to　chance　an　immediate　descent　when　there　occurred　to　him　a　thought　that　brought　a　grin　to　his　savage　lipsa　thought　that　was　born　of　the　name　the　Waz…don　had　given　him　Tarzan…jad…guruTarzan　the　Terribleand　a　recollection　of　the　days　when　he　had　delighted　in　baiting　the　blacks　of　the　distant　jungle　of　his　birth。　He　turned　back　into　the　cave　where　lay　the　dead　body　of　In…tan。　With　his　knife　he　severed　the　warrior's　head　and　carrying　it　to　the　outer　edge　of　the　recess　tossed　it　to　the　ground　below；　then　he　dropped　swiftly　and　silently　down　the　ladder　of　pegs　in　a　way　that　would　have　surprised　the　Kor…ul…lul　who　had　been　so　sure　that　he　could　not　climb。

At　the　bottom　he　picked　up　the　head　of　In…tan　and　disappeared　among　the　shadows　of　the　trees　carrying　the　grisly　trophy　by　its　shock　of　shaggy　hair。　Horrible？　But　you　are　judging　a　wild　beast　by　the　standards　of　civilization。　You　may　teach　a　lion　tricks；　but　he　is　still　a　lion。　Tarzan　looked　well　in　a　Tuxedo；　but　he　was　still　a　Tarmangani　and　beneath　his　pleated　shirt　beat　a　wild　and　savage　heart。

Nor　was　his　madness　lacking　in　method。　He　knew　that　the　hearts　of　the　Kor…ul…lul　would　be　filled　with　rage　when　they　discovered　the　thing　that　he　had　done　and　he　knew　too；　that　mixed　with　the　rage　would　be　a　leaven　of　fear　and　it　was　fear　of　him　that　had　made　Tarzan　master　of　many　junglesone　does　not　win　the　respect　of　the　killers　with　bonbons。

Below　the　village　Tarzan　returned　to　the　foot　of　the　cliff　searching　for　a　point　where　he　could　make　the　ascent　to　the　ridge　and　thus　back　to　the　village　of　Om…at；　the　Kor…ul…ja。　He　came　at　last　to　a　place　where　the　river　ran　so　close　to　the　rocky　wall　that　he　was　forced　to　swim　it　in　search　of　a　trail　upon　the　opposite　side　and　here　it　was　that　his　keen　nostrils　detected　a　familiar　spoor。　It　was　the　scent　of　Pan…at…lee　at　the　spot　where　she　had　emerged　from　the　pool　and　taken　to　the　safety　of　the　jungle。

Immediately　the　ape…man's　plans　were　changed。　Pan…at…lee　lived；　or　at　least　she　had　lived　after　the　leap　from　the　cliff's　summit。　He　had　started　in　search　of　her　for　Om…at；　his　friend；　and　for　Om…at　he　would　continue　upon　the　trail　he　had　picked　up　thus　fortuitously　by　accident。　It　led　him　into　the　jungle　and　across　the　gorge　and　then　to　the　point　at　which　Pan…at…lee　had　commenced　the　ascent　of　the　opposite　cliffs。　Here　Tarzan　abandoned　the　head　of　In…tan；　tying　it　to　the　lower　branch　of　a　tree；　for　he　knew　that　it　would　handicap　him　in　his　ascent　of　the　steep　escarpment。　Apelike　he　ascended；　following　easily　the　scent　spoor　of　Pan…at…lee。　Over　the　summit　and　across　the　ridge　the　trail　lay；　plain　as　a　printed　page　to　the　delicate　senses　of　the　jungle…bred　tracker。

Tarzan　knew　naught　of　the　Kor…ul…gryf。　He　had　seen；　dimly　in　the　shadows　of　the　night；　strange；　monstrous　forms　and　Ta…den　and　Om…at　had　spoken　of　great　creatures　that　all　men　feared；　but　always；　everywhere；　by　night　and　by　day；　there　were　dangers。　From　infancy　death　had　stalked；　grim　and　terrible；　at　his　heels。　He　knew　little　of　any　other　existence。　To　cope　with　danger　was　his　life　and　he　lived　his　life　as　simply　and　as　naturally　as　you　live　yours　amidst　the　dangers　of　the　crowded　city　streets。　The　black　man　who　goes　abroad　in　the　jungle　by　night　is　afraid；　for　he　has　spent　his　life　since　infancy　surrounded　by　numbers　of　his　own　kind　and　safeguarded；　especially　at　night；　by　such　crude　means　as　lie　within　his　powers。　But　Tarzan　had　lived　as　the　lion　lives　and　the　panther　and　the　elephant　and　the　apea　true　jungle　creature　dependent　solely　upon　his　prowess　and　his　wits；　playing　a　lone　hand　against　creation。　Therefore　he　was　surprised　at　nothing　and　feared　nothing　and　so　he　walked　through　the　strange　night　as　undisturbed　and　unapprehensive　as　the　farmer　to　the　cow　lot　in　the　darkness　before　the　dawn。

Once　more　Pan…at…lee's　trail　ended　at　the　verge　of　a　cliff；　but　this　time　there　was　no　indication　that　she　had　leaped　over　the　edge　and　a　moment's　search　revealed　to　Tarzan　the　stone　pegs　upon　which　she　had　made　her　descent。　As　he　lay　upon　his　belly　leaning　over　the　top　of　the　cliff　examining　the　pegs　his　attention　was　suddenly　attracted　by　something　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff。　He　could　not　distinguish　its　identity；　but　he　saw　that　it　moved　and　presently　that　it　was　ascending　slowly；　apparently　by　means　of　pegs　similar　to　those　directly　below　him。　He　watched　it　intently　as　it　rose　higher　and　higher　until　he　was　able　to　distinguish　its　form　more　clearly；　with　the　result　that　he　became　convinced　that　it　more　nearly　resembled　some　form　of　great　ape　than　a　lower　order。　It　had　a　tail；　though；　and　in　other　respects　it　did　not　seem　a　true　ape。

Slowly　it　ascended　to　the　upper　tier　of　caves；　into　one　of　which　it　disappeared。　Then　Tarzan　took　up　again　the　trail　of　Pan…at…lee。　He　followed　it　down　the　stone　pegs　to　the　nearest　cave　and　then　further　along　the　upper　tier。　The　ape…man　raised　his　eyebrows　when　he　saw　the　direction　in　which　it　led；　and　quickened　his　pace。　He　had　almost　reached　the　third　cave　when　the　echoes　of　Kor…ul…gryf　were　awakened　by　a　shrill　scream　of　terror。



6

The　Tor…o…don

PAN…AT…LEE　sleptthe　troubled　sleep；　of　physical　and　nervous　exhaustion；　filled　with　weird　dreamings。　She　dreamed　that　she　slept　beneath　a　great　tree　in　the　bottom　of　the　Kor…ul…gryf　and　that　one　of　the　fearsome　beasts　was　creeping　upon　her　but　she　could　not　open　her　eyes　nor　move。　She　tried　to　scream　but　no　sound　issued　from　her　lips。　She　felt　the　thing　touch　her　throat；　her　breast；　her　arm；　and　there　it　closed　and　seemed　to　be　dragging　her　toward　it。　With　a　super…human　effort　of　will　she　opened　her　eyes。　In　the　instant　she　knew　that　she　was　dreaming　and　that　quickly　the　hallucination　of　the　dream　would　fadeit　had　happened　to　her　many　times　before。　But　it　persisted。　In　the　dim　light　that　filtered　into　the　dark　chamber　she　saw　a　form　beside　her；　she　felt　hairy　fingers　upon　her　and　a　hairy　breast　against　which　she　was　being　drawn。　Jad…ben…Otho！　this　was　no　dream。　And　then　she　screamed　and　tried　to　fight　the　thing　from　her；　but　her　scream　was　answered　by　a　low　growl　and　another　hairy　hand　seized　her　by　the　hair　of　the　head。　The　beast　rose　now　upon　its　hind　legs　and　dragged　her　from　the　cave　to　the　moonlit　recess　without　and　at　the　same　instant　she　saw　the　figure　of　what　she　took　to　be　a　Ho…don　rise　above　the　outer　edge　of　the　niche。

The　beast　that　held　her　saw　it　too　and　growled　ominously　but　it　did　not　relinquish　its　hold　upon　her　hair。　It　crouched　as　though　waiting　an　attack；　and　it　increased　the　volume　and　frequency　of　its　growls　until　the　horrid　sounds　reverberated　through　the　gorge；　drowning　even　the　deep　bellowings　of　the　beasts　below；　whose　mighty　thunderings　had　broken　out　anew　with　the　sudden　commotion　from　the　high…flung　cave。　The　beast　that　held　her　crouched　and　the　creature　that　faced　it　crouched　also；　and　growledas　hideously　as　the　other。　Pan…at…lee　trembled。　This　was　no　Ho…don　and　though　she　feared　the　Ho…don　she　feared　this　thing　more；　with　its　catlike　crouch　and　its　beastly　growls。　She　was　lostthat　Pan…at…lee　knew。　The　two　things　might　fight　for　her；　but　whichever　won　she　was　lost。　Perhaps；　during　the　battle；　if　it　came　to　that；　she　might　find　the　opportunity　to　throw　herself　over　into　the　Kor…ul…gryf。

The　thing　that　held　her　she　had　recognized　now　as　a　Tor…o…don；　but　the　other　thing　she　could　not　place；　though　in　the　moonlight　she　could　see　it　very　distinctly。　It　had　no　tail。　She　could　see　its　hands　and　its　feet；　and　they　were　not　the　hands　and　feet　of　the　races　of　Pal…ul…don。　It　was　slowly　closing　upon　the　Tor…o…don　and　in　one　hand　it　held　a　gleaming　knife。　Now　it　spoke　and　to　Pan…at…lee's　terror　was　added　an　equal　weight　of　consternation。

〃When　it　leaves　go　of　you；〃　it　said；　〃as　it　will　presently　to　defend　itself；　run　quickly　behind　me；　Pan…at…lee；　and　go　to　the　cave　nearest　the　pegs　you　descended　from　the　cliff　top。　Watch　from　there。　If　I　am　defeated　you　will　have　time　to　escape　this　slow　thing；　if　I　am　not　I　will　come　to　you　there。　I　am　Om…at's　friend　and　yours。〃

The　last　words　took　the　keen　edge　from　Pan…at…lee's　terror；　but　she　did　not　understand。　How　did　this　strange　creature　know　her　name？　How　did　it　know　that　she　had　descended　the　pegs　by　a　certain　cave？　It　must；　then；　have　been　here　when　she　came。　Pan…at…lee　was　puzzled。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked；　〃and　from　whence　do　you　come？〃

〃I　am　Tarzan；〃　he　replied；　〃and　just　now　I　came　from　Om…at；　of　Kor…ul…ja；　in　search　of　you。〃

Om…at；　gund　of　Kor…ul…ja！　What　wild　talk　was　this？　She　would　have　questioned　him　further；　but　now　he　was　approaching　the　Tor…o…don　and　the　latter　was　screaming　and　growling　so　loudly　as　to　drown　the　sound　of　her　voice。　And　then　it　did　what　the　strange　creature　had　said　that　it　would　doit　released　its　hold　upon　her　hair　as　it　prepared　to　charge。　Charge　it　did　and　in　those　close　quarters　there　was　no　room　to　fence　for　openings。　Instantly　the　two　beasts　locked　in　deadly　embrace；　each　seeking　the　other's　throat。　Pan…at…lee　watched；　taking　no　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　escape　which　their　preoccupation　gave　her。　She　watched　and　waited；　for　into　her　savage　little　brain　had　come　the　resolve　to　pin　her　faith　to　this　strange　creature　who　had　unlocked　her　heart　with　those　four　words〃I　am　Om…at's　friend！〃　And　so　she　waited；　with　drawn　knife；　the　opportunity　to　do　her　bit　in　the　vanquishing　of　the　Tor…o…don。　That　the　newcomer　could　do　it　unaided　she　well　knew　to　be　beyond　the　realms　of　possibility；　for　she　knew　well　the　prowess　of　the　beastlike　man　with　whom　it　fought。　There　were　not　many　of　them　in　Pal…ul…don；　but　what　few　there　were　were　a　terror　to　the　women　of　the　Waz…don　and　the　Ho…don；　for　the　old　Tor…o…don　bulls　roamed　the　mountains　and　the　valleys　of　Pal…ul…don　between　rutting　seasons　and　woe　betide　the　women　who　fell　in　their　paths。

With　his　tail　the　Tor…o…don　sought　one　of　Tarzan's　ankles；　and　finding　it；　tripped　him。　The　two　fell　heavily；　but　so　agile　was　the　ape…man　and　so　quick　his　powerful　muscles　that　even　in　falling　he　twisted　the　beast　beneath　him；　so　that　Tarzan　fell　on　top　and　now　the　tail　that　had　tripped　him　sought　his　throat　as　had　the　tail　of　In…tan；　the　Kor…ul…lul。　In　the　effort　of　turning　his　antagonist's　body　during　the　fall　Tarzan　had　had　to　relinquish　his　knife　that　he　might　seize　the　shaggy　body　with　both　hands　and　now　the　weapon　lay　out　of　reach　at　the　very　edge　of　the　recess。　Both　hands　were　occupied　for　the　moment　in　fending　off　the　clutching　fingers　that　sought　to　seize　him　and　drag　his　throat　within　reach　of　his　foe's　formidable　fangs　and　now　the　tail　was　seeking　its　deadly　hold　with　a　formidable　persistence　that　would　not　be　denied。

Pan…at…lee　hovered　about；　breathless；　her　dagger　ready；　but　there　was　no　opening　that　did　not　also　endanger　Tarzan；　so　constantly　were　the　two　duelists　changing　their　positions。　Tarzan　felt　the　tail　slowly　but　surely　insinuating　itself　about　his　neck　though　he　had　drawn　his