tarzan the terrible-第38节

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ew　would　soon　be　flowing　from　those　two　feminine　tongues。

〃Tell　me；〃　he　cried；　〃where　is　the　woman　of　my　own　race　whom　Ja…don　brought　here　from　the　temple？〃

〃She　is　but　this　moment　gone；〃　cried　O…lo…a。　〃Mo…sar；　the　father　of　this　thing　here；〃　and　she　indicated　the　body　of　Bu…lot　with　a　scornful　finger；　〃seized　her　and　carried　her　away。〃

〃Which　way？〃　he　cried。　〃Tell　me　quickly；　in　what　direction　he　took　her。〃

〃That　way；〃　cried　Pan…at…lee；　pointing　to　the　doorway　through　which　Mo…sar　had　passed。　〃They　would　have　taken　the　princess　and　the　stranger　woman　to　Tu…lur；　Mo…sar's　city　by　the　Dark　Lake。〃

〃I　go　to　find　her；〃　he　said　to　Pan…at…lee；　〃she　is　my　mate。　And　if　I　survive　I　shall　find　means　to　liberate　you　too　and　return　you　to　Om…at。〃

Before　the　girl　could　reply　he　had　disappeared　behind　the　hangings　of　the　door　near　the　foot　of　the　dais。　The　corridor　through　which　he　ran　was　illy　lighted　and　like　nearly　all　its　kind　in　the　Ho…don　city　wound　in　and　out　and　up　and　down；　but　at　last　it　terminated　at　a　sudden　turn　which　brought　him　into　a　courtyard　filled　with　warriors；　a　portion　of　the　palace　guard　that　had　just　been　summoned　by　one　of　the　lesser　palace　chiefs　to　join　the　warriors　of　Ko…tan　in　the　battle　that　was　raging　in　the　banquet　hall。

At　sight　of　Tarzan；　who　in　his　haste　had　forgotten　to　recover　his　disguising　headdress；　a　great　shout　arose。　〃Blasphemer！〃　〃Defiler　of　the　temple！〃　burst　hoarsely　from　savage　throats；　and　mingling　with　these　were　a　few　who　cried；　〃Dor…ul…Otho！〃　evidencing　the　fact　that　there　were　among　them　still　some　who　clung　to　their　belief　in　his　divinity。

To　cross　the　courtyard　armed　only　with　a　knife；　in　the　face　of　this　great　throng　of　savage　fighting　men　seemed　even　to　the　giant　ape…man　a　thing　impossible　of　achievement。　He　must　use　his　wits　now　and　quickly　too；　for　they　were　closing　upon　him。　He　might　have　turned　and　fled　back　through　the　corridor　but　flight　now　even　in　the　face　of　dire　necessity　would　but　delay　him　in　his　pursuit　of　Mo…sar　and　his　mate。

〃Stop！〃　he　cried；　raising　his　palm　against　them。　〃I　am　the　Dor…ul…Otho　and　I　come　to　you　with　a　word　from　Ja…don；　who　it　is　my　father's　will　shall　be　your　king　now　that　Ko…tan　is　slain。　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　has　planned　to　seize　the　palace　and　destroy　the　loyal　warriors　that　Mo…sar　may　be　made　kingMo…sar　who　will　be　the　tool　and　creature　of　Lu…don。　Follow　me。　There　is　no　time　to　lose　if　you　would　prevent　the　traitors　whom　Lu…don　has　organized　in　the　city　from　entering　the　palace　by　a　secret　way　and　overpowering　Ja…don　and　the　faithful　band　within。〃

For　a　moment　they　hesitated。　At　last　one　spoke。　〃What　guarantee　have　we；〃　he　demanded；　〃that　it　is　not　you　who　would　betray　us　and　by　leading　us　now　away　from　the　fighting　in　the　banquet　hall　cause　those　who　fight　at　Ja…don's　side　to　be　defeated？〃

〃My　life　will　be　your　guarantee；〃　replied　Tarzan。　〃If　you　find　that　I　have　not　spoken　the　truth　you　are　sufficient　in　numbers　to　execute　whatever　penalty　you　choose。　But　come；　there　is　not　time　to　lose。　Already　are　the　lesser　priests　gathering　their　warriors　in　the　city　below；〃　and　without　waiting　for　any　further　parley　he　strode　directly　toward　them　in　the　direction　of　the　gate　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　courtyard　which　led　toward　the　principal　entrance　to　the　palace　ground。

Slower　in　wit　than　he；　they　were　swept　away　by　his　greater　initiative　and　that　compelling　power　which　is　inherent　to　all　natural　leaders。　And　so　they　followed　him；　the　giant　ape…man　with　a　dead　tail　dragging　the　ground　behind　hima　demi…god　where　another　would　have　been　ridiculous。　Out　into　the　city　he　led　them　and　down　toward　the　unpretentious　building　that　hid　Lu…don's　secret　passageway　from　the　city　to　the　temple；　and　as　they　rounded　the　last　turn　they　saw　before　them　a　gathering　of　warriors　which　was　being　rapidly　augmented　from　all　directions　as　the　traitors　of　A…lur　mobilized　at　the　call　of　the　priesthood。

〃You　spoke　the　truth；　stranger；〃　said　the　chief　who　marched　at　Tarzan's　side；　〃for　there　are　the　warriors　with　the　priests　among　them；　even　as　you　told　us。〃

〃And　now；〃　replied　the　ape…man；　〃that　I　have　fulfilled　my　promise　I　will　go　my　way　after　Mo…sar；　who　has　done　me　a　great　wrong。　Tell　Ja…don　that　Jad…ben…Otho　is　upon　his　side；　nor　do　you　forget　to　tell　him　also　that　it　was　the　Dor…ul…Otho　who　thwarted　Lu…don's　plan　to　seize　the　palace。〃

〃I　will　not　forget；〃　replied　the　chief。　〃Go　your　way。　We　are　enough　to　overpower　the　traitors。〃

〃Tell　me；〃　asked　Tarzan；　〃how　I　may　know　this　city　of　Tu…lur？〃

〃It　lies　upon　the　south　shore　of　the　second　lake　below　A…lur；〃　replied　the　chief；　〃the　lake　that　is　called　Jad…in…lul。〃

They　were　now　approaching　the　band　of　traitors；　who　evidently　thought　that　this　was　another　contingent　of　their　own　party　since　they　made　no　effort　either　toward　defense　or　retreat。　Suddenly　the　chief　raised　his　voice　in　a　savage　war　cry　that　was　immediately　taken　up　by　his　followers；　and　simultaneously；　as　though　the　cry　were　a　command；　the　entire　party　broke　into　a　mad　charge　upon　the　surprised　rebels。

Satisfied　with　the　outcome　of　his　suddenly　conceived　plan　and　sure　that　it　would　work　to　the　disadvantage　of　Lu…don；　Tarzan　turned　into　a　side　street　and　pointed　his　steps　toward　the　outskirts　of　the　city　in　search　of　the　trail　that　led　southward　toward　Tu…lur。



17

By　Jad…bal…lul

AS　MO…SAR　carried　Jane　Clayton　from　the　palace　of　Ko…tan；　the　king；　the　woman　struggled　incessantly　to　regain　her　freedom。　He　tried　to　compel　her　to　walk；　but　despite　his　threats　and　his　abuse　she　would　not　voluntarily　take　a　single　step　in　the　direction　in　which　he　wished　her　to　go。　Instead　she　threw　herself　to　the　ground　each　time　he　sought　to　place　her　upon　her　feet；　and　so　of　necessity　he　was　compelled　to　carry　her　though　at　last　he　tied　her　hands　and　gagged　her　to　save　himself　from　further　lacerations；　for　the　beauty　and　slenderness　of　the　woman　belied　her　strength　and　courage。　When　he　came　at　last　to　where　his　men　had　gathered　he　was　glad　indeed　to　turn　her　over　to　a　couple　of　stalwart　warriors；　but　these　too　were　forced　to　carry　her　since　Mo…sar's　fear　of　the　vengeance　of　Ko…tan's　retainers　would　brook　no　delays。

And　thus　they　came　down　out　of　the　hills　from　which　A…lur　is　carved；　to　the　meadows　that　skirt　the　lower　end　of　Jad…ben…lul；　with　Jane　Clayton　carried　between　two　of　Mo…sar's　men。　At　the　edge　of　the　lake　lay　a　fleet　of　strong　canoes；　hollowed　from　the　trunks　of　trees；　their　bows　and　sterns　carved　in　the　semblance　of　grotesque　beasts　or　birds　and　vividly　colored　by　some　master　in　that　primitive　school　of　art；　which　fortunately　is　not　without　its　devotees　today。

Into　the　stern　of　one　of　these　canoes　the　warriors　tossed　their　captive　at　a　sign　from　Mo…sar；　who　came　and　stood　beside　her　as　the　warriors　were　finding　their　places　in　the　canoes　and　selecting　their　paddles。

〃Come；　Beautiful　One；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　be　friends　and　you　shall　not　be　harmed。　You　will　find　Mo…sar　a　kind　master　if　you　do　his　bidding；〃　and　thinking　to　make　a　good　impression　on　her　he　removed　the　gag　from　her　mouth　and　the　thongs　from　her　wrists；　knowing　well　that　she　could　not　escape　surrounded　as　she　was　by　his　warriors；　and　presently；　when　they　were　out　on　the　lake；　she　would　be　as　safely　imprisoned　as　though　he　held　her　behind　bars。

And　so　the　fleet　moved　off　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　gentle　splashing　of　a　hundred　paddles；　to　follow　the　windings　of　the　rivers　and　lakes　through　which　the　waters　of　the　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho　empty　into　the　great　morass　to　the　south。　The　warriors；　resting　upon　one　knee；　faced　the　bow　and　in　the　last　canoe　Mo…sar　tiring　of　his　fruitless　attempts　to　win　responses　from　his　sullen　captive；　squatted　in　the　bottom　of　the　canoe　with　his　back　toward　her　and　resting　his　head　upon　the　gunwale　sought　sleep。

Thus　they　moved　in　silence　between　the　verdure…clad　banks　of　the　little　river　through　which　the　waters　of　Jad…ben…lul　emptiednow　in　the　moonlight；　now　in　dense　shadow　where　great　trees　overhung　the　stream；　and　at　last　out　upon　the　waters　of　another　lake；　the　black　shores　of　which　seemed　far　away　under　the　weird　influence　of　a　moonlight　night。

Jane　Clayton　sat　alert　in　the　stern　of　the　last　canoe。　For　months　she　had　been　under　constant　surveillance；　the　prisoner　first　of　one　ruthless　race　and　now　the　prisoner　of　another。　Since　the　long…gone　day　that　Hauptmann　Fritz　Schneider　and　his　band　of　native　German　troops　had　treacherously　wrought　the　Kaiser's　work　of　rapine　and　destruction　on　the　Greystoke　bungalow　and　carried　her　away　to　captivity　she　had　not　drawn　a　free　breath。　That　she　had　survived　unharmed　the　countless　dangers　through　which　she　had　passed　she　attributed　solely　to　the　beneficence　of　a　kind　and　watchful　Providence。

At　first　she　had　been　held　on　the　orders　of　the　German　High　Command　with　a　view　of　her　ultimate　value　as　a　hostage　and　during　these　months　she　had　been　subjected　to　neither　hardship　nor　oppression；　but　when　the　Germans　had　become　hard　pressed　toward　the　close　of　their　unsuccessful　campaign　in　East　Africa　it　had　been　determined　to　take　her　further　into　the　interior　and　now　there　was　an　element　of　revenge　in　their　motives；　since　it　must　have　been　apparent　that　she　could　no　longer　be　of　any