tarzan the terrible-第9节

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lity　might　follow　the　death　of　Es…sat；　the　sun　that　topped　the　eastern　hills　touched　also　the　figure　of　a　sleeper　upon　a　distant；　thorn…covered　steppe　awakening　him　to　another　day　of　tireless　tracking　along　a　faint　and　rapidly　disappearing　spoor。

For　a　time　silence　reigned　in　the　Kor…ul…ja。　The　tribesmen　waited；　looking　now　down　upon　the　dead　thing　that　had　been　their　chief；　now　at　one　another；　and　now　at　Om…at　and　the　two　who　stood　upon　his　either　side。　Presently　Om…at　spoke。　〃I　am　Om…at；〃　he　cried。　〃Who　will　say　that　Om…at　is　not　gund　of　Kor…ul…ja？〃

He　waited　for　a　taker　of　his　challenge。　One　or　two　of　the　larger　young　bucks　fidgeted　restlessly　and　eyed　him；　but　there　was　no　reply。

〃Then　Om…at　is　gund；〃　he　said　with　finality。　〃Now　tell　me；　where　are　Pan…at…lee；　her　father；　and　her　brothers？〃

An　old　warrior　spoke。　〃Pan…at…lee　should　be　in　her　cave。　Who　should　know　that　better　than　you　who　are　there　now？　Her　father　and　her　brothers　were　sent　to　watch　Kor…ul…lul；　but　neither　of　these　questions　arouse　any　tumult　in　our　breasts。　There　is　one　that　does：　Can　Om…at　be　chief　of　Kor…ul…ja　and　yet　stand　at　bay　against　his　own　people　with　a　Ho…don　and　that　terrible　man　at　his　sidethat　terrible　man　who　has　no　tail？　Hand　the　strangers　over　to　your　people　to　be　slain　as　is　the　way　of　the　Waz…don　and　then　may　Om…at　be　gund。〃

Neither　Tarzan　nor　Ta…den　spoke　then；　they　but　stood　watching　Om…at　and　waiting　for　his　decision；　the　ghost　of　a　smile　upon　the　lips　of　the　ape…man。　Ta…den；　at　least；　knew　that　the　old　warrior　had　spoken　the　truththe　Waz…don　entertain　no　strangers　and　take　no　prisoners　of　an　alien　race。

Then　spoke　Om…at。　〃Always　there　is　change；〃　he　said。　〃Even　the　old　hills　of　Pal…ul…don　appear　never　twice　alikethe　brilliant　sun；　a　passing　cloud；　the　moon；　a　mist；　the　changing　seasons；　the　sharp　clearness　following　a　storm；　these　things　bring　each　a　new　change　in　our　hills。　From　birth　to　death；　day　by　day；　there　is　constant　change　in　each　of　us。　Change；　then；　is　one　of　Jad…ben…Otho's　laws。

〃And　now　I；　Om…at；　your　gund；　bring　another　change。　Strangers　who　are　brave　men　and　good　friends　shall　no　longer　be　slain　by　the　Waz…don　of　Kor…ul…ja！〃

There　were　growls　and　murmurings　and　a　restless　moving　among　the　warriors　as　each　eyed　the　others　to　see　who　would　take　the　initiative　against　Om…at；　the　iconoclast。

〃Cease　your　mutterings；〃　admonished　the　new　gund。　〃I　am　your　chief。　My　word　is　your　law。　You　had　no　part　in　making　me　chief。　Some　of　you　helped　Es…sat　to　drive　me　from　the　cave　of　my　ancestors；　the　rest　of　you　permitted　it。　I　owe　you　nothing。　Only　these　two；　whom　you　would　have　me　kill；　were　loyal　to　me。　I　am　gund　and　if　there　be　any　who　doubts　it　let　him　speakhe　cannot　die　younger。〃

Tarzan　was　pleased。　Here　was　a　man　after　his　own　heart。　He　admired　the　fearlessness　of　Om…at's　challenge　and　he　was　a　sufficiently　good　judge　of　men　to　know　that　he　had　listened　to　no　idle　bluffOm…at　would　back　up　his　words　to　the　death；　if　necessary；　and　the　chances　were　that　he　would　not　be　the　one　to　die。　Evidently　the　majority　of　the　Kor…ul…jaians　entertained　the　same　conviction。

I　will　make　you　a　good　gund；〃　said　Om…at；　seeing　that　no　one　appeared　inclined　to　dispute　his　rights。　〃Your　wives　and　daughters　will　be　safethey　were　not　safe　while　Es…sat　ruled。　Go　now　to　your　crops　and　your　hunting。　I　leave　to　search　for　Pan…at…lee。　Ab…on　will　be　gund　while　I　am　awaylook　to　him　for　guidance　and　to　me　for　an　accounting　when　I　returnand　may　Jad…ben…Otho　smile　upon　you。〃

He　turned　toward　Tarzan　and　the　Ho…don。　〃And　you；　my　friends；〃　he　said；　〃are　free　to　go　among　my　people；　the　cave　of　my　ancestors　is　yours；　do　what　you　will。〃

〃I；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃will　go　with　Om…at　to　search　for　Pan…at…lee。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Ta…den。

Om…at　smiled。　〃Good！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And　when　we　have　found　her　we　shall　go　together　upon　Tarzan's　business　and　Ta…den's。　Where　first　shall　we　search？〃　He　turned　toward　his　warriors。　〃Who　knows　where　she　may　be？〃

None　knew　other　than　that　Pan…at…lee　had　gone　to　her　cave　with　the　others　the　previous　eveningthere　was　no　clew；　no　suggestion　as　to　her　whereabouts。

〃Show　me　where　she　sleeps；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃let　me　see　something　that　belongs　to　heran　article　of　her　apparelthen；　doubtless；　I　can　help　you。〃

Two　young　warriors　climbed　closer　to　the　ledge　upon　which　Om…at　stood。　They　were　In…sad　and　O…dan。　It　was　the　latter　who　spoke。

〃Gund　of　Kor…ul…ja；〃　he　said；　〃we　would　go　with　you　to　search　for　Pan…at…lee。〃

It　was　the　first　acknowledgment　of　Om…at's　chieftainship　and　immediately　following　it　the　tenseness　that　had　prevailed　seemed　to　relaxthe　warriors　spoke　aloud　instead　of　in　whispers；　and　the　women　appeared　from　the　mouths　of　caves　as　with　the　passing　of　a　sudden　storm。　In…sad　and　O…dan　had　taken　the　lead　and　now　all　seemed　glad　to　follow。　Some　came　to　talk　with　Om…at　and　to　look　more　closely　at　Tarzan；　others；　heads　of　caves；　gathered　their　hunters　and　discussed　the　business　of　the　day。　The　women　and　children　prepared　to　descend　to　the　fields　with　the　youths　and　the　old　men；　whose　duty　it　was　to　guard　them。

〃O…dan　and　In…sad　shall　go　with　us；〃　announced　Om…at；　〃we　shall　not　need　more。　Tarzan；　come　with　me　and　I　shall　show　you　where　Pan…at…lee　sleeps；　though　why　you　should　wish　to　know　I　cannot　guessshe　is　not　there。　I　have　looked　for　myself。〃

The　two　entered　the　cave　where　Om…at　led　the　way　to　the　apartment　in　which　Es…sat　had　surprised　Pan…at…lee　the　previous　night。

〃All　here　are　hers；〃　said　Om…at；　〃except　the　war　club　lying　on　the　floorthat　was　Es…sat's。〃

The　ape…man　moved　silently　about　the　apartment；　the　quivering　of　his　sensitive　nostrils　scarcely　apparent　to　his　companion　who　only　wondered　what　good　purpose　could　be　served　here　and　chafed　at　the　delay。

〃Come！〃　said　the　ape…man；　presently；　and　led　the　way　toward　the　outer　recess。

Here　their　three　companions　were　awaiting　them。　Tarzan　passed　to　the　left　side　of　the　niche　and　examined　the　pegs　that　lay　within　reach。　He　looked　at　them　but　it　was　not　his　eyes　that　were　examining　them。　Keener　than　his　keen　eyes　was　that　marvelously　trained　sense　of　scent　that　had　first　been　developed　in　him　during　infancy　under　the　tutorage　of　his　foster　mother；　Kala；　the　she…ape；　and　further　sharpened　in　the　grim　jungles　by　that　master　teacherthe　instinct　of　self…preservation。

From　the　left　side　of　the　niche　he　turned　to　the　right。　Om…at　was　becoming　impatient。

〃Let　us　be　off；〃　he　said。　〃We　must　search　for　Pan…at…lee　if　we　would　ever　find　her。〃

〃Where　shall　we　search？〃　asked　Tarzan。

Om…at　scratched　his　head。　〃Where？〃　he　repeated。　〃Why　all　Pal…ul…don；　if　necessary。〃

〃A　large　job；〃　said　Tarzan。　〃Come；〃　he　added；　〃she　went　this　way；〃　and　he　took　to　the　pegs　that　led　aloft　toward　the　summit　of　the　cliff。　Here　he　followed　the　scent　easily　since　none　had　passed　that　way　since　Pan…at…lee　had　fled。　At　the　point　at　which　she　had　left　the　permanent　pegs　and　resorted　to　those　carried　with　her　Tarzan　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。　〃She　went　this　way　to　the　summit；〃　he　called　back　to　Om…at　who　was　directly　behind　him；　〃but　there　are　no　pegs　here。〃

〃I　do　not　know　how　you　know　that　she　went　this　way；〃　said　Om…at；　〃but　we　will　get　pegs。　In…sad；　return　and　fetch　climbing　pegs　for　five。〃

The　young　warrior　was　soon　back　and　the　pegs　distributed。　Om…at　handed　five　to　Tarzan　and　explained　their　use。　The　ape…man　returned　one。　〃I　need　but　four；〃　he　said。

Om…at　smiled。　〃What　a　wonderful　creature　you　would　be　if　you　were　not　deformed；〃　he　said；　glancing　with　pride　at　his　own　strong　tail。

〃I　admit　that　I　am　handicapped；〃　replied　Tarzan。　〃You　others　go　ahead　and　leave　the　pegs　in　place　for　me。　I　am　afraid　that　otherwise　it　will　be　slow　work　as　I　cannot　hold　the　pegs　in　my　toes　as　you　do。〃

〃All　right；〃　agreed　Om…at；　〃Ta…den；　In…sad；　and　I　will　go　first；　you　follow　and　O…dan　bring　up　the　rear　and　collect　the　pegswe　cannot　leave　them　here　for　our　enemies。〃

〃Can't　your　enemies　bring　their　own　pegs？〃　asked　Tarzan。

〃Yes；　but　it　delays　them　and　makes　easier　our　defense　andthey　do　not　know　which　of　all　the　holes　you　see　are　deep　enough　for　pegsthe　others　are　made　to　confuse　our　enemies　and　are　too　shallow　to　hold　a　peg。〃

At　the　top　of　the　cliff　beside　the　gnarled　tree　Tarzan　again　took　up　the　trail。　Here　the　scent　was　fully　as　strong　as　upon　the　pegs　and　the　ape…man　moved　rapidly　across　the　ridge　in　the　direction　of　the　Kor…ul…lul。

Presently　he　paused　and　turned　toward　Om…at。　〃Here　she　moved　swiftly；　running　at　top　speed；　and；　Om…at；　she　was　pursued　by　a　lion。〃

〃You　can　read　that　in　the　grass？〃　asked　O…dan　as　the　others　gathered　about　the　ape…man。

Tarzan　nodded。　〃I　do　not　think　the　lion　got　her；〃　he　added；　〃but　that　we　shall　determine　quickly。　No；　he　did　not　get　herlook！〃　and　he　pointed　toward　the　southwest；　down　the　ridge。

Following　the　direction　indicated　by　his　finger；　the　others　presently　detected　a　movement　in　some　bushes　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　away。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Om…at。　〃It　is　she？〃　and　he　started　toward　the　spot。

〃Wait；〃　advised　Tarzan。　〃It　is　the　lion　which　pursued　her。〃

〃You　can　see　him？〃　asked　Ta…den。

〃No；　I　can　smell　him。〃

The　others　looked　their　astonishment　and　incredulity；　but　of　the　fact　that　it　was　indeed　a　lion