The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-04-09

Siu thc CdiuIOu VI pOlSOu
and stood motionless, his quick
eyes scanning the interior Of
the palisade.
No n was in sight. His eyes rested
upon the open doorway Of a nearby
hut. He would take a look within.
thought Tarzan, and so cautiously he
approached the low matched building.
For a moment he hesitated without.
listening intently. There was no
sound, and he glided into the semi
darkness of the interior.
Weapons hung against the walls
long spears, strangely shaped knives, a
couple Of narrow shields. In the cen
ter Of the room was a cooking pot and
at the far end a litter Of dry grasses
covered by woven mats. which evident
ly served the owners as beds and bed
ding. Several human skulls lay upon
the floor.
Tarzan OF the apes felt of each arti-
Gle, hefted the spears, smelled of them,
for he saw" largely through his sensi-
tive and highly trained nostrils. He
determined to W one Of these long
pointed sticks, but he could not take
one on this trip because Of the arrows
he meant to carry.
One by one as he took each article
from the walls he placed them in a
pile In the center Of the room, and on
top Of all he placed the cooking pot,
inverted, and on top Of this he laid
one Of the grinning skulls, upon which
he fastened the headdress Of the dead
Kulonga.
Then he stood back and surveyed his
work and grinned. Tarzan Of the apes
was a joker.
But now be heard without the sounds
of many voices and long. mournful
bowls and mighty wailing. He was
Quickly he reached the doorway and
peered down the village street toward
the village gate.
The natives were not yet in sight,
though he could plainly hear them ap-
preaching across the plantation. They
must be very near.
Like a fash he sprang across the
opening to the pile Of arrows. Gath.
ering up all he could carry under one
arm, with q kick he overturned the
seething caldrOn and disappeared into
the foliage, just as the first Of the re-
turning natives entered the gate at the
far end of the village. He turned to
watch the proceedings below, poised
like some wild bird ready to take swift
wing at the first sign of danger.
The natives filed up the street, four
Of them bearing the body Of Kulonga.
Behind trailed the women. uttering
strange cries and weird lamentation.
On they came to the portals Of the very
hut in which Tarzan had wrought his
depredations.
Scarcely had half q dozen entered
the building ere they came rushing out
in wild. jabbering confusion. The
others FASTENED to gather about. There
was much excited gesticulating, point,
ing and chattering. Several Of the
warriors approached and peered within.
Finally an old fellow with many or.
naments of metal about his arms and
legs and a necklace of dried human
hands depending upon his chest. en-
tered the hut.
1t was Mbonga, the king. father of
Kulonga.
For a few moments all were silent.
Then Mbonga emerged. a look Of min
hideous c~ountenance. He spoke n few
words to the assembled warriors. and
In an instant the men were flying
through the little village searching
infinitely every hut and corner within
the palisade.
Scarcely had the search commenced
than the overturned caldron was dis
covered and with 1t the theft Of the
poisoned arrows. Nothing more they
found, and 1t was a thoroughly awed
and frightened group of savages which
huddled around their king a few mo-
ments later.
They stood in little groups, talking
in low tones and casting a~ffrighted
glances behind them from their great
rolling eyes.
Tarzan Of the apes watched them for
awhile from his lofty perch in the
great tree. The sun was high in the
heavens. Tarzan had not broken fast
this day, and it vas many miles to
where lay the toothsome remains Of
Horta, the boar. So. he turned his back
upon the village of Mbonga.
1t was not yet dark when he reached
his tribe, though he stopped to exhume
and devour the remains of the wild
boar he had cached the preceding day
and again to get Knlonga's bow and
arrows from the tree top in which he
had hidden them.
1t was well laden .Tarzan who