The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-03-19

board and closed the door, for he did
not wish any one else to find and de-
stroy his treasure. and as he went out
into the gathering darkness he closed
the great door OF the cabin behind him
as 1t had been before he discovered the
secret Of Its lock. but before he left he
had noticed the hunting knife lying
where he had thrown 1t upon the floor.
and this he picked up and took with
him to show to his fellows.
He had taken scarce a dozen steps
toward the jungle when a great form
rose up before him from the shadows
Of q low bush.
At first he thought 1t was one Of his
own people. but in another instant he
realized that 1t was a huge gorilla.
So close was he that there was no
chance for flight, and little Tarzan
knew that he must stand and fight for
his life; for these great beasts were the
deadly enemies of his tribe. and neither
n nor the other ever asked or gave
quarter.
Had Tarsan been a full grown bull
ape of the species Of his tribe he would
have been more than a match for the
gorilla, but being only a little English
boy, though enormously muscular for
such, he stood no show against his cruel
antagonist. In his veins, however,
flowed the blood Of the best Of a race
was the training Of his short lifetime
among the fierce brutes Of the jungle.
He knew nc fear, Us We know 1t; his
heart beat the faster. but from the ex-
element and eXhilaration Of adventure.
Had the opportunity presented itself
he would have escaped. but solely be-
cause his judgment told him he was no
match for the great thing which con
fronted him And as fight was out Of
the question he faced the gorilla
squarely and bravely without q tremor
Of a single muscle or any sign Of panic.
In fact, he met the brute midway In
Its charge, striking Its huge body with
his closed fists and as futilely as If he
had been a fly attacking an elephant.
But In one hand he still clutched the
knife he had found, and as the brute.
striking and biting. closed upon him
the boy accidentally turned the point
toward the hairy breast.
As 1t sank deep into the body of him
the gorilla shrieked In pain and rage
But the boy had learned In that brief
second a use for his sharp and shining
toy, so that as the tearing. striking
beast dragged him to earth he plunged
the blade repeatedly into its breast.
The gorilla. fighting after the mar
ner Of its kind, struck terrific blows
with Its open hand and tore the flesh
at the boys throat and chest with Its
mighty tusks.
For a moment they rolled upon the
ground In the fierce frenzy Of combat.
More and more weakly the torn and
bleeding arm struck home with the
long sharp blade. then the little figure
stiffened with a spasmodic jerk, and
Tarzan. the young Lord Greystoke,
rolled senseless upon the dead and de-
caying vegetation which carpeted his
jungle home.
A mile back in the forest the tribe
had heard the fierce challenge o" the
gorilla, and, as was his custom when
any danger threatened. Kerchak called
his people together, partly for mutual
protection against a common enemy,
since this gorilla might be but one Of
several. and also to see that all men,
bers Of the tribe were accounted for.
1t was soon discovered that Tarzan
was missing, and Tublat vas strongly
opposed to sending assistance. Ker-
chak himself had no liking for the
strange little wait. so he listened to
Tublat, and finally. with a shrug Of his
shoulders. turned back to the pile of
leaves on which he had made his bed.
But kala was Of a different mind.
TarZan was absent ere she was fairly
flying through the matted branches to-
ward the point from which the cries of
the gorilla were still plainly audible.
Darkness had fallen. and an early
moo was sending its faint light to cast
strange, grotesque shadows among the
dense foliage of the forest
Presently Kala came upon them. ly-
ing In an open space full under the
brilliant moo TarZan's torn and
bloody form. and beside 1t a great bull
gorilla. stone dead. With a low cry
Kala rushed to Tarzan's side and.
gathering the poor, blood covered body
to her breast. listened for a sign of
life. Family she heard 1.-THE weak
beating of the little heart.
Tenderly she bore him back through
the inky jungle to where the tribe lay.
and for many days and nights she sat
guard beside him. bringing him food
and water and brushing the flies and
other insects from his cruel wounds.
OF medicine or surgery the poor
thing knew nothing. She could but
lick the wounds. and thus she kept
them cleansed. that healing nature
might the more quickly do her work.
At first Tarzan would eat nothing.
but rolled and tossed In a wild deliri-
um Of fever. All he craved was water.
and this she brought him in the only
way she could. bearing IL in her own
mouth.
No human mother could have shown
more unselish and sacrificing devotion
than did this poor wild brute for the
little orphaned waif whom fate had