The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-30


very still now. ominously still. Horta
passed beneath Tarzan. A few more
steps and be would be within the
radius of Numa's spring. Tarzan
could imagine how old Numa's eyes
were shining, how he was already
sucking In his breath for the aWfui
roar which would freeze his prey for
the brief instant between the moment
of the spring and the sinking OF terri
BILE fangs into splintering bones.
But as Numa gathered himself
slender rope few through the air from
the low branches Of nearby tree. A
moose settled about H0rta's neck.
There was q frightened grunt. squeal,
and then Numa saw his quarry drag
ged backward up the trail. and as he
sprang Horta. the boar. scared upward
beyond his clutches into the tree
above. and hooking face looked
down and laughed into his own.
Then indeed did Numa roar. Angry.
threatening. hungry. he paced back
and forth beneath the haunting ape
man. Now he stopped and. rising on
his hind legs against the stem Of the
tree that held his enemy. sharpened
his huge claws upon the bark. tearing
out great pieces that lay bare the white
wood beneath.
And in the meantime Tarzan had
dragged the struggling HOrta to the
limb beside him. Siuewy fingers COM
pleted the work the choking moose had
commenced. The ape-man had no
knife. but nature had equipped him
with the means Of tearing his food
from the quiveripg flank Of his prey.
and cleaning teeth sank into the sue
culent flesh while the raging lion look
ed on from below as another enjoyed
the dinner that he had thought al
ready his.
1t was quite dark BY the time Tar
Fan had gOrged himself. An. but 1t
had been delicious: Never had he
quite accustomed himself to the ruined
flesh that civilized men had served
him, and in the bottom of his savage
heart there had constantly been the
craving for the warm meat Ut the
fresh killed and the rich. red blood.
He wiped his bloody hands upon
bunch of leaves. slung the remains OF
his kill across his shoulder and swung
OF through the middle terrace Of the
forest toward his cabin. and at the
same instant Jane Porter and william
Cecil Clayton arose from sumptuOus
dinner upon the Lady Alice. thousands
of miles to the east In the Indian
ocean.
Beneath Tarzan walked Numa. the
lion. and when the ape-man deigned to
glance downward he tsauGht occasional
glimpses Of the baIefuI green eyes fol-
lowing through the darkness. Numa
did not roar now. Instead he moved
stealthily, like the shadow Of great
cat, but yet he took no step that did
not reach the sensitive ears Of the ape
man.
Tarzan wondered II he would stalk
him to his cabin door. He hoped not,
for that would mean q nights sleep
curled in the crotch OF q tree. and he
much preferred the bed Of grasses
within his own abode. But be knew
Just the tree and the most comfortable
crotch II necessity demanded that he
sleep out. A hundred times In the past
some great jungle cat had followed him
home and compelled him to seek shell
ter in this same tree until another
mood or the rising sun had sent his
enemy away.
But presently Numa gave mp the
chase and. with q series Of bloOdcur-
ding means and roars. turned angrily
back In search Of another and easier
| dinner.
| A few moments later Tarzan was
curled up In the widowed remnants Of
what had once been q bed OF CRUISES.
Thus easily did N. Jean q. Tar1an
slough the thin skin OF his artificial
civilization and sink happy and con.
tented into the deep sleep OF the Wild
beast that has fed to repletion. Yet {
woman's yes" would have bound DIN
to that other life forever and made the
thought Of this savage existence repui.
sive.
Tarzan slept late into the following
forenoon. for be had been very ttre0
from the labors and exert1on Of the
long night and day upon the Ocean and
the jungle jaunt that had brought Int
play muscles that he had scarce USED
for nearly two years. When be awokt
he ran to tho brook 6rst to drink
Then he took . plunge into the ses
swimming about for q quarter OF Al
hour. Afterward he returned to hi
cabin and breakfasted Oh the 0esh o
Horta. This done. be buried the bal
ance Of the carcass In the soft eartl
outside the cabin for his evening meal
Once more be took his rope and van
ished into the jungle. This time D.
hunted nobler quarry-man. although
had you asked him his own opinion. D.
could have named q dozen other denl
. Gems of the jungle which be cOnsidere'
. far the superi0rs In nobility OF To
men be hunted. Today Tarzan was y