Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-29

NNS
between the colored pictures = some
strange kind Of bugs he thought they
might be, for many of them had legs,
though nowhere could he find one with
eyes and a mouth. 1t was his first in
PRODUCTION to the letters Of the alpha
bet. and he was over ten years old.
OF course he had never before seen
print. or never had spoken with any |
living thing which had the remotest
idea that such a thing as a written Ian
guage existed. and never had he seen
any one reading.
So what wonder that the little boy
was quite at a loss to guess the mean
ing of these strange figures.
Near the back Of the book he found
his old enemy, Sabor, the tiger, and,
just above him. coiled Mistah. the
snake.
Oh, it was most engrossing! Never
before in oil his ten years had he ell.
joyed anything so much. So absorbed
was he that he did not note the ap-
preaching dusk until it was quite upon
him.
He put the book back in the cup
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 it 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 it 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 a low bush.
At first he thought it was one of his
own people, but in another instant he
realized that it 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
one nor the other ever asked or gave
quarter.
Had Tarzan 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
of mighty fighters, and back of this
was the training of his short lifetime
among the fierce brutes Of the jungle.
He knew no fear, as we know it.: 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 flight was out of
the question he faced the gorilla
squarely and bravely without a tremor
Of a single muscle OF 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 it 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 MS the tearing. striking
beast dragged him to earth he plunged
the blade repeatedly into it's breast.
The gorilla, fighting after the man
ner of its kind, struck terrific blows
with its open hand and tore the fesl
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 ani
bleeding arm struck home with the
long sharp blade, then the little figure
stiffened with a spasmodic jerk, ant
Tarzan, the young Lord Greystoke
rolled senseless upon the dead and de
caying vegetation which carpeted bill
) Jungle home.
> A mile back in the forest the trib,
> had heard the fierce challenge Of thu
!, gorilla, and, as was his custom whel
! any danger threatened, Kerchak called
: his people together, partly for mutua
protection against a common enemy
; since this gorilla might be but one O.
several, and also to see that all mem
bers Of the tribe were accounted for.
It was soon discovered that Tarzal
: was missing, and Tublat was strongl.
opposed to sending assistance. Ker
chalk himself had no liking for tn
strange little waif, so he listened t.
!, Tublat, and finally, with a shrug of hi,
, shoulders, turned back to the pile o
leaves on which he had made his bed.
. But Kala was of a different mind
In fact, she had waited but to learn tina
, Tarzan was absent ere she was fairl,
flying through the matted branches to
ward the point from which the cries o
the gorilla were still plainly audible.
Darkness had fallen. and an earl!
moon was sending its faint light to cas-
strange, grotesque shadows among tn
dense foliage of the forest.