The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1914-01-16
TARTAN OF
THE APES
By EDGAR RICE
BURROUGHS
Copyright. 1912, by the Frank A.
Munsey Company

plant track toward the east and was
busily engaged in turning over rotted
limbs and logs in search Of esculent
bugs and fungi when the faintest shad-
ow of a strange noise brought her to
startled attention.
For fifty yards before her the trail
was straight and down this leafy tun-
mel she looked straight at the stealth
lily advancing figure of a strange and
fearful creature.
1t was Kulonga.
Kala did not wait to see more, but,
turning, moved rapidly back along the
trail She did not run, but, after the
manner of her kind when not reused,
sought rather to avoid than to escape.
Close after her came Kulonga. Here
was meat. He could make killing
and feast well this day. On he hur-
ried. his spear poised for the throw.
At a turning of the trail he came
in sight of her again upon another
straight stretch. His spear hand went
far back; the muscles rolled. lightning
like. beneath the sleek hide. Out shot
the arm, and the spear sped toward
Kala.
A poor cast. 1t but graZed her side.
With cry of rage and pain Kala
turned upon her tormentor. In an in
slant the trees were crashing beneath
the weight Of hurrying apes, swinging
rapidly toward the scene Of trouble In
answer to Kala's scream.
As Kala charged. Kulonga unslung
his bow and fitted an arrow with al
most unthinkable quickness. Drawing
the shaft far back. he drove the poi
soned missile straight into the heart
of the great she ape.
With a horrid scream Kala plunged
forward upon her face before the as
tonished members of her tribe.
Roaring and shrieking. the apes dash
ed toward Kulonga. but that wary saw
age was fleeing down the trail like a
frightened antelope. They followed
him. racing through the trees for a
long distance. but finally ore by one
they abandoned the chase and returned
to the scene of the tragedy.
On the far beach by the little cabin
TarZan heard the faint echoes Of the
conflict. and. knowing that something
was seriously amiss among the tribe,
he fastened rapidly toward the direc-
ton of the sound.
When he arrived he found the entire
tribe gathered jabbering about the dead
body of his slain mother.
Tarzan's grief and anger were un-
bounded. He roared out his hideouS
challenge time and again. He beat
apon his chest with his fists, and then
he fell upon the body of Kala and
sobbed out the pitiful sorrowing of his
lonely heart
But after the first outburst of grief
TarZan controlled himself and, ques-
tioning the members of the tribe who
had witnessed the killing of Kala, he
learned all that their meager vocabu-
larry could vouchsafe him.
1t was enough. however, for his
needs. 1t told him of a strange, hair
less, black ape with feathers growing
upon its head, who launched death
from slender branch and then ran
with the f1eetness Of Bara. the deer.
toward the rising sun.
TarZan waited no longer; but, leap
ing into the branches of the trees, sped
rapidly through the forest. He knew
the windings of the elephant trail
along which Kala's murderer had
flown. and he cut straight through the
jungle to intercept the black warrior,
who was evidently following the tor
tuous detours of the trail.
At his side was the hunting knife of
his unknown sire, and across his shout
ders the coils of his own long rope. In
an hour he struck the trail again and,
coming to earth, examined the soil
infinitely.
In the soft mud on the bank of a
tiny rivulet he found footprints such
as he alone in all the jungle had ever
made, but much larger than his. His
heart beat fast. Could it be that he
was trailing a man-one Of his own
race?
There were two sets Of imprints
pointing in opposite directions. So his
quarry had already passed on his re-
turn along the trail. AS he examined
the newer spoor a tiny particle of
earth toppled from the outer edge of
one Of the footprints to the bottom of
its shallow depression-ah, the trail
was very fresh, his prey must have
but scarcely passed.
Tarzan had covered barely a mile
more when he came upon the black
warrior standing in a little open space.
In his hand was his slender bow, to
which he had fitted one of his death
dealing arrows.
Opposite him across the little clear
ing stood Horta. the boar. with lower
ed head and foam f1ecked tusks. ready
to charge.
The black released the poisoned ar
row. and Tarzan saw it fly with the
thickness of thought and lodge in the
bristling neck Of the boar.
Scarcely had the shaft left his lbow
ere Kulonga had fitted another 70 it,
but Horta. the boar. was upon hip so
quickly that he had no time II DIS