The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-04-30
TARTAN OF
THE APES
By EDGAR RICE
BURROUGHS
Copyright, 1912. by the Frank A.
munsey Company
Continued from last week.


les. there was Numa. the lion. even
PAGES to the right.
Clayton heard the great body paral-
leling his course. and now there rose
upon the evening air the great beasts
thunderous roar The man stopped
with upraised spear and faced the
brush from which issued the awful
sound. The shadows were deepening;
darkness was coming on.
For moment all was still. Clayton
stood rigid with raised spear Pres
emily faint rustling of the bush be-
hind him appraised him of the stealthy
creeping OF the thing. 1t was gather
ing for spring when at last he saw
1.-the, muscular body and tawny head
Of huge black named lion.
In agony the man watched fearful
10 launch his spear. powerless to fly.
He heard noise i'm the tree above
him. Some new danger, he thought,
but he dared not take his eyes from
the yellow green orbs before him.
There was sharp twang, like the
sound of a broken banjo string, and
at the same instant an arrow appeared
i'm the yellow hide OF the crouching
lion.
With a roar OF pain and anger the
beast sprang, but Clayton stumbled to
one side, and as he turned again to
face the Infatuated king of beasts he
was appalled, Mt the sight which con-
fronted him. Almost simultaneously
with the lions turning to renew the at
tack naked giant had dropped from
the tree above squarely on the brute's
back.
With lightning speed an arm that
was corded with layers OF iron muscle
encircled the huge neck, and the great
beast was raised from behind, roaring
and paving the air-raised as easily
as Clayton would have lifted pet dog
That scene he witnessed in the twi-
light depths OF an African jungle was
burned forever into the Englishman's
brain.
The man before him was the en-
bodiment of physical perfection and
giant strength, yet II was not on this
he had depended in his battle with the
great cat, for, mighty as were his mus
cles, they were as nothing by compan-
son with those possessed by Numa.
To his agility, to his brain and to
his long, keen knife he owed his SUI
premacy.
His right arm encircled the lions
neck, while the left hand plunged the
knife time and time again into the
unprotected side behind the left shout
der, while the Infatuated beast. drawn
upward and backward until he stood
on his hind legs. struggled impotently
in this unnatural position.
Had the battle continued n few sec
onds longer the outcome might have
been different. but all was accom-
pllshed so quickly that the lion had
scarce time to recover from its sur
prise before 1t sank lifeless to the
ground.
Then the strange figure which had
vanquished IL stood erect upon the car
cass and. throwing back the wild,
handsome head. gave the fearsome cry
which a few moments earlier had so
startled Clayton.
Before him he saw the figure OF a
young man naked except for loin
cloth and few barbaric ornaments on
arms and legs and on the breast a
priceless diamond locket cleaning
against smooth brown skin.
The hunting knife had been returned
to its hOmely sheath, and the man was
gathering up his bow and culver from
where he had tossed them when he
leaped to attack the lion.
Clayton spoke to the man In English
thanking him for his brave rescue and
complimenting him on his wondrous
strength and dexterity.
The only answer was a steady stare
and faint shrug OF the mighty shoul.
ders, which may have betokened either
disparagement Of the service rendered
or ignorance Of the language
The bow and culver slung on his
back. the wild man once more drew
his knife and deity carved n dozen
large strips Of meat from the lions
carcass. Then. squatting upon his
launches, he proceeded 10 eat. notion
ing Clayton to Join him.
The strong white teeth sank into the
raw and dripping flesh I'm apparent rel.
I ish but Clayton could not bring him
self 20 share the uncOoked meat with
his strange host Instead he watched
him, and presently there dawned upon
him the conviction that this was Tar
IAN OF the apes. whose notice he had
seen posted upon the cabin door that
morning.
II so he must speak English.
Again Clayton essayed speech with
the ape man. but the replies were I'm a
strange tongue, which resembled the
chattering OF monkeys mingled with
the growing Of some wild beast