Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-09

umbilns as he went slowly to the inferior
station.
Then the priestcss, standing above him.
began recitinR what Tarzan took 10 pc ~,
Invocation, tho whilo she slowly raiseg ,
her thin, sharp knife aloft' IL seeIIleu
ages TO the ape-man before her am am
ceased its upward progress and the hnlIe
halted high above his unprotected breast
Then II started downward, slowly. at
hrst, but as the incantstion Increased ",
rapidlty, with greater speed. ~ the emu
of the line Tarznn could hear the grunlp- p
ling OF the disgruntled priest. The man -s ?
voice rose louder and louder. prlestess
near him spoke In sharp tones OF rebuket.
The knife was quite near TO TAI 81. q
breast now. but II halted for an instane
as the high priestess raised her eyes TO
shoot her swift displeasuro Mt the insti-
gator OF this sacrilegious interruption.
There was a sudden commotion IN the
direction Of the disputants, ana Ih1en
rolled his head in their direction IN time 70
see tho buriy brute OF priest leap upon
the woman opposite him, dashing OUT hen
brains with a single blow OF his hsaVs
cudgel Then that happened Wnlcn ~.
zan had witnessed a hundred times before
among the wild denIzens Of his own say,
age Jungle. He had seen the thlns TAI
upon Kerchak, and Tubiat and Terkol.
upon a dozen OF the other mighty pun
apes OF his tribe: and upon Tantor, tne
elephant; there was scarce any o. the
males Of the forest that did not at tiInes
fall prey to II. The priest went MAD. ana
with his heavy bludgeon ran amuck
among his fellows.
HIS screams OF rage we're frlghtful as ne
dashed hithor and thlther, dealing terrino
blows with his giant weapon, or sinking
his yellow fangs into the flesh OF some
luckless victim. And during IL the priest
ess stood with poised knife above TaTzan,
her eyes fixed In horror upon the maniacal
thing that was dealing out death ana de-
struction to her votnries.
Presently tho room was emptied eN-
cept for the dead and dying on the floor
the victim upon the altar, the high pricst-
ess and the madman. AS the cunning
eyes Of the latter fell upon the woman
they lighted with q new and sudden lust.
Slowly no crept toward her, and now ne
spoke; but this time there fell upon TAR
zan's surprised ears Language ne couid
understand; the last one that he would
ever have thought Of employing In at
tempting to converse with human beings
the low cultural barking Of the tribe
OF great anthropods-hls own mother
tongue. And the woman answered the
man in the same language.
He was threatening-she attempting 10
reason WITH nlIllt AOT IL wan AhhAN
that she saw that he was past her author
ity. The brute was quite close now
creeping with clawllke hands extended
toward her around the end of the altar.
Tarzan strained at the bonds which
held his arms plnloned behind him. The
woman did not see-Bhe had forgotten her
prcy In the horror OF the danger that
threatened herself. AS the brute leaped
past Tarzan to clutch his victim, tho
ape-rnan gave one superhuman wrench at
the thongs that held him. The effort
sent him rolling from the altar to the
stone floor on the opposite side from that
on which the priestess stood; but as no
sprang to his feet the thongs dropped
from his freed arms. and at the same
time he realized that he was alone In
the inner temple-the high priestess and
the mad priest had disappeared.
And then q muffled scream came from
the cavernous mouth OF the dark hole
beyond the Bacrificial altar through which
the priestess had entered the temple.
without even q thought for his own
safety, or the possibility for escape which
this rapid series of fortuitous circum-
stances had thrust upon him. Tarzan OF
the Apes answered the call OF the woman
in danger With 1.-THE bound he was
at the gaping entrance to the subterra-
mean chamber, and moment later was
running down a flight OF age-old con-
crete steps that led he knew not where
The faint light that filtered In from
above showed him large, low-ceiled
vault from which several doorways led
off into inlSy darkness, but there was
no need to thread an unknown way, for
there before him lay the objects of his
search-the mad brute had the girl upon
the floor and the gorllla-like fingers were
clutching frantically at her throat as
she struggled to escape the fury OF the
awful thing upon her.
As Tarzan's heavy hand fell upon his
shoulder the priest dropped his victim,
and turned upon her would-oe rescuer
with foam-necked lips and barred fangs
the mad sun-worshipper battled with the
tenfold power OF the maniac. In tha
blood lust OF his fury the creature had
undergone sudden reversion to type,
which left him a wild beast, forgetful OF
the dagger that projected from his belt
thinking only OF natures weapons with
which his brute prototype had battled.
But II he could use his teeth and hands
to advantage. he found one even better
versed In the school OF savage warfare
to which he had reverted, for Tarzan OF
the Apes closed with him. and they fell
to the noor tearing and rending at one
another like two bull apes; while the
primitive priestess stood fiattened against
the wall. watching with wide. fear-fas-
cinated eyes the growing, swapping
beasts at her feet.
At last she saw the stranger close one
mighty hand upon the throat OF his an
tagonist. and as he forced the brute
mans head far back, rain blow after blow
upon the upturned face. A moment later
he threw the still thing from him, and.
arising, shook himself like a great lion.
He placed a foot upon the carcass before
him, and raised his head 10 give the VIC
tory cry OF his kind but as his eyes fell
upon the opening above him leading into
tho temple OF human sacrifice he thought
better OF his intended act.
The girl. who had been half paralyzed
BY fear as the two men fought. had just
commenced to give thought to her prob
able fato now that. though released from
the clutches OF a madman. she had fallen
into the hands OF one whom but a mo-
nent before she had been upon the point
OF killing She looked about for some
means OF escape. The black mouth OF a
diverglng corridor was near at hand. but
az she turned 10 dart into Il the ape