Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-20

He would peek into the curtained WIN
dows, or, climbing upon the roof. peer
down the black depths of the chimney
in vain endeavor to solve the unknown
wonders that lay within those strong
walls.
His little childish imagination pic
tured wonderful creatures within, and
the very imposslbility of forcing en-
trance added a thousandfold to his de-
sire to do so.
He would Chamber about the roof and
windows for hours attempting to dis
cover means of ingress, but to the door
he paid little attention, for this was ap-
parently as solid as the walls.
1t was in the next visit to the vicinity,
following the adventure with old Sabor,
that, as he approached the cabin, Tar
zan noticed that from a distance the
door appeared as though an independent
part of the wall in which 1t was set, and
for the first time 1t occurred TO him that
this might prove the means of entrance
which had so long eluded him.
He was alone, as was often the case
when he visited the cabin, for the apes
had no love for lt; the story of the
thunder-stick having lost nothing In the
telling during these 10 years had quite
surrounded the white mans deserted
abode with an atmosphere OF weirdness
and terror for the simians.
The story of his own connection with
the cabin had never been told him. The
language OF the apes has so few words
that they could talk but little OF what
they had seen in the cabin. having no
words to accurately describe either the
strange people or their belongings, and
So long before Tarzan was old enough
to understand, the subject had been for
gotten by the tribe.
Only In a dim vague way had kala
explained to him that his father had
been strange white ape, but he did not
Know that kala was not his own mother.
On this day, then. he went directly to
the door and spent hours examining it
and fussinR with the hinges, the knob
and the latch. Finally he stumbled
upon the right combination, and the door
swung creakingly open before his aston
ished eyes.
For some minutes he did not dare VEN
ture within, but finally, as his eyes be-
came accustomed to the dim light of tho
interior he slowly and cautiously entered.
In the middle of the floor lay a skele-
ton, every vestge of flesh gone from the
homes to which still clunE the mildewed
and nodded remnants of what had once
been clothing. Upon the bed lay a SINH
lar gruesome thing, but smaller, while
in tiny cradle nearby was a third,
wee mite of skeleton.
To none of these evidences of a fearful
tragedy of long dead day did little
larzan give but passing heed. His wild
jungle life had Injured him to the sight
OF dead and dying animals. and had he
known that he was looking upon the re-
mains of his own father and mother he
would have been no more greatly moved.
The furnishings and other contents of
the room it was which riveted his atten-
tion. He examined many things minutely
strange tools and weapons books pa
rers, Clothing-what little had withstood
the ravages of time in the humid atmos-
phere of the jungle coast.
He opened chests and cupboards. such
as did not battle his small experience,
and in these he found the contents much
better preserved.
Among other things he found sharp
hunting knife. on the keen blade of which
he Immediately proceeded to cut his