Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-13
'kT THE EARTHS CORE
BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS AUTHOR os1ARzAE

other shaft for him but he did not wait
to receive It.
Instead he turned and retreated toward
the main body or gorillamen. Evidently
he had seen enough OF me FOR the mo-
ment.
once more 7 took up my flight nor
were the Sagoths apparently overanxious
to press their pursuit SO closely as be-
fore.
Unmolested reached the top Of the
canyon, where found sheer drop of two
or three hundred feet to the bottom of a
rocky chasm, but on the left a narrow
ledge rounded the shoulder of the over
hanging cliff
Along this 1 advanced and, at a sud-
den turning a few yards beyond the
canyons end, the path widened, and at my
left l saw the opening to n large cave.
Before, the ledge continued until it passed
from sight about another projecting but
tress of the mountain.
Here I felt 1 could defy an army, for
but single foeman could advance upon
me at n time, nor could he know that 1
was awaiting him until he came full upon
me around the corner of the turn. About
mo lay scattered stones crumbled from
the cliff above. They were Of various
sizes and shapes, but enough were of
handy dimensions for use as ammunition
in lieu of my precious arrows, Gathering
a number of stones into a little pile
beside the mouth of the cave, I awaited
the advance of the Sagoths.
AS 1 stood there, tense and silent, lis
tening for the first faint sound that should
announce the approach of my enemies, a
slight noise from within the caves black
depths attracted my attention. 1t might
have been produced by the moving Of the
body of some huge beast rising from the
rocky floor of its lair.
At almost the same instant I thought
that 1 caught the scrapng of hide SAN
dals upon the ledge beyond the turn. For
the next few seconds my attention was
considerably divided.
And then from the inlty blaclSness at
my right 1 saw two flaming eyes glaring
into mine They were on "A level that
was over two feet above my head.
1t Is true that the beast who owned
them might be standing upon n ledge
within the cave, or that 1t might be
rearing upon its hind legs; but l had
seen enough of the monsters of Pellucidar
to know that might be facing some new
and frightful Titan, whose dimensions
and ferocity eclipsed those of any had
before seen.
Whatever 1t was IL was coming slowly
toward the entrance of the cave, and
now deep and forbdding it uttered Il
low and ominous growl
1 waited no longer to dispute possession
of the ledge with the thing which owned
that voice. The noise had not been loud
Il doubt II the Sagoths heard 1t at all
but the suggestion of latent possibilities
behind it was such that L knew it could
only emannte from n gigantic and fero-
cious beast.
As backed along the ledge soon was
past the mouth of the cave, where l no
longer could see those fearful, flaming
eyes. but an instant later l caught sight
of the fiendish face of n Sagoth as 1t was
warily advanced beyond the cliffs turn
on the far side OF the caves mouth.
AS the fellow saw me he leaped along
the ledge in pursuit, and after him came
as many Of his companions as could crowd
upon each others heels. At the same
time the beast emerged from the cave, so
that he and the Sagoths came face to
face upon that narrow ledge.
The thing was an enormous cave'bear,
rearing it's colossal bulk fully eight feet
at the shoulder, wlNe from the tip of Its