Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-03
nv EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
Author Of the Tarzan' Tales
ctIAPTER xTx-Contlnued

was yet a terrible engine OF destruction
AZ the edge of the forest the Hon. Morl-
eon drew rein. He had no desire to go fur
ther. Numa, silent upon his padded feet
erept into the Jungle beyond them The
wind now was blowing gently between
him and his intended prey. He had come a
long way in search of man; for even In his
youth he had tasted human flesh, and while
X was poor stuff by comparison with Gland
and zebra, II was less difficult to kill In
fNuma's estimation man was slow-witted,
elow.footed creature, which commanded no
respect unless accompanied by the acrid
odor which spelled TO the monarohs sensl.
tive nostrils the great noise and the blind
ing flash of an express rifle.
He caught the dangerous scent tonight ;
but he was ravenous to madness. He would
face dozen rifles, II necessary, to hll his
empty belly. He circled about into the for
est that he might again be down wind from
his victims: for should they get his scent he
could not hope TO overtake them
Numa was famshed but he was old and
crafty
The scent of man and of Numa both. He
raised his head and sniffed. He cooked 1t
upon one side and listened.
"Come on" said Meriem, Tets ride In a
way--the forest is wonderful at night, 1t
Is open enough here to permit us to ride
The Hon. Morrison hesltated He shrank
from revealing his fear in the presence OF
the girl. A braver man, sure OF his own
position, would have had the courage to re-
fuse uselessly to expose the girl to danger.
He would not have thought of himself at
all: but the egotism Of the Hon. Morrison
required that he think of self first.
He had planned the ride to get Meriem
away from the bungalow. He wanted to
talk to her alone and far enough away 30
that should she take offense at his purposed
suggestion he would have time In which to
attempt to right himself In her eyes before
they reached home.
He had little doubt that he would
succeed but It is to his credit that he did
have some slight doubts.
You needn't be afraid of the lion," said
Meriem, noting his slight hesitancy. There
hasn't been n maneater around here for two
years, Pwana says, and the game is so
plentiful chat there Is no necessity to drive
Nurna to human flesh. Then. he has been
30 often hunted that he rather keeps out Of
mans 'yay."
"oh, I'm not afraid of lions" replied the
Hon. Morrison. II was Just thinking what
beastly uncomfortable place a forest is to
ride In. What with the underbrush and
the low brf inches and all that, you know.
It's not exactly cut out for pleasure riding.
Lets go afoot, then" suggested Meriem,
and started tp dismotn mt
"oh, nor' cried the Hon. Morrison. aghast
at this suggestion. Let's ride" and he
refined his pony into the dark shadows of
the wood. Behind him came Meriem, and
In front, prowling ahead awaiting a favor
able opportunity, skulked Numa the lion.
Out upon the plain lone horseman NUT
tered a curse as he saw the two disappear
from sight. 1t was Hanson. He had
followed them from the bungalow Their
way led in the direction of his camp, so
he had ready and plausible excuse should
they discover him but they had not seen
him, for they had not turned their eyes
behind
Now he turned directly toward the spot
at which they had entered the jungle. He
no longer cared whether he were observed
or not.
There were two reasons for his indffer-
ence. The first was that he saw in
Baynes' act a counterpart to his own
planned abduction of the girl. In some
way he might turn the thing to his own
purposes At least he would keep in touch
with them and make sure that Baynes did
not get her.
His other reason was based on his
knowledge of an event that had transpIred
at his camp the previous night-an event
which he had not mentioned at the bungalow
for fear Of drawing undesired attention to
his movements and bringing the blacks of
the big Bwana into dangerous intercourse
with his own boys.
He had told at the bungalow that half
his men had deserted. That story might
be quickly disproved should his boys and
Bwana's grow confidential.
The event that he had failed to mention
and which now urged him hurriedly after
the girl and her escort had occurred during
his absence early the preceding evening
HIS men had been sitting around their camp
hre, entirely encrcled by high thorn bona,
when, without the slightest warning, huge
lion had leaped among them and seized one
Of their number.
1t had been solely due to the loyalty and
courage OF his comrades that his life had
been saved, and then only after battle
royal with the hunger-enraged beast had
they been able to drive him off with burning
brands, spears. and rifles.
From this Hanson knew that a man.
eater had wandered into the district. or
been developed by the aging of one OF the
many lions which ranged the plains and
hills by night, or lay up in the cool wood
by day. He had heard the roaring of a |
hungry lion not half an hour before. and
there was little doubt in his mind but that
she maneater was stalking Meriem and |
Baynes. N
He cursed the Englshman for a fool |
and spurred rapidly after them.
Meriem and Baynes had drawn I'm IN n
small natural clearing. A hundred wards
beyond them Numa lay crouching in the |
enderbrush. his yellow-green eyes fixed upon |
his prey, the tip OF his sinuous tail Jerking |
spasmodically. He was measuring the dias
tance between him and them. He was |
wondering II he dared venture n charge |
or II he should wait yet a little longer IN |
the hope that they might ride straight into |
He was very hungry; but also was he
CRAFTY, He could not chance losing his
meat by hasty and ilI-considered rush
HAD he waited the night before until the
blacks slept he would not have been forced
TO go hungry for another "a hours.
Behind him the other that had eaugbt
MS scent and that OF man together came
20 sitting posture upon the branch of a
tree In which he had reposed himself Tor
slumber, Beneath a numbering gray hulk
sWayed to and fro In the darkness The
peast In the tree uttered low cultural ana
cropped TO the back OF the gray mass. He
whispered word in one OF the great ears
ana Tantor the elephant, raised his trlnI,
sioft' swinging It high and low 10 catch
the scent that the word had warned him OF
There was another whispered word-,vss
u command?-and the numbering beast
wheeled into an awkward, yet silent sh,Iftis
IN the direction of Numa, the lion. ana tha
stranger Tarmangani his rider had scented
onward they went. the scent OF the lion
ana his prey becoming stronger and
stronger Numa was becoming imnatIent
HOW much longer must he walt for MS meal
70 come his way? He lashed MS tail
sieionsly now. He almost growled. All
unconscious OF their danger the man ana fbs