Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-24

body OF the dead bull. For the first time
there flashed TO his understanding the ex-
planation of the reason for the girls at
tempted abduction.
Koraks eyes went wide and then they
closed to narrow slits of rage as he stood
glaring down upon the abysnial brute at
his feet. When next his glance rose to
Merlem's face slow flush suffused his own.
Now, indeed. was he looking upon her
through new eyes--the eyes of a man look
ing upon a maid
Akut had come up Just as Merlem had
speared Korak's antagonist. The exultation
Of the old ape was keen. He strutted stiff.
legged and truculent about the body of
the fallen enemy. He growled and up
curved his long flexible lip. His hair
bristled. He was paying no attention to
Merlem and Korak
Back in the uttermost recesses Of his lit.
tie brain something was stirrlng-some.
thing which the sight and smell of this
great bull had aroused. The outward mani
festation of the terminating idea was one
of bestial rage. but the inner sensations
were pleasurable In the extreme The scent
Of the great bull and the sight of his huge
and hairy figure had wakened in the heart
of Akut longing for the companionship
Of his own kind. So Korak was not alone
undergoing change
And Merlem7 She was a woman. 1t Is
woman's divine right to love. Always she
had loved Korak. He was her big brother.
Mericm alone underwent no change. She
was still happy in the companionship OF
her Korak. She still loved him--as a sister
loves an indulgent brother-and she was
very, very proud of him. In all the jungle
there was no other creature so strong. 80
handsome or so brave.
''Meriem," he whispered and his voice
was husky as he laid brown hand upon
her bare shoulder. "Merem" Suddenly he
crushed her to him. She looked up into his
face, laughing, and then he bent ana kissea
her full upon the mouth.
She was glad, too, so she put her arms
about the Killers neck and kissed him
again and again. Then, discovering GeeKa
in his belt, she transferred 1t to her own
possession, kissing 1t as she mad Kissed
Korak.
Korak wanted to say something. Y He
wanted to tell her how he loved her; but
the emotion of his love choked him, and
the vocabulary of the Mangani was linz
tied.
Then came an interruption 1t was from
Akut--a sudden. low growl no louder than
those he had been giving vent to the while
he pranced about the dead bull, nor hair
so loud in fact but of timbre that bore
straight to the perceptlve faculties or the
Jungle beast ingraned In Korak It was
warning.
Korak looked quickly up from the glori-
Gus vision of the sweet face so close to his
Now his other faculties awoke' HIS ears,
his nostrils were on the alert. Something
was coming
The Killer moved to Akut's side. Meriem
was Just behind them. The three stood
like carved statues gazing straight into
the leafy tangle of the jungle. The noise
that had attracted their attention increased
and presently a great ape broke through
the underbrush few PAGES from where
they stood.
The beast halted at sight of them He
gave a warning grunt back over his shoul-
der. and moment later coming cautiously
another bull appeared. He was Followed ny
others-both bulls and females, with young
until two score hairy monsters stood glaring
at the three It was the tribe of the dead
king ape. Akut was the first to speak. He
pointed to the body of the dead bull.
"Korak, mighty fighter, has killed your
king" he grunted. There Is none greater
in all the jungle than >Korak, son of Tar
zan Now Korak Is king. What bull is
greater than Korak?"
Korak advanced to meet the monster
He, too, was growing In his mind plan
was revolving. To close with this power
full untired brute after having just passed
through a terrific battle with another of
his kind would have been TO tempt defeat
He must find an easier way to victory
Crouching he prepared to meet the
charge which he knew would soon come; ;
nor did he have long to walt. His antago-
mist paused only for sufficient time to per-
nit him to recount for the edfcation of the
audience and the confounding OF Korak
brief resume of his former victories, OF his
prowess and of what he was about to do
to this puny Tarmanganl. Then he charged.
with cIutching fingers and wide-opened
laws he came down upon the waiting korak
with the speed of an express train Korak
TO embrace him, then he dropped low be-
meath them, swung a terrific right to the
side OF the beasts jaw as he side-stepped
bis rushing body, and swerVing quickly
about stood ready over the fallen ape
where he sprawled upon the ground.
1t was a surprised anthropoid that at
tempted to scramble to it's feet Froth
Necked it's hideous lips Red were the lit
lie ewes. Blood-curdling roars tumbled
from the deep chest, but II did not reach its
feet The Killer stood waiting above 1t,
and the moment that the hairy chin came
upon the proper level, another blow that
would have felIed an OK sent the ape over
backward,
Again and again the beast struggled to
arise, but each time the mighty Tarmangani
stood waiting with ready fist and piie-driver
hIoxy to bowl him over. Weaker and weak
ar became the efforts OF the bull Blood
smeared his face and breast, red stream
trIckled from nose and mouth. Inc CROWD
that had cheered him on at first with saw
age yells, now jeered hIm-their approba-
tion was for the Tarmangani.
,'Kagoda?" inquired korak, as he sent
the bull down once more.
Again the stubborn bull essayed to scram-
BILE TO his feet Again the Killer struck
him a terrific blow. Again he put the ques-
tlon, kagoda-have you had enough?
CONTINUED TOMORROW