Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-09
CHAPTER X-(Continued)

tHhPIEh N-tNontinueuI
T HEARD the sound of a scuffle in tho next
cave. Then my fingers sank into loose
rock and earth in the side of the cave.
In an instant realized why had been
unable to find the opening while | had
been lightly feeling the surface of the |
wals--Dian had blocked up the hole she
had made lest it arouse suspicion and lead |
to an early discovery of Juag's escape.
Plunging my weight against the crum- A,
bling mass. | sent II crashing into the ad- |
joining cavern. With it came L. David |
Emperor of Pellucidar doubt IL any |
other potentate in worlds history ever |
made more undgnifed entrance landed
head first on all fours, but | came quickly
and was on my feet before the man in the
dark guessed what had happened.
He saw me. though, when | arose and,
sensing that no friend came thus precipi-
lately. turned to meet me even as charged
him. I had my stone knife in my hand,
and he had his. In the darkness of the
cave there was little opportunity for dis.
play of science, though even at that ! VEN
ture to say that we fought a very pretty
duel
Before I came to Pelucidar I do not re-
call that ever had seen stone knife, and
/ am sure that never fought with knife
of any description but now | do not have
to take my hat off to any Of them when 1t
comes to welding that primitive yet wicked
weapon.
but knew that she could not see my iea-
lures recognize me; and I enjoyed In
anticipation even while | was fighting
| for her life and mine, her dear JOY when
| she should discover that it was who was
her deliverer.
My opponent was large, but he also was
active and no mean knife-man. He caught
| me once fairly in the shoulder carry
the scar yet, and shall carry 1t TO the
| grave And then he did a foolish thing,
4 fU- \ 1Ap vaI hn. 20 nni ~ n m
| which to calm the shock OF the wound he
| rushed after me and tried to clinch. He
| rather neglected his knife for the moment
| in his greater desire to get his hands on
me. Seeing the opening. ! swung my left
| fist fairly to the point of his jaw.
| Down he went. Before ever he could
scramble up again I Was on him and had
| buried my knife in his heart Then |
| stood up-and there was Dian facing me
| and peering at me through the dense
gloom
you are not Juag!" she exclaimed
| who are you?"
took a step toward her, my arms out
stretched.
at Is l. Dian" | said. at is David"
| At the sound of my voice she gave "A lit
| tie cry in which tears were mingled--a
pathetic little cry that told me all without
words how far hope had gone from her
| and then she ran forward and threw her
| self in my arms. ! covered her perfect
stroked her thick black hair, and told her
again and again what she already knew
what she had known for years-that loved
her better than all else which two worlds
| had to offer. We couldn't devote much
time though to the happiness of lovemak-
ing, for we were in the midst of enemies
who might discover us at any moment.
| drew her into the adjoining cave.
Thence we made our way to the mouth or
the cave that had given me entrance to
ha pIi |
ment. and seeing the coast clear, ran swiftly
forth with Dian at my side. We lodged
around the cliff-end. then paused for an
instant, listening No sound reached our
| ears to indicate that any had seen us and
we moved cautiously onward along the
way by which | had come.
| As went Dian told me that her cap
tors had informed her how close | had
come in search of her-even to the Land
| of Awful Shadow--and how one of Hooja s
men who knew me had discovered me
asleep and robbed me of all my posses
sions.
And then how Hooja had sent four others
to find me and take me prisoner. But these
| men, she said had not yet returned or at
least she had not heard Of their return.
"Nor will you ever" I responded. "for
they have gone to that place whence none
ever returns
| related my adventure with these four
We had come almost to the cliff edge
where Juag should he awaiting us when
We saw two men walking rapidly toward the
same spot from another direction. They did
not see us, nor did they see Juag, whom
now discovered hiding behind a low bush
close to the verge of the precipice which
drops into the sea at this point. AS quickly
as possible, without exposing ourselves toe
much to the enemy. hastened forward
that we might reach Juag as quickly as
| they
But they noticed him first and imme
diately charged him, for one of them haC
4 been his guard. and they had both been sen
| to search for him. his escape having beer
| discovered between the time he left the cav,
| and the time when ! reached il. Evdentl,
| they had wasted precious moments looking
for him in other portions of the mesa.
When ! saw that the two OF them were
rushing him, I called out to attract thei
attention to the fact that they had more
| than single man TO cope with. They
paused at the sound of my voice and looked
| about.
when they discovered Dian and me the!
exchanged few words, and one Of then
continued toward Juag while the othe
| turned upon us. As he came nearer | saw
that he carried in his hand one of my six
shooters but he was holding II by the barre
evidently mistaking II for some sort of wa
club tomahawk.
could scarce refrain r. grin when
thought of the wasted possibilities of tina
deadly revolver in the hands of an un
tutored warrior of the stone age, Had h
but reversed 1t and pulled the trigger h
might stili be alive; maybe he is for all
know since did not kill him then. Whe
he was about twenty feet from me fun
INV iavelin with a quick movement that
had learned from Ghak. He ducked to avoi
n. and instead of receiving 1t in his hear
for which It was intended, he get 1t on tn