Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-10

couiu MAKE canoe hoVo e'""e" 80
water.
We hunted near the coast for a while,
but we're not rewarded with any particular
luck. Finally we decided to hide the canoe
and strike inland In search OF game AZ
Juag's suggestion we dug q hoie IN tnc
sand at the upper edge OF the beach ana
buried the craft, smoothing the surface over
nicely and throwing aside the excess mate
rial we had excavated. Then we set out
away from the sea. Travelling in Thuria
is less arduous than under the midday sun
which perpetually glares down on the rest
of Pelucidars surface but II has its draw
backs, one of which is the depressing In
fluence exerted by the everlasting shade Oh
the Land of Awful Shadow.
The farther inland we went the darker
Il became. until we were moving at last
through an endless twilight. The vegeta-
tion here was sparse and of a weird, color
less nature, though what did grow was
wondrous In shape and form. Often we
saw huge lidi, or beasts of burden, stridins
across the dim landscape browsing upon
the grotesque vegetation or drinking from
the slow and sullen rivers that run down
from the Lidi Plains to empty into the sea
in Thuria.
What we sought was either thag-a sort
| of gigantic elk-or one Of the larger species
| of antelope, the flesh of either OF whch
| dries nicely In the sun. The bladder OF tine
| thag would make a fine water bottle, and
L
We Travelled a considerable distance inlano,
! entirely crossing the Land Of Awful Shadow
| and emerging at last upon that portion OF
| the Lidi Plains which lies In the pleasant
sunlight. Above us the pendent world re-
| voived upon its axis. filling me especially
| and Dian to an almost equal state-with
| wonder and Unsuitable curiosity as to what
| strange forms of life existed among the
| hills and valleys and along the seas and
rivers which we could plainly see
| Before us stretched the horizonless ex-
panses of vast Peliucidar. the Lidi Plains
| rolling UP about us, while hanging high In
| the heavens to the northwest OF us Thought
| ] discerned the many towers which marked
| the entrances to the distant Mahar city,
whose inhabitants preyed upon the Thur
| ians.
.Iuag suggested that We travel to the
| northeast where, he said upon the verge
| of the plain we should find wooded coun-
| try in which game should be plentifui.
| Acting upon his advice. we came at last
to a forest Jungle through which wound
innumerable game paths. In the depths OF
this forbddng wood we came upon the
fresh spoor of thag.
Shortly after, by careful stalking. we
came within javelin range OF small herd
Selecting a great bull, Juag and l hurled
our weapons simultaneously, Dian reserv-
ing hers for an emergency. The beast stag
gered to his feet, believing. The rest OF the
herd was up and away in an instant only
the wounded bull remaining. with lowered
head and rowing eyes searching for the
foe.
|. Then Juag exposed himself to the view
| of the built is a part of the tactics OF
the huntsville l stepped to one side be-
hind bush.
| The moment the savage beast saw Juag
| he charged him. Juag ran straight away,
that the bull might be lured past my hid
| ing place. On he came-tons of mighty
bestia strength and rage.
Dian had slipped behind me. She, too,
could fight thag should emergency re-
auire. All. such girl A rightful empress
of a stone age by every standard which
two worlds might bring to measure her!
, Crashing down toward us came the bull
. | thag, believing and snorting with the
, power of a hundred outer-earthly bulls
| When he was opposite me i sprang for the
heavy name that covered his huge neck
To tangle my fingers in it was the work
Of but an instant Then I was running
along at the beasts shoulder.
Now, the theory upon which this hunt
ing custom Is based Is one long ago dis
covered by experience. and that is that
thag cannot be turned from his charg
3 once he has started toward the object o
! his wrath, SO long as he can still see tn
= thing he charges. He evidently believe
tempting to restrain him from overtakinl
his prey, and so he pays no attention t
this enemy. who, of course, does not retar'
the mighty charge in the least.
. Once In the gait Of the plunging bull
was but slight matter to vault to hi
back as cavalrymen mount their charger
upon the run Juag was still running Il
r | plain sight ahead of the bull. His spec,
was but trif1e less than that Of the mon
: = ster that pursued him. These Pellucidarian
y are almost as fleet deer; because I an
not is one reason that I am always chose
- Z fnr ha Of ho has -ht,nt
could not keep in front of a charging tha
long enough to give the killer time to d
\ | his work. I learned that the first-an,
p | last--time tried 1t.
Once astride the bulls neck I drew nj,
long stone knife and. setting the point ca re
e fully over the brute's spine. drove it hom
q | with both hands At the same instant
l. leaped clear of the stumbling animal Now
e no vertebrate can progress far with knit
y through his spine. and the thag is no ex
e ception to the rule.
d The fellow was down instantly. As h
wallowed Juag returned. and the two of II
a leaped in when an opening afforded tn
opportunity and snatched our javelins fror
d his side. Then we danced about him. NOR
h like two savages than anything else, unit
r we got the opening We were looking fol
= when. simultaneously. our javelins pierce
Il his wild heart, stilling 1t forever
: The thag had covered considerable groun
l. from the point at which had leaped upo
I him. When. after dispatching him, locke
back for Dian. I could see nothing of hel
:. ] called aloud, but receiving no reply, Sc
It out at q brisk trot to wherei had left he,
! had no difficulty in finding the selfsam
e bush behind which We had hidden but pia
II was not there. Again and again called
I. to be rewarded only by silence. Wher
q could she be? What could have become q
d her in the brief interval since I had see
her standing just behind me?
n CHAPTER XII
e Kidnapped
d T SEARCHED about the spot carefu,l,
Is J. At last was rewarded by the discover
a Of her jayeln. few yards from the bus
% that had concealed us from the charRin
s. thag-her javelin and the indications of