Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-27
CHAPTER IX-(Continued)

up and seized her. At the same in.
slant a naked brown giant dropped
from the branches of a tree at the
right of the clearing.
Turning toward the astonlshed
apes he gave voice to a short volley
of low gutturals, and without wait.
ing to note the effect of his words
upon them, wheeled and charged the
Arabs.
Achmet Eek was dragging Jane
Clayton toward his tethered horse
His two men were hastily unfasten'
ing all three mounts. The woman,
struggling to escape the Arab, turned
and saw the ape-man running toward
her. A glad light of hope illumined
her face.
"John!" she cried. Thank God
that you have come in time!"
Behind Tarzan came the great apes,
wondering, but obedient to his sum-
mons. The Arabs saw that they would
not have time to mount and make
their escape before the beasts and the
man were upon them. Achmet Eek
recognized the latter as the redoubta-
BILE enemy of such as he, and he saw.
too, in the circumstances an opportu-
nifty to rid himself forever of the men.
ace of the ape.man's presence in the
savage world where Achmet Eek reap
ed his bloody harvests.
Calling to his men to follow his ex.
ample, he raised his rifle and leveled
1t upon the charging giant. His fol.
lowers, acting with no less alacrity
than himself, fired almost simultane-
ously, and with the reports of the
rifles Tarzan Of the Apes and two OF
his hairy henchmen pitched forward
among the jungle grasses.
The noise of the rife shots brought
the remainder of the apes to a won'
dering pause, and, taking advantage OF
their momentary. distraction, Achmet
IKE and his fellows leaped to their
horses backs and galloped away with
the now hopeless and Ericf-stricken
woman.
Back to the village they rode, and
2nce again Lady Greystoke found her.
self incarcerated in the filthy little
hut from which she had thought TO
have escaped for good
But this time she was not only
a,arded by an additional sentry, but
bound as we'll
singly and in twos the searchers
who had ridden out with Achmet Eek
upon the trail Of the Belgian returned
empty.handed. With the report OF
each the raiders rage and chagrin ln'
creased, until he was in such trans
port Of ferocious anger that none
dared approach him. Threatening ana
cursinr, Achmet Eek paced up and
down the floor of his silken tent but
his temper served him nothing-Wer-
per was gone, and with him the for
tune in scintillating gems which hao
aroused the cupidity of his CHIEF ana
pIaced the sentence OF death upon the
head of the lieutenant.
with the escape of the Arabs the
great apes had turned their attention
I'd their fallen comrades. One was
dead. but another and the great white
Ane stin breathed. The hairy mon
kters gathered about these two,
Rrunbling and muttering after the
hestion of their kind.
Tarzan was the first to regain con-
kctousness. Sitting up, he looked
h5uut him. Blood was flowing from
( n 4ko1nd in his shoulder. The shock
had thrown him down and dazed0him;
BIT he was far from dead. Rising
hoNiy TO his feet, he let his eyes wan
tArtoward the spot where last he had
Esen the she who has aroused within
hia savage breast such strange emo
Mons.
sWhere is she?" he asked.
@rhe tarmangani took her away"
Hspifed one of the apes. who are
kod who speak the language Of the
mangani?"
eIam Tarzan," replied the ape.man;
Rmighty hunter, greatest Of fighters.
When I roar the jungle is silent and
hnndbles with terror. I am Tarzan
10 tho Apes. have been away; but
now I have come back to my people"
Sxes," spoke up an old ape; "he Is
k,nexan. / know him. 1t is well that
he has come back. Now we shall
hive good hunting"
Tho other apes came closer and
Enjffed at the ape-man. Tarzan stood
hry stin, his teeth half barred, and
hib muscles tense and ready for ac-
Henf but there was none there to ques.
htn his right to be with them, and
presently. the inspection satisfactorily
6onoluded, the apes again returned to
heir Inspection OF the other survivor.
IA. TOO, was but slightly wounded. a
bnflst grazing his skull having
ktfinned him. so that when he regained
housciousness he was apparently as mt
" Rver.
Rhe apes told Tarzan that they had
6ecn travelling toward the east when
nhs sosntepoor OF the she had attract,
skthem and they had stalked her. Now
hey wished TO continue upon their
lafArrupted march; but Tarzan pre-
Xrted 20 follow the Arabs and take
Xa xvoman from them.