Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-24

eyes glaring fearsomely across the
narrow trail straight into his.
Werper could have screamed in
fright; but up the trail was coming
the messenger of another death, equal
~ sure and no less terrible. He re-
NAMED silent, almost paraiyzed by
fear. The Arab approached. Across
the trail from Werper the lion crouch
ed for the spring. when suddenly his
attention was attracted toward the
horseman.
The Belgian saw the massive head
turn in the direction of the raider,
and his heart all but ceased beating as
he awaited the result of this interrupt
ton. At a walk the horseman ap-
preached. Would the nervous animal
he rode'take fright at the odor of the
carnivore. and, boiling. leave Werper
still to the mercies Of the king OF
beasts?
But he seemed unmindful of the
near presence of the great cat. On
he came, his neck arched, champing at
the bit between his teeth. The Belgian
turned his eyes again toward the lion.
The beasts whole attention now SEEM
ed riveted upon the horseman.
They we're abreast the lion now. and
still the brute did not spring. he
be but waiting for them to pass before
returning his attention to the original
prey? Werper shuddered and half
rose. At the same instant the lion
sprang from his place of concealment,
full upon the mounted man; the horse
with a shrill neigh Of terror, shrank
sidewise almost upon the Belgian; the
lion dragged the helpless Arab from his
saddle, and the horse leaped back into
the trail and fed away toward the
east.
But he did not flee alone. As the
frightened beast had pressed in upon
him. Werper had not been slow to note
the quickly emptied saddle and the
opportunity it presented. Scarcely had
the lion dragged the Arab down from
one side than the Belgian, Selling the
BONNIE of the saddle and the horses
name, leaped Upon the horses back
from the other.
A half-hour later a naked giant
swinging easily through the lower
branches of the trees. paused and
with raised head and dilating nostrlls
shifted the morning air. The smell
of blood fell strongly upon his
and mingled with it was ihe scent o.
Numa. the lion. The giant cooked
his head upon one side and listened
, From a short distance up the trai
came the unmistakable noises of thu
greedy feeding of a lion.
Tarzan approached the spot, still
keeping to the branches Of the trees
He made no effort to conceal his ap
proach. and presently he had evidence
that Numa had heard him, from thu
ominous, rumbling warning that brOk'
from a thiCket beside the trail.
Hating upon a low branch jus
above the lion, TarZan looked dow
upon the grisly scene. Could this ur
recognizable thing be the man he ha,
been trailing? The ape-man wonder
ed. From time to time he had de
scended to the trail and verified hi
Judgment by the evidence of his seen
that the Belgian had followed thi
game.trail toward the east.
Now he proceeded beyond the Ito.
and his feast, again descended and e'
amined the ground with his nost
There was no scent-spoor here of tn
man he had bee trailing. Tara
returned to the tree. With keen eye
he searched the ground about the. mt
tilated corpse for a sign Of the missin
pouch of pretty pebbles; but naugh
could he see of 1t.
He scolded Numa and tried to driv
the great beast away; but onl
angry growls rewarded his efforts.
tore small branches from a nearb
limb and hurled them at his ,ancier
enemy. Numa looked up with bare
fangs, ~grinning ~hideously, but he di
not rise from his kill.
Then Tarzan fitted an arrow TO h.
bow. and drawing the slim shaft ia
back let drive with all the force {
the tough wood that only he coul
bend.
As the arrow sank deeply into h.
side, Numa leaped TO his feet with
roar of mingled rage and pain. H
leaped futilely at the ~grlnning ap
man, tore at the protruding end Of III
shaft, and then, s%pringing into II
trail. paced back and forth beneat
. his to-mentor.
, Again Tarzan loosed a swift Dol
: This time the missile, aimed with car
lodged in the lions spine. The gree
creature halted in its tracks, ar
|, lurched awkwardly forward upon /
t face, paralyzed.
Tarzan dropped to the trail, rs
quickly TO the beasts side, and dro'
his spear deep into the fierce hear