Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-23
By Edgar Rice Burroughs

VINO threaded the maZeS OF the Soggy
jungle. Manu-, the monkey, shiver-
ing and chattering in the dank trees,
scolded and fed at his approach.
Even the panthers and the lions let
the growing Tarmangani pass un-
molested.
When the sun shone upon the Sec
ond day and a wide, open plain let
the full heat of Kudu flood the chill
ed brown body, Tarzan's spirits rose,
but it was sullen, surly brute that
moved steadily onward into the
south where he hoped again to pick
up the trail of the Germans. He
was now in German East Africa,
and it was his intention to skirt the
mountains west of Kilimanjaro,
whose rugged peaks he was quite
then swing eastward along the south
willing to give wide berth, and
side of the range to the railway that
led to Tanga, for his experience
among men suggested that it was to-
ward this railroad that German
troops would be likely to converge.
Two days later, from the south
ern slopes Of Kilimanjaro, he heard
the boom of cannon far away to the
east. The afternoon had been dull
and cloudy, and now as he was pass
ing through narrow gorge, a few
great drops of rain began to splatter
upon his naked shoulders. Tarzan
shook his head and growled his dis
approval; then he cast his eyes about
for shelter, for he had had quite
enough of the cold and drenching.
He wanted to hasten on in the
direction of the booming noise, for
he knew that there would be Ger
mans fighting against the English.
Tomorrow" he thought, 81 will
travel that way and find the Ger
mans" Then he set himself to the
immediate task of discovering some
shelter from the storm.
Presently he espied the low and
narrow entrance to what appeared
to be cave at the base of the
cliffs which formed the northern
side of the gorge. With drawn
knife he approached the spot warily,
for he knew that if it were a cave,
it was doubtless the lair of some
other beast. Before the entrance
lay many large fragments of rock
of different sizes, similar to others
scattered along the entire base of
the cliff, and it was, in Tarzan's
mind that if he found the cave un-
occupied, he would barricade the
door and insure himself quiet and
peaceful nights repose within the
sheltered interior. Let the storm
rage without. Tarzan would remain
within until it ceased, comfortable
and dry. A tiny rivulet of cold
water trickled outward from the
opening.
Close to the cave Tarzan knelt and
shifted at the ground. A low growl
escaped him, and his upper lip
curved to expose his fighting fangs.
"Numa!" he murmured. But he did
not stop. Numa might not be at
home-he would investigate. The
entrance was so low that the ape
man was compelled to drop to all
fours before he could poke his head
within the aperture; but first he
looked, listened and shifted to each
direction at his rear-he would not
be taken by surprise from that
quarter.
HIS first glance within the cave
revealed a narrow tunnel with day.
light at it's farther end. The interior
of the tunnel was just light enough
for the ape-man to see that it was
untenanted at present. Advancing
cautiously, he crawled toward the
opposite end, imbued with a full
realization Of what it would mean il
Numa should suddenly enter the
tunnel in front of him; but Numa
did not appear, and the ape-mar
emerged at length into the open anG
stood erect, finding himself in &
rocky cleft whose walls rose almost
sheer on every hand. The gulch was
some hundred feet in length anc
about fifty in width and appeared tc
have been worn from the rocky cliff
by the falling of water during long
ages. A tiny stream from Kiliman
jaro's eternal snow-cap still tricklec
over the edge of the rocky wall a
the upper end of the gulch, forming
a little pool at the bottom of tn,
cliff from which a small rivule
wound downward to the tunne
through which it passed to tn,
| gorge beyond. A single great tre,
flourished near the center of tn,
gulch, while tufts of grass wer,
scattered among the rocks of tn,
gravelly flour.
| pONES of many large animals la!
- about-among them severa
human skulls. Tarzan raised hi
eyebrows. "A man-eater," h
thought, "and apparently he ha
held sway here for long time. To
night Tarzan will take the lair O
the man-eater, and Numa may roa
and grumble upon the outside"
The ape-man had advanced wei
into the gulch as he investigate,