Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-28
n By Edgar Rice Burroughs

sounds, he heard another, deep
sigh. Momaya did not hear it, nor
did Tibo; but the ears of Tarzan
were as the ears of Bara, the deer.
He heard the sigh, and he knew, so
he unloosed the heavy spear which
dangled at his back. Even as he sped
through the branches of the trees,
with the same ease that you or I
might take out a pocket handker-
chief as we strolled nonchalantly
down lazy country lane, Tarzan of
the Apes took the spear from its
thong that it might be ready against
any emergency.
Numa, the lion, did not rush
madly to attack. He reasoned again,
and reason told him that already
the prey was his, so he pushed his
great bulk through the foliage and
stood eyeing his meat with baleful,
glaring eyes.
Momaya saw him and shrieked,
drawing Tibo closer to her breast.
To have found his child and to lose
him, all in a moment! She raised
her spear, throwing her hand far
back of her shoulder. Numa roared
and stepped slowly forward. Mo-
maya cast her weapon. 1t grazed
the tawny shoulder, inficting
flesh wound which aroused all the
terrific bestiality of the carnivore
and the lion charged.
Momaya tried to close her eyes,
but could not. She saw the flashing
swiftness of the huge, oncoming
death, and then she saw something
else. She sac mighty, naked white
man drop as from the heavens into
the path of the charging lion. She
saw the muscles of great arm flash
in the light of the equatorial sun as
it filtered, dappling, through the
| foliage above. She saw heavy
hunting spear hurtle through the air
to meet the lion in midleap.
Numa brought up upon his
launches, roaring terribly and
striking at the spear which pro-
truded from his breast. His great
blows bent and twisted the weapon.
Tarzan, crouching and with hunting
knife in hand, circled warily about
the frenzied cat. Momaya, wide
eyed, stood rooted to the spot,
watching, fascinated.
In sudden fury Numa hurled him
self toward the ape-man, but the
wiry creature eluded the laundering
charge, sidestepping quickly only
to rush in upon his foe. Twice the
hunting blade flashed in the air.
Twice it fell upon the back of Numa,
already weakening from the spear
point so near his}heart. The second
stroke of the blade pierced fair into
the beasts spine, and with last
convulsive sweep of the forepaws, in
a vain attempt to reach his tor
mentor, Numa sprawled upon the
ground, paralyzed and dying.
Bukawai, fearful lest he should
lose any recompense, followed Mo-
maya with the intention of persuad-
ing her to part with her ornaments
of copper and iron against her re-
turn with the price of the medicine
to pay, as it were, for an option
on his services as one pays a re-
tanning fee to an attorney, for, like
an attorney, Bukawai knew the
value of his medicine and that it was
we'll to collect as much as possible
i1 advance.
The witch-doctor came upon the
lions charge. He saw it all and
marveled, guessing Immediately
that this must be the strange white
demon concerning whom he had
heard vague rumors before Momaya
came to him.
Momaya, now that the lion was
past harming her or hers, gazed
with new terror upon Tarzan. 1t
was he who had stolen her .Tibo.
Doubtless he would attempt to steal
him again., Momaya hugged the
boy close to her. She was deter.
mined to die this time rather than
suffer Tibo to be taken from her
again.
Tarzan eyed them in silence. The
sight of the boy clinging, sobbing, to
his mother aroused within his savage
breast melancholy loneliness.
There was none thus to cling to
Tarzan, who yearned so for the love
of someone, or something.
At last Tibo looked up, because
of the quiet that had fallen upon
the jungle, and saw Tarzan. He did
not shrink.
"Tarzan," he said, iR-, the speech
of the great apes of the tribe OF
Kerchak, "do not take me from Mo.
maya, my mother. Do not take me
again-t to the lair of the hairy, tree
men, for fear Taug and Gunto and
the others. Let me stay with Mo-
maya, o Tarzan, God of the Jungle!
Let me stay with Momaya, my
mother, and to the end of our days
we will bless you and put food be-
fore the gates of the village OF
Mbonga that you may never hunger"
Tarzan sighed.
CO." he said, "back to the village
of Mbonga, and Tarzan will follow
to see that no harm befalls you.'
Tibo translated the words to his
mother and the two turned their