Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-06
By Edgar Rice Burrouqhs

was glad to have the protection Of
the great white savage. She specu-
lated much upon the fact that her
pistol still swung at her hip. The
man must be mad not to take it from
her.
What makes you think I am a
spy?' she asked after long silence.
Il saw you at German headouar-
ters," he replied, "and then again
inside the British lines" 6
She could not let him take be,,
back to them. She must reach VIII
helmstal at once, and she was deter
mined to do so even if she must have
recourse to her pistol. She cast n
side-glance at the tall figure. What
magnificent creature! But vet he
was a brute who would kill her or
have her killed if she did not slay
him.
And the locket! She must have
that back; it must not fail to reach
Wilhelmstal. Tarzan was now
foot or two ahead of her in the mar
row path. Cautiously she drew her
pistol. A single shot would suffice.
and he was so close that she could
not miss. As she figured it all ont,
her eyes rested OH the brown skin
with the graceful muscles rolling be-
meath it, and the perfect limbs and
mead and the carriage that a proud
KING OF old might have envied.
A wave of revulsion for her con-
templated act surged through her
No, she could not do it; yet she must
be tree, and she must regain posses
sion Of the locket. And then, almost
ollndly, she swung the weapon I'm
and struck Tarzan heavily upon the
back Of the head with its butt. Like
feIled OK he dropped in his tracks.
a N hour later Sheeta the leonard.
hunting, CHANGED to glance up-
"ard INTO the blue sky, where his at
tentlon was attracted by Ska the
Vulture circling slowly above the
bush mile away and down-w;nd
For minute the yellow eyes stared
lntently at the bird. They saw Ska
dive and rise again to continue his
omlnous circling, and in these move
ments their woodcraft read that
which, while obvious to Sheeta would
doubtless have meant nothing to YOU
or me.
The hunting cat guessed that on
the ground beneath Ska was some
living thing of flesh-either a beast
feeding upon its kill or a dying ami
NAL that Ska did not yet dare attack.
IN either event it might prove meat
for Sheeta, and so the wary feline
stalked by circuitous route, upon
soft, padded feet that gave forth no
sound, until the circling Ska and his
intended prey were up-wind. Then.
shifting each vagrant zephyr, Sheeta
the leopard crept cautiously forward;
nor had he advanced any consider
able distance before his keen nostrils
were rewarded with the scent of
mana Tarmangani.
Sheeta paused. He was not a
hunter of men. He was young and
in his prime; but always previously
he had avoided this hated presence.
OF late he had become more accus-
toned to it, with the passing of many
soldiers through his ancient hunt
ing ground, and as the soldiers had
frightened away a great part of the
game Sheeta had been wont to feed
upon, the days had been lean and
Sheeta was hungry.
The circling Ska suggested that
this Tarmangani might be helpless
and upon the point of dying, and SO
easy prey for Sheeta. With this
thought in mind the cat resumed his
stalking. Presently he pushed
through the thick bush, and his vel
low-green eyes rested gloatingly
upon the body of an almost naked
Tarmangani lying face down in a
narrow game trail.
Numa, sated, rose from the carcass
of Bertha Kircher's horse, seized the
partly devoured body by the neck
and dragged it into the bush; then
he started east toward the lair where
he had left his mate. With his appe-
tite satisfied, he was very comfort
able and inclined to be sleepy and far
from belligerent. He moved slowly
and majestically with no effort at
silence or concealment. The king
walked abroad unafraid.
With an occasional regal glance to
right or left, he moved along a mar
row game trail until at a turn he
came to sudden stop at what lay
revealed before him-Sheeta the
leopard creeping stealthily upon the
almost naked body of a Tarmangani
lying face down in the deep dust of
the pathway. Numa glared intently
at the quiet body in the dust. Recog-
milton came; it was his Tarmangani.
A low growl of warning rumbled
from his throat; Sheeta halted with
one paw upon Tarzan's back and
turned suddenly to eye the intruder.
EOR moment the latter stood his
l. ground with arched back and
snarling face, for all the world like
a great, spotted tabby. Numa had
not felt like fighting. hut the siobt