The Lambertville record., 1919-12-12

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the scene of his discontinue? Just
as the lion disappeared among the
trees beyond the clearing Tarzan
caught upon the down-coming wind the
explanation Of his new interest-the
scent spoor Of man was waited strong
ly to the sensitive nostrils. Catching
the remainder of the deer's hind quar-
ter In the crotch of q tree the ape
man moved through the trees, the
shadow of a wrath. The savage cat
and the savage man saw Numa's quar-
ry almost simultaneously, though both
had known before 1t came within the
vision of their eyes that it was black
man. Their sensitive nostrils lad told
them this much and Tarzan's had told
him that the scent spoor was that of
stranger-old and male, for race and
sex and age each has its own distinc-
tive scent. 1t was an old man that
made his way alone through the
gloomy jungle, wrinkled dried up
little old man, hideously SCARED ana
tattooed and strangely garbed, with the
skin of a hyena about his shoulders
and the dried head mounted upon his
gray pate. Tarzan recognized the ear
marks of the witch-doctor and await
ed Numa's charge with feeling of
pleasurable anticipation, for the ape
man had no love for witch-doctors !;
but in the instant that Numa did
charge, the white man suddenly re-
called that the lion had stolen his kill
Is sweet
The first intimation the black man
had that he was in danger was the
crash of twigs as Numa charged
through the bushes into the game trail
not twenty yards behind him. Then
he turned to see huge. black-maned
lion racing toward him and, even as
he turned, Numa seized him. At the
same instant the ape-man dropped
from an overhanging limb full upon
the lions back and as he alighted he
plunged his knife into the tawny side
behind the left shoulder, tangled the
fingers of his right hand in the long
name, buried his teeth In Numa's neck
and wound his powerful legs about
the beasts torso. With roar of pain
and rage, Numa reared up and fell
backward upon the ape-man; but still
the mighty man-thing clung to his hold
and repeatedly the long knife plunged
deeply into his side. Over and over
rolled Numa, the lion. clawing and Bit
ing at the air, roaring and growing
horribly in savage attempt to reach
the thing upon its back. More than
once was Tarzan almost brushed from
his hold. He was battered and bruised
and covered with blood from Numa and
dirt from the trail, yet not for an in
| slant did he lessen the ferocity of his
mad attack nor his grim hold upon the
back of his antagonist. Where he had
the witch-doctor lay. torn and bleed
ing, unable to drag himself away and
watched the terrific battle between
these two lords of the jungle. His
sunken eyes glittered and his wrinkled
lips moved over toOthless gums as he
demons of his cult.
For a time he felt no doubt as TO
the outcome-the strange white man
must certainly succumb to terrible
Numa-whoever heard of lone man
armed only with knife Staying so
mighty beast Yet presently the old
black mans eyes went wider and he
commenced to have his doubts and
misgivings. What wonderful sort of
creature was this that battled with
Numa and held his own despite the
mighty muscles of the king of beasts?
Then slowly there dawned in those
sunken eyes, cleaning so brightly
from the Scared and wrinkled face.
the light of dawning recollection.
1t was the picture of a 1.-THE. white
skinned youth swinging through the
trees in company with a hand of huge
apes, and the old eyes blinked and a
great fear came into them-the super
stitious fear of one who believes in
ghosts and spirits and demons.
And came the time once more when
the witch-doctor no longer doubted the
outcome of the duel, yet his first ,judg-
ment was reversed, for now he knew
that the jungle god would slay Numa
and the old black was even more terri
fed of his own impending fate at the
hands of the victor than he had been
by the sure and sudden death which
the triumphant lion would have meted
out to him. He saw the lion weaken
from loss of blood. He saw the mighty
limbs tremble and stagger and at last
he saw the beast sink down to rise no
more. He saw the forest god or de-
mon rise from the vanquished foe and,
placing a foot upon the still quivering
carcass, raise his face to the moon and
bay out hideous cry that froze the
ebbing blood in the veins of the witch
doctor.