The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-11-16
CHAPTER Ix.-continued.

CHAPTER Ix.-Continued.
-
For several hours Tarzan lolled
upon his swaying. leafy couch until
once again hunger and thirst sug-
gested an excursion. Stretching lazi-
ly he dropped to the ground and
moved slowly toward the river. Tar
xan had almost reached the point
where the trail debouched upon the
open river bottom when he saw
family Of lions approaching along the
path from the direction of the river.
The ape-man counted seven-a male
and two lionesses, full grown, and
four young lions as large and quite as
formidable as their parents. Tarzan
halted, growing. and the lions paused.
the great male in the lead barring his
fanges and rumbling forth 4 warning
roar. In his hand the ape-man held
his heavy spear; but he had no inten-
tion Of pitting his puny weapon against
seven lions; yet he stood there growl-
ing and roaring and the lions did like
wise. 1t was purely an exhibition OF
Jungle bluff. Each was trying to
frighten on the other. Neither wished
to turn back and give way, nor did
either at first desire to precipitate an
encounter. The lions were fed up suf-
fciently so as not to be goaded by
pangs Of hunger and as for Tarzan he
seldom ate the meat of the carniv-
ores; but a point OF ethics was at
stake and neither side wished to back
down. So they stood there facing
one another, making all sorts of hide
GUS noises the while they hurled jun
gle invective back and forth.
put an end to the deadlock and it
came from Tafzan's rear. He and the
lions had been making so much noise
that neither could hear anything above
their concerted bedlam, and SO it was
that Tarzan did not hear the great
bulk bearing down from behind
until an instant before it was upon
him, and then he turned to see Buto.
the rhinoceros. his little pig eyes blaz-
ing, charging madly toward him and
already so close that escape seemed
impossible; yet SO perfectly were mind
and muscles co-ordinated In this un-
spoiled. primitive man that almost
simultaneously with the sense-percep-
ton of the threatened danger he
wheeled and hurled his spear at Buto's
chest. 1t was a heavy spear shod
with iron, and behind it were the giant
muscles Of the ape-man. while coming
to meet it was the enormous weight of
Buto and the momentum of his rapid
haf hu Oh N in.
slant that Tarzan turned to meet the
charge Of the irascible rhinoceros
might take long to tell, and yet would
have taxed the swiftest lens to record
As his spear left his hand the ape
man was looking down upon tht
mighty horn lowered toss him. S,
close was Buto to him. The spear en-
tered the rhinoceros' neck at its juno
ton with the left shoulder and passe;
almost entirely through the beast
body. and at the instant that h.
launched it, Tarzan leaped straigh
into the air, alighting upon Buto'
back. but escaping the mighty horn.
Then Buto espied the lions and Dor
madly down upon them while Tarzai
of the Apes leaped nimbly into tn
tangled creeperS at one side of tn
trail. The first lion met Buto's charg
and was tossed high over the back o
the maddened brute, torn and dying
and then the six remaining lions wer
upon the rhinoceros, rending an,
tearing the while they were bein
gored or trampled. From the safet
of his perch Tarzan watched the bal
tie royal with the keenest Interest
For a time 1t seemed that Buto, tn
rhinoceros. would prove victor in tn
CORY battle. Already had he account
ed for four of the seven lions an
badly wounded the three remainin
when, In a temporary lull in the en-
counter. he, sank Imply to his knee
and rolled over upon his side. Tai
zan's spear had pierced the grea
lungs, and Buto, with victory almos
in sight, succumbed to internal hemoI
rhage.
Then Tarzan came down from hi
sanctuary and as the wounded lionf
growing, dragged themselves away
the ape-man cut his spear from tn
body of Bsto. hacked off a steak an