The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-11-19
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
zan had almost reached the point
where the trail debouched upon the
open river bottom when he saw a
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 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 off 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-
ficiently 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 bide-
GUS noises the while they hurled jun
gle invective back and forth.
There came an interruption which
put an end to the deadlock and it
came from Tarzan'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 1t were the giant
muscles of the ape-man. while coming
to meet 1t was the enormous weight of
Buto and the momentum Of his rapid
rush. All that happened In the in
stant 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 the
mighty horn lowered o toss him, SO
close was Buto TO him. The spear en-
tered the rhinoceros' neck at Its juno
tion with the left shoulder and passed
almost entirely through the beasts
body. and at the instant that he
launched it, Tarzan leaped straight
into the air, alighting upon Buto's
back. but escaping the mighty horn.
Then Buto espied the lions and bore
madIy down upon them while Tarzan
of the Apes ieaped nimbly into the
tangled creepers at one side OF the
trail The first lion met Buto's charge
and was tossed high over the back of
the maddened brute. torn and dying.
and then the six remaining lions were
upon the rhinoceros, rending and
tearing the while they were being
gored or trampled. From the safety
of his perch Tarzan watched the bat
tie royal with the keenest interest.
For time it seemed that Buto, the
rhlnoceros, would prove victor In the
CORY battle. Already had he account
ed for four of the seven lions and
badly wounded the three remaining
when, In temporary lull in the en-
counter, he sank Imply to his knees
and rolled over upon his side. Tar
zans spear had pierced the great
lungs. and Buto, with victory almost
in sight, succumbed TO internal hemor-
rhage.
Then Tarzan came down from his
sanctuary and as the wounded lions,
growing, dragged themselves away,
the ape-man cut his spear from the
body OF Bpto. hacked OF steak ard