The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-02-20
CHAPTER xIII-Continued.

overlooking the village occupied by the
enemy, the better to spy upon his
goings and comings.
A horseman, white burnoosed, rode
out through the gateway of the village.
Tarzan, whispering to Chulk and Tag
lat to remain where they were, swung
monkey-like, through the trees in the
direction of the trail the Arab was rid
ing. From one jungle giant to the next
he sped with the rapidity of squirrel
and the silence of a ghost.
The Arab rode slowly onward, un-
conscious of the danger lowering In
the trees behind him. The ape-man
made slight detour and increased his
speed until he had reached a point
upon the trail in advance of the horse
man. Here he halted upon a leafy
bough which overhung the narrow jun
gle trail. On came the victim, hum
ming wild air of the great desert
land of the North. Above him poised
the savage brute that was today bent
upon the destruction of human life
the same creature who few months
before had occupied his seat in the
house of lords at London, respected
and distinguished member of that au-
gust body.
The Arab passed beneath the over
hanging bough, there was a slight
rustling of the leaves above, the horse
snorted and plunged as a brown-skin-
ned creature dropped upon its rump.
A pair of mighty arms encircled the
Arab and he was dragged from his sad
die to the trail.
Ten minutes later the ape-man, car
rying the outer garments of an Arab
bundled beneath an arm, rejoined his
companions. He exhibited his trophies
to them, explaining in low gutturals
the details of his exploit.
Then Tarzan led them back through
the jungle to the trail, where the three
hid themselves and waited. Nor had
they long to wait before two of Achmet
Zek's blacks, clothed in habiliments
similar to their masters, came down
the trail on foot, returning to the
camp.
One moment they were laughing and
talking together-the next they lay
stretched in death upon the trail, three
mighty engines of destruction bending
over them. Tarzan removed their out
er garments as he had removed those
of his first victim and again retired
with Chulk and Taglat to the greater
seclusion of the tree they had first
selected.
Here the ape-man arranged the gar
ments upon his shaggy fellows and
himself, until, at a distance, it might
have appeared that three white-robed
Arabs squatted silently among the
branches of the forest.
1t was long after darkness had fallen
that Tarzan led his companions from
their hiding place in the tree to the
ground and around the palisade to the
far side of the village.
Gathering the skirts of his burnoose
beneath one arm, that his legs might
have free action, the ape-man took
short running start and scrambled to
the top of the barrier. Fearing lest
the apes should rend their garments
to shreds in a similar attempt, he had
directed them to wait below for him
and himself securely perched upon the
summit of the palisade, he unslung his
spear and lowered one end of it to
Chulk.
The ape seized it and while Tarzan
held tightly to the upper end. the an
thropoid climbed quickly up the shaft
until with one paw he grasped the top
of the wall To scramble then to Tar
zan's side was the work of but an in
slant. In like manner Taglat was con-
Quoted to their sides and a moment
later the three dropped silently within
the enclosure.
Tarzan fed them first to the rear of
the hut in which Jane Clayton was
confined, where, through the roughly
repaired aperture in the wall, he
sought with his sensitive nostrils for
proof that the She he had come for
was within.
Chulk and Taglat, their hairy faces
pressed close to that of the patrician,
shifted with him. Each caught the
scent spoor of the woman within and
each reacted according to his tempera-
ment and his habits of thought.
1t left Chulk Indifferent. The She
was for Tarzan-all that he desired
was to bury his snout in the foodstuffs
of the Tarmangani. He had come to
eat his fill without labor-Tarzan had
told him that that should be- his re-
ward, and he was satisfied.
But Taglat's wicked, bloodshot eyes
narrowed to the realization of the
nearing fulfillment of his carefully
uursed plan. 1t is true that sometimes
during the several days that had
elapsed since they had set out upon
their expedition it had been difficult
for Taglat to hold his idea uppermost
in his mind, and on several occasions
he had completely forgotten it until
Tarzan. by chance word, had re-
called it to him. but, for an ape, Tag
lat had done we'll
Now, he licked his chops and made
q sickenng, sucking noise with his
fabby lips as he drew in his breath.
Satisfied that the She was where he
had hoped to find her, Tarzan led his
apes toward the tent of Achmet Eek.
A passing Arab and two slaves saw
them, but the night was dark and the
white burnooses hid the hairy limbs of
tn apes and the giant figure of their
leader so that the three, by squatting
down as though in conversation, were
passed by unsupported. To the rear
Of the tent they made their way.