The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-09-24
CHAPTER vi.-continued.

CHAPTER vl.-continued.
s.
The creatures he saw before him he
recognized for what they were-men
and women. and a huge lion. The men
and women were scuttling for the
safety of the exits. The lion stood
upon the body of one who had been
less fortunate than the others. He
was in the center of the temple. Di-
rectly before Tarzan, a woman stood
beside block of stone. Upon the top
of the stone lay stretched man, and
as the ape-man watched the scene, he
saw the lion glare terribly at the two
who remained within the temple. An
other thunderous roar broke from the
savage throat, the woman screamed
and swooned across the body of the
man stretched PROSTATE upon the
stone altar before her.
Werper. helpless upon the altar, saw
the great carnivore preparing to leap
upon him. He saw the sudden change
in the beasts expression as his eyes
wandered to something beyond the
altar and out of the Belgian's view.
He saw the formidable creature rise
to a standing position. A figure dart
ed past Werper. He saw a mighty
arm upraised, and a stout spear shoot
forward toward the lion to bury itself
In the broad chest.
He saw the lion swapping and tear
ing the weapons shaft, and he saw,
wonder Of wonders! the naked giant
who had hurled the missile charging
upon the great beast. only long knife
ready to meet those ferocious fangs
and talons.
By a quick side step, Tarzan eluded
the first swinging clutch Of the lions
paws. Darting to the beasts side, he
leaped upon the tawny back. His
arms encircled the named neck. his
teeth sank deep into the brute's flesh.
Roaring, leaping. rolling and strug-
Cling, the giant cat attempted to dis
lodge this savage enemy, and all the
while one great, brown fist was driv-
ing a long keen blade repeatedly into
the beasts side.
During the battle, La regained con-
sciousness. Spellbound, she stood
above her victim watching the spec
tacIe. At last Tarzan's knife found
the great heart, and with final, spas
modic struggle the lion rolled over
upon the marble floor, dead. Leaping
to his feet the conqueror placed foot
upon the carcass of his kill. raised his
face toward the heavens and gave
voice to so hideous a cry that both La
and Wetper trembled as 1t reverber-
ated through the temple
NH ~ al NA
Der recognized him as the man he
had left for dead in the treasure room.
Werper was ast0unded Could this
creature be the same dignified Eng
lishman who had entertained him SO
graciously in his luxurious African
homer Could this wild beast, with blaz-
ing eyes, and bloody countenance, be
at the same time a mani Could the
h0rrid victory cry he had but just
heard have been formed In human
throatf
La was studying the ape-man's fea-
lures. Slowly her large eyes opened
very wide.
Tarzan" she exclaimed, and then,
IN the vernacular Of the great apes
which constant association with the
authropoids had rendered the common
language Of the Oparians: "You have
come back to me! La has ignored the
mandates Of her religion, waiting. al
ways waiting for Tarzan-for her Tar
Ean. She has taken no mate, for In
all the world there was but one with
whom La would mate. And now you
have come backi Tell me, o Tar
zan, that IT is for me you have re-
turned"
Werper listened to the unintelligible
1argon. He looked from La to Tarzan
Would the latter understand this
strange tops2e? To the Belgian's sur
prise, the Englisfhnan answered in a
language evidently identical to hers.
'"Tarzan," he repeated, musingly.
''rarzan. The name sounds familiar"
''It is your name-you are Tarzan."
cried La.
81 am Tarzan?" The ape-man
shrugged. "Well. it is a good name
/ know no other, so will keep it !; but
I do not know you. I did not come
hither for you. Why I came, do not
know at all; neither do I know from
whence / came. Can you tell me?"
La shook her head. II never knew"
she replied.
Tarzan turned toward Werper and
pr. the game question TO him; but in