The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-12-10
CHAPTER xIl.-continued.

thC 9uiShiy CihpiiC0 ShooiS dho tAAS ~
portunity 1t presented. Scarcely had
the lion dragged the Arab from one
side, than the Belgian. selling the POM
mel of the saddle and the horses
name. leaped upon the horses back
from the other.
half hour later a naked giant,
swinging easily through the lower
branches of the trees, paused. and
with raised head, and dilating nostrils
shifted the morning air. The smell OF
blood fell strong upon his nose, and
mingled with it was the scent of Numa.
the lion. The giant cooked his head
upon one side and listened.
From short distance up the trail
came the unmistakable noises Of the
greedy feeding Of lion. Tarzan ap-
preached the spot, still keeping TO the
branches of the trees. He made no
effort to conceal his approach. and
presently he had evidence that Numa
had heard him, from the ominous.
rumbling warning that broke from a
thicket beside the trail.
Hating upon low branch just
above the lion Tarzan looked down
upon the grisly scene. Could this un-
recognizable thing be the man he had
been trailing?
He scolded Numa and tried to drive
the great beast away; but only angry
growls rewarded his efforts. He tore
small branches from nearby limb
and hurled them at his ancient enemy.
Numa looked up with barred fangs.
+ vxo ut 81
from his kill.
Then Tarzan fitted an arrow to his
bow, and drawing the slim shaft far
back let drive with all the force Of the
tough wood that only he could bend.
As the arrow sank deeply into his
side, Numa leaped to his feet with
roar of mingled rage and pain. He
leaped futilely at the grinning ape
man. tore at the protruding end of the
shaft, and then. springing into the
trail, paced back and forth beneath his
tormentor. Again Tarzan loosed a
swift bolt This time the missile.
aimed with care, lodged in the lions
spine. That great creature halted in its
tracks. and lurched awkwardly for
ward upon its face, paralyzed.
Tarzan dropped to the trail. ran
quickly to the beasts side, and drove
his spear deep into the fierce heart.
then after recovering his arrows turned
his attention to the mutilated remains
Of the animals prey In the nearby
thicket.
The face was gone. The Arab
garments aroused no doubt as to the
mans identity, since he had trailed
him into the Arab camp and out again.
where he might easily have acquired
the apparel. So sure was Tarzan that
the body was that of he who had
robbed him that he made no effort to
verify his deductions by scent among
the conglomerate odors Of the great
carnivore and the fresh blood of the
victim.
He confined his attentions to 4 care
full search for the pouch, but nowhere
upon or about the corpse was any sign
of the missing article or its contents.
The ape-man was disappointed-pos-
sibly not so much because of the loss
Of the colored pebbles as with Numa
for robbing him of the pleasures Of re-
venge.
Wondering what could have become
of his possessions. the apeman turned
slowly back along the trail in the di-
rection from which he had come. TAX
ing to the trees, he moved directly
south in search of prey, that he might
satisfy his hunger before midday. and
then lie up for the afternoon.
Scarcely had he quilted the trail
when Il tall black warrior. moving at
a dogged trot, passed toward the east
1t was Mugambi, searching for his
mistress. He continued along the trail
hating to examine the body of the
dead lion.
The black looked furtively about
him. The body was still warm, and
from this fact he reasoned that the
killer was close at hand yet no sign
of living man appeared. Mugambl
shook his head, and continued along
the TRAIL but with redoubled caution
All day he travelled. stopping occa
sionally to call aloud the single word
Lady" In the hope that at last she
might hear and respond; but in the
end his loyal devotion brought him tG
disaster.
From the northeast, for severa
months, Abdul Mourak. in command Of
detachment of Abyssinian soldiers
had been assiduously searching for the
Arab raider. Achmet Eek, who. si1
months previously. had afrronted the
majesty of Abdul Mourak's emperor
by conducting slave raid within the
boundaries of Menelek's domain.
And now IT happened that Abdu
Mourak had halted for short rest al
noon upon this very day and along
the same trail that Werper and Mu
sambi were following toward the east
II was shortly after the soldiers haG
dismounted that the Belgian. unaware
OF their presence. rode his tired noun
almost into their midst. before he hat
discovered them. Instantly he was
surrounded, and a volley of questions
hurled al him, as he was pulled from
his harSe and led toward the DroaanPf