Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-11
T1PZAN THE TERRIBLE
'x BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
:, n. "Torran" Stories and the "Martian" Stories

the effect had been satisfactory, as nc
could see from the renewed evidence
OF awe upon the faces Of the warriors.
At Tarzan's direction the business OF
the court continued where It had been
interrupted by his advent. 1t con-
sisted principally In the settling Of dis
putes between warriors.
There was present one who stood
upon the step just below the throne
and which Tarzan was to learn was the
place reserved for the higher chiefs Of
the allied tribes which made up Ko-
tan's kingdom. The one who attracted
Tarzan's attention was stalwart
warrior Of powerful physique and mas
sive, lion-lik features. He was ad-
dressing ko- tan on q question that is
as old as government and that will con-
tinue In unabated Importance until man
ceases to exist. It had to do with a
boundary dispute with one Of his
neighbors.
The matter itself held little or no in
icrest for Tarzan, but he was impressed
by the appearance Of the speaker. and
when Ko-t tan addressed him as ia don
tho ape mans interest was permanently
crystallized. for don was the father
Of Ia den. That the knowledge would
benefit him in any way seemed rather
q remote possibility since he could not
reveal to ia don his friendly relations
with his son without admitting the
falsity of his claims to godship.
When the affairs Of the audience were
concluded Ko-tan suggested that the
visit tho temple in which were per-
formed the religious rites coincident to
the worship Of the great god. And so
the ape-man was conducted by the king
himself, followed by the warriors Of his
court, through the corridors OF the
palace toward the northern end of the
group of buildings within the royal in
closure.
The temple itself was really part
Of the palace and similar in archi-
lecture. There were several ceremonial
places of varying sizes, the purposes Of
which Tnrzan could only conjecture.
Each had an altar In the west end and
another in the east and were oval In
shape, their longest diameter lying due
east and west. Each was excavated
from the summit of small hillock and
all were without roofs. The western
altars invariably were a single block of
stone the top of which was followed
into an oblong basin. Those nt the
eastern ends we're similar blocks Of
stone with fat tops and these latter,
unlike those at the opposite ends Of
the ovals, were invariably stained or
painted reddish brown, nor did Tar
san need to examine them closely to
be assured of what his keen nostrils
already mad told him-thnt the brown
stains were dried and drying human
blood
Below these temple courts were cor.
nH ~ nto arht fo tntp
the bowels of the hills, dim, gloomy
passages that Tarzan glimpsed as he
was led from place to place on his tour
of inspection of the temple. A mes
senger had been dispatched by Ko-tar
to announce the coming visit Of the
son of Jad-ben- Otho with the rcsul,
that they were accompanied through the
temple by considerable procession ot
priests. whose Distinguishing mark o.
profession seemed to consist In grotesqut
hcaddresses; sometimes hideous face,
carved from wood and entirely con
cealing the countenances of thei,
wenrers; or ngain the head of a wilt
beast cunningly fitted over the head O
a man.
The high priest alone wore no sucl
headdrcss. He was On old man will
close. set, cunning eyes and cruel
thin Tipped mouth.
At first sight Of him Tazan realized
that here lay the greatest danger t.
his rusc, for he saw Mt a glance tina
the man was antagonistic toward hin
knd his pretenstons, and he knew, too
that doubtless OF all the people of Pal,
ul- don the high priest was most likcl,
BEN -Otho, and, therefore, would lool
with suspicion on one who claimed tC
be the son Of fabulous god.
No matter what suspicion lurke'
within his crafty mind. Lu don, tn,
high prizes: Of A-lur. did not openl,
question Tarzan's right TO the title o
Dor ul- Otho. and it may be that h,
was restrained by the same doubt
which had originally restrained 10 tan
and his warriors--the doubt that IL nt
the bottom of the minds of all bias
phemers even and which Is based upoI,
the fear that after all there may be q
god. So, for the time being at least,
JIu don played safe. Yet 1'arzan knew
as we'll as though tho man had spoken
aloud his ;nmost thoughts that 1t was
in the heart Of the high priest to tear the
veil from his imposture,
At the entrance to the temple no
tan had relinquished the guidance Of
the guest to Lu don, and now the
latter led Tarzan through those por-
to see. He showed him the great room
fwhere the votive offerings were kept,
gifts from the barbaric chiefs Of Pal
III don and from their followers. These
things ranged IN value from presents OF
dried fruits to massive vessels Of beaten
gold, SO that in the great main store
room and its connecting chambers and
| corridors was an accumulation oil
wealth that amazed even the eyes OF
the owner of the secret Of the treasure
vaults Of Opar.
Moving to and fro throughout the
temple were sleek black Waz-do slaves
fruits of the Ho-do raids upon tho
villages of their less civilized neigh
bors. AS they passed the barred ell
trance to dim corridor, Tarznn saw
within great company of pithecan
thropi of all ages and of both saxes
jority Of them sQuattcd upon the ston,
floor In attitudes OF utter detection
while same paced back and forth, theil
features stamped with the despair o
utter hopelesncss.
"And who ere these who lie here
thus unhappily?" he asked Of Lu don
1t was the first question that he ha
put to the high priest since entering
the temple, and instantly he, regretted
that he had asked 1t, for Lu don turned
upon him a face upon which the ex-
preston of suspicion was but thinly
veiled.
WHO should know better than tn,
son of Jad ben -Otho?' he retorted.
'The questions Of Dor ul- Otho ART
not with impunity answered with othe,
questions" said the ape-man quietly