The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-07

Of H E ES
By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS


smiling face Of his father in his
heart. and in his head a fixed de-
termination to solve the mystery Of
the strange words in the little black
book.
At present he had more important
business in hand. for his supply Of
arrows was exhausted, and he must
needs journey to the black mems
village and renew 1t.
Early the following morning he
set out, and, travelling rapidly, he
came before midday to the clearing.
Once o he took up his position
In the great tree, and, as before, he
saw the women in the fields and
the village street, and the cauldron
Of bubbItng poison directly beneath
him.
For hours he lay awaiting his
opportunity to drop down unseen and
gather up the arrows for which he
had come; but nothing now oc-
CURED to call the villagers away
from their homes. The day wore
on, and still Tarzan of the Apes
crouched above the unsuspecting
woman at the rauldron.
Presently the workers in the fields
returned. The hunting warriors
emerged from the forest. and when
all were within the palisade the
gates were closed and barred.
Many cooking pots were now in
evidence about the village. Before
each hut a woman presided over a
boiling stew, while little cakes of
plantain, and cassava buildings were
to be e en on every hand.
Suddenly there came a hail from
the edge Of the clearing.
Tarzan looked.
1t was a party of belated hunters
returning from the north, and among
them they half led, half carried a
struggling animal.
As they approached the village
the gates were thrown open to adj
NIT them. and then, as the people
saw the victim OF the chase, a saw
age cry rose to the heavens, for the
quarry was a man.
As he was dragged, still resting,
into the village street. the women
and children set upon him with
sticks and stones. and Tarzan of the
Apes, young and savage beast of the
jungle, wondered at the cruel bru-
talty OF his own kind.
Sheta, the leopard, alone Of all the
jungle folk, tortured his prey. The
ethics Of all the others meied out a
quick and merciful death to their
victims.
Tarzan had learned from his books
but scattered fragments OF the ways
OF human beings.
When he had followed Kulonga
through the forest he had expected
to come to a city or strange houses
on wheels, putting clouds OF black
smoke from ahuge tree stuck in the
ROT of n Of them-or to a sea
covered with mighty floating build
ings which he had learned were
called, variously. ships and boats
and steamers and craft.
He had been sorely disappointed
with the poor little village of the
blacks, hidden away in his own Jun
gle, n with not a single house as
large as his own cabin upon the dis
tant beach.
He saw that these people were
more wicked than his W apes, and
as savage and cruel as Sabor, her
self. Tarzan began to hold his own
kind in but low esteem.
Now they had tied theia poor vic.
time to a great post near the center
OF the village, directly before Mbon-
gas hut, and here they formed a
dancing, yelling circle OF warriors
about him, alive with flashing knives
n menacing spears.
In a larger circle squatted the
women, yelling and beating upon
drums. 1t reminded Tarzan OF the
Dum-Dum, and so he knew what to
expect. He wondered IL they would
spring upon their meat while it was
still alive. The Apes did not do such
things as that.
The circle of warriors about the
crfnging captive drew closer and
closer to their prey as they danced
in wild and savage abandon to the
maddening music of the drums.
Presently a spear reached out and
pr1cked the victim. 1t was the sig.
nal for fifty others.
Eyes. ears. arms and legs were
pierced; every inch of the poor
writhing body that did lot cover a
vital organ became the target Of the
cruel lancers.
The women and children shrieked
their delight. The warriors licked
their hideous lips In anticipation OF
the feast to come. and We'd with
n another in the savagery and
loathesomeness of the cruel indfgni-
ties with which they tortured the
still conscious prisoner. /.
Then 1t was that Tarzan of the
Apes saw his chance. All eyes were
fixed upon the thrilling spectacle at
the stake. The light OF day had
given place to the darkness of a
mooniess night, and only the fires In
the immediate vicinity of the orgy
had been kept alight to cast q rest
less glow upon the restless scene.
Gently the 1.-THE boy dropped 10
the soft earth ct the end of the VII
lage street. Quickly he gathered up
the arrows-all Of them this time.
for he had brought a number Of long
fbers to bind them into a bundle.
Without haste he wrapped them
securely, and then, ere he turned to