The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-27

And then began for the French
officer the most terrifying experience
which man can encounter upon
earth the reception of a white prison
er into a village of African canni-
balls.
They fell upon D'Arnot tooth and
nail. beating him with sticks and
stones and tearing at him with claw
like hands. Every vestige Of cloth
ing was torn from him and the
merciless blows fell upon his bare
and quivering flesh. But not once
did the Frenchman cry out in pain.
A silent prayer rose to his Master
that he be quickly delivered from
mis- torture.
Presently they gained the center
of the village. There D'Arnot was
bound securely to the great post
from which no live man had ever
been released.
The festivities were delayed await.
Ing the return Of the warriors who
had remained to engage in the
skirmish with the white men, SO
that 1t was quite late when all were
in the village, and the dance OF
death commenced to circle around
the doomed officer.
The savage, whirling bodies
circled nearer. Now spear sprang
forth and touched his arm. The
sharp pain and the. feel of hot. trick.
ling blood assured him Of the awful
reality Of his hopeless position.
Another spear and then another
touched him. He closed his eyes
and held his teeth firm set-he
would MT cry out.
He was a soldier Of France, and
he would teach these beasts how an
4 officer and a gentleman died.
Tarzan Of the Apes needed no IN
terpreter to translate the story of
those distant shots. With Jane
Porter's kisses still warm upon his
lips he was swinging with incredible
rapidity through the forest trees
straight toward the village OF
Mbonga.
Many times had Tarzan seen
Mbonga's black raiding parties re
! turn from the northward with pris
oners, and always were the same
scenes enacted about that grim
stake, beneath the fiaring light OF
many fires.
On he sped. Night had fallen and
he travelled high along the upper
terrace where the gorgeous tropie
moon lighted the dizzy pathway
through the gently undulatine
branches Of the tree tops.
In, q few minutes more Tarzan
swung into. the trees above Mbogna's
village. All, he was not quite toe
late! Or was he? He could not tell
The figure at the stake was very
still, yet the black warriors were
but pricking it.
In another instant Mbonga's knife
would severe one of the victims
ear-that would mark the beginnias
OF the end. for very shortly after
only writhing mass Of mutilatec
flesh would remain.
The stake stood forty feet from
the nearest tree. Tarzan coiled his
rope. Then there rose suddenI4
above the f1edish cries of the dancine
demons the awful challenge of the
ape-man.
The dancers halted as though
-t1fned to stone.
The rope sped with singing with
high above the heads of the blacks
1t was quite invisible in the fiarina
lights of the camp fires.
DArnot opened his eyes. A huge
black, standing directly before him
lunged backward as though felled by
an invisible hand.
Struggling and shrieking. his bodv
rolling from side to side. moved
quickly toward the shadows beneath
the trees.
Once beneath the trees, the BODY
rose straight into the air, and as #
disappeared into the foliage above.
the terrified negroes, screaming with
fright, broke into a mad race for
the village gate.
D'Arnot was left alone,
He was a brave man, but had felt
the short hairs bristle upon the nape
Of his neck when that uncannv cry
rose upon the air.
As D'Arnot watched the snot
where the body had entered the tree
ne heard the sounds Of movement
there.
The branches swayed as though
under the weight Of a mans body
there was a crash and the black
came sprawling to earth agafn-to
lie very quietly where he had fallen
! Immediately after him came a
white body, but this one alighted
erect.
DArnot saw a clean-limbed young
giant emerge from the shadows into
the firelight and come quickly to-
ward him.
| D'Arnot waited. His eyes never
LETT the face Of the advancing man.
Nor did those frank, clear ewes wa.
yer beneath his fixed gaze.
Without a word Tarzan OF the
Apes cut the bonds which held the
Frenchman. Weak from suffering
and loss Of blood, he would have
fallen but for the strong arm that
caught him.
He felt himself lifted from the
ground There was sensation as
OF flying. and then he lost con-
seriousness.
CHAPTER XXI
The Search Party
When dawn broke upon the little
camp OF Frenchmen in the heart of
the jungle it found a sad ard dis
heartening group.
AS soon as 1t was light enough to
see their surroundings Lieutenant