any who doubts it let him speak—he cannot die younger.'
Tarzan was pleased. Here was a man after his own heart. He admired the fearlessness of Om-at's challenge and he was a sufficiently good judge of men to know that he had listened to no idle bluff—Om-at would back up his words to the death, if necessary, and the chances were that he would not be the one to die. Evidently the majority of the Kor-ul-jaians entertained the same conviction.
'I will make you a good gund,' said Om –at, seeing that no one appeared inclined to dispute his rights. 'Your wives and daughters will be safe—they were not safe while Es-sat ruled. Go now to your crops and your hunting. I leave to search for Pan-at-lee. Ab-on will be gund while I am away—look to him for guidance and to me for an accounting when I return—and may Jad-ben-Otho smile upon you.'
He turned toward Tarzan and the Ho-don. 'And you, my friends,' he said, 'are free to go among my people; the cave of my ancestors is yours, do what you will.'
'I,' said Tarzan, 'will go with Om –at to search for Pan-at-lee.'
'And I,' said Ta-den.
Om –at smiled. 'Good!' he exclaimed. 'And when we have found her we shall go together upon Tarzan's business and Ta-den's. Where first shall we search?' He turned toward his warriors. 'Who knows where she may be?'
None knew other than that Pan-at-lee had gone to her cave with the others the previous evening—there was no clew, no suggestion as to her whereabouts.
'Show me where she sleeps,' said Tarzan; 'let me see something that belongs to her—an article of her apparel—then, doubtless, I can help you.'
Two young warriors climbed closer to the ledge upon which Om –at stood. They were In-sad and O-dan. It was the latter who spoke.
'Gund of Kor-ul-ja,' he said, 'we would go with you to search for Pan-at-lee.'
It was the first acknowledgment of Om-at's chieftainship and immediately following it the tenseness that had prevailed seemed to relax—the warriors spoke aloud instead of in whispers, and the women appeared from the mouths of caves as with the passing of a sudden storm. In-sad and O-dan had taken the lead and now all seemed glad to follow. Some came to talk with Om –at and to look more closely at Tarzan; others, heads of caves, gathered their hunters and discussed the business of the day. The women and children prepared to descend to the fields with the youths and the old men, whose duty it was to guard them.
'O-dan and In-sad shall go with us,' announced Om –at, 'we shall not need more. Tarzan, come with me and I shall show you where Pan-at-lee sleeps, though why you should wish to know I cannot guess—she is not there. I have looked for myself.'
The two entered the cave where Om –at led the way to the apartment in which Es-sat had surprised Pan-at- lee the previous night.
'All here are hers,' said Om –at, 'except the war club lying on the floor—that was Es-sat's.'
The ape-man moved silently about the apartment, the quivering of his sensitive nostrils scarcely apparent to his companion who only wondered what good purpose could be served here and chafed at the delay.
'Come!' said the ape-man, presently, and led the way toward the outer recess.
Here their three companions were awaiting them. Tarzan passed to the left side of the niche and examined the pegs that lay within reach. He looked at them but it was not his eyes that were examining them. Keener than his keen eyes was that marvelously trained sense of scent that had first been developed in him during infancy under the tutorage of his foster mother, Kala, the she-ape, and further sharpened in the grim jungles by that master teacher—the instinct of self-preservation.
From the left side of the niche he turned to the right. Om –at was becoming impatient.
'Let us be off,' he said. 'We must search for Pan-at-lee if we would ever find her.'
'Where shall we search?' asked Tarzan.
Om –at scratched his head. 'Where?' he repeated. 'Why all Pal-ul-don, if necessary.'
'A large job,' said Tarzan. 'Come,' he added, 'she went this way,' and he took to the pegs that led aloft toward the summit of the cliff. Here he followed the scent easily since none had passed that way since Pan-at-lee had fled. At the point at which she had left the permanent pegs and resorted to those carried with her Tarzan came to an abrupt halt. 'She went this way to the summit,' he called back to Om –at who was directly behind him; 'but there are no pegs here.'
'I do not know how you know that she went this way,' said Om –at; 'but we will get pegs. In-sad, return and fetch climbing pegs for five.'
The young warrior was soon back and the pegs distributed. Om –at handed five to Tarzan and explained their use. The ape-man returned one. 'I need but four,' he said.
Om –at smiled. 'What a wonderful creature you would be if you were not deformed,' he said, glancing with pride at his own strong tail.
'I admit that I am handicapped,' replied Tarzan. 'You others go ahead and leave the pegs in place for me. I am afraid that otherwise it will be slow work as I cannot hold the pegs in my toes as you do.'
'All right,' agreed Om-at; 'Ta-den, In-sad, and I will go first, you follow and O-dan bring up the rear and collect the pegs—we cannot leave them here for our enemies.'
'Can't your enemies bring their own pegs?' asked Tarzan.
'Yes; but it delays them and makes easier our defense and—they do not know which of all the holes you see are deep enough for pegs—the others are made to confuse our enemies and are too shallow to hold a peg.'
At the top of the cliff beside the gnarled tree Tarzan again took up the trail. Here the scent was fully as strong as upon the pegs and the ape-man moved rapidly across the ridge in the direction of the Kor-ul-lul.
Presently he paused and turned toward Om –at. 'Here she moved swiftly, running at top speed, and, Om –at, she was pursued by a lion.'
'You can read that in the grass?' asked O-dan as the others gathered about the ape-man.
Tarzan nodded. 'I do not think the lion got her,' he added; 'but that we shall determine quickly. No, he did not get her—look!' and he pointed toward the southwest, down the ridge.
Following the direction indicated by his finger, the others presently detected a movement in some bushes a couple of hundred yards away.
'What is it?' asked Om –at. 'It is she?' and he started toward the spot.
'Wait,' advised Tarzan. 'It is the lion which pursued her.'
'You can see him?' asked Ta-den.
'No, I can smell him.'
The others looked their astonishment and incredulity; but of the fact that it was indeed a lion they were not left long in doubt. Presently the bushes parted and the creature stepped out in full view, facing them. It was a magnificent beast, large and beautifully maned, with the brilliant leopard spots of its kind well marked and symmetrical. For a moment it eyed them and then, still chafing at the loss of its prey earlier in the morning, it charged.
The Pal-ul-donians unslung their clubs and stood waiting the onrushing beast. Tarzan of the Apes drew his hunting knife and crouched in the path of the fanged fury. It was almost upon him when it swerved to the right and leaped for Om –at only to be sent to earth with a staggering blow upon the head. Almost instantly it was up and though the men rushed fearlessly in, it managed to sweep aside their weapons with its mighty paws. A single blow wrenched O-dan's club from his hand and sent it hurtling against Ta-den, knocking him from his feet. Taking advantage of its opportunity the lion rose to throw itself upon O-dan and at the same instant Tarzan flung himself upon its back. Strong, white teeth buried themselves in the spotted neck, mighty arms encircled the savage throat and the sinewy legs of the ape-man locked themselves about the gaunt belly.
The others, powerless to aid, stood breathlessly about as the great lion lunged hither and thither, clawing and biting fearfully and futilely at the savage creature that had fastened itself upon him. Over and over they rolled and now the onlookers saw a brown hand raised above the lion's side—a brown hand grasping a keen blade. They saw it fall and rise and fall again—each time with terrific force and in its wake they saw a crimson stream trickling down ja's gorgeous coat.
Now from the lion's throat rose hideous screams of hate and rage and pain as he redoubled his efforts to dislodge and punish his tormentor; but always the tousled black head remained half buried in the dark brown mane and the mighty arm rose and fell to plunge the knife again and again into the dying beast.
