Van Eyk nodded. 'I think you're right. What are we going to do with this old devil?'
Troll seized one of the cutlasses that lay beside the cot. 'I'll show you what we're going to do with him!'
Tarzan grasped the man's wrist. 'Not so fast. You are taking orders from me.'
''Who said so?'
Tarzan wrenched the weapon from Troll's hand and slapped the man across the side of the face with an open palm. The blow sent him reeling across the room to fall in a heap against the wall.
Troll staggered to his feet, feeling his jaw. 'I'll get you for this.' His voice trembled with rage.
'Shut up and do as you're told.' The ape-man's voice showed no emotion. It was, however, a voice that commanded obedience. Then he turned to Wood. 'You and van Eyk get the gems. Troll and Spike will carry Mafka.'
'Where are we going?' Van Eyk put the question apprehensively. He knew that there was a guard of warrior-women in the corridor outside Mafka's suite.
'We are going first to Gonfala's apartments. They adjoin Mafka's.'
'She'll give the alarm, and we'll have the whole bloomin' bunch of 'em on us,' objected Spike.
'Don't worry about Gonfala; just do as I say. However, you may as well take these weapons. Something might happen of course.'
Wood and van Eyk got the great emerald and the Gonfal from the ledge in the fireplace; then Troll and Spike picked up Mafka, who was trembling in terror; and all followed Tarzan to the door of the apartment. They passed through the adjoining room and the next, coming then to the door leading into Gonfala's suite. Like the other doors, it was barred on the inside. Slipping the bars, the ape-man pushed the door open.
Gonfala was standing in the center of the room as the party entered. She was clothed as for a journey, with a long robe of leopard skins and heavy sandals. A narrow fillet of beaded doeskin bound her golden hair. At sight of Mafka, bound, gagged, and blindfolded, she gasped and shrank away. Then she saw Wood and ran to him.
He put an arm about her. 'Don't be afraid, Gonfala. We're going to take you away. That is, if you want to come with us.'
'Yes; anywhere-with you. But him! What are you going to do with him?' She pointed at Mafka. 'He'll drag us all back, no matter where we go, and kill us; or he'll kill us there. He kills them all, who escape.'
Spike spat venomously. 'We'd ought to kill him now.'
Van Eyk looked at Tarzan. 'I agree with Spike. Why shouldn't we, when it's his life or ours?'
The ape-man shook his head. 'We don't know the temper of the Kaji women. This man must be something of a deity to them. He represents their power-he is their power. Without him, they would be just a tribe of women upon which any other tribe could prey. He means most to us alive, as a hostage.'
Wood nodded. 'I think Clayton's right.'
The discussion was interrupted by a commotion in the outer corridor upon which the apartments of Mafka and Gonfala opened. There was pounding upon the door of Mafka's apartment and loud cries for the magician.
Tarzan turned to Gonfala. 'Call some warrior in authority and see what they want. We'll wait in the next room. Come!' He motioned the others to follow him, and led the way into the adjoining apartment.
Gonfala crossed the room and struck a drum that stood upon the floor near the doorway leading into the corridor. Three times she struck it; then she drew the bolt that secured the door upon the inside. A moment later the door was swung open, and a warrior-woman entered the apartment. She bent to one knee before the queen.
'What is the meaning of the noise in the corridor? Why are they calling Mafka at this hour of the morning?'
'The Zuli are coming, Gonfala. They are coming to make war upon us. They sent a slave to demand the return of their great emerald. There are many of them. We invoke the power of Mafka to make the Zuli weak so that we can kill many of them and drive them away.'
'They have no power. Woora is dead, and we have the great emerald. Tell the warriors that I, Gonfala the Queen, command them to go out and slay the Zuli.'
'The Zuli are already at the gates of the city. Our warriors are afraid, for they have no power from Mafka. Where is Mafka? Why does he not answer the prayers of the Kaji?'
Gonfala stamped her foot. 'Do as I command. You are not here to ask questions. Go to the gate and defend the city. I, Gonfala, will give my warriors power to defeat the Zuli.'
'Let us see Mafka,' insisted the woman sullenly.
Gonfala reached a quick decision. 'Very well. See that my orders for the defense of the city are obeyed; then come to the throne room, and you shall see Mafka. Bring the captains with you.'
The woman withdrew, and the door was closed. Immediately, Tarzan stepped into the room. 'I overheard. What is your plan?'
'Merely to gain time.'
'Then you didn't intend to have Mafka in the throne room to meet them?'
'No. That would be fatal. If we took him in bound, gagged, and blindfolded they might kill us all. If we gave him his freedom, he would kill us.'
'Nevertheless, I think it a good plan. We'll do it.' A grim smile touched the lips of the ape-man.
'You are mad.'
'Perhaps; but if we try to leave now, we can't get out of Kaji without a fight; and I do not relish fighting women. I think there is another way. Do you know where the imitation Gonfal is kept?'
'Yes.'
'Get it, and bring it here at once. Wrap a skin around it so that no one can see it. Tell no one. Only you and I must know.'
'What are you going to do?'
'Wait and see. Do as I tell you.'
'You forget that I am queen.' She drew herself up proudly.
'I know only that you are a woman who would like to escape from Kaji with the man she loves.'
Gonfala flushed, but she made no reply. Instead, she quit the room at once, going into the apartments of Mafka.
She was gone but a few moments. When she returned she carried a bundle wrapped in a skin.
Tarzan took it from her. 'We are ready now. Lead the way to the throne room.' He summoned the others from the adjoining apartment; then he turned again to the queen. 'Is there a private way to the throne room?'
Gonfala nodded. 'This way. Follow me.'
She led them into Mafka's apartments where she opened a small door revealing a flight of steps, and they followed her down these to another door that opened upon the dais where the throne chairs stood.
The throne room was empty. The captains had not yet arrived. At Tarzan's direction, Wood placed the Gonfal on the stand beside the throne; Troll and Spike seated Mafka, still bound, gagged, and blindfolded, in his chair; Gonfala seated herself in the other. Tarzan stood beside the table bearing the Gonfal. The others stood behind the chairs. Van Eyk concealed the great emerald of the Zuli beneath a skin he took from the floor of the dais.
In silence they waited. All but Tarzan were tense with nervousness. Presently they heard approaching footfalls in the corridor leading to the throne room. The doors were swung open, and the captains of the Kaji filed in.
They came with heads bent in reverence for their queen and the great power of their magician. When they looked up they were close to the dais. At sight of Mafka they gave vent to cries of astonishment and anger. They looked at the strangers on the dais; then their eyes centered upon the queen.
One of them stepped forward. 'What is the meaning of this, Gonfala?' Her tones were menacing.
It was Tarzan who answered. 'It means that the power of Mafka is gone. All your lives he has held you in the hollow of his hand. He has made you fight for him. He has taken the best fruits of your conquests. He has held you prisoners here. You feared and hated him, but most of all you feared him.'
'He has given us power,' answered the warrior. 'If that power is gone, we are lost.'
'It is not gone, but Mafka no longer wields it.'
'Kill them!' cried one of the captains.
The cry arose from many throats. 'Kill them! Kill them!' With savage yells they pushed forward toward the
