4
Tarzan-jad-guru
As Tarzan and Om-at clambered back to the vestibule of Pan-at-lee's
cave and took their stand beside Ta-den in readiness for whatever
eventuality might follow the death of Es-sat, the sun that topped the
eastern hills touched also the figure of a sleeper upon a distant,
thorn-covered steppe awakening him to another day of tireless
tracking along a faint and rapidly disappearing spoor.
For a time silence reigned in the Kor-ul-ja. The tribesmen waited,
looking now down upon the dead thing that had been their chief,
now at one another, and now at Om-at and the two who stood upon his
either side. Presently Om-at spoke. "I am Om-at," he cried. "Who
will say that Om-at is not gund of Kor-ul-ja?"
He waited for a taker of his challenge. One or two of the larger
young bucks fidgeted restlessly and eyed him; but there was no
reply.
"Then Om-at is gund," he said with finality. "Now tell me, where
are Pan-at-lee, her father, and her brothers?"
An old warrior spoke. "Pan-at-lee should be in her cave. Who
should know that better than you who are there now? Her father and
her brothers were sent to watch Kor-ul-lul; but neither of these
questions arouse any tumult in our breasts. There is one that does:
Can Om-at be chief of Kor-ul-ja and yet stand at bay against his
own people with a Ho-don and that terrible man at his side--that
terrible man who has no tail? Hand the strangers over to your
people to be slain as is the way of the Waz-don and then may Om-at
be gund."
Neither Tarzan nor Ta-den spoke then, they but stood watching Om-at
and waiting for his decision, the ghost of a smile upon the lips
of the ape-man. Ta-den, at least, knew that the old warrior had
spoken the truth--the Waz-don entertain no strangers and take no
prisoners of an alien race.
Then spoke Om-at. "Always there is change," he said. "Even the old
hills of Pal-ul-don appear never twice alike--the brilliant sun,
a passing cloud, the moon, a mist, the changing seasons, the sharp
clearness following a storm; these things bring each a new change
in our hills. From birth to death, day by day, there is constant
change in each of us. Change, then, is one of Jad-ben-Otho's laws.
"And now I, Om-at, your gund, bring another change. Strangers who
are brave men and good friends shall no longer be slain by the
Waz-don of Kor-ul-ja!"
There were growls and murmurings and a restless moving among the
warriors as each eyed the others to see who would take the initiative
against Om-at, the iconoclast.
"Cease your mutterings," admonished the new gund. "I am your chief.
My word is your law. You had no part in making me chief. Some of
you helped Es-sat to drive me from the cave of my ancestors; the
rest of you permitted it. I owe you nothing. Only these two, whom
you would have me kill, were loyal to me. I am gund and if there
be 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.
The Pal-ul-donians stood in mute wonder and admiration. Brave men
and mighty hunters they were and as such the first to accord honor
to a mightier.
"And you would have had me slay him!" cried Om-at, glancing at
In-sad and O-dan.
"Jad-ben-Otho reward you that you did not," breathed In-sad.
And now the lion lunged suddenly to earth and with a few spasmodic
quiverings lay still. The ape-man rose and shook himself, even as
might ja, the leopard-coated lion of Pal-ul-don, had he been the
one to survive.
O-dan advanced quickly toward Tarzan. Placing a palm upon his own
breast and the other on Tarzan's, "Tarzan the Terrible," he said,
"I ask no greater honor than your friendship."
"And I no more than the friendship of Om-at's friends," replied
the ape-man simply, returning the other's salute.
"Do you think," asked Om-at, coming close to Tarzan and laying a
hand upon the other's shoulder, "that he got her?"
"No, my friend; it was a hungry lion that charged us."
"You seem to know much of lions," said In-sad.
"Had I a brother I could not know him better," replied Tarzan.
"Then where can she be?" continued Om-at.
"We can but follow while the spoor is fresh," answered the ape-man
and again taking up his interrupted tracking he led them down the
ridge and at a sharp turning of the trail to the left brought them
to the verge of the cliff that dropped into the Kor-ul-lul. For
a moment Tarzan examined the ground to the right and to the left,
then he stood erect and looking at Om-at pointed into the gorge.
For a moment the Waz-don gazed down into the green rift at the bottom
of which a tumultuous river tumbled downward along its rocky bed,
then he closed his eyes as to a sudden spasm of pain and turned
away.
"You--mean--she jumped?" he asked.
"To escape the lion," replied Tarzan. "He was right behind her--look,
you can see where his four paws left their impress in the turf as
he checked his charge upon the very verge of the abyss."
"Is there any chance--" commenced Om-at, to be suddenly silenced
by a warning gesture from Tarzan.
"Down!" whispered the ape-man, "many men are coming. They are
running--from down the ridge." He flattened himself upon his belly
in the grass, the others following his example.
For some minutes they waited thus and then the others, too, heard
the sound of running feet and now a hoarse shout followed by many
more.
"It is the war cry of the Kor-ul-lul," whispered Om-at--"the
hunting cry of men who hunt men. Presently shall we see them
and if Jad-ben-Otho is pleased with us they shall not too greatly
outnumber us."
"They are many," said Tarzan, "forty or fifty, I should say; but
how many are the pursued and how many the pursuers we cannot even
guess, except that the latter must greatly outnumber the former,
else these would not run so fast."
"Here they come," said Ta-den.
"It is An-un, father of Pan-at-lee, and his two sons," exclaimed
O-dan. "They will pass without seeing us if we do not hurry," he
added looking at Om-at, the chief, for a sign.
"Come!" cried the latter, springing to his feet and running rapidly
to intercept the three fugitives. The others followed him.
"Five friends!" shouted Om-at as An-un and his sons discovered
them.
"Adenen yo!" echoed O-dan and In-sad.
The fugitives scarcely paused as these unexpected reinforcements
joined them but they eyed Ta-den and Tarzan with puzzled glances.
"The Kor-ul-lul are many," shouted An-un. "Would that we might
pause and fight; but first we must warn Es-sat and our people."
"Yes," said Om-at, "we must warn our people."
"Es-sat is dead," said In-sad.
"Who is chief?" asked one of An-un's sons.
"Om-at," replied O-dan.
"It is well," cried An-un. "Pan-at-lee said that you would come
back and slay Es-sat."
Now the enemy broke into sight behind them.
"Come!" cried Tarzan," let us turn and charge them, raising a great
cry. They pursued but three and when they see eight charging upon
them they will think that many men have come to do battle. They
will believe that there are more even than they see and then one
who is swift will have time to reach the gorge and warn your people."
"It is well," said Om-at. "Id-an, you are swift--carry word to the
warriors of Kor-ul-ja that we fight the Kor-ul-lul upon the ridge
and that Ab-on shall send a hundred men."
Id-an, the son of An-un, sped swiftly toward the cliff-dwellings
of the Kor-ul-ja while the others charged the oncoming Kor-ul-lul,
the war cries of the two tribes rising and falling in a certain
grim harmony. The leaders of the Kor-ul-lul paused at sight of the
reinforcements, waiting apparently for those behind to catch up
with them and, possibly, also to learn how great a force confronted
them. The leaders, swifter runners than their fellows, perhaps,
were far in advance while the balance of their number had not yet
emerged from the brush; and now as Om-at and his companions fell
upon them with a ferocity born of necessity they fell back, so that
when their companions at last came in sight of them they appeared
to be in full rout. The natural result was that the others turned
and fled.
Encouraged by this first success Om-at followed them into the
brush, his little company charging valiantly upon his either side,
and loud and terrifying were the savage yells with which they
pursued the fleeing enemy. The brush, while not growing so closely
together as to impede progress, was of such height as to hide the
members of the party from one another when they became separated
by even a few yards. The result was that Tarzan, always swift and
always keen for battle, was soon pursuing the enemy far in the lead
of the others--a lack of prudence which was to prove his undoing.
The warriors of Kor-ul-lul, doubtless as valorous as their foemen,
retreated only to a more strategic position in the brush, nor were
they long in guessing that the number of their pursuers was fewer
than their own. They made a stand then where the brush was densest--an
ambush it was, and into this ran Tarzan of the Apes. They tricked
him neatly. Yes, sad as is the narration of it, they tricked the
wily jungle lord. But then they were fighting on their own ground,
every foot of which they knew as you know your front parlor, and
they were following their own tactics, of which Tarzan knew nothing.
A single black warrior appeared to Tarzan a laggard in the rear of
the retreating enemy and thus retreating he lured Tarzan on. At
last he turned at bay confronting the ape-man with bludgeon and
drawn knife and as Tarzan charged him a score of burly Waz-don
leaped from the surrounding brush. Instantly, but too late, the giant
Tarmangani realized his peril. There flashed before him a vision
of his lost mate and a great and sickening regret surged through
him with the realization that if she still lived she might no longer
hope, for though she might never know of the passing of her lord
the fact of it must inevitably seal her doom.
And consequent to this thought there enveloped him a blind frenzy
of hatred for these creatures who dared thwart his purpose and menace
the welfare of his wife. With a savage growl he threw himself upon
the warrior before him twisting the heavy club from the creature's
hand as if he had been a little child, and with his left fist backed
by the weight and sinew of his giant frame, he crashed a shattering
blow to the center of the Waz-don's face--a blow that crushed the
bones and dropped the fellow in his tracks. Then he swung upon the
others with their fallen comrade's bludgeon striking to right and
left mighty, unmerciful blows that drove down their own weapons
until that wielded by the ape-man was splintered and shattered. On
either hand they fell before his cudgel; so rapid the delivery of
his blows, so catlike his recovery that in the first few moments
of the battle he seemed invulnerable to their attack; but it could
not last--he was outnumbered twenty to one and his undoing came
from a thrown club. It struck him upon the back of the head. For
a moment he stood swaying and then like a great pine beneath the
woodsman's ax he crashed to earth.
Others of the Kor-ul-lul had rushed to engage the balance of Om-at's
party. They could be heard fighting at a short distance and it was
evident that the Kor-ul-ja were falling slowly back and as they
fell Om-at called to the missing one: "Tarzan the Terrible! Tarzan
the Terrible!"
"Jad-guru, indeed," repeated one of the Kor-ul-lul rising from
where Tarzan had dropped him. "Tarzan-jad-guru! He was worse than
that."
