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"No," she said, "I cannot speak of this thing, for if it be of sufficient importance to elicit the interest of the gods then indeed would I be subject to the wrath of my father should I discuss it." "In the name of Jad-ben-Otho I command you to speak," said Tarzan. "In the name of Jad-ben-Otho in whose hands lies the fate of Ta-den!" The girl paled.
"The gorge below us is uninhabited; that to the left contains the caves of my people. I would see Pan-at-lee once more. Ta-den would visit his father in the valley below and Tarzan seeks entrance to A-lur in search of the mate that would be better dead than in the clutches of the Ho-don priests of Jad-ben-Otho. How shall we proceed?" "Let us remain together as long as possible," urged Ta-den.
Nevertheless, the ape-man gave a good account of himself, being presently urged to redoubled efforts by the fact that the Waz-don above Ta-den glanced down and discovered his pursuers just before the Ho-don overtook him.
"I know nothing of the future," he replied, "other than what Jad-ben-Otho tells me. But I think you need have no fear for the future if you remain faithful to Ta-den and Ta-den's friends." "You have seen him?" asked O-lo-a. "Tell me, where is he?" "Yes," replied Tarzan, "I have seen him. He was with Om-at, the gund of Kor-ul-ja." "A prisoner of the Waz-don?" interrupted the girl.
"And " she hesitated "he " she cast her eyes toward the ground and a flush mantled her cheek "he still loves me?" and Tarzan knew that she had been won over. "Yes," he said, "Ta-den speaks only of O-lo-a and he waits and hopes for the day when he can claim her." "But tomorrow they give me to Bu-lot," she said sadly. "May it be always tomorrow," replied Tarzan, "for tomorrow never comes."
The latter was the first to make outward sign of his intentions, raising his palm toward Ta-den in that gesture which has been a symbol of peace from pole to pole since man ceased to walk upon his knuckles. Simultaneously he advanced a few paces and halted.
The latter was not there and it was mid-afternoon before he returned, but in the meantime many warriors came to look upon the visitor and in each instance the latter was more thoroughly impressed with the friendly and peaceable spirit of his hosts, little guessing that he was being entertained by a ferocious and warlike tribe who never before the coming of Ta-den and Tarzan had suffered a stranger among them.
"When gods mingle with mortals," replied Tarzan, "they are no less vulnerable than mortals. Even Jad-ben-Otho, should he appear before you in the flesh, might be slain." "You have seen Ta-den and spoken with him?" she asked with apparent irrelevancy. "Yes, I have seen him and spoken with him," replied the ape-man. "For the duration of a moon I was with him constantly."
The trail over which Ta-den and Om-at led and which scarcely could be dignified even by the name of trail was suited more to mountain sheep, monkeys, or birds than to man; but the three that followed it were trained to ways which no ordinary man might essay.
And now Tarzan stood in the recess beside Ta-den. "Jad-guru-don!" repeated the latter, smiling "The terrible man! Tarzan the Terrible! They may kill you, but they will never forget you." "They shall not ki What have we here?"
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