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A slender moon, low in the west, bathed the white faces of the chalk cliffs presented to her, in a mellow, unearthly glow. Black were the shadows in Kor-ul-ja, Gorge-of-lions, where dwelt the tribe of the same name under Es-sat, their chief.
It was the smile of a strong and wicked man who knows his power not a pleasant smile at all. "I will leave, Pan-at-lee," he said; "but you shall go with me to the cave of Es-sat, the chief, to be the envied of the shes of Kor-ul-ja. Come!" "Never!" cried Pan-at-lee. "I hate you. Sooner would I mate with a Ho-don than with you, beater of women, murderer of babes."
Behind her were Es-sat and the returning party of Kor-ul-lul that had pursued her kin; before her, across the next ridge, was the Kor-ul-gryf, the lair of the terrifying monsters that brought the chill of fear to every inhabitant of Pal-ul-don; below her, in the valley, was the country of the Ho-don, where she could look for only slavery, or death; here were the Kor-ul-lul, the ancient enemies of her people and everywhere were the wild beasts that eat the flesh of man.
Es-sat was unarmed Pan-at-lee had seen to that but at Om-at's side swung a sheathed knife which he made no effort to draw. That would have been contrary to their savage and primitive code for the chief-battle must be fought with nature's weapons. Sometimes they separated for an instant only to rush upon each other again with all the ferocity and nearly the strength of mad bulls.
"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.
Hidden amidst the plant life from the sight of any who might chance to pass along the well-beaten trail that skirted the river Pan-at-lee sought rest and food, the latter growing in abundance all about her in the form of fruits and berries and succulent tubers which she scooped from the earth with the knife of the dead Es-sat. Ah! if she had but known that he was dead!
"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."
As she gathered up her breastplates Es-sat rounded the table and moved quickly toward her. "What do you want?" she whispered, though she knew full well. "Pan-at-lee," he said, "your chief has come for you." "It was for this that you sent away my father and my brothers to spy upon the Kor-ul-lul? I will not have you. Leave the cave of my ancestors!" Es-sat smiled.
"This fight is mine, alone." The ape-man understood and stepped aside. "It is a gund-bar," explained Ta-den, "a chief-battle. This fellow must be Es-sat, the chief. If Om-at kills him without assistance Om-at may become chief." Tarzan smiled.
It was the Gorge-of-water, Kor-ul-lul, to which her father and two brothers had been sent by Es-sat ostensibly to spy upon the neighboring tribe.
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