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Only his keen eyes and his quick wit had shown him how to differentiate between Kor-ul-lul and Kor-ul-ja since with the single exception of apparel they were identical, but at the first rush of the enemy he had noticed that their loin cloths were not of the leopard-matted hides such as were worn by his allies. Om-at, after dispatching his first antagonist, glanced at Jar-don.
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.
This far the stranger followed him and, indicating that he understood he pointed to himself and then indicating the pegs leading above announced that he would follow Tarzan. "Let us go with him," said Om-at, "for as yet we have not punished the Kor-ul-lul for killing our friend and ally."
"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.
The ape-man's policy had for its basis an attempt not only to arouse the fearful respect of Ko-tan but to do it without making of him an enemy at heart, for he did not know how strong a hold the religion of the Ho-don had upon them, for since the time that he had prevented Ta-den and Om-at from quarreling over a religious difference the subject had been utterly taboo among them.
"Jar-don," he said beckoning to the stranger, "come with me," and rising he led the way toward the summit of the cliff, and when they stood upon the ridge Om-at pointed down into the valley toward the City of A-lur gleaming in the light of the western sun. "There is Tarzan-jad-guru," he said, and Jar-don understood. The Masquerader
Tarzan's statement as to what "they" should not do was interrupted by a sudden ejaculation as two figures, locked in deathlike embrace, stumbled through the doorway of the cave to the outer porch. One was Om-at, the other a creature of his own kind but with a rough coat, the hairs of which seemed to grow straight outward from the skin, stiffly, unlike Om-at's sleek covering.
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.
Om-at, the hairy black, also seemed to feel that there rested upon his broad shoulders a portion of the burden of responsibility for Tarzan's education, with the result that either one or the other of them was almost constantly coaching the ape-man during his waking hours.
"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.
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