12
The Giant Stranger
And while the warriors and the priests of A-lur searched the temple andthe palace and the city for the vanished ape-man there entered the headof Kor-ul-JA down the precipitous trail from the mountains, a nakedstranger bearing an Enfield upon his back. Silently he moved downwardtoward the bottom of the gorge and there where the ancient trailunfolded more levelly before him he swung along with easy strides,though always with the utmost alertness against possible dangers. Agentle breeze came down from the mountains behind him so that only hisears and his eyes were of value in detecting the presence of dangerahead. Generally the trail followed along the banks of the windingbrooklet at the bottom of the gorge, but in some places where thewaters tumbled over a precipitous ledge the trail made a detour alongthe side of the gorge, and again it wound in and out among rockyoutcroppings, and presently where it rounded sharply the projectingshoulder of a cliff the stranger came suddenly face to face with onewho was ascending the gorge.
Separated by a hundred paces the two halted simultaneously. Before himthe stranger saw a tall white warrior, naked but for a loin cloth,cross belts, and a girdle. The man was armed with a heavy, knotted cluband a short knife, the latter hanging in its sheath at his left hipfrom the end of one of his cross belts, the opposite belt supporting aleathern pouch at his right side. It was Ta-den hunting alone in thegorge of his friend, the chief of Kor-ul-JA. He contemplated thestranger with surprise but no wonder, since he recognized in him amember of the race with which his experience of Tarzan the Terrible hadmade him familiar and also, thanks to his friendship for the ape-man,he looked upon the newcomer without hostility.
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 symbolof peace from pole to pole since man ceased to walk upon his knuckles.Simultaneously he advanced a few paces and halted.
Ta-den, assuming that one so like Tarzan the Terrible must be afellow-tribesman of his lost friend, was more than glad to accept thisoverture of peace, the sign of which he returned in kind as he ascendedthe trail to where the other stood. "Who are you?" he asked, but thenewcomer only shook his head to indicate that he did not understand.
By signs he tried to carry to the Ho-don the fact that he was followinga trail that had led him over a period of many days from some placebeyond the mountains and Ta-den was convinced that the newcomer soughtTarzan-jad-guru. He wished, however, that he might discover whether asfriend or foe.
The stranger perceived the Ho-don's prehensile thumbs and great toesand his long tail with an astonishment which he sought to conceal, butgreater than all was the sense of relief that the first inhabitant ofthis strange country whom he had met had proven friendly, so greatlywould he have been handicapped by the necessity for forcing his waythrough a hostile land.
Ta-den, who had been hunting for some of the smaller mammals, the meatof which is especially relished by the Ho-don, forgot his intendedsport in the greater interest of his new discovery. He would take thestranger to Om-at and possibly together the two would find some way ofdiscovering the true intentions of the newcomer. And so again throughsigns he apprised the other that he would accompany him and togetherthey descended toward the cliffs of Om-at's people.
As they approached these they came upon the women and children workingunder guard of the old men and the youths--gathering the wild fruitsand herbs which constitute a part of their diet, as well as tending thesmall acres of growing crops which they cultivate. The fields lay insmall level patches that had been cleared of trees and brush. Theirfarm implements consisted of metal-shod poles which bore a closerresemblance to spears than to tools of peaceful agriculture.Supplementing these were others with flattened blades that were neitherhoes nor spades, but instead possessed the appearance of an unhappyattempt to combine the two implements in one.
At first sight of these people the stranger halted and unslung his bowfor these creatures were black as night, their bodies entirely coveredwith hair. But Ta-den, interpreting the doubt in the other's mind,reassured him with a gesture and a smile. The Waz-don, however,gathered around excitedly jabbering questions in a language which thestranger discovered his guide understood though it was entirelyunintelligible to the former. They made no attempt to molest him and hewas now sure that he had fallen among a peaceful and friendly people.
It was but a short distance now to the caves and when they reachedthese Ta-den led the way aloft upon the wooden pegs, assured that thiscreature whom he had discovered would have no more difficulty infollowing him than had Tarzan the Terrible. Nor was he mistaken forthe other mounted with ease until presently the two stood within therecess before the cave of Om-at, the chief.
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 ineach instance the latter was more thoroughly impressed with thefriendly and peaceable spirit of his hosts, little guessing that he wasbeing entertained by a ferocious and warlike tribe who never before thecoming of Ta-den and Tarzan had suffered a stranger among them.
At last Om-at returned and the guest sensed intuitively that he was inthe presence of a great man among these people, possibly a chief orking, for not only did the attitude of the other black warriorsindicate this but it was written also in the mien and bearing of thesplendid creature who stood looking at him while Ta-den explained thecircumstances of their meeting. "And I believe, Om-at," concluded theHo-don, "that he seeks Tarzan the Terrible."
At the sound of that name, the first intelligible word that had fallenupon the ears of the stranger since he had come among them, his facelightened. "Tarzan!" he cried, "Tarzan of the Apes!" and by signs hetried to tell them that it was he whom he sought.
They understood, and also they guessed from the expression of his facethat he sought Tarzan from motives of affection rather than thereverse, but of this Om-at wished to make sure. He pointed to thestranger's knife, and repeating Tarzan's name, seized Ta-den andpretended to stab him, immediately turning questioningly toward thestranger.
The latter shook his head vehemently and then first placing a handabove his heart he raised his palm in the symbol of peace.
"He is a friend of Tarzan-jad-guru," exclaimed Ta-den.
"Either a friend or a great liar," replied Om-at.
"Tarzan," continued the stranger, "you know him? He lives? O God, if Icould only speak your language." And again reverting to sign languagehe sought to ascertain where Tarzan was. He would pronounce the nameand point in different directions, in the cave, down into the gorge,back toward the mountains, or out upon the valley below, and each timehe would raise his brows questioningly and voice the universal "eh?" ofinterrogation which they could not fail to understand. But always Om-atshook his head and spread his palms in a gesture which indicated thatwhile he understood the question he was ignorant as to the whereaboutsof the ape-man, and then the black chief attempted as best he might toexplain to the stranger what he knew of the whereabouts of Tarzan.
He called the newcomer Jar-don, which in the language of Pal-ul-donmeans "stranger," and he pointed to the sun and said _as_. This herepeated several times and then he held up one hand with the fingersoutspread and touching them one by one, including the thumb, repeatedthe word adenen until the stranger understood that he meant five. Againhe pointed to the sun and describing an arc with his forefingerstarting at the eastern horizon and terminating at the western, herepeated again the words as adenen. It was plain to the stranger thatthe words meant that the sun had crossed the heavens five times. Inother words, five days had passed. Om-at then pointed to the cave wherethey stood, pronouncing Tarzan's name and imitating a walking man withthe first and second fingers of his right hand upon the floor of therecess, sought to show that Tarzan had walked out of the cave andclimbed upward on the pegs five days before, but this was as far as thesign language would permit him to go.
This far the stranger followed him and, indicating that
he understoodhe pointed to himself and then indicating the pegs leading aboveannounced that he would follow Tarzan.
"Let us go with him," said Om-at, "for as yet we have not punished theKor-ul-lul for killing our friend and ally."
"Persuade him to wait until morning," said Ta-den, "that you may takewith you many warriors and make a great raid upon the Kor-ul-lul, andthis time, Om-at, do not kill your prisoners. Take as many as you canalive and from some of them we may learn the fate of Tarzan-jad-guru."
"Great is the wisdom of the Ho-don," replied Om-at. "It shall be as yousay, and having made prisoners of all the Kor-ul-lul we shall make themtell us what we wish to know. And then we shall march them to the rimof Kor-ul-GRYF and push them over the edge of the cliff."
Ta-den smiled. He knew that they would not take prisoner all theKor-ul-lul warriors--that they would be fortunate if they took one andit was also possible that they might even be driven back in defeat, buthe knew too that Om-at would not hesitate to carry out his threat if hehad the opportunity, so implacable was the hatred of these neighborsfor each other.
It was not difficult to explain Om-at's plan to the stranger or to winhis consent since he was aware, when the great black had made it plainthat they would be accompanied by many warriors, that their venturewould probably lead them into a hostile country and every safeguardthat he could employ he was glad to avail himself of, since thefurtherance of his quest was the paramount issue.
He slept that night upon a pile of furs in one of the compartments ofOm-at's ancestral cave, and early the next day following the morningmeal they sallied forth, a hundred savage warriors swarming up the faceof the sheer cliff and out upon the summit of the ridge, the main bodypreceded by two warriors whose duties coincided with those of the pointof modern military maneuvers, safeguarding the column against thedanger of too sudden contact with the enemy.
Across the ridge they went and down into the Kor-ul-lul and therealmost immediately they came upon a lone and unarmed Waz-don who wasmaking his way fearfully up the gorge toward the village of his tribe.Him they took prisoner which, strangely, only added to his terror sincefrom the moment that he had seen them and realized that escape wasimpossible, he had expected to be slain immediately.
"Take him back to Kor-ul-JA," said Om-at, to one of his warriors, "andhold him there unharmed until I return."
And so the puzzled Kor-ul-lul was led away while the savage companymoved stealthily from tree to tree in its closer advance upon thevillage. Fortune smiled upon Om-at in that it gave him quickly what hesought--a battle royal, for they had not yet come in sight of the cavesof the Kor-ul-lul when they encountered a considerable band of warriorsheaded down the gorge upon some expedition.
Like shadows the Kor-ul-JA melted into the concealment of the foliageupon either side of the trail. Ignorant of impending danger, safe inthe knowledge that they trod their own domain where each rock and stonewas as familiar as the features of their mates, the Kor-ul-lul walkedinnocently into the ambush. Suddenly the quiet of that seeming peacewas shattered by a savage cry and a hurled club felled a Kor-ul-lul.
The cry was a signal for a savage chorus from a hundred Kor-ul-JAthroats with which were soon mingled the war cries of their enemies.The air was filled with flying clubs and then as the two forcesmingled, the battle resolved itself into a number of individualencounters as each warrior singled out a foe and closed upon him.Knives gleamed and flashed in the mottling sunlight that filteredthrough the foliage of the trees above. Sleek black coats werestreaked with crimson stains.
In the thick of the fight the smooth brown skin of the stranger mingledwith the black bodies of friend and foe. Only his keen eyes and hisquick wit had shown him how to differentiate between Kor-ul-lul andKor-ul-JA since with the single exception of apparel they wereidentical, but at the first rush of the enemy he had noticed that theirloin cloths were not of the leopard-matted hides such as were worn byhis allies.
Om-at, after dispatching his first antagonist, glanced at Jar-don. "Hefights with the ferocity of JATO," mused the chief. "Powerful indeedmust be the tribe from which he and Tarzan-jad-guru come," and then hiswhole attention was occupied by a new assailant.
The fighters surged to and fro through the forest until those whosurvived were spent with exhaustion. All but the stranger who seemednot to know the sense of fatigue. He fought on when each new antagonistwould have gladly quit, and when there were no more Kor-ul-lul who werenot engaged, he leaped upon those who stood pantingly facing theexhausted Kor-ul-JA.
And always he carried upon his back the peculiar thing which Om-at hadthought was some manner of strange weapon but the purpose of which hecould not now account for in view of the fact that Jar-don never usedit, and that for the most part it seemed but a nuisance and needlessencumbrance since it banged and smashed against its owner as he leaped,catlike, hither and thither in the course of his victorious duels. Thebow and arrows he had tossed aside at the beginning of the fight butthe Enfield he would not discard, for where he went he meant that itshould go until its mission had been fulfilled.
Presently the Kor-ul-JA, seemingly shamed by the example of Jar-donclosed once more with the enemy, but the latter, moved no doubt toterror by the presence of the stranger, a tireless demon who appearedinvulnerable to their attacks, lost heart and sought to flee. And thenit was that at Om-at's command his warriors surrounded a half-dozen ofthe most exhausted and made them prisoners.
It was a tired, bloody, and elated company that returned victorious tothe Kor-ul-JA. Twenty of their number were carried back and six ofthese were dead men. It was the most glorious and successful raid thatthe Kor-ul-JA had made upon the Kor-ul-lul in the memory of man, and itmarked Om-at as the greatest of chiefs, but that fierce warrior knewthat advantage had lain upon his side largely because of the presenceof his strange ally. Nor did he hesitate to give credit where creditbelonged, with the result that Jar-don and his exploits were upon thetongue of every member of the tribe of Kor-ul-JA and great was the fameof the race that could produce two such as he and Tarzan-jad-guru.
And in the gorge of Kor-ul-lul beyond the ridge the survivors spoke inbated breath of this second demon that had joined forces with theirancient enemy.
Returned to his cave Om-at caused the Kor-ul-lul prisoners to bebrought into his presence singly, and each he questioned as to the fateof Tarzan. Without exception they told him the same story--that Tarzanhad been taken prisoner by them five days before but that he had slainthe warrior left to guard him and escaped, carrying the head of theunfortunate sentry to the opposite side of Kor-ul-lul where he had leftit suspended by its hair from the branch of a tree. But what had becomeof him after, they did not know; not one of them, until the lastprisoner was examined, he whom they had taken first--the unarmedKor-ul-lul making his way from the direction of the Valley ofJad-ben-Otho toward the caves of his people.
This one, when he discovered the purpose of their questioning, barteredwith them for the lives and liberty of himself and his fellows. "I cantell you much of this terrible man of whom you ask, Kor-ul-JA," hesaid. "I saw him yesterday and I know where he is, and if you willpromise to let me and my fellows return in safety to the caves of ourancestors I will tell you all, and truthfully, that which I know."
"You will tell us anyway," replied Om-at, "or we shall kill you."
"You will kill me anyway," retorted the prisoner, "unless you make methis promise; so if I am to be killed the thing I know shall go withme."
"He is right, Om-at," said Ta-den, "promise him that they shall havetheir liberty."
"Very well," said Om-at. "Speak Kor-ul-lul, and when you have told meall, you and your fellows may return unharmed to your tribe."
"It was thus," commenced the prisoner. "Three days since I was huntingwith a party of my fellows near the mouth of Kor-ul-lul not far fromwhere you captured me this morning, when we were surprised and set uponby a large number of Ho-don who took us prisoners and carried us toA-lur where a few were chosen to be slaves and the rest wer
e cast intoa chamber beneath the temple where are held for sacrifice the victimsthat are offered by the Ho-don to Jad-ben-Otho upon the sacrificialaltars of the temple at A-lur.
"It seemed then that indeed was my fate sealed and that lucky werethose who had been selected for slaves among the Ho-don, for they atleast might hope to escape--those in the chamber with me must bewithout hope.
"But yesterday a strange thing happened. There came to the temple,accompanied by all the priests and by the king and many of hiswarriors, one whom all did great reverence, and when he came to thebarred gateway leading to the chamber in which we wretched ones awaitedour fate, I saw to my surprise that it was none other than thatterrible man who had so recently been a prisoner in the village ofKor-ul-lul--he whom you call Tarzan-jad-guru but whom they addressed asDor-ul-Otho. And he looked upon us and questioned the high priest andwhen he was told of the purpose for which we were imprisoned there hegrew angry and cried that it was not the will of Jad-ben-Otho that hispeople be thus sacrificed, and he commanded the high priest to liberateus, and this was done.
"The Ho-don prisoners were permitted to return to their homes and wewere led beyond the City of A-lur and set upon our way towardKor-ul-lul. There were three of us, but many are the dangers that liebetween A-lur and Kor-ul-lul and we were only three and unarmed.Therefore none of us reached the village of our people and only one ofus lives. I have spoken."
"That is all you know concerning Tarzan-jad-guru?" asked Om-at.
"That is all I know," replied the prisoner, "other than that he whomthey call Lu-don, the high priest at A-lur, was very angry, and thatone of the two priests who guided us out of the city said to the otherthat the stranger was not Dor-ul-Otho at all; that Lu-don had said soand that he had also said that he would expose him and that he shouldbe punished with death for his presumption. That is all they saidwithin my hearing.
"And now, chief of Kor-ul-JA, let us depart."
Om-at nodded. "Go your way," he said, "and Ab-on, send warriors toguard them until they are safely within the Kor-ul-lul.
"Jar-don," he said beckoning to the stranger, "come with me," andrising he led the way toward the summit of the cliff, and when theystood upon the ridge Om-at pointed down into the valley toward the Cityof A-lur gleaming in the light of the western sun.
"There is Tarzan-jad-guru," he said, and Jar-don understood.