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whole broad jungle for my range。 No； I cannot love you
but I cannot see you die beneath the goring tusks of
mad Tantor。 Cut my bonds before it is too late。
Already he is almost upon us。 Cut them and I may yet
save you。〃
A little spiral of curling smoke rose from one corner
of the pyrethe flames licked upward； crackling。
La stood there like a beautiful statue of despair gazing
at Tarzan and at the spreading flames。 In a moment
they would reach out and grasp him。 From the tangled
forest came the sound of cracking limbs and crashing
trunksTantor was coming down upon them； a huge
Juggernaut of the jungle。 The priests were becoming
uneasy。 They cast apprehensive glances in the direction
of the approaching elephant and then back at La。
〃Fly！〃 she commanded them and then she stooped and cut
the bonds securing her prisoner's feet and hands。
In an instant Tarzan was upon the ground。 The priests
screamed out their rage and disappointment。 He with
the torch took a menacing step toward La and the ape…man。
〃Traitor！〃 He shrieked at the woman。 〃For this
you too shall die！〃 Raising his bludgeon he rushed upon
the High Priestess； but Tarzan was there before her。
Leaping in to close quarters the ape…man seized the
upraised weapon and wrenched it from the hands of the
frenzied fanatic and then the priest closed upon him
with tooth and nail。 Seizing the stocky； stunted body
in his mighty hands Tarzan raised the creature high
above his head； hurling him at his fellows who were now
gathered ready to bear down upon their erstwhile
captive。 La stood proudly with ready knife behind the
ape…man。 No faint sign of fear marked her perfect
browonly haughty disdain for her priests and
admiration for the man she loved so hopelessly filled
her thoughts。
Suddenly upon this scene burst the mad bulla huge
tusker； his little eyes inflamed with insane rage。
The priests stood for an instant paralyzed with terror；
but Tarzan turned and gathering La in his arms raced for
the nearest tree。 Tantor bore down upon him trumpeting shrilly。
La clung with both white arms about the ape…man's neck。
She felt him leap into the air and
marveled at his strength and his ability as； burdened
with her weight； he swung nimbly into the lower
branches of a large tree and quickly bore her upward
beyond reach of the sinuous trunk of the pachyderm。
Momentarily baffled here； the huge elephant wheeled and
bore down upon the hapless priests who had now
scattered； terror…stricken； in every direction。
The nearest he gored and threw high among the branches
of a tree。 One he seized in the coils of his trunk and
broke upon a huge bole； dropping the mangled pulp to
charge； trumpeting； after another。 Two he trampled
beneath his huge feet and by then the others had
disappeared into the jungle。 Now Tantor turned his
attention once more to Tarzan for one of the symptoms
of madness is a revulsion of affectionobjects of sane
love become the objects of insane hatred。 Peculiar in
the unwritten annals of the jungle was the proverbial
love that had existed between the ape…man and the tribe
of Tantor。 No elephant in all the jungle would harm
the Tarmanganithe white…ape； but with the madness of
MUST upon him the great bull sought to destroy his
long…time play…fellow。
Back to the tree where La and Tarzan perched came
Tantor； the elephant。 He reared up with his forefeet
against the bole and reached high toward them with his
long trunk； but Tarzan had foreseen this and clambered
beyond the bull's longest reach。 Failure but tended to
further enrage the mad creature。 He bellowed and
trumpeted and screamed until the earth shook to the
mighty volume of his noise。 He put his head against
the tree and pushed and the tree bent before his mighty
strength； yet still it held。
The actions of Tarzan were peculiar in the extreme。
Had Numa； or Sabor； or Sheeta； or any other beast of
the jungle been seeking to destroy him； the ape…man
would have danced about hurling missiles and invectives
at his assailant。 He would have insulted and taunted
them； reviling in the jungle Billingsgate he knew so
well； but now he sat silent out of Tantor's reach and
upon his handsome face was an expression of deep sorrow
and pity； for of all the jungle folk Tarzan loved
Tantor the best。 Could he have slain him he would not
have thought of doing so。 His one idea was to escape；
for he knew that with the passing of the MUST
Tantor would be sane again and that once more he might
stretch at full length upon that mighty back and make
foolish speech into those great； flapping ears。
Finding that the tree would not fall to his pushing；
Tantor was but enraged the more。 He looked up at the
two perched high above him； his red…rimmed eyes blazing
with insane hatred； and then he wound his trunk about
the bole of the tree； spread his giant feet wide apart
and tugged to uproot the jungle giant。 A huge creature
was Tantor； an enormous bull in the full prime of all
his stupendous strength。 Mightily he strove until
presently； to Tarzan's consternation； the great tree
gave slowly at the roots。 The ground rose in little
mounds and ridges about the base of the bole； the tree
tiltedin another moment it would be uprooted and fall。
The ape…man whirled La to his back and just as the tree
inclined slowly in its first movement out of the
perpendicular； before the sudden rush of its final
collapse； he swung to the branches of a lesser
neighbor。 It was a long and perilous leap。 La closed
her eyes and shuddered； but when she opened them again
she found herself safe and Tarzan whirling onward
through the forest。 Behind them the uprooted tree
crashed heavily to the ground； carrying with it the
lesser trees in its path and then Tantor； realizing
that his prey had escaped him； set up once more his
hideous trumpeting and followed at a rapid charge upon
their trail。
14
A Priestess But Yet a Woman
At first La closed her eyes and clung to Tarzan in terror；
though she made no outcry； but presently she gained
sufficient courage to look about her； to look down
at the ground beneath and even to keep her eyes open
during the wide； perilous swings from tree to tree；
and then there came over her a sense of safety
because of her confidence in the perfect physical
creature in whose strength and nerve and agility her
fate lay。 Once she raised her eyes to the burning sun
and murmured a prayer of thanks to her pagan god that
she had not been permitted to destroy this godlike man；
and her long lashes were wet with tears。 A strange
anomaly was La of Opara creature of circumstance torn
by conflicting emotions。 Now the cruel and
bloodthirsty creature of a heartless god and again a
melting woman filled with compassion and tenderness。
Sometimes the incarnation of jealousy and revenge and
sometimes a sobbing maiden； generous and forgiving； at
once a virgin and a wanton； but alwaysa woman。
Such was La。
She pressed her cheek close to Tarzan's shoulder。
Slowly she turned her head until her hot lips were
pressed against his flesh。 She loved him and would
gladly have died for him； yet within an hour she had
been ready to plunge a knife into his heart and might
again within the coming hour。
A hapless priest seeking shelter in the jungle chanced
to show himself to enraged Tantor。 The great beast
turned to one side； bore down upon the crooked； little
man； snuffed him out and then； diverted from his
course； blundered away toward the south。 In a few
minutes even the noise of his trumpeting was lost in
the distance。
Tarzan dropped to the ground and La slipped to her feet
from his back。 〃Call your people together；〃 said Tarzan。
〃They will kill me；〃 replied La。
〃They will not kill you；〃 contradicted the ape…man。
〃No one will kill you while Tarzan of the Apes