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with the hideous challenge of their master。
And then he went on more slowly and with greater
stealth and caution； for now Tarzan of the Apes was
seeking a kill。 Down to the ground he came in the
utter blackness of the close…set boles and the
overhanging verdure of the jungle。 He stooped from time
to time and put his nose close to earth。 He sought and
found a wide game trail and at last his nostrils were
rewarded with the scent of the fresh spoor of Bara； the
deer。 Tarzan's mouth watered and a low growl escaped
his patrician lips。 Sloughed from him was the last
vestige of artificial casteonce again he was the
primeval hunterthe first manthe highest caste type
of the human race。 Up wind he followed the elusive
spoor with a sense of perception so transcending that
of ordinary man as to be inconceivable to us。 Through
counter currents of the heavy stench of meat eaters he
traced the trail of Bara； the sweet and cloying stink
of Horta； the boar； could not drown his quarry's scent
the permeating； mellow musk of the deer's foot。
Presently the body scent of the deer told Tarzan that
his prey was close at hand。 It sent him into the trees
againinto the lower terrace where he could watch the
ground below and catch with ears and nose the first
intimation of actual contact with his quarry。 Nor was
it long before the ape…man came upon Bara standing
alert at the edge of a moon…bathed clearing。
Noiselessly Tarzan crept through the trees until he was
directly over the deer。 In the ape…man's right hand
was the long hunting knife of his father and in his
heart the blood lust of the carnivore。 Just for an
instant he poised above the unsuspecting Bara and then
he launched himself downward upon the sleek back。 The
impact of his weight carried the deer to its knees and
before the animal could regain its feet the knife had
found its heart。 As Tarzan rose upon the body of his
kill to scream forth his hideous victory cry into the
face of the moon the wind carried to his nostrils
something which froze him to statuesque immobility and
silence。 His savage eyes blazed into the direction
from which the wind had borne down the warning to him
and a moment later the grasses at one side of the
clearing parted and Numa； the lion； strode majestically
into view。 His yellow…green eyes were fastened upon
Tarzan as he halted just within the clearing and glared
enviously at the successful hunter； for Numa had had no
luck this night。
From the lips of the ape…man broke a rumbling growl of
warning。 Numa answered but he did not advance。
Instead he stood waving his tail gently to and fro；
and presently Tarzan squatted upon his kill and cut a
generous portion from a hind quarter。 Numa eyed him
with growing resentment and rage as； between mouthfuls；
the ape…man growled out his savage warnings。 Now this
particular lion had never before come in contact with
Tarzan of the Apes and he was much mystified。 Here was
the appearance and the scent of a man…thing and Numa
had tasted of human flesh and learned that though not
the most palatable it was certainly by far the easiest
to secure； yet there was that in the bestial growls of
the strange creature which reminded him of formidable
antagonists and gave him pause； while his hunger and
the odor of the hot flesh of Bara goaded him almost to
madness。 Always Tarzan watched him； guessing what was
passing in the little brain of the carnivore and well
it was that he did watch him； for at last Numa could
stand it no longer。 His tail shot suddenly erect and
at the same instant the wary ape…man； knowing all too
well what the signal portended； grasped the remainder
of the deer's hind quarter between his teeth and leaped
into a nearby tree as Numa charged him with all the
speed and a sufficient semblance of the weight of an
express train。
Tarzan's retreat was no indication that he felt fear。
Jungle life is ordered along different lines than ours
and different standards prevail。 Had Tarzan been
famished he would； doubtless； have stood his ground and
met the lion's charge。 He had done the thing before
upon more than one occasion； just as in the past he had
charged lions himself； but tonight he was far from
famished and in the hind quarter he had carried off
with him was more raw flesh than he could eat； yet it
was with no equanimity that he looked down upon Numa
rending the flesh of Tarzan's kill。 The presumption of
this strange Numa must be punished！ And forthwith
Tarzan set out to make life miserable for the big cat。
Close by were many trees bearing large； hard fruits and
to one of these the ape…man swung with the agility of a
squirrel。 Then commenced a bombardment which brought
forth earthshaking roars from Numa。 One after another
as rapidly as he could gather and hurl them； Tarzan
pelted the hard fruit down upon the lion。 It was
impossible for the tawny cat to eat under that hail of
missileshe could but roar and growl and dodge and
eventually he was driven away entirely from the carcass
of Bara； the deer。 He went roaring and resentful； but
in the very center of the clearing his voice was
suddenly hushed and Tarzan saw the great head lower and
flatten out； the body crouch and the long tail quiver；
as the beast slunk cautiously toward the trees upon the
opposite side。
Immediately Tarzan was alert。 He lifted his head and
sniffed the slow； jungle breeze。 What was it that had
attracted Numa's attention and taken him soft…footed
and silent away from the scene of his discomfiture？
Just as the lion disappeared among the trees beyond the
clearing Tarzan caught upon the down…coming wind the
explanation of his new interestthe scent spoor of man
was wafted strongly to the sensitive nostrils。 Caching
the remainder of the deer's hind quarter in the crotch
of a tree the ape…man wiped his greasy palms upon his
naked thighs and swung off in pursuit of Numa。 A
broad； well…beaten elephant path led into the forest
from the clearing。 Parallel to this slunk Numa； while
above him Tarzan moved through the trees； the shadow of
a wraith。 The savage cat and the savage man saw Numa's
quarry almost simultaneously； though both had known
before it came within the vision of their eyes that it
was a black man。 Their sensitive nostrils had told
them this much and Tarzan's had told him that the scent
spoor was that of a strangerold and a male； for race
and sex and age each has its own distinctive scent。
It was an old man that made his way alone through the
gloomy jungle； a wrinkled； dried up； little old man
hideously scarred and tattooed and strangely garbed；
with the skin of a hyena about his shoulders and the
dried head mounted upon his grey pate。 Tarzan
recognized the ear…marks of the witch…doctor and
awaited Numa's charge with a feeling of pleasurable
anticipation； for the ape…man had no love for
witch…doctors； but in the instant that Numa did charge；
the white man suddenly recalled that the lion had stolen
his kill a few minutes before and that revenge is
sweet。
The first intimation the black man had that he was in
danger was the crash of twigs as Numa charged through
the bushes into the game trail not twenty yards behind
him。 Then he turned to see a huge； black…maned lion
racing toward him and even as he turned； Numa seized
him。 At the same instant the ape…man dropped from an
overhanging limb full upon the lion's back and as he
alighted he plunged his knife into the tawny side
behind the left shoulder； tangled the fingers of his
right hand in the long mane； buried his teeth in Numa's
neck and wound his powerful legs about the beast's
torso。 With a roar of pain and rage； Numa reared up
and fell backward upon the ape…man； but still the
mighty man…thing clung to his hold and repeatedly the
long knife plunged rapidly into his side。 Over and
over rolled Numa； the lion； clawing and