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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 biting at the
air； roaring and growling horribly in savage attempt to
reach the thing upon its back。 More than once was
Tarzan almost brushed from his hold。 He was battered
and bruised and covered with blood from Numa and dirt
from the trail； yet not for an instant did he lessen
the ferocity of his mad attack nor his grim hold upon
the back of his antagonist。 To have loosened for an
instant his grip there； would have been to bring him
within reach of those tearing talons or rending fangs；
and have ended forever the grim career of this jungle…bred
English lord。 Where he had fallen beneath the
spring of the lion the witch…doctor lay； torn and
bleeding； unable to drag himself away and watched the
terrific battle between these two lords of the jungle。
His sunken eyes glittered and his wrinkled lips moved
over toothless gums as he mumbled weird incantations to
the demons of his cult。
For a time he felt no doubt as to the outcomethe
strange white man must certainly succumb to terrible
Simbawhoever heard of a lone man armed only with a
knife slaying so mighty a beast！ Yet presently the old
black man's eyes went wider and he commenced to have
his doubts and misgivings。 What wonderful sort of
creature was this that battled with Simba and held his
own despite the mighty muscles of the king of beasts
and slowly there dawned in those sunken eyes； gleaming
so brightly from the scarred and wrinkled face； the
light of a dawning recollection。 Gropingly backward
into the past reached the fingers of memory； until at
last they seized upon a faint picture； faded and yellow
with the passing years。 It was the picture of a lithe；
white…skinned youth swinging through the trees in
company with a band of huge apes； and the old eyes
blinked and a great fear came into themthe
superstitious fear of one who believes in ghosts and
spirits and demons。
And came the time once more when the witch…doctor no
longer doubted the outcome of the duel； yet his first
judgment was reversed； for now he knew that the jungle
god would slay Simba and the old black was even more
terrified of his own impending fate at the hands of the
victor than he had been by the sure and sudden death
which the triumphant lion would have meted out to him。
He saw the lion weaken from loss of blood。 He saw the
mighty limbs tremble and stagger and at last he saw the
beast sink down to rise no more。 He saw the forest god
or demon rise from the vanquished foe； and placing a
foot upon the still quivering carcass； raise his face
to the moon and bay out a hideous cry that froze the
ebbing blood in the veins of the witch…doctor。
4
Prophecy and Fulfillment
Then Tarzan turned his attention to the man。 He had
not slain Numa to save the Negrohe had merely done it
in revenge upon the lion； but now that he saw the old
man lying helpless and dying before him something akin
to pity touched his savage heart。 In his youth he
would have slain the witch…doctor without the slightest
compunction； but civilization had had its softening
effect upon him even as it does upon the nations and
races which it touches； though it had not yet gone far
enough with Tarzan to render him either cowardly or
effeminate。 He saw an old man suffering and dying； and
he stooped and felt of his wounds and stanched the flow
of blood。
〃Who are you？〃 asked the old man in a trembling voice。
〃I am TarzanTarzan of the Apes；〃 replied the ape…man
and not without a greater touch of pride than he would
have said； 〃I am John Clayton； Lord Greystoke。〃
The witch…doctor shook convulsively and closed his
eyes。 When he opened them again there was in them a
resignation to whatever horrible fate awaited him at
the hands of this feared demon of the woods。 〃Why do
you not kill me？〃 he asked。
〃Why should I kill you？〃 inquired Tarzan。
〃You have not harmed me； and anyway you are already dying。
Numa； the lion； has killed you。〃
〃You would not kill me？〃 Surprise and incredulity were
in the tones of the quavering old voice。
〃I would save you if I could；〃 replied Tarzan； 〃but
that cannot be done。 Why did you think I would kill
you？〃
For a moment the old man was silent。 When he spoke it
was evidently after some little effort to muster his
courage。 〃I knew you of old；〃 he said； 〃when you
ranged the jungle in the country of Mbonga； the chief。
I was already a witch…doctor when you slew Kulonga and
the others； and when you robbed our huts and our poison
pot。 At first I did not remember you； but at last I
didthe white…skinned ape that lived with the hairy
apes and made life miserable in the village of Mbonga；
the chiefthe forest godthe Munango…Keewati for whom
we set food outside our gates and who came and ate it。
Tell me before I dieare you man or devil？〃
Tarzan laughed。 〃I am a man；〃 he said。
The old fellow sighed and shook his head。 〃You have
tried to save me from Simba；〃 he said。 〃For that I
shall reward you。 I am a great witch…doctor。 Listen
to me； white man！ I see bad days ahead of you。 It is
writ in my own blood which I have smeared upon my palm。
A god greater even than you will rise up and strike you
down。 Turn back； Munango…Keewati！ Turn back before it
is too late。 Danger lies ahead of you and danger lurks
behind； but greater is the danger before。 I see〃
He paused and drew a long； gasping breath。 Then he
crumpled into a little； wrinkled heap and died。
Tarzan wondered what else he had seen。
It was very late when the ape…man re…entered the boma
and lay down among his black warriors。 None had seen
him go and none saw him return。 He thought about the
warning of the old witch…doctor before he fell asleep
and he thought of it again after he awoke； but he did
not turn back for he was unafraid； though had he known
what lay in store for one he loved most in all the
world he would have flown through the trees to her side
and allowed the gold of Opar to remain forever hidden
in its forgotten storehouse。
Behind him that morning another white man pondered
something he had heard during the night and very nearly
did he give up his project and turn back upon his
trail。 It was Werper； the murderer； who in the still
of the night had heard far away upon the trail ahead of
him a sound that had filled his cowardly soul with
terrora sound such as he never before had heard in
all his life； nor dreamed that such a frightful thing
could emanate from the lungs of a God…created creature。
He had heard the victory cry of the bull ape as Tarzan
had screamed it forth into the face of Goro； the moon；
and he had trembled then and hidden his face； and now
in the broad light of a new day he trembled again as he
recalled it； and would have turned back from the
nameless danger the echo of that frightful sound seemed
to portend； had he not stood in even greater fear of
Achmet Zek； his master。
And so Tarzan of the Apes forged steadily ahead toward
Opar's ruined ramparts and behind him slunk Werper；
jackal…like； and only God knew what lay in store for
each。
At the edge of the desolate valley； overlooking the
golden domes and minarets of Opar； Tarzan halted。
By night he would go alone to the treasure vault；
reconnoitering； for he had determined that caution
should mark his every move upon this expedition。
With the coming of night he set forth； and Werper； who
had scaled the cliffs alone behind the ape…man's party；
and hidden through the day among the rough boulders of
the mountain top； slunk stealthily after him。 The
boulder…strewn plain between the valley's edge and the
mighty granite kopje； outside the city's walls； where
lay the entrance to the passage…way leading to the
treasure vault； ga