tarzan the terrible-第61章

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om　the　city。〃

〃It　may　be　even　as　he　says；〃　exclaimed　Pan…sat。　〃It　was　from　that　direction　that　Tarzan…jad…guru　was　coming　when　I　discovered　and　trapped　him。　He　was　leading　his　warriors　to　the　very　holy　of　holies。〃

Lu…don　ran　quickly　to　the　doorway　and　looked　out　into　the　corridor。　At　a　glance　he　saw　that　the　fears　of　the　frightened　priest　were　well　founded。　A　dozen　warriors　were　moving　along　the　corridor　toward　him　but　they　seemed　confused　and　far　from　sure　of　themselves。　The　high　priest　guessed　that　deprived　of　the　leadership　of　Tarzan　they　were　little　better　than　lost　in　the　unknown　mazes　of　the　subterranean　precincts　of　the　temple。

Stepping　back　into　the　apartment　he　seized　a　leathern　thong　that　depended　from　the　ceiling。　He　pulled　upon　it　sharply　and　through　the　temple　boomed　the　deep　tones　of　a　metal　gong。　Five　times　the　clanging　notes　rang　through　the　corridors；　then　he　turned　toward　the　two　priests。　〃Bring　the　woman　and　follow　me；〃　he　directed。

Crossing　the　chamber　he　passed　through　a　small　doorway；　the　others　lifting　Jane　Clayton　from　the　floor　and　following　him。　Through　a　narrow　corridor　and　up　a　flight　of　steps　they　went；　turning　to　right　and　left　and　doubling　back　through　a　maze　of　winding　passageways　which　terminated　in　a　spiral　staircase　that　gave　forth　at　the　surface　of　the　ground　within　the　largest　of　the　inner　altar　courts　close　beside　the　eastern　altar。

From　all　directions　now；　in　the　corridors　below　and　the　grounds　above；　came　the　sound　of　hurrying　footsteps。　The　five　strokes　of　the　great　gong　had　summoned　the　faithful　to　the　defense　of　Lu…don　in　his　private　chambers。　The　priests　who　knew　the　way　led　the　less　familiar　warriors　to　the　spot　and　presently　those　who　had　accompanied　Tarzan　found　themselves　not　only　leaderless　but　facing　a　vastly　superior　force。　They　were　brave　men　but　under　the　circumstances　they　were　helpless　and　so　they　fell　back　the　way　they　had　come；　and　when　they　reached　the　narrow　confines　of　the　smaller　passageway　their　safety　was　assured　since　only　one　foeman　could　attack　them　at　a　time。　But　their　plans　were　frustrated　and　possibly　also　their　entire　cause　lost；　so　heavily　had　Ja…don　banked　upon　the　success　of　their　venture。

With　the　clanging　of　the　temple　gong　Ja…don　assumed　that　Tarzan　and　his　party　had　struck　their　initial　blow　and　so　he　launched　his　attack　upon　the　palace　gate。　To　the　ears　of　Lu…don　in　the　inner　temple　court　came　the　savage　war　cries　that　announced　the　beginning　of　the　battle。　Leaving　Pan…sat　and　the　other　priest　to　guard　the　woman　he　hastened　toward　the　palace　personally　to　direct　his　force　and　as　he　passed　through　the　temple　grounds　he　dispatched　a　messenger　to　learn　the　outcome　of　the　fight　in　the　corridors　below；　and　other　messengers　to　spread　the　news　among　his　followers　that　the　false　Dor…ul…Otho　was　a　prisoner　in　the　temple。

As　the　din　of　battle　rose　above　A…lur；　Lieutenant　Erich　Obergatz　turned　upon　his　bed　of　soft　hides　and　sat　up。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him。　It　was　still　dark　without。

〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　he　cried；　〃who　dares　disturb　my　slumber？〃

A　slave　squatting　upon　the　floor　at　the　foot　of　his　couch　shuddered　and　touched　her　forehead　to　the　floor。　〃It　must　be　that　the　enemy　have　come；　O　Jad…ben…Otho。〃　She　spoke　soothingly　for　she　had　reason　to　know　the　terrors　of　the　mad　frenzy　into　which　trivial　things　sometimes　threw　the　Great　God。

A　priest　burst　suddenly　through　the　hangings　of　the　doorway　and　falling　upon　his　hands　and　knees　rubbed　his　forehead　against　the　stone　flagging。　〃O　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　he　cried；　〃the　warriors　of　Ja…don　have　attacked　the　palace　and　the　temple。　Even　now　they　are　fighting　in　the　corridors　near　the　quarters　of　Lu…don；　and　the　high　priest　begs　that　you　come　to　the　palace　and　encourage　your　faithful　warriors　by　your　presence。〃

Obergatz　sprang　to　his　feet。　〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　he　screamed。　〃With　lightning　I　will　blast　the　blasphemers　who　dare　attack　the　holy　city　of　A…lur。〃

For　a　moment　he　rushed　aimlessly　and　madly　about　the　room；　while　the　priest　and　the　slave　remained　upon　hands　and　knees　with　their　foreheads　against　the　floor。

〃Come；〃　cried　Obergatz；　planting　a　vicious　kick　in　the　side　of　the　slave　girl。　〃Come！　Would　you　wait　here　all　day　while　the　forces　of　darkness　overwhelm　the　City　of　Light？〃

Thoroughly　frightened　as　were　all　those　who　were　forced　to　serve　the　Great　God；　the　two　arose　and　followed　Obergatz　towards　the　palace。

Above　the　shouting　of　the　warriors　rose　constantly　the　cries　of　the　temple　priests：　〃Jad…ben…Otho　is　here　and　the　false　Dor…ul…Otho　is　a　prisoner　in　the　temple。〃　The　persistent　cries　reached　even　to　the　ears　of　the　enemy　as　it　was　intended　that　they　should。



24

The　Messenger　of　Death

THE　sun　rose　to　see　the　forces　of　Ja…don　still　held　at　the　palace　gate。　The　old　warrior　had　seized　the　tall　structure　that　stood　just　beyond　the　palace　and　at　the　summit　of　this　he　kept　a　warrior　stationed　to　look　toward　the　northern　wall　of　the　palace　where　Ta…den　was　to　make　his　attack；　but　as　the　minutes　wore　into　hours　no　sign　of　the　other　force　appeared；　and　now　in　the　full　light　of　the　new　sun　upon　the　roof　of　one　of　the　palace　buildings　appeared　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　Mo…sar；　the　pretender；　and　the　strange；　naked　figure　of　a　man；　into　whose　long　hair　and　beard　were　woven　fresh　ferns　and　flowers。　Behind　them　were　banked　a　score　of　lesser　priests　who　chanted　in　unison：　〃This　is　Jad…ben…Otho。　Lay　down　your　arms　and　surrender。〃　This　they　repeated　again　and　again；　alternating　it　with　the　cry：　〃The　false　Dor…ul…Otho　is　a　prisoner。〃

In　one　of　those　lulls　which　are　common　in　battles　between　forces　armed　with　weapons　that　require　great　physical　effort　in　their　use；　a　voice　suddenly　arose　from　among　the　followers　of　Ja…don：　〃Show　us　the　Dor…ul…Otho。　We　do　not　believe　you！〃

〃Wait；〃　cried　Lu…don。　〃If　I　do　not　produce　him　before　the　sun　has　moved　his　own　width；　the　gates　of　the　palace　shall　be　opened　to　you　and　my　warriors　will　lay　down　their　arms。〃

He　turned　to　one　of　his　priests　and　issued　brief　instructions。

The　ape…man　paced　the　confines　of　his　narrow　cell。　Bitterly　he　reproached　himself　for　the　stupidity　which　had　led　him　into　this　trap；　and　yet　was　it　stupidity？　What　else　might　he　have　done　other　than　rush　to　the　succor　of　his　mate？　He　wondered　how　they　had　stolen　her　from　Ja…lur；　and　then　suddenly　there　flashed　to　his　mind　the　features　of　the　warrior　whom　he　had　just　seen　with　her。　They　were　strangely　familiar。　He　racked　his　brain　to　recall　where　he　had　seen　the　man　before　and　then　it　came　to　him。　He　was　the　strange　warrior　who　had　joined　Ja…don's　forces　outside　of　Ja…lur　the　day　that　Tarzan　had　ridden　upon　the　great　gryf　from　the　uninhabited　gorge　next　to　the　Kor…ul…ja　down　to　the　capital　city　of　the　chieftain　of　the　north。　But　who　could　the　man　be？　Tarzan　knew　that　never　before　that　other　day　had　he　seen　him。

Presently　he　heard　the　clanging　of　a　gong　from　the　corridor　without　and　very　faintly　the　rush　of　feet；　and　shouts。　He　guessed　that　his　warriors　had　been　discovered　and　a　fight　was　in　progress。　He　fretted　and　chafed　at　the　chance　that　had　denied　him　participation　in　it。

Again　and　again　he　tried　the　doors　of　his　prison　and　the　trap　in　the　center　of　the　floor；　but　none　would　give　to　his　utmost　endeavors。　He　strained　his　eyes　toward　the　aperture　above　but　he　could　see　nothing；　and　then　he　continued　his　futile　pacing　to　and　fro　like　a　caged　lion　behind　its　bars。

The　minutes　dragged　slowly　into　hours。　Faintly　sounds　came　to　him　as　of　shouting　men　at　a　great　distance。　The　battle　was　in　progress。　He　wondered　if　Ja…don　would　be　victorious　and　should　he　be；　would　his　friends　ever　discover　him　in　this　hidden　chamber　in　the　bowels　of　the　hill？　He　doubted　it。

And　now　as　he　looked　again　toward　the　aperture　in　the　roof　there　appeared　to　be　something　depending　through　its　center。　He　came　closer　and　strained　his　eyes　to　see。　Yes；　there　was　something　there。　It　appeared　to　be　a　rope。　Tarzan　wondered　if　it　had　been　there　all　the　time。　It　must　have；　he　reasoned；　since　he　had　heard　no　sound　from　above　and　it　was　so　dark　within　the　chamber　that　he　might　easily　have　overlooked　it。

He　raised　his　hand　toward　it。　The　end　of　it　was　just　within　his　reach。　He　bo