laws and snapping fangs, turning in mid-air and
alighting upon Sheeta's back, and at the instant of impact his knife
struck deep into the tawny side. Then Sheeta, impelled by pain and
hate and rage and the first law of Nature, went mad. Screaming
and clawing he attempted to turn upon the ape-thing clinging to
his back. For an instant he toppled upon the now wildly gyrating
limb, clutched frantically to save himself, and then plunged downward
into the darkness with Tarzan still clinging to him. Crashing
through splintering branches the two fell. Not for an instant did
the ape-man consider relinquishing his death-hold upon his adversary.
He had entered the lists in mortal combat and true to the primitive
instincts of the wild--the unwritten law of the jungle--one or both
must die before the battle ended.

Sheeta, catlike, alighted upon four out-sprawled feet, the weight
of the ape-man crushing him to earth, the long knife again imbedded
in his side. Once the panther struggled to rise; but only to sink
to earth again. Tarzan felt the giant muscles relax beneath him.
Sheeta was dead. Rising, the ape-man placed a foot upon the body of
his vanquished foe, raised his face toward the thundering heavens,
and as the lightning flashed and the torrential rain broke upon
him, screamed forth the wild victory cry of the bull ape.

Having accomplished his aim and driven the enemy from his lair,
Tarzan gathered an armful of large fronds and climbed to his dripping
couch. Laying a few of the fronds upon the poles he lay down and
covered himself against the rain with the others, and despite the
wailing of the wind and the crashing of the thunder, immediately
fell asleep.

Chapter II

The Lion's Cave

The rain lasted for twenty-four hours and much of the time it fell
in torrents so that when it ceased, the trail he had been following
was entirely obliterated. Cold and uncomfortable--it was a savage
Tarzan who threaded the mazes of the soggy jungle. Manu, the
monkey, shivering and chattering in the dank trees, scolded and fled
at his approach. Even the panthers and the lions let the growling
Tarmangani pass unmolested.

When the sun shone again upon the second day and a wide, open plain
let the full heat of Kudu flood the chilled, brown body, Tarzan's
spirits rose; but it was still a sullen, surly brute that moved
steadily onward into the south where he hoped again to pick up the
trail of the Germans. He was now in Ger