he felt her heart beat in a strange exultation, and
then she drew nearer to the beast-man until her shoulder touched his
arm. The act was involuntary and for a moment she scarce realized
what she had done, and then she stepped silently back, thankful
that the light of the stars was not sufficient to reveal to the
eyes of her companions the flush which she felt mantling her cheek.
Yet she was not ashamed of the impulse that had prompted her, but
rather of the act itself which she knew, had Tarzan noticed it,
would have been repulsive to him.

From the open gate of the city of maniacs came the answering cry
of a lion. The little group waited where they stood until presently
they saw the majestic proportions of the black lion as he approached
them along the trail. When he had rejoined them Tarzan fastened
the fingers of one hand in the black mane and started on once more
toward the forest. Behind them, from the city, rose a bedlam of
horrid sounds, the roaring of lions mingling with the raucous voices
of the screaming parrots and the mad shrieks of the maniacs. As
they entered the Stygian darkness of the forest the girl once again
involuntarily shrank closer to the ape-man, and this time Tarzan
was aware of the contact.

Himself without fear, he yet instinctively appreciated how terrified
the girl must be. Actuated by a sudden kindly impulse he found
her hand and took it in his own and thus they continued upon their
way, groping through the blackness of the trail. Twice they were
approached by forest lions, but upon both occasions the deep growls
of Numa of the pit drove off their assailants. Several times they
were compelled to rest, for Smith-Oldwick was constantly upon the
verge of exhaustion, and toward morning Tarzan was forced to carry
him on the steep ascent from the bed of the valley.

Chapter XXIV

The Tommies

Daylight overtook them after they had entered the gorge, but, tired
as they all were with the exception of Tarzan, they realized that
they must keep on at all costs until they found a spot where they
might ascend the precipitous side of the gorge to the floor of the
plateau above. Tarzan and Otobu were both equally confident that
the Xujans would not follow them beyond the gorge, but though they
scanned every inch of the frowning cliffs upon either hand noon
came and there was still no indication of any avenue of escape
to right or left. There were places where the ape-man alone might
have n