hey walked
neither slowly nor meditatively. They came directly toward the princess
and when Tarzan could see them he discovered that both were priests.

"O-lo-a, Princess of Pal-ul-don," said one, addressing her, "the
stranger who told us that he was the son of Jad-ben-Otho has but just
fled from the wrath of Lu-don, the high priest, who exposed him and all
his wicked blasphemy. The temple, and the palace, and the city are
being searched and we have been sent to search the Forbidden Garden,
since Ko-tan, the king, said that only this morning he found him here,
though how he passed the guards he could not guess."

"He is not here," said O-lo-a. "I have been in the garden for some time
and have seen nor heard no other than myself. However, search it if you
will."

"No," said the priest who had before spoken, "it is not necessary since
he could not have entered without your knowledge and the connivance of
the guards, and even had he, the priest who preceded us must have seen
him."

"What priest?" asked O-lo-a.

"One passed the guards shortly before us," explained the man.

"I did not see him," said O-lo-a.

"Doubtless he left by another exit," remarked the second priest.

"Yes, doubtless," acquiesced O-lo-a, "but it is strange that I did not
see him." The two priests made their obeisance and turned to depart.

"Stupid as Buto, the rhinoceros," soliloquized Tarzan, who considered
Buto a very stupid creature indeed. "It should be easy to outwit such
as these."

The priests had scarce departed when there came the sound of feet
running rapidly across the garden in the direction of the princess to
an accompaniment of rapid breathing as of one almost spent, either from
fatigue or excitement.

"Pan-at-lee," exclaimed O-lo-a, "what has happened? You look as
terrified as the doe for which you were named!"

"O Princess of Pal-ul-don," cried Pan-at-lee, "they would have killed
him in the temple. They would have killed the wondrous stranger who
claimed to be the Dor-ul-Otho."

"But he escaped," said O-lo-a. "You were there. Tell me about it."

"The head priest would have had him seized and slain, but when they
rushed upon him he hurled one in the face of Lu-don with the same ease
that you might cast your breastplates at me, and then he leaped upon
the altar and from there to the top of the temple wall and disappeared
below. They are searching for him, but, O Princess, I pray that they do
not find him."

"And why do