with the primitive, the darkness
held infinite terrors for her. Not alone the terrors of the known but
more frightful ones as well--those of the unknown. She had passed
through much this night and her nerves were keyed to the highest
pitch--raw, taut nerves, they were, ready to react in an exaggerated
form to the slightest shock.

But this was no slight shock. To hope for a father and a brother and to
see death instead glaring out of the darkness! Yes, Pan-at-lee was
brave, but she was not of iron. With a shriek that reverberated among
the hills she turned and fled along the rim of Kor-ul-lul and behind
her, swiftly, came the devil-eyed lion of the mountains of Pal-ul-don.

Pan-at-lee was lost. Death was inevitable. Of this there could be no
doubt, but to die beneath the rending fangs of the carnivore,
congenital terror of her kind--it was unthinkable. But there was an
alternative. The lion was almost upon her--another instant and he would
seize her. Pan-at-lee turned sharply to her left. Just a few steps she
took in the new direction before she disappeared over the rim of
Kor-ul-lul. The baffled lion, planting all four feet, barely stopped
upon the verge of the abyss. Glaring down into the black shadows
beneath he mounted an angry roar.

Through the darkness at the bottom of Kor-ul-ja, Om-at led the way
toward the caves of his people. Behind him came Tarzan and Ta-den.
Presently they halted beneath a great tree that grew close to the cliff.

"First," whispered Om-at, "I will go to the cave of Pan-at-lee. Then
will I seek the cave of my ancestors to have speech with my own blood.
It will not take long. Wait here--I shall return soon. Afterward shall
we go together to Ta-den's people."

He moved silently toward the foot of the cliff up which Tarzan could
presently see him ascending like a great fly on a wall. In the dim
light the ape-man could not see the pegs set in the face of the cliff.
Om-at moved warily. In the lower tier of caves there should be a
sentry. His knowledge of his people and their customs told him,
however, that in all probability the sentry was asleep. In this he was
not mistaken, yet he did not in any way abate his wariness. Smoothly
and swiftly he ascended toward the cave of Pan-at-lee while from below
Tarzan and Ta-den watched him.

"How does he do it?" asked Tarzan. "I can see no foothold upon that
vertical surface and yet he appears to be climbing with the utmost
ease."

Ta-den explaine