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itary maneuvers； safeguarding the column against the danger of too sudden contact with the enemy。
Across the ridge they went and down into the Kor…ul…lul and there almost immediately they came upon a lone and unarmed Waz…don who was making his way fearfully up the gorge toward the village of his tribe。 Him they took prisoner which； strangely； only added to his terror since from the moment that he had seen them and realized that escape was impossible； he had expected to be slain immediately。
〃Take him back to Kor…ul…ja；〃 said Om…at； to one of his warriors； 〃and hold him there unharmed until I return。〃
And so the puzzled Kor…ul…lul was led away while the savage company moved stealthily from tree to tree in its closer advance upon the village。 Fortune smiled upon Om…at in that it gave him quickly what he soughta battle royal； for they had not yet come in sight of the caves of the Kor…ul…lul when they encountered a considerable band of warriors headed down the gorge upon some expedition。
Like shadows the Kor…ul…ja melted into the concealment of the foliage upon either side of the trail。 Ignorant of impending danger； safe in the knowledge that they trod their own domain where each rock and stone was as familiar as the features of their mates； the Kor…ul…lul walked innocently into the ambush。 Suddenly the quiet of that seeming peace was shattered by a savage cry and a hurled club felled a Kor…ul…lul。
The cry was a signal for a savage chorus from a hundred Kor…ul…ja throats with which were soon mingled the war cries of their enemies。 The air was filled with flying clubs and then as the two forces mingled； the battle resolved itself into a number of individual encounters as each warrior singled out a foe and closed upon him。 Knives gleamed and flashed in the mottling sunlight that filtered through the foliage of the trees above。 Sleek black coats were streaked with crimson stains。
In the thick of the fight the smooth brown skin of the stranger mingled with the black bodies of friend and foe。 Only his keen eyes and his quick wit had shown him how to differentiate between Kor…ul…lul and Kor…ul…ja since with the single exception of apparel they were identical； but at the first rush of the enemy he had noticed that their loin cloths were not of the leopard…matted hides such as were worn by his allies。
Om…at； after dispatching his first antagonist； glanced at Jar…don。 〃He fights with the ferocity of jato；〃 mused the chief。 〃Powerful indeed must be the tribe from which he and Tarzan…jad…guru come；〃 and then his whole attention was occupied by a new assailant。
The fighters surged to and fro through the forest until those who survived were spent with exhaustion。 All but the stranger who seemed not to know the sense of fatigue。 He fought on when each new antagonist would have gladly quit； and when there were no more Kor…ul…lul who were not engaged； he leaped upon those who stood pantingly facing the exhausted Kor…ul…ja。
And always he carried upon his back the peculiar thing which Om…at had thought was some manner of strange weapon but the purpose of which he could not now account for in view of the fact that Jar…don never used it； and that for the most part it seemed but a nuisance and needless encumbrance since it banged and smashed against its owner as he leaped； catlike； hither and thither in the course of his victorious duels。 The bow and arrows he had tossed aside at the beginning of the fight but the Enfield he would not discard； for where he went he meant that it should go until its mission had been fulfilled。
Presently the Kor…ul…ja； seemingly shamed by the example of Jar…don closed once more with the enemy； but the latter； moved no doubt to terror by the presence of the stranger； a tireless demon who appeared invulnerable to their attacks； lost heart and sought to flee。 And then it was that at Om…at's command his warriors surrounded a half…dozen of the most exhausted and made them prisoners。
It was a tired； bloody； and elated company that returned victorious to the Kor…ul…ja。 Twenty of their number were carried back and six of these were dead men。 It was the most glorious and successful raid that the Kor…ul…ja had made upon the Kor…ul…lul in the memory of man； and it marked Om…at as the greatest of chiefs； but that fierce warrior knew that advantage had lain upon his side largely because of the presence of his strange ally。 Nor did he hesitate to give credit where credit belonged； with the result that Jar…don and his exploits were upon the tongue of every member of the tribe of Kor…ul…ja and great was the fame of the race that could produce two such as he and Tarzan…jad…guru。
And in the gorge of Kor…ul…lul beyond the ridge the survivors spoke in bated breath of this second demon that had joined forces with their ancient enemy。
Returned to his cave Om…at caused the Kor…ul…lul prisoners to be brought into his presence singly； and each he questioned as to the fate of Tarzan。 Without exception they told him the same storythat Tarzan had been taken prisoner by them five days before but that he had slain the warrior left to guard him and escaped； carrying the head of the unfortunate sentry to the opposite side of Kor…ul…lul where he had left it suspended by its hair from the branch of a tree。 But what had become of him after； they did not know； not one of them； until the last prisoner was examined； he whom they had taken firstthe unarmed Kor…ul…lul making his way from the direction of the Valley of Jad…ben…Otho toward the caves of his people。
This one； when he discovered the purpose of their questioning； bartered with them for the lives and liberty of himself and his fellows。 〃I can tell you much of this terrible man of whom you ask； Kor…ul…ja；〃 he said。 〃I saw him yesterday and I know where he is； and if you will promise to let me and my fellows return in safety to the caves of our ancestors I will tell you all； and truthfully； that which I know。〃
〃You will tell us anyway；〃 replied Om…at； 〃or we shall kill you。〃
〃You will kill me anyway；〃 retorted the prisoner； 〃unless you make me this promise； so if I am to be killed the thing I know shall go with me。〃
〃He is right； Om…at；〃 said Ta…den； 〃promise him that they shall have their liberty。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Om…at。 〃Speak Kor…ul…lul； and when you have told me all； you and your fellows may return unharmed to your tribe。〃
〃It was thus；〃 commenced the prisoner。 〃Three days since I was hunting with a party of my fellows near the mouth of Kor…ul…lul not far from where you captured me this morning； when we were surprised and set upon by a large number of Ho…don who took us prisoners and carried us to A…lur where a few were chosen to be slaves and the rest were cast into a chamber beneath the temple where are held for sacrifice the victims that are offered by the Ho…don to Jad…ben…Otho upon the sacrificial altars of the temple at A…lur。
〃It seemed then that indeed was my fate sealed and that lucky were those who had been selected for slaves among the Ho…don； for they at least might hope to escapethose in the chamber with me must be without hope。
〃But yesterday a strange thing happened。 There came to the temple； accompanied by all the priests and by the king and many of his warriors； one whom all did great reverence； and when he came to the barred gateway leading to the chamber in which we wretched ones awaited our fate； I saw to my surprise that it was none other than that terrible man who had so recently been a prisoner in the village of Kor…ul…lulhe whom you call Tarzan…jad…guru but whom they addressed as Dor…ul…Otho。 And he looked upon us and questioned the high priest and when he was told of the purpose for which we were imprisoned there he grew angry and cried that it was not the will of Jad…ben…Otho that his people be thus sacrificed； and he commanded the high priest to liberate us； and this was done。
〃The Ho…don prisoners were permitted to return to their homes and we were led beyond the City of A…lur and set upon our way toward Kor…ul…lul。 There were three of us； but many are the dangers that lie between A…lur and Kor…ul…lul and we were only three and unarmed。 Therefore none of us reached the village of our people and only one of us lives。 I have spoken。〃
〃That is all you know concerning Tarzan…jad…guru？〃 asked Om…at。
〃That is all I know；〃 replied the prisoner； 〃other than that he whom they call Lu…don； the high priest at A…lur； was very angry； and that one of the two priests who guided us out of the city said to the other that the stranger was not Dor…ul…Otho at all； that Lu…don had said so and that he had also said that he would expose him and that he should be punished with death for his presumption。 That is all they said within my hearing。
〃And now； chief of Kor…ul…ja； let us depart。〃
Om…at nodded。 〃Go your way；〃 he said； 〃and Ab…on； send warriors to guard them until they are safely within the Kor…ul…lul。
〃Jar…don；〃 he said beckoning to the stranger； 〃come with me；〃 and rising he led the way toward the summit of the cliff； and when they stood upon the ridge Om…at pointed down into the valley toward the City of A…lur gleaming in the light of the western sun。
〃There is Tarzan…jad…guru；〃 he said； and Jar…don understood。