, but leaped cat-like after his
spear, his hunting knife in his hand.

For an instant the two animals stood motionless. The tearing of the
cruel barb into her side brought a sudden scream of pain and fright
from the mare, and then they both wheeled and broke for safety; but
Tarzan of the Apes, for a distance of a few yards, could equal the
speed of even these, and the first stride of the mare found her
overhauled, with a savage beast at her shoulder. She turned, biting
and kicking at her foe. Her mate hesitated for an instant, as though
about to rush to her assistance; but a backward glance revealed to him
the flying heels of the balance of the herd, and with a snort and a
shake of his head he wheeled and dashed away.

Clinging with one hand to the short mane of his quarry, Tarzan struck
again and again with his knife at the unprotected heart. The result
had, from the first, been inevitable. The mare fought bravely, but
hopelessly, and presently sank to the earth, her heart pierced. The
ape-man placed a foot upon her carcass and raised his voice in the
victory call of the Mangani. In the distance, Basuli halted as the
faint notes of the hideous scream broke upon his ears.

"The great apes," he said to his companion. "It has been long since I
have heard them in the country of the Waziri. What could have brought
them back?"

Tarzan grasped his kill and dragged it to the partial seclusion of the
bush which had hidden his own near approach, and there he squatted upon
it, cut a huge hunk of flesh from the loin and proceeded to satisfy his
hunger with the warm and dripping meat.

Attracted by the shrill screams of the mare, a pair of hyenas slunk
presently into view. They trotted to a point a few yards from the
gorging ape-man, and halted. Tarzan looked up, bared his fighting
fangs and growled. The hyenas returned the compliment, and withdrew a
couple of paces. They made no move to attack; but continued to sit at
a respectful distance until Tarzan had concluded his meal. After the
ape-man had cut a few strips from the carcass to carry with him, he
walked slowly off in the direction of the river to quench his thirst.
His way lay directly toward the hyenas, nor did he alter his course
because of them.

With all the lordly majesty of Numa, the lion, he strode straight
toward the growling beasts. For a moment they held their ground,
bristling and defiant; but only for a moment, and then slunk away to
one si