e at the face so near his
own. Had it not been for the faint beating of the heart pressed so
close against his own, he would not have known that she was alive, so
white and drawn was the poor, tired face.

And thus they came to the flat-topped mountain and the barrier cliffs.
During the last mile Tarzan had let himself out, running like a deer
that he might have ample time to descend the face of the cliffs before
the Oparians could reach the summit and hurl rocks down upon them. And
so it was that he was half a mile down the mountainside ere the fierce
little men came panting to the edge.

With cries of rage and disappointment they ranged along the cliff top
shaking their cudgels, and dancing up and down in a perfect passion of
anger. But this time they did not pursue beyond the boundary of their
own country. Whether it was because they recalled the futility of
their former long and irksome search, or after witnessing the ease with
which the ape-man swung along before them, and the last burst of speed,
they realized the utter hopelessness of further pursuit, it is
difficult to say; but as Tarzan reached the woods that began at the
base of the foothills which skirted the barrier cliffs they turned
their faces once more toward Opar.

Just within the forest's edge, where he could yet watch the cliff tops,
Tarzan laid his burden upon the grass, and going to the near-by rivulet
brought water with which he bathed her face and hands; but even this
did not revive her, and, greatly worried, he gathered the girl into his
strong arms once more and hurried on toward the west.

Late in the afternoon Jane Porter regained consciousness. She did not
open her eyes at once--she was trying to recall the scenes that she had
last witnessed. Ah, she remembered now. The altar, the terrible
priestess, the descending knife. She gave a little shudder, for she
thought that either this was death or that the knife had buried itself
in her heart and she was experiencing the brief delirium preceding
death. And when finally she mustered courage to open her eyes, the
sight that met them confirmed her fears, for she saw that she was being
borne through a leafy paradise in the arms of her dead love. "If this
be death," she murmured, "thank God that I am dead."

"You spoke, Jane!" cried Tarzan. "You are regaining consciousness!"

"Yes, Tarzan of the Apes," she replied, and for the first time in
months a smile of peace and happiness lighte