tory--that 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 first--the 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 escape--those 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 th