so those of Ja-don and Jane Clayton, and now the
three stood together beside the altar and as the newcomers from the
western end of the temple court pushed their way toward them the eyes
of the woman went wide in mingled astonishment, incredulity, and hope.
And the stranger, slinging his weapon across his back by a leather
strap, rushed forward and took her in his arms.

"Jack!" she cried, sobbing on his shoulder. "Jack, my son!"

And Tarzan of the Apes came then and put his arms around them both, and
the King of Pal-ul-don and the warriors and the people kneeled in the
temple court and placed their foreheads to the ground before the altar
where the three stood.

25

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Within an hour of the fall of Lu-don and Mo-sar, the chiefs and
principal warriors of Pal-ul-don gathered in the great throneroom of
the palace at A-lur upon the steps of the lofty pyramid and placing
Ja-don at the apex proclaimed him king. Upon one side of the old
chieftain stood Tarzan of the Apes, and upon the other Korak, the
Killer, worthy son of the mighty ape-man.

And when the brief ceremony was over and the warriors with upraised
clubs had sworn fealty to their new ruler, Ja-don dispatched a trusted
company to fetch O-lo-a and Pan-at-lee and the women of his own
household from Ja-lur.

And then the warriors discussed the future of Pal-ul-don and the
question arose as to the administration of the temples and the fate of
the priests, who practically without exception had been disloyal to the
government of the king, seeking always only their own power and comfort
and aggrandizement. And then it was that Ja-don turned to Tarzan. "Let
the Dor-ul-Otho transmit to his people the wishes of his father," he
said.

"Your problem is a simple one," said the ape-man, "if you but wish to
do that which shall be pleasing in the eyes of God. Your priests, to
increase their power, have taught you that Jad-ben-Otho is a cruel god,
that his eyes love to dwell upon blood and upon suffering. But the
falsity of their teachings has been demonstrated to you today in the
utter defeat of the priesthood.

"Take then the temples from the men and give them instead to the women
that they may be administered in kindness and charity and love. Wash
the blood from your eastern altar and drain forever the water from the
western.

"Once I gave Lu-don the opportunity to do these things but he ignored
my commands, and again is the corridor of sacrifice filled with