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ferocious。 A vague tenderness dominated his savage
sentiments as this phantom memory struggled for
recognition。 His mind had reverted to his childhood
daysit was the figure of the giant she…ape； Kala；
that he saw； but only half recognized。 He saw； too；
other grotesque； manlike forms。 They were of Terkoz；
Tublat； Kerchak； and a smaller； less ferocious figure；
that was Neeta； the little playmate of his boyhood。
Slowly； very slowly； as these visions of the past
animated his lethargic memory； he came to recognize
them。 They took definite shape and form； adjusting
themselves nicely to the various incidents of his life
with which they had been intimately connected。 His
boyhood among the apes spread itself in a slow panorama
before him； and as it unfolded it induced within him a
mighty longing for the companionship of the shaggy；
low…browed brutes of his past。
He watched the blacks scatter their cook fire and
depart； but though the face of each of them had but
recently been as familiar to him as his own； they
awakened within him no recollections whatsoever。
When they had gone； he descended from the tree and
sought food。 Out upon the plain grazed numerous herds
of wild ruminants。 Toward a sleek； fat bunch of zebra
he wormed his stealthy way。 No intricate process of
reasoning caused him to circle widely until he was down
wind from his preyhe acted instinctively。 He took
advantage of every form of cover as he crawled upon all
fours and often flat upon his stomach toward them。
A plump young mare and a fat stallion grazed nearest to
him as he neared the herd。 Again it was instinct which
selected the former for his meat。 A low bush grew but
a few yards from the unsuspecting two。 The ape…man
reached its shelter。 He gathered his spear firmly in
his grasp。 Cautiously he drew his feet beneath him。
In a single swift move he rose and cast his heavy
weapon at the mare's side。 Nor did he wait to note the
effect of his assault； 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 side
while the indifferent ape…man passed them on his lordly
way。 A moment later they were tearing at the remains
of the zebra。
Back to the reeds went Tarzan； and through them toward
the river。 A herd of buffalo； startled by his
approach； rose ready to charge or to fly。 A great bull
pawed the ground and bellowed as his bloodshot eyes
discovered the intruder； but the ape…man passed across
their front as though ignorant of their existence。
The bull's bellowing lessened to a low rumbling； he turned
and scraped a horde of flies from his side with his
muzzle； cast a final glance at the ape…man and resumed
his feeding。 His numerous family either followed his
example or stood gazing after Tarzan in mild…eyed
curiosity； until the opposite reeds swallowed him from
view。
At the river； Tarzan drank his fill and bathed。 During
the heat of the day he lay up under the shade of a tree
near the ruins of his burned barns。 His eyes wandered
out across the plain toward the forest； and a longing
for the pleasures of its mysterious depths possessed
his thoughts for a considerable time。 With the next
sun he would cross the open and enter the forest！ There
was no hurrythere lay before him an endless vista of
tomorrows with naught to fill them but the satisfying
of the appetites and caprices of the moment。
The ape…man's mind was untroubled by regret for the
past； or aspiration for the future。 He could lie at
full length along a swaying branch； stretching his
giant limbs； and luxuriating in the blessed peace of
utter thoughtlessness； without an apprehension or a
worry to sap his nervous energy and rob him of his
peace of mind。 Recalling only dimly any other
existence； the ape…man was happy。 Lord Greystoke had
ceased to exist。
For several hours Tarzan lolled upon his swaying； leafy
couch until once again hunger and thirst suggested an
excursion。 Stretching lazily he dropped to the ground
and moved slowly toward the river。 The game trail down
which he walked had become by ages of use a deep；
narrow trench； its walls topped on either side by
impenetrable thicket and dense…growing trees closely
interwoven with thick…stemmed creepers and lesser vines
inextricably matted into two solid ramparts of
vegetation。 Tarzan had almost reached the point where
the trail debouched upon the open river bottom when he
saw a family of lions approaching along the path from
the direction of the river。 The