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preferred immaculate linen and their clubs to nakedness and
the jungle。 It was； of course； difficult to understand；
yet it was very evident that they did。
The two had just turned a projecting rock around which
the trail ran when they were brought to a sudden stop。
There； before them； directly in the middle of the path； stood
Numa； EL ADREA； the black lion。 His green eyes looked very
wicked； and he bared his teeth； and lashed his bay…black sides
with his angry tail。 Then he roaredthe fearsome； terror…
inspiring roar of the hungry lion which is also angry。
〃Your knife；〃 said Tarzan to the girl； extending his hand。
She slipped the hilt of the weapon into his waiting palm。
As his fingers closed upon it he drew her back and pushed her
behind him。 〃Walk back to the desert as rapidly as you can。
If you hear me call you will know that all is well； and
you may return。〃
〃It is useless；〃 she replied； resignedly。 〃This is the end。〃
〃Do as I tell you；〃 he commanded。 〃Quickly！ He is about
to charge。〃 The girl dropped back a few paces； where she
stood watching for the terrible sight that she knew she
should soon witness。
The lion was advancing slowly toward Tarzan； his nose to
the ground； like a challenging bull； his tail extended now
and quivering as though with intense excitement。
The ape…man stood； half crouching； the long Arab knife
glistening in the moonlight。 Behind him the tense figure of
the girl； motionless as a carven statue。 She leaned slightly
forward； her lips parted； her eyes wide。 Her only conscious
thought was wonder at the bravery of the man who dared
face with a puny knife the lord with the large head。 A man
of her own blood would have knelt in prayer and gone down
beneath those awful fangs without resistance。 In either case
the result would be the sameit was inevitable； but she could
not repress a thrill of admiration as her eyes rested upon
the heroic figure before her。 Not a tremor in the whole
giant framehis attitude as menacing and defiant as that of
EL ADREA himself。
The lion was quite close to him nowbut a few paces
intervenedhe crouched； and then； with a deafening
roar； he sprang。
Chapter 11
John Caldwell； London
As Numa EL ADREA launched himself with widespread paws
and bared fangs he looked to find this puny man as
easy prey as the score who had gone down beneath
him in the past。 To him man was a clumsy； slow…moving；
defenseless creaturehe had little respect for him。
But this time he found that he was pitted against a creature
as agile and as quick as himself。 When his mighty frame
struck the spot where the man had been he was no longer there。
The watching girl was transfixed by astonishment at the
ease with which the crouching man eluded the great paws。
And now； O Allah！ He had rushed in behind EL ADREA'S
shoulder even before the beast could turn； and had grasped
him by the mane。 The lion reared upon his hind legs like a
horseTarzan had known that he would do this； and he was ready。
A giant arm encircled the black…maned throat； and once； twice；
a dozen times a sharp blade darted in and out of the bay…black
side behind the left shoulder。
Frantic were the leaps of Numaawful his roars of rage
and pain； but the giant upon his back could not be dislodged
or brought within reach of fangs or talons in the brief
interval of life that remained to the lord with the large head。
He was quite dead when Tarzan of the Apes released his hold
and arose。 Then the daughter of the desert witnessed a thing
that terrified her even more than had the presence of EL ADREA。
The man placed a foot upon the carcass of his kill； and；
with his handsome face raised toward the full moon； gave voice
to the most frightful cry that ever had smote upon her ears。
With a little cry of fear she shrank away from himshe
thought that the fearful strain of the encounter had driven
him mad。 As the last note of that fiendish challenge died out
in the diminishing echoes of the distance the man dropped
his eyes until they rested upon the girl。
Instantly his face was lighted by the kindly smile that was
ample assurance of his sanity； and the girl breathed freely
once again； smiling in response。
〃What manner of man are you？〃 she asked。 〃The thing
you have done is unheard of。 Even now I cannot believe
that it is possible for a lone man armed only with a knife to
have fought hand to hand with EL ADREA and conquered him；
unscathedto have conquered him at all。 And that cryit
was not human。 Why did you do that？〃
Tarzan flushed。 〃It is because I forget；〃 he said； 〃sometimes；
that I am a civilized man。 When I kill it must be that I am
another creature。〃 He did not try to explain further； for it
always seemed to him that a woman must look with loathing
upon one who was yet so nearly a beast。
Together they continued their journey。 The sun was an
hour high when they came out into the desert again beyond
the mountains。 Beside a little rivulet they found the girl's
horses grazing。 They had come this far on their way home；
and with the cause of their fear no longer present had
stopped to feed。
With little trouble Tarzan and the girl caught them； and；
mounting； rode out into the desert toward the DOUAR of
Sheik Kadour ben Saden。
No sign of pursuit developed； and they came in safety
about nine o'clock to their destination。 The sheik had but
just returned。 He was frantic with grief at the absence of
his daughter； whom he thought had been again abducted by
the marauders。 With fifty men he was already mounted to go
in search of her when the two rode into the DOUAR。
His joy at the safe return of his daughter was only equaled
by his gratitude to Tarzan for bringing her safely to him
through the dangers of the night； and his thankfulness that
she had been in time to save the man who had once saved her。
No honor that Kadour ben Saden could heap upon the ape…
man in acknowledgment of his esteem and friendship was
neglected。 When the girl had recited the story of the slaying
of EL ADREA Tarzan was surrounded by a mob of worshiping
Arabsit was a sure road to their admiration and respect。
The old sheik insisted that Tarzan remain indefinitely as his
guest。 He even wished to adopt him as a member of the tribe；
and there was for some time a half…formed resolution in the
ape…man's mind to accept and remain forever with these wild
people； whom he understood and who seemed to understand him。
His friendship and liking for the girl were potent
factors in urging him toward an affirmative decision。
Had she been a man； he argued； he should not have hesitated；
for it would have meant a friend after his own heart；
with whom he could ride and hunt at will； but as it was they
would be hedged by the conventionalities that are even more
strictly observed by the wild nomads of the desert than by
t