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he others would rush in and hurl their clubs at the prisoner。 They would take no chances； for the stories that had circulated in A…lur had been brought to Tu…lurstories of the great strength and wonderful prowess of Tarzan…jad…guru that caused the sweat to stand upon the brows of the warriors； though it was cool in the damp corridor and they were twelve to one。
And then the high priest gave the signalthe door shot upward and ten warriors leaped into the chamber with poised clubs。 Three of the heavy weapons flew across the room toward a darker shadow that lay in the shadow of the opposite wall； then the flare of the torch in the priest's hand lighted the interior and they saw that the thing at which they had flung their clubs was a pile of skins torn from the windows and that except for themselves the chamber was vacant。
One of them hastened to a window。 All but a single bar was gone and to this was tied one end of a braided rope fashioned from strips cut from the leather window hangings。
To the ordinary dangers of Jane Clayton's existence was now added the menace of Obergatz' knowledge of her whereabouts。 The lion and the panther had given her less cause for anxiety than did the return of the unscrupulous Hun； whom she had always distrusted and feared； and whose repulsiveness was now immeasurably augmented by his unkempt and filthy appearance； his strange and mirthless laughter； and his unnatural demeanor。 She feared him now with a new fear as though he had suddenly become the personification of some nameless horror。 The wholesome； outdoor life that she had been leading had strengthened and rebuilt her nervous system yet it seemed to her as she thought of him that if this man should ever touch her she should scream； and； possibly； even faint。 Again and again during the day following their unexpected meeting the woman reproached herself for not having killed him as she would ja or jato or any other predatory beast that menaced her existence or her safety。 There was no attempt at self…justification for these sinister reflectionsthey needed no justification。 The standards by which the acts of such as you or I may be judged could not apply to hers。 We have recourse to the protection of friends and relatives and the civil soldiery that upholds the majesty of the law and which may be invoked to protect the righteous weak against the unrighteous strong； but Jane Clayton comprised within herself not only the righteous weak but all the various agencies for the protection of the weak。 To her； then； Lieutenant Erich Obergatz presented no different problem than did ja； the lion； other than that she considered the former the more dangerous animal。 And so she determined that should he ignore her warning there would be no temporizing upon the occasion of their next meetingthe same swift spear that would meet ja's advances would meet his。
That night her snug little nest perched high in the great tree seemed less the sanctuary that it had before。 What might resist the sanguinary intentions of a prowling panther would prove no great barrier to man； and influenced by this thought she slept less well than before。 The slightest noise that broke the monotonous hum of the nocturnal jungle startled her into alert wakefulness to lie with straining ears in an attempt to classify the origin of the disturbance； and once she was awakened thus by a sound that seemed to come from something moving in her own tree。 She listened intentlyscarce breathing。 Yes； there it was again。 A scuffing of something soft against the hard bark of the tree。 The woman reached out in the darkness and grasped her spear。 Now she felt a slight sagging of one of the limbs that supported her shelter as though the thing； whatever it was； was slowly raising its weight to the branch。 It came nearer。 Now she thought that she could detect its breathing。 It was at the door。 She could hear it fumbling with the frail barrier。 What could it be？ It made no sound by which she might identify it。 She raised herself upon her hands and knees and crept stealthily the little distance to the doorway； her spear clutched tightly in her hand。 Whatever the thing was； it was evidently attempting to gain entrance without awakening her。 It was just beyond the pitiful little contraption of slender boughs that she had bound together with grasses and called a dooronly a few inches lay between the thing and her。 Rising to her knees she reached out with her left hand and felt until she found a place where a crooked branch had left an opening a couple of inches wide near the center of the barrier。 Into this she inserted the point of her spear。 The thing must have heard her move within for suddenly it abandoned its efforts for stealth and tore angrily at the obstacle。 At the same moment Jane thrust her spear forward with all her strength。 She felt it enter flesh。 There was a scream and a curse from without； followed by the crashing of a body through limbs and foliage。 Her spear was almost dragged from her grasp； but she held to it until it broke free from the thing it had pierced。
It was Obergatz； the curse had told her that。 From below came no further sound。 Had she； then； killed him？ She prayed sowith all her heart she prayed it。 To be freed from the menace of this loathsome creature were relief indeed。 During all the balance of the night she lay there awake； listening。 Below her； she imagined； she could see the dead man with his hideous face bathed in the cold light of the moonlying there upon his back staring up at her。
She prayed that ja might come and drag it away； but all during the remainder of the night she heard never another sound above the drowsy hum of the jungle。 She was glad that he was dead； but she dreaded the gruesome ordeal that awaited her on the morrow； for she must bury the thing that had been Erich Obergatz and live on there above the shallow grave of the man she had slain。
She reproached herself for her weakness； repeating over and over that she had killed in self…defense； that her act was justified； but she was still a woman of today； and strong upon her were the iron mandates of the social order from which she had sprung； its interdictions and its superstitions。
At last came the tardy dawn。 Slowly the sun topped the distant mountains beyond Jad…in…lul。 And yet she hesitated to loosen the fastenings of her door and look out upon the thing below。 But it must be done。 She steeled herself and untied the rawhide thong that secured the barrier。 She looked down and only the grass and the flowers looked up at her。 She came from her shelter and examined the ground upon the opposite side of the treethere was no dead man there； nor anywhere as far as she could see。 Slowly she descended； keeping a wary eye and an alert ear ready for the first intimation of danger。
At the foot of the tree was a pool of blood and a little trail of crimson drops upon the grass； leading away parallel with the shore of Jad…ben…lul。 Then she had not slain him！ She was vaguely aware of a peculiar； double sensation of relief and regret。 Now she would be always in doubt。 He might return； but at least she would not have to live above his grave。
She thought some of following the bloody spoor on the cha