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it was that the two turned and learned the identity of Sheeta, for behind them
was a devil-faced cat charging rapidly toward them.
Sheeta with rising anger and suspicion had seen the ape-man leap from the tree
and approach the quarry. His life's experiences backed by instinct told him that
the Tarmangani was about to rob him of his prey and as Sheeta was hungry, he
had no intention of being thus easily deprived of the flesh he already considered
his own.
The girl stifled an involuntary scream as she saw the proximity of the fanged fury
bearing down upon them. She shrank close to the man and clung to him and all
unarmed and defenseless as he was, the Englishman pushed her behind him and
shielding her with his body, stood squarely in the face of the panther's charge.
Tarzan noted the act, and though accustomed as he was to acts of courage, he
experienced a thrill from the hopeless and futile bravery of the man.
The charging panther moved rapidly, and the distance which separated the bush
in which he had concealed himself from the objects of his desire was not great. In
the time that one might understandingly read a dozen words the strong-limbed
cat could have covered the entire distance and made his kill, yet if Sheeta was
quick, quick too was Tarzan. The English lieutenant saw the ape-man flash by
him like the wind. He saw the great cat veer in his charge as though to elude the
naked savage rushing to meet him, as it was evidently Sheeta's intention to make
good his kill before attempting to protect it from Tarzan.
Lieutenant Smith-Oldwick saw these things and then with increasing wonder he
saw the ape-man swerve, too, and leap for the spotted cat as a football player
leaps for a runner. He saw the strong, brown arms encircling the body of the
carnivore, the left arm in front of the beast's left shoulder and the right arm
behind his right foreleg, and with the impact the two together rolling over and
over upon the turf. He heard the snarls and growls of bestial combat, and it was
with a feeling of no little horror that he realized that the sounds coming from the
human throat of the battling man could scarce be distinguished from those of the
panther.
The first momentary shock of terror over, the girl released her grasp upon the
Englishman's arm. "Cannot we do something?" she asked. "Cannot we help him
before the beast kills him?"
The Englishman looked upon the ground for some missile with which to attack
the panther and then the girl uttered an exclamation and started at a run toward
the hut. "Wait there," she called over her shoulder. "I will fetch the spear that he
left me."
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