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knew that the thoroughfare upon which he looked was the same along which he

and Bertha Kircher had been led as prisoners earlier in the day.

If he could reach this he might be able to pass undetected in the shadows of the

arcade to the city gate. He had already given up as futile the thought of seeking

out the girl and attempting to succor her, for he knew that alone and with the few

remaining rounds of ammunition he possessed, he could do nothing against this

city-full of armed men. That he could live to cross the lion-infested forest beyond

the city was doubtful, and having, by some miracle, won to the desert beyond, his

fate would be certainly sealed; but yet he was consumed with but one desire--to

leave behind him as far as possible this horrid city of maniacs.

He saw that the roofs rose to the same level as that upon which he stood

unbroken to the north to the next street intersection. Directly below him was a

flare. To reach the pavement in safety it was necessary that he find as dark a

portion of the avenue as possible. And so he sought along the edge of the roofs for

a place where he might descend in comparative concealment.

He had proceeded some little way beyond a point where the street curved

abruptly to the east before he discovered a location sufficiently to his liking. But

even here he was compelled to wait a considerable time for a satisfactory moment

for his descent, which he had decided to make down one of the pillars of the

arcade. Each time he prepared to lower himself over the edge of the roofs,

footsteps approaching in one direction or another deterred him until at last he

had almost come to the conclusion that he would have to wait for the entire city

to sleep before continuing his flight.

But finally came a moment which he felt propitious and though with inward

qualms, it was with outward calm that he commenced the descent to the street

below.

When at last he stood beneath the arcade he was congratulating himself upon the

success that had attended his efforts up to this point when, at a slight sound

behind him, he turned to see a tall figure in the yellow tunic of a warrior

confronting him.

215

Tarzan the Untamed