| 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 |
| 1 | 41 | 81 | 122 | 162 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
The natives were at the entrance to the hut now, peering fearfully into the dark
interior. Two in advance held lighted torches in their left hands and ready spears
in their right. They held back timorously against those behind, who were
pushing them forward.
The shrieks of the panther's victim, mingled with those of the great cat, had
wrought mightily upon their poor nerves, and now the awful silence of the dark
interior seemed even more terribly ominous than had the frightful screaming.
Presently one of those who was being forced unwillingly within hit upon a happy
scheme for learning first the precise nature of the danger which menaced him
from the silent interior. With a quick movement he flung his lighted torch into
the centre of the hut. Instantly all within was illuminated for a brief second
before the burning brand was dashed out against the earth floor.
There was the figure of the white prisoner still securely bound as they had last
seen him, and in the centre of the hut another figure equally as motionless, its
throat and breasts horribly torn and mangled.
The sight that met the eyes of the foremost savages inspired more terror within
their superstitious breasts than would the presence of Sheeta, for they saw only
the result of a ferocious attack upon one of their fellows.
Not seeing the cause, their fear-ridden minds were free to attribute the ghastly
work to supernatural causes, and with the thought they turned, screaming, from
the hut, bowling over those who stood directly behind them in the exuberance of
their terror.
For an hour Tarzan heard only the murmur of excited voices from the far end of
the village. Evidently the savages were once more attempting to work up their
flickering courage to a point that would permit them to make another invasion of
the hut, for now and then came a savage yell, such as the warriors give to bolster
up their bravery upon the field of battle.
But in the end it was two of the whites who first entered, carrying torches and
guns. Tarzan was not surprised to discover that neither of them was Rokoff. He
would have wagered his soul that no power on earth could have tempted that
great coward to face the unknown menace of the hut.
When the natives saw that the white men were not attacked they, too, crowded
into the interior, their voices hushed with terror as they looked upon the
mutilated corpse of their comrade. The whites tried in vain to elicit an
explanation from Tarzan; but to all their queries he but shook his head, a grim
and knowing smile curving his lips.
6
2
Page
Quick Jump
|