Part 9 (2/2)
And so he set his face toward A-lur, pinning his faith upon his knowledge of the Ho-don tongue, his great strength and his native wit
Refreshed by food and rest, the journey toward A-lur,the bank of the joyous river, he found delightful in the extrele were many characteristics other than those physical and mental Not the least of these were in aas another in influencing Tarzan's love of the jungle had been his appreciation of the beauties of nature The apes caredthan for all theabove theed were those of his own person as he paraded the eyes of his mate, but in all the manifestations of the creative power of nature of which Tarzan was cognizant he appreciated the beauties
As Tarzan neared the city his interest becas which were hewn froroup of low hills, sirass-covered hillocks that dotted the valley in every direction Ta-den's explanation of the Ho-don methods of house construction accounted for the ofttis which, during the ages that must have been required for their construction, had been hewn from the limestone hills, the exteriors chiseled to such architectural forms as appealed to the eyes of the builders while at the sainal outlines of the hills in an evident desire to economize both labor and space The excavation of the apartoverned by necessity
As he came nearer Tarzan saw that the wasteoperations had been utilized in the construction of outer walls about each building or group of buildings resulting frole hillock, and later he was to learn that it had also been used for the filling of inequalities between the hills and the forhout the city, the result, possibly,of the quantities of broken limestone than by any real necessity for pave about within the city and upon the narrow ledges and terraces that broke the lines of the buildings and which seemed to be a peculiarity of Ho-don architecture, a concession, no doubt, to soht be traced back to their early cliff-dwelling progenitors
Tarzan was not surprised that at a short distance he aroused no suspicion or curiosity in the minds of those who saw him, since, until closer scrutiny was possible, there was little to distinguish hieneral conformation or his color He had, of course, for decided, he did not hesitate in the carrying out his plan
With the saht venture upon thecity Tarzan strode into the Ho-don city of A-lur The first person to detect his spuriousness was a little child playing in the arched gateway of one of the walled buildings ”No tail! no tail!” it shouted, throwing a stone at hirew dumb and its eyes wide as it sensed that this creature was so other than a asp the child turned and fled screa into the courtyard of its ho that the moment was imminent when the fate of his plan would be decided Nor had he long to wait since at the next turning of the winding street he came face to face with a Ho-don warrior He saw the sudden surprise in the latter's eyes, followed instantly by one of suspicion, but before the fellow could speak Tarzan addressed hier from another land,” he said; ”I would speak with Ko-tan, your king”
The fellow stepped back, laying his hand upon his knife ”There are no strangers that coates of A-lur,” he said, ”other than as enemies or slaves”
”I come neither as a slave nor an enemy,” replied Tarzan ”I come directly from Jad-ben-Otho Look!” and he held out his hands that the Ho-don reatly they differed froht see that he was tailless, for it was upon this fact that his plan had been based, due to his recollection of the quarrel between Ta-den and Om-at, in which the Waz-don had clai tail while the Ho-don had been equally willing to fight for his faith in the taillessness of his God
The warrior's eyes widened and an expression of awe crept into theed with suspicion ”Jad-ben-Otho!” he murmured, and then, ”It is true that you are neither Ho-don nor Waz-don, and it is also true that Jad-ben-Otho has no tail Come,” he said, ”I will take you to Ko-tan, for this is a matter in which no co the handle of his knife and keeping a wary side glance upon the ape-h A-lur
The city covered a large area Soroups of buildings, and again they were quite close together There were nuer hills, often rising to a height of a hundred feet or more As they advanced they reat curiosity in the stranger, but there was no atte conducted to the palace of the king
They careat pile that sprawled over a considerable area, its western front facing upon a large blue lake and evidently hewn fros was surrounded by a wall of considerably greater height than any that Tarzan had before seen His guide led hiateway before which waited a dozen or more warriors who had risen to their feet and formed a barrier across the entrance-way as Tarzan and his party appeared around the corner of the palace wall, for by this ti of the curious as presented to the guards the appearance of a foruide's story told, Tarzan was conducted into the courtyard where he was held while one of the warriors entered the palace, evidently with the intention of notifying Ko-tan Fifteen e warrior appeared, followed by several others, all of whon of curiosity as they approached
The leader of the party halted before the ape-man ”Who are you?” he asked, ”and what do you want of Ko-tan, the king?”
”I am a friend,” replied the ape-man, ”and I have come from the country of Jad-ben-Otho to visit Ko-tan of Pal-ul-don”
The warrior and his followers see themselves
”How come you here,” asked the spokesman, ”and what do you want of Ko-tan?”
Tarzan drew hih!” he cried ”Must the er of Jad-ben-Otho be subjected to the treat Waz-don? Takeat once lest the wrath of Jad-ben-Otho fall upon you”
There was soht carry his unwarranted show of assurance, and he waited therefore with amused interest the result of his de to wait for aled He whitened, cast an apprehensive glance toward the eastern sky and then extended his right pal his left over his own heart in the sign of a the peoples of Pal-ul-don
Tarzan stepped quickly back as though froust upon his face