Part 12 (1/2)
”No,” Tarzan hastened to correct her lest a reputation for o ”I know only what Jad-ben-Otho wishes me to know”
”But tell me,” she said, ”I shall be reunited with Ta-den? Surely the son of God can read the future”
The ape-lad that he had left hi of the future,” he replied, ”other than what Jad-ben-Otho tells me But I think you need have no fear for the future if you remain faithful to Ta-den and Ta-den's friends”
”You have seen him?” asked O-lo-a ”Tell me, where is he?”
”Yes,” replied Tarzan, ”I have seen hiund of Kor-ul-JA”
”A prisoner of the Waz-don?” interrupted the girl
”Not a prisoner but an honored guest,” replied the ape- his face toward the heavens; ”do not speak I ae from Jad-ben-Otho, my father”
The to their faces with their hands, stricken with awe at the thought of the awful nearness of the Great God Presently Tarzan touched O-lo-a on the shoulder
”Rise,” he said ”Jad-ben-Otho has spoken He has told irl is from the tribe of Kor-ul-JA, where Ta-den is, and that she is betrothed to Om-at, their chief Her naly toward Pan-at-lee The latter nodded, her simple mind unable to determine whether or not she and her mistress were the victims of a colossal hoax ”It is even as he says,” she whispered
O-lo-a fell upon her knees and touched her forehead to Tarzan's feet ”Great is the honor that Jad-ben-Otho has done his poor servant,” she cried ”Carry to hiht to O-lo-a”
”It would please my father,” said Tarzan, ”if you were to cause Pan-at-lee to be returned in safety to the village of her people”
”What cares Jad-ben-Otho for such as she?” asked O-lo-a, a slight trace of hauteur in her tone
”There is but one God,” replied Tarzan, ”and he is the God of the Waz-don as well as of the Ho-don; of the birds and the beasts and the flowers and of everything that grows upon the earth or beneath the waters If Pan-at-lee does right she is greater in the eyes of Jad-ben-Otho than would be the daughter of Ko-tan should she do wrong”
It was evident that O-lo-a did not quite understand this interpretation of divine favor, so contrary was it to the teachings of the priesthood of her people In one respect only did Tarzan's teachings coincide with her belief-that there was but one God For the rest she had always been taught that he was solely the God of the Ho-don in every sense, other than that other creatures were created by Jad-ben-Otho to serve some useful purpose for the benefit of the Ho-don race And now to be told by the son of God that she stood no higher in divine esteem than the black handmaiden at her side was indeed a shock to her pride, her vanity, and her faith But who could question the word of Dor-ul-Otho, especially when she had with her own eyes seen him in actual communion with God in heaven?
”The will of Jad-ben-Otho be done,” said O-lo-a meekly, ”if it lies within my power But it would be best, O Dor-ul-Otho, to co”
”Then keep her with you,” said Tarzan, ”and see that no harm befalls her”
O-lo-a looked ruefully at Pan-at-lee ”She was brought to me but yesterday,” she said, ”and never have I had slave woman who pleased me better I shall hate to part with her”
”But there are others,” said Tarzan
”Yes,” replied O-lo-a, ”there are others, but there is only one Pan-at-lee”
”Many slaves are brought to the city?” asked Tarzan
”Yes,” she replied
”And ers coatively ”Only the Ho-don from the other side of the Valley of Jad-ben-Otho,” she replied, ”and they are not strangers”