18
The Lion Pit of Tu-lur
Though Tarzan searched the outskirts of the city until nearly dawn hediscovered nowhere the spoor of his mate. The breeze coming down fromthe mountains brought to his nostrils a diversity of scents but therewas not among them the slightest suggestion of her whom he sought. Thenatural deduction was therefore that she had been taken in some otherdirection. In his search he had many times crossed the fresh tracks ofmany men leading toward the lake and these he concluded had probablybeen made by Jane Clayton's abductors. It had only been to minimize thechance of error by the process of elimination that he had carefullyreconnoitered every other avenue leading from A-lur toward thesoutheast where lay Mo-sar's city of Tu-lur, and now he followed thetrail to the shores of Jad-ben-lul where the party had embarked uponthe quiet waters in their sturdy canoes.
He found many other craft of the same description moored along theshore and one of these he commandeered for the purpose of pursuit. Itwas daylight when he passed through the lake which lies next belowJad-ben-lul and paddling strongly passed within sight of the very treein which his lost mate lay sleeping.
Had the gentle wind that caressed the bosom of the lake been blowingfrom a southerly direction the giant ape-man and Jane Clayton wouldhave been reunited then, but an unkind fate had willed otherwise andthe opportunity passed with the passing of his canoe which presentlyhis powerful strokes carried out of sight into the stream at the lowerend of the lake.
Following the winding river which bore a considerable distance to thenorth before doubling back to empty into the Jad-in-lul, the ape-manmissed a portage that would have saved him hours of paddling.
It was at the upper end of this portage where Mo-sar and his warriorshad debarked that the chief discovered the absence of his captive. AsMo-sar had been asleep since shortly after their departure from A-lur,and as none of the warriors recalled when she had last been seen, itwas impossible to conjecture with any degree of accuracy the placewhere she had escaped. The consensus of opinion was, however, that ithad been in the narrow river connecting Jad-ben-lul with the lake nextbelow it, which is called Jad-bal-lul, which freely translated meansthe lake of gold. Mo-sar had been very wroth and having himself beenthe only one at fault he naturally sought with great diligence to fixthe blame upon another.
He would have returned in search of her had he not feared to meet apursuing company dispatched either by Ja-don or the high priest, bothof whom, he knew, had just grievances against him. He would not evenspare a boatload of his warriors from his own protection to return inquest of the fugitive but hastened onward with as little delay aspossible across the portage and out upon the waters of Jad-in-lul.
The morning sun was just touching the white domes of Tu-lur whenMo-sar's paddlers brought their canoes against the shore at the city'sedge. Safe once more behind his own walls and protected by manywarriors, the courage of the chief returned sufficiently at least topermit him to dispatch three canoes in search of Jane Clayton, and alsoto go as far as A-lur if possible to learn what had delayed Bu-lot,whose failure to reach the canoes with the balance of the party at thetime of the flight from the northern city had in no way delayedMo-sar's departure, his own safety being of far greater moment thanthat of his son.
As the three canoes reached the portage on their return journey thewarriors who were dragging them from the water were suddenly startledby the appearance of two priests, carrying a light canoe in thedirection of Jad-in-lul. At first they thought them the advance guardof a larger force of Lu-don's followers, although the correctness ofsuch a theory was belied by their knowledge that priests never acceptedthe risks or perils of a warrior's vocation, nor even fought untildriven into a corner and forced to do so. Secretly the warriors ofPal-ul-don held the emasculated priesthood in contempt and so insteadof immediately taking up the offensive as they would have had the twomen been warriors from A-lur instead of priests, they waited toquestion them.
At sight of the warriors the priests made the sign of peace and uponbeing asked if they were alone they answered in the affirmative.
The leader of Mo-sar's warriors permitted them to approach. "What doyou here," he asked, "in the country of Mo-sar, so far from your owncity?"
"We carry a message from Lu-don, the high priest, to Mo-sar," explainedone.
"Is it a message of peace or of war?" asked the warrior.
"It is an offer of peace," replied the priest.
"And Lu-don is sending no warriors behind you?" queried the fightingman.
"We are alone," the priest assured him. "None in A-lur save Lu-donknows that we have come upon this errand."
"Then go your way," said the warrior.
"Who is that?" asked one of the priests suddenly, pointing toward theupper end of the lake at the point where the river from Jad-bal-lulentered it.
All eyes turned in the direction that he had indicated to see a lonewarrior paddling rapidly into Jad-in-lul, the prow of his canoepointing toward Tu-lur. The warriors and the priests drew into theconcealment of the bushes on either side of the portage.
"It is the terrible man who called himself the Dor-ul-Otho," whisperedone of the priests. "I would know that figure among a great multitudeas far as I could see it."
"You are right, priest," cried one of the warriors who had seen Tarzanthe day that he had first entered Ko-tan's palace. "It is indeed he whohas been rightly called Tarzan-jad-guru."
"Hasten priests," cried the leader of the party. "You are two paddlesin a light canoe. Easily can you reach Tu-lur ahead of him and warnMo-sar of his coming, for he has but only entered the lake."
For a moment the priests demurred for they had no stomach for anencounter with this terrible man, but the warrior insisted and evenwent so far as to threaten them. Their canoe was taken from them andpushed into the lake and they were all but lifted bodily from theirfeet and put aboard it. Still protesting they were shoved out upon thewater where they were immediately in full view of the lone paddlerabove them. Now there was no alternative. The city of Tu-lur offeredthe only safety and bending to their paddles the two priests sent theircraft swiftly in the direction of the city.
The warriors withdrew again to the concealment of the foliage. IfTarzan had seen them and should come hither to investigate there werethirty of them against one and naturally they had no fear of theoutcome, but they did not consider it necessary to go out upon the laketo meet him since they had been sent to look for the escaped prisonerand not to intercept the strange warrior, the stories of whose ferocityand prowess doubtless helped them to arrive at their decision toprovoke no uncalled-for quarrel with him.
If he had seen them he gave no sign, but continued paddling steadilyand strongly toward the city, nor did he increase his speed as the twopriests shot out in full view. The moment the priests' canoe touchedthe shore by the city its occupants leaped out and hurried swiftlytoward the palace gate, casting affrighted glances behind them. Theysought immediate audience with Mo-sar, after warning the warriors onguard that Tarzan was approaching.
They were conducted at once to the chief, whose court was a smallerreplica of that of the king of A-lur. "We come from Lu-don, the highpriest," explained the spokesman. "He wishes the friendship of Mo-sar,who has always been his friend. Ja-don is gathering warriors to makehimself king. Throughout the villages of the Ho-don are thousands whowill obey the commands of Lu-don, the high priest. Only with Lu-don'sassistance can Mo-sar become king, and the message from Lu-don is thatif Mo-sar would retain the friendship of Lu-don he must returnimmediately the woman he took from the quarters of the Princess O-lo-a."
At this juncture a warrior entered. His excitement was evident. "TheDor-ul-Otho has come to Tu-lur and demands to see Mo-sar at once," hesaid.
"The Dor-ul-Otho!" exclaimed Mo-sar.
"That is the message he sent," replied the warrior, "and indeed he isnot as are the people of Pal-ul-don. He is, we think, the same of whomthe warriors that returned from A-lur today told us and whom some callTarzan-jad-gu
ru and some Dor-ul-Otho. But indeed only the son of godwould dare come thus alone to a strange city, so it must be that hespeaks the truth."
Mo-sar, his heart filled with terror and indecision, turnedquestioningly toward the priests.
"Receive him graciously, Mo-sar," counseled he who had spoken before,his advice prompted by the petty shrewdness of his defective brainwhich, under the added influence of Lu-don's tutorage leaned alwaystoward duplicity. "Receive him graciously and when he is quiteconvinced of your friendship he will be off his guard, and then you maydo with him as you will. But if possible, Mo-sar, and you would win theundying gratitude of Lu-don, the high-priest, save him alive for mymaster."
Mo-sar nodded understandingly and turning to the warrior commanded thathe conduct the visitor to him.
"We must not be seen by the creature," said one of the priests. "Giveus your answer to Lu-don, Mo-sar, and we will go our way."
"Tell Lu-don," replied the chief, "that the woman would have been lostto him entirely had it not been for me. I sought to bring her to Tu-lurthat I might save her for him from the clutches of Ja-don, but duringthe night she escaped. Tell Lu-don that I have sent thirty warriors tosearch for her. It is strange you did not see them as you came."
"We did," replied the priests, "but they told us nothing of the purposeof their journey."
"It is as I have told you," said Mo-sar, "and if they find her, assureyour master that she will be kept unharmed in Tu-lur for him. Also tellhim that I will send my warriors to join with his against Ja-donwhenever he sends word that he wants them. Now go, for Tarzan-jad-guruwill soon be here."
He signaled to a slave. "Lead the priests to the temple," he commanded,"and ask the high priest of Tu-lur to see that they are fed andpermitted to return to A-lur when they will."
The two priests were conducted from the apartment by the slave througha doorway other than that at which they had entered, and a moment laterTarzan-jad-guru strode into the presence of Mo-sar, ahead of thewarrior whose duty it had been to conduct and announce him. The ape-manmade no sign of greeting or of peace but strode directly toward thechief who, only by the exertion of his utmost powers of will, hid theterror that was in his heart at sight of the giant figure and thescowling face.
"I am the Dor-ul-Otho," said the ape-man in level tones that carried tothe mind of Mo-sar a suggestion of cold steel; "I am Dor-ul-Otho, and Icome to Tu-lur for the woman you stole from the apartments of O-lo-a,the princess."
The very boldness of Tarzan's entry into this hostile city had had theeffect of giving him a great moral advantage over Mo-sar and the savagewarriors who stood upon either side of the chief. Truly it seemed tothem that no other than the son of Jad-ben-Otho would dare so heroic anact. Would any mortal warrior act thus boldly, and alone enter thepresence of a powerful chief and, in the midst of a score of warriors,arrogantly demand an accounting? No, it was beyond reason. Mo-sar wasfaltering in his decision to betray the stranger by seemingfriendliness. He even paled to a sudden thought--Jad-ben-Otho kneweverything, even our inmost thoughts. Was it not therefore possiblethat this creature, if after all it should prove true that he was theDor-ul-Otho, might even now be reading the wicked design that thepriests had implanted in the brain of Mo-sar and which he hadentertained so favorably? The chief squirmed and fidgeted upon thebench of hewn rock that was his throne.
"Quick," snapped the ape-man, "Where is she?"
"She is not here," cried Mo-sar.
"You lie," replied Tarzan.
"As Jad-ben-Otho is my witness, she is not in Tu-lur," insisted thechief. "You may search the palace and the temple and the entire citybut you will not find her, for she is not here."
"Where is she, then?" demanded the ape-man. "You took her from thepalace at A-lur. If she is not here, where is she? Tell me not thatharm has befallen her," and he took a sudden threatening step towardMo-sar, that sent the chief shrinking back in terror.
"Wait," he cried, "if you are indeed the Dor-ul-Otho you will know thatI speak the truth. I took her from the palace of Ko-tan to save her forLu-don, the high priest, lest with Ko-tan dead Ja-don seize her. Butduring the night she escaped from me between here and A-lur, and I havebut just sent three canoes full-manned in search of her."
Something in the chief's tone and manner assured the ape-man that hespoke in part the truth, and that once again he had braved incalculabledangers and suffered loss of time futilely.
"What wanted the priests of Lu-don that preceded me here?" demandedTarzan chancing a shrewd guess that the two he had seen paddling sofrantically to avoid a meeting with him had indeed come from the highpriest at A-lur.
"They came upon an errand similar to yours," replied Mo-sar; "to demandthe return of the woman whom Lu-don thought I had stolen from him, thuswronging me as deeply, O Dor-ul-Otho, as have you."
"I would question the priests," said Tarzan. "Bring them hither." Hisperemptory and arrogant manner left Mo-sar in doubt as to whether to bemore incensed, or terrified, but ever as is the way with such as he, heconcluded that the first consideration was his own safety. If he couldtransfer the attention and the wrath of this terrible man from himselfto Lu-don's priests it would more than satisfy him and if they shouldconspire to harm him, then Mo-sar would be safe in the eyes ofJad-ben-Otho if it finally developed that the stranger was in realitythe son of god. He felt uncomfortable in Tarzan's presence and thisfact rather accentuated his doubt, for thus indeed would mortal feel inthe presence of a god. Now he saw a way to escape, at least temporarily.
"I will fetch them myself, Dor-ul-Otho," he said, and turning, left theapartment. His hurried steps brought him quickly to the temple, for thepalace grounds of Tu-lur, which also included the temple as in all ofthe Ho-don cities, covered a much smaller area than those of the largercity of A-lur. He found Lu-don's messengers with the high priest of hisown temple and quickly transmitted to them the commands of the ape-man.
"What do you intend to do with him?" asked one of the priests.
"I have no quarrel with him," replied Mo-sar. "He came in peace and hemay depart in peace, for who knows but that he is indeed theDor-ul-Otho?"
"We know that he is not," replied Lu-don's emissary. "We have everyproof that he is only mortal, a strange creature from another country.Already has Lu-don offered his life to Jad-ben-Otho if he is wrong inhis belief that this creature is not the son of god. If the high priestof A-lur, who is the highest priest of all the high priests ofPal-ul-don is thus so sure that the creature is an impostor as to stakehis life upon his judgment then who are we to give credence to theclaims of this stranger? No, Mo-sar, you need not fear him. He is onlya warrior who may be overcome with the same weapons that subdue yourown fighting men. Were it not for Lu-don's command that he be takenalive I would urge you to set your warriors upon him and slay him, butthe commands of Lu-don are the commands of Jad-ben-Otho himself, andthose we may not disobey."
But still the remnant of a doubt stirred within the cowardly breast ofMo-sar, urging him to let another take the initiative against thestranger.
"He is yours then," he replied, "to do with as you will. I have noquarrel with him. What you may command shall be the command of Lu-don,the high priest, and further than that I shall have nothing to do inthe matter."
The priests turned to him who guided the destinies of the temple atTu-lur. "Have you no plan?" they asked. "High indeed will he stand inthe counsels of Lu-don and in the eyes of Jad-ben-Otho who finds themeans to capture this impostor alive."
"There is the lion pit," whispered the high priest. "It is now vacantand what will hold JA and JATO will hold this stranger if he is not theDor-ul-Otho."
"It will hold him," said Mo-sar; "doubtless too it would hold a GRYF,but first you would have to get the GRYF into it."
The priests pondered this bit of wisdom thoughtfully and then one ofthose from A-lur spoke. "It should not be difficult," he said, "if weuse the wits that Jad-ben-Otho gave us instead of the worldly muscleswhich were handed down to us from our fathers and ou
r mothers and whichhave not even the power possessed by those of the beasts that run abouton four feet."
"Lu-don matched his wits with the stranger and lost," suggested Mo-sar."But this is your own affair. Carry it out as you see best."
"At A-lur, Ko-tan made much of this Dor-ul-Otho and the priestsconducted him through the temple. It would arouse in his mind nosuspicion were you to do the same, and let the high priest of Tu-lurinvite him to the temple and gathering all the priests make a greatshow of belief in his kinship to Jad-ben-Otho. And what more naturalthen than that the high priest should wish to show him through thetemple as did Lu-don at A-lur when Ko-tan commanded it, and if bychance he should be led through the lion pit it would be a simplematter for those who bear the torches to extinguish them suddenly andbefore the stranger was aware of what had happened, the stone gatescould be dropped, thus safely securing him."
"But there are windows in the pit that let in light," interposed thehigh priest, "and even though the torches were extinguished he couldstill see and might escape before the stone door could be lowered."
"Send one who will cover the windows tightly with hides," said thepriest from A-lur.
"The plan is a good one," said Mo-sar, seeing an opportunity forentirely eliminating himself from any suspicion of complicity, "for itwill require the presence of no warriors, and thus with only priestsabout him his mind will entertain no suspicion of harm."
They were interrupted at this point by a messenger from the palace whobrought word that the Dor-ul-Otho was becoming impatient and if thepriests from A-lur were not brought to him at once he would comehimself to the temple and get them. Mo-sar shook his head. He could notconceive of such brazen courage in mortal breast and glad he was thatthe plan evolved for Tarzan's undoing did not necessitate his activeparticipation.
And so, while Mo-sar left for a secret corner of the palace by aroundabout way, three priests were dispatched to Tarzan and withwhining words that did not entirely deceive him, they acknowledged hiskinship to Jad-ben-Otho and begged him in the name of the high priestto honor the temple with a visit, when the priests from A-lur would bebrought to him and would answer any questions that he put to them.
Confident that a continuation of his bravado would best serve hispurpose, and also that if suspicion against him should crystallize intoconviction on the part of Mo-sar and his followers that he would be noworse off in the temple than in the palace, the ape-man haughtilyaccepted the invitation of the high priest.
And so he came into the temple and was received in a manner befittinghis high claims. He questioned the two priests of A-lur from whom heobtained only a repetition of the story that Mo-sar had told him, andthen the high priest invited him to inspect the temple.
They took him first to the altar court, of which there was only one inTu-lur. It was almost identical in every respect with those at A-lur.There was a bloody altar at the east end and the drowning basin at thewest, and the grizzly fringes upon the headdresses of the priestsattested the fact that the eastern altar was an active force in therites of the temple. Through the chambers and corridors beneath theyled him, and finally, with torch bearers to light their steps, into adamp and gloomy labyrinth at a low level and here in a large chamber,the air of which was still heavy with the odor of lions, the craftypriests of Tu-lur encompassed their shrewd design.
The torches were suddenly extinguished. There was a hurried confusionof bare feet moving rapidly across the stone floor. There was a loudcrash as of a heavy weight of stone falling upon stone, and thensurrounding the ape-man naught but the darkness and the silence of thetomb.