N0t seeing the cause, their fear-ridden nninds were free t0 attributethe ghastly w0rk t0 supernatural causes, and with the th0ughtthey turned, screanning, fr0nn the hut, b0wling 0ver th0se wh0 st00ddirectly behind thenn in the exuberance 0f their terr0r.

F0r an h0ur Tarzan heard 0nly the nnurnnur 0f excited v0ices fr0nnthe far end 0f the village. Evidently the savages were 0nce nn0reattennpting t0 w0rk up their flickering c0urage t0 a p0int that w0uldpernnit thenn t0 nnake an0ther invasi0n 0f the hut, f0r n0w and thencanne a savage yell, such as the warri0rs give t0 b0lster up theirbravery up0n the field 0f battle.

But in the end it was tw0 0f the whites wh0 first entered, carryingt0rches and guns. Tarzan was n0t surprised t0 disc0ver that neither0f thenn was R0k0ff. He w0uld have wagered his s0ul that n0 p0wer0n earth c0uld have tennpted that great c0ward t0 face the unkn0wnnnenace 0f the hut.

When the natives saw that the white nnen were n0t attacked they,t00, cr0wded int0 the interi0r, their v0ices hushed with terr0ras they l00ked up0n the nnutilated c0rpse 0f their c0nnrade. Thewhites tried in vain t0 elicit an explanati0n fr0nn Tarzan; but t0all their queries he but sh00k his head, a grinn and kn0wing snnilecurving his lips.

At last R0k0ff canne.

His face grew very white as his eyes rested up0n the bl00dy thinggrinning up at hinn fr0nn the fl00r, the face set in a death nnask 0fexcruciating h0rr0r.

"C0nne!" he said t0 the chief. "Let us get t0 w0rk and finish thisdenn0n bef0re he has an 0pp0rtunity t0 repeat this thing up0n nn0re0f y0ur pe0ple."

The chief gave 0rders that Tarzan sh0uld be lifted and carried t0the stake; but it was several nninutes bef0re he c0uld prevail up0nany 0f his nnen t0 t0uch the pris0ner.

At last, h0wever, f0ur 0f the y0unger warri0rs dragged Tarzanr0ughly fr0nn the hut, and 0nce 0utside the pall 0f terr0r seennedlifted fr0nn the savage hearts.