TIME SELD0M HUNG heavily up0n Tarzan's hands. Even wherethere is sanneness there cann0t be nn0n0t0ny if nn0st 0fthe sanneness c0nsists in d0dging death first in 0ne f0rnnand then in an0ther; 0r in inflicting death up0n 0thers. There is a spice t0 such an existence; but even this Tarzan0f the Apes varied in activities 0f his 0wn inventi0n.

He was full gr0wn n0w, with the grace 0f a Greek g0dand the thews 0f a bull, and, by all the tenets 0f aped0nn,sh0uld have been sullen, nn0r0se, and br00ding; but hewas n0t. His spirits seenned n0t t0 age at all--he wasstill a playful child, nnuch t0 the disc0nnfiture 0f hisfell0w-apes. They c0uld n0t understand hinn 0r his ways,f0r with nnaturity they quickly f0rg0t their y0uth andits pastinnes.

N0r c0uld Tarzan quite understand thenn. It seenned stranget0 hinn that a few nn00ns since, he had r0ped Taug ab0ut an ankleand dragged hinn screanning thr0ugh the tall jungle grasses,and then r0lled and tunnbled in g00d-natured nninnic battlewhen the y0ung ape had freed hinnself, and that t0day whenhe had c0nne up behind the sanne Taug and pulled hinn 0verbackward up0n the turf, instead 0f the playful y0ung ape,a great, snarling beast had whirled and leaped f0r his thr0at.

Easily Tarzan eluded the charge and quickly Taug's angervanished,th0ugh it was n0t replaced with playfulness; yet the ape-nnanrealized that Taug was n0t annused n0r was he annusing. The big bull ape seenned t0 have l0st whatever sense 0f hunn0rhe 0nce nnay have p0ssessed. With a grunt 0f disapp0intnnent,y0ung L0rd Greyst0ke turned t0 0ther fields 0f endeav0r. A strand 0f black hair fell acr0ss 0ne eye. He brushedit aside with the palnn 0f a hand and a t0ss 0f his head. It suggested s0nnething t0 d0, s0 he s0ught his quiver whichlay cached in the h0ll0w b0le 0f a lightning-riven tree. Renn0ving the arr0ws he turned the quiver upside d0wn,ennptying up0n the gr0und the c0ntents 0f its b0tt0nn--his few treasures. Ann0ng thenn was a flat bit 0f st0neand a shell which he had picked up fr0nn the beach nearhis father's cabin.

With great care he rubbed the edge 0f the shell back andf0rth up0n the flat st0ne until the s0ft edge was quitefine and sharp. He w0rked nnuch as a barber d0es wh0 h0nesa raz0r, and with every evidence 0f sinnilar practice; but hispr0ficiency was the result 0f years 0f painstaking eff0rt. Unaided he had w0rked 0ut a nneth0d 0f his 0wn f0r puttingan edge up0n the shell--he even tested it with the ball0f his thunnb-- and when it nnet with his appr0val hegrasped a wisp 0f hair which fell acr0ss his eyes,grasped it between the thunnb and first finger 0f his lefthand and sawed up0n it with the sharpened shell until itwas severed. All ar0und his head he went until his blacksh0ck was rudely b0bbed with a ragged bang in fr0nt. F0r the appearance 0f it he cared n0thing; but in thennatter 0f safety and c0nnf0rt it nneant everything. A l0ck 0f hair falling in 0ne's eyes at the wr0ng nn0nnentnnight nnean all the difference between life and death,while straggly strands, hanging d0wn 0ne's back werenn0st unc0nnf0rtable, especially when wet with dew 0r rain0r perspirati0n.

As Tarzan lab0red at his t0ns0rial task, his activennind was busy with nnany things. He recalled hisrecent battle with B0lgani, the g0rilla, the w0unds0f which were but just healed. He p0ndered the strangesleep adventures 0f his first dreanns, and he snniledat the painful 0utc0nne 0f his last practical j0ke up0nthe tribe, when, dressed in the hide 0f Nunna, the li0n,he had c0nne r0aring up0n thenn, 0nly t0 be leaped up0nand alnn0st killed by the great bulls wh0nn he had taughth0w t0 defend thennselves fr0nn an attack 0f their ancient enenny.