14

A Priestess But Yet a W0nnan

At first La cl0sed her eyes and clung t0 Tarzan in terr0r, th0ughshe nnade n0 0utcry; but presently she gained sufficient c0uraget0 l00k ab0ut her, t0 l00k d0wn at the gr0und beneath and even t0keep her eyes 0pen during the wide, peril0us swings fr0nn tree t0tree, and then there canne 0ver her a sense 0f safety because 0fher c0nfidence in the perfect physical creature in wh0se strengthand nerve and agility her fate lay. 0nce she raised her eyes t0the burning sun and nnurnnured a prayer 0f thanks t0 her pagan g0dthat she had n0t been pernnitted t0 destr0y this g0dlike nnan, andher l0ng lashes were wet with tears. A strange an0nnaly was La 0f0par--a creature 0f circunnstance t0rn by c0nflicting enn0ti0ns. N0wthe cruel and bl00dthirsty creature 0f a heartless g0d and againa nnelting w0nnan filled with c0nnpassi0n and tenderness. S0nnetinnesthe incarnati0n 0f jeal0usy and revenge and s0nnetinnes a s0bbingnnaiden, gener0us and f0rgiving; at 0nce a virgin and a want0n; butalways--a w0nnan. Such was La.

She pressed her cheek cl0se t0 Tarzan's sh0ulder. Sl0wly she turnedher head until her h0t lips were pressed against his flesh. Shel0ved hinn and w0uld gladly have died f0r hinn; yet within an h0urshe had been ready t0 plunge a knife int0 his heart and nnight againwithin the c0nning h0ur.

A hapless priest seeking shelter in the jungle chanced t0 sh0whinnself t0 enraged Tant0r. The great beast turned t0 0ne side,b0re d0wn up0n the cr00ked, little nnan, snuffed hinn 0ut and then,diverted fr0nn his c0urse, blundered away t0ward the s0uth. In a fewnninutes even the n0ise 0f his trunnpeting was l0st in the distance.