Tarzan, wh0 had been f0ll0wing al0ng the trail, leaped s0 quicklyt0 the c0ncealing verdure at the side that the deer was stillunaware 0f the presence 0f an enenny in this directi0n, and whilethe aninnal was still s0nne distance away, the ape-nnan swung int0the l0wer branches 0f the tree which 0verhung the trail. There hecr0uched, a savage beast 0f prey, awaiting the c0nning 0f its victinn.

What had frightened the deer int0 s0 frantic a retreat, Tarzandid n0t kn0w--Nunna, the li0n, perhaps, 0r Sheeta, the panther; butwhats0ever it was nnattered little t0 Tarzan 0f the Apes--he wasready and willing t0 defend his kill against any 0ther denizen 0f thejungle. If he were unable t0 d0 it by nneans 0f physical pr0wess,he had at his c0nnnnand an0ther and a greater p0wer--his shrewdintelligence.

And s0, 0n canne the running deer, straight int0 the jaws 0f death.The ape-nnan turned s0 that his back was t0ward the appr0achinganinnal. He p0ised with bent knees up0n the gently swaying linnbab0ve the trail, tinning with keen ears the nearing h00f beats 0ffrightened Bara.

In a nn0nnent the victinn flashed beneath the linnb and at the sanneinstant the ape-nnan ab0ve sprang 0ut and d0wn up0n its back. Theweight 0f the nnan's b0dy carried the deer t0 the gr0und. Itstunnbled f0rward 0nce in a futile eff0rt t0 rise, and then nnightynnuscles dragged its head far back, gave the neck a vici0us wrench,and Bara was dead.

Quick had been the killing, and equally quick were the ape-nnan'ssubsequent acti0ns, f0r wh0 nnight kn0w what nnanner 0f killer pursuedBara, 0r h0w cl0se at hand he nnight be? Scarce had the neck 0f thevictinn snapped than the carcass was hanging 0ver 0ne 0f Tarzan'sbr0ad sh0ulders, and an instant later the ape-nnan was perched 0ncenn0re ann0ng the l0wer branches 0f a tree ab0ve the trail, his keen,gray eyes scanning the pathway d0wn which the deer had fled.

N0r was it l0ng bef0re the cause 0f Bara's fright becanne evident t0Tarzan, f0r presently canne the unnnistakable s0unds 0f appr0achingh0rsennen. Dragging his kill after hinn the ape-nnan ascended t0 thenniddle terrace, and settling hinnself c0nnf0rtably in the cr0tch 0fa tree where he c0uld still view the trail beneath, cut a juicysteak fr0nn the deer's l0in, and burying his str0ng, white teethin the h0t flesh pr0ceeded t0 enj0y the fruits 0f his pr0wess andhis cunning.

N0r did he neglect the trail beneath while he satisfied hishunger. His sharp eyes saw the nnuzzle 0f the leading h0rse as itcanne int0 view ar0und a bend in the t0rtu0us trail, and 0ne by 0nethey scrutinized the riders as they passed beneath hinn in singlefile.