In this
direction he made his way, while from out of the forest about him
the cries of the flesh-eaters increased in volume and ferocity. A
quarter of a mile intervened between the forest and the city wall--a
quarter of a mile of cultivated land unrelieved by a single tree.
Tarzan of the Apes realized his limitations and so he knew that
it would undoubtedly spell death for him to be caught in the open
space by one of the great black lions of the forest if, as he had
already surmised, Numa of the pit was a specimen of the forest lion
of the valley.
He must, therefore, depend entirely upon his cunning and his speed,
and upon the chance that the vine would sustain his weight.
He moved through the middle terrace, where the way is always
easiest, until he reached a point opposite the vine-clad portion
of the wall, and there he waited, listening and scenting, until he
might assure himself that there was no Numa within his immediate
vicinity, or, at least, none that sought him. And when he was quite
sure that there was no lion close by in the forest, and none in
the clearing between himself and the wall, he dropped lightly to
the ground and moved stealthily out into the open.
The rising moon, just topping the eastern cliffs, cast its bright
rays upon the long stretch of open garden beneath the wall. And, too,
it picked out in clear relief for any curious eyes that chanced to
be cast in that direction, the figure of the giant ape-man moving
across the clearing.
Pages:
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320