Show it MIGHTY chapter III BLACK JOHN PLOTS continued it would have taken a far more clever plotter than black john to keep tarzan entirely in the dark something was a toot foot in the jungle that he knew what it was was tor for him to find out swinging along from the ground to the tree tops where he might catch sight of what was going on tarzan practiced eyes were arrested by something unnatural in the old trail he descended to investigate Tr treading ealing gingerly he started to lift ground foliage fol lage it was wilted in an instant he saw why underneath was hi hidden I 1 I 1 a pit trap could it have been prepared tor for him tarzan smiled as he swung himself back into the tree ile he would stick around and watch what happened there was an atmosphere of something portentous impending in the jungle the beasts seemed to scent it they were restless uncertain far off somewhere he could hear bear the taint faint echo of trumpeting Sud suddenly lenly lie he heard the bird call tie he sought quickly to place it it was near his eyes endeavored to penetrate the jungle screen there ther e was bobbie running along the old trail til nearer and nearer the trap the very trip trap of 0 which he had come to warn tarzan tarzan shot out his colled coiled rope caught another tree pulled the rope rop taut swung down on the end by one hand and with the tree free arm caught bobby carried him on wad alid up sate safe over the trap and landed on the limb of another tree over it there was no time tor for explanation with a mob of the natives in full cry was now on the old did trail thundering down seeking escape and running closer and closer to capt capture tire and perhaps to sulden sudden death tarzan shouted a warning stopped short got it turned turne d and crashed through the jungle itself on another course out on the 1110 limb tarzan smiled to himself at the defeat of his en enemies e in the nick of time the limb swayed and bent under him at least he had caught the attention of just in time and saved him there was a cracking and rendering tarzan had just time to seize bobby as the limb of the tree tree itself loose and the two were propped straight below into the very trap that had been set for chapter IV A PAWN OF PASSION tarzan landed catlike cat eat like on his feet beet in the bottom of the elephant pit unscathed instantly he be roused himself from the shock of falling and landing shook himself like a will animal and looked about on guard lie ke caught sight sigh of bobby lying unconscious where he had narrowly missed one of the murderous pointed stakes prepared tor for tartan picked up bobby in one arm and climbed out of the pit he peered cautiously about saw the natives native E had fled then struck out into the jungle carrying the boy A few moments later he be staggered with lis his burden into the hut instinctively he began rubbing his heal and hands to revive him in the village black johr john full of anger and lust just caught sight bight of mary trevor anxiously awaiting tor for bobby say nothing to her of the boy her brother he growled to the natives batles nat les as he strode over to ward her cabin whores wheres bobby faltered talt ered mary backing away from him never mini about the boy now I 1 have other things to talk of with you ile he leaned closer toward her and nd she backed away as tar far as the he wall would permit from his bis repulsive self 1 I have long wanted to make you my mate now I 1 am going to claim you before the tribe no no she was horrified filled with loathing not yet yes now it you do not consent you will never see your brother again I 1 alone know where he Is stunned wide eyed mary started as he turned abruptly and stamped out of the cabin what should she do she felt she could not hold out against him very long what a night it was bobby had bad not re returah J was he alive or was he be dead she could not get out of the cabin to give the bird call to summon tarzan she could mot inot even search for bobble bobbie and racing facing her was the nightmare of black john and his imperious evil passion again ani and again she called upon heaven to return bobby to her it if 8 she he only had bobble bobbie she might flee with w ith him into the jungle anything was better than this living death theres only one way to got get our ur brother back black john had heard her prayers and entered too broken and worn out to resist she no longer could struggle gle when he put his arms about her black john took it as cons consent elat 1 I will tell the patriarch he decided gruffly we will hold the cere muY tonight mary made no sign there was wag io ao hope now black john rose to sl go leaving her crushed with b bowed ow heal A few moments later he returned turned ie with the bearded patriarch of the tribe and they began to arrange the wi Edding ceremonies ila hi ac accordance cordan with the tribal customs mary was dull d 1 I 1 I and listless black john eyed her eagerly covetous covetously lir the day was worse than the night she could not eat cat she could nur nor she could not even cry she was too beaten it se seemed emed almost to fight listless hopeless mary listened all day to the preparations for the terrible farce that marked the supreme kragely for her nightfall witnessed the village with fires and flares the tribe had assembled in a huge circle about the spot where the patriarch sat by the central tire fire leaving a huge cleared circle beside him film sat black john the crafty and curin cunning trig resistance was useless as ary was lei on from the cabin a burly black nit lve on either side of her tn in the firelight her beautiful white whit skin and delicately formed limbs gleamed against the blackness of the night black johns eyes gloated as he rubbed his grimy hands in anticipation of possessing anything as lovely as this girl clad in h her 6 scant leopard skin in silence t the 1 tribes trl besman watched as she was led them dance thundered the pair arch dance prodded the two burly blacks though she felt like fleeing into the night terror of the jungle and would have welcomed it it if the earth had opened up and swallowed her mary started her dance the tribe leaned forward in fascination black john bent his sinister eyes on her as she swept around before him her master to be mary met his gaze quickly dropped her eyes from his she could not bear even to look upon the monster yet she dared not stop what tortures or might idt be la store tor for her from the tana fanatical followers of black john nee ince he spoke the word round and round she bhe lanced danced as ahe had been instructed by the patriarch never was a lance dance with more leaden willing feet yet alry coull bouli not have been ungraceful no matter how she tried she sha knew the sharp eyes of boh bo n clack black jhn J hn and the patriarch we were re up n rei lei there was nothing ht hitt pain data wad and death to be I 1 Is n li I 1 ly y ic ie fusing the dance then would lecome of bobby 1 she ended the dance by throwing herself on oa the ground at black johns feet in the so called ancient tribal manner as she had been instructed ted it I 1 was the outward sign that she gave herself to him in crude coarse triumph he looked at the lovely girl at hs bs scrawny feet then be slowly robe ro until his bloated face wad and torso towered above her slight form in accordance with our custom this woman has chosen me he bellowed and I 1 claim her before you all black john moved for ward a step or two in the center center of the circle and also la in accordance corrance cor dance Jance with our custom I 1 will meet way any ot of you in fair combat tor for her black john paused in boastful defiance and looked around the circle mary too now tor for the f first time raised her head bead she also looked around as it if hoping someone even a burly black or a lascar might offer himself to do battle for hier her none made a move to get up mary was disappointed diack black john joha triumphant with a cheaply regal flourish he leaned down and raised her up every womanly instinct in her revolted she felt a cold shiver convulse her body at 11 hs as mere touch what a hollow mockery was all the mummery hollow it was only too real this nuptial mass of dovil was she black johns wife she felt herself swaying going to be continued |