Across the threshold lay stretched the sleepless guardian brute, just as I had last seen him on the preceding day; apparently he had not moved a muscle; his eyes were fairly glued upon me, and I fell to wondering just what might befall me should I endeavor to escape.
As I neared the brute he backed cautiously away from me, and when I had reached the open he moved to one side to let me pass.
With a low cry she sprang toward the cabin, and, as she entered, gave a backward glance which filled her soul with terror, for the brute had intercepted her husband, who now stood at bay grasping his ax with both hands ready to swing it upon the infuriated animal when he should make his final charge.
Over the brute's shoulder Clayton could see the doorway of his cabin, not twenty paces distant, and a great wave of horror and fear swept over him as he saw his young wife emerge, armed with one of his rifles.
One of the younger apes, a huge, splendidly muscled brute, was edging threateningly closer to the ape-man.
As the brute circled him Tarzan turned slowly, keeping his eyes ever upon the eyes of his antagonist.
He was extremely curious to know "from what part of the country I came, and how I was taught to imitate a rational creature; because the YAHOOS (whom he saw I exactly resembled in my head, hands, and face, that were only visible), with some appearance of cunning, and the strongest disposition to mischief, were observed to be the most unteachable of all
brutes." I answered, "that I came over the sea, from a far place, with many others of my own kind, in a great hollow vessel made of the bodies of trees: that my companions forced me to land on this coast, and then left me to shift for myself." It was with some difficulty, and by the help of many signs, that I brought him to understand me.
And then the
brute did that which froze us both anew with horror.
The savage
brute had served me well in the short time that we had been together, and had repaid his debt of gratitude to me, since he had saved my life, or at least my liberty, no less certainly than I had saved his life when he was injured and drowning.
There was a sudden commotion in the direction of the disputants, and Tarzan rolled his head in their direction in time to see the burly
brute of a priest leap upon the woman opposite him, dashing out her brains with a single blow of his heavy cudgel.
A thrust from the lance of a powerful Indian, however, completed his conquest, and the
brute gave up his obstinate hold of life with a roar, that passed bellowing over the place where our adventurers stood, and, reaching the ears of the affrighted herd, added a new impulse to their flight.
It recalled me from the forgotten eon to which my brain had flown and left me once again a modern man battling with a clumsy, unskilled
brute. No longer did my jaws snap at the hairy throat before me; but instead my knife sought and found a space between two ribs over the savage heart.