The　noise　had　brought　sudden　quiet　to　the　village　without。
  Then　there　came　the　sound　of　voices　in　consultation。
  High…pitched；　fear…filled　voices；　and　deep；　low　tones　of
  authority；　as　the　chief　spoke。　　Tarzan　and　the　panther　heard
  the　approaching　footsteps　of　many　men；　and　then；　to　Tarzan's
  surprise；　the　great　cat　rose　from　across　the　body　of　its　kill；
  and　slunk　noiselessly　from　the　hut　through　the　aperture
  through　which　it　had　entered。
  The　man　heard　the　soft　scraping　of　the　body　as　it　passed
  over　the　top　of　the　palisade；　and　then　silence。　　From　the
  opposite　side　of　the　hut　he　heard　the　savages　approaching
  to　investigate。
  He　had　little　hope　that　Sheeta　would　return；　for　had　the　great
  cat　intended　to　defend　him　against　all　comers　it　would　have
  remained　by　his　side　as　it　heard　the　approaching　savages　without。
  Tarzan　knew　how　strange　were　the　workings　of　the　brains
  of　the　mighty　carnivora　of　the　junglehow　fiendishly　fearless
  they　might　be　in　the　face　of　certain　death；　and　again　how　timid
  upon　the　slightest　provocation。　　There　was　doubt　in　his　mind
  that　some　note　of　the　approaching　blacks　vibrating　with　fear
  had　struck　an　answering　chord　in　the　nervous　system　of　the　panther；
  sending　him　slinking　through　the　jungle；　his　tail　between　his　legs。
  The　man　shrugged。　　Well；　what　of　it？　　He　had　expected
  to　die；　and；　after　all；　what　might　Sheeta　have　done　for　him
  other　than　to　maul　a　couple　of　his　enemies　before　a　rifle　in
  the　hands　of　one　of　the　whites　should　have　dispatched　him！
  If　the　cat　could　have　released　him！　　Ah！　that　would　have
  resulted　in　a　very　different　story；　but　it　had　proved　beyond
  the　understanding　of　Sheeta；　and　now　the　beast　was　gone
  and　Tarzan　must　definitely　abandon　hope。
  The　natives　were　at　the　entrance　to　the　hut　now；　peering
  fearfully　into　the　dark　interior。　　Two　in　advance　held　lighted
  torches　in　their　left　hands　and　ready　spears　in　their　right。
  They　held　back　timorously　against　those　behind；　who　were
  pushing　them　forward。
  The　shrieks　of　the　panther's　victim；　mingled　with　those　of
  the　great　cat；　had　wrought　mightily　upon　their　poor　nerves；
  and　now　the　awful　silence　of　the　dark　interior　seemed　even
  more　terribly　ominous　than　had　the　frightful　screaming。
  Presently　one　of　those　who　was　being　forced　unwillingly
  within　hit　upon　a　happy　scheme　for　learning　first　the　precise
  nature　of　the　danger　which　menaced　him　from　the　silent　interior。
  With　a　quick　movement　he　flung　his　lighted　torch　into　the
  centre　of　the　hut。　　Instantly　all　within　was　illuminated
  for　a　brief　second　before　the　burning　brand　was　dashed　out
  against　the　earth　floor。
  There　was　the　figure　of　the　white　prisoner　still　securely
  bound　as　they　had　last　seen　him；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　hut
  another　figure　equally　as　motionless；　its　throat　and　breasts
  horribly　torn　and　mangled。
  The　sight　that　met　the　eyes　of　the　foremost　savages
  inspired　more　terror　within　their　superstitious　breasts
  than　would　the　presence　of　Sheeta；　for　they　saw　only　the
  result　of　a　ferocious　attack　upon　one　of　their　fellows。
  Not　seeing　the　cause；　their　fear…ridden　minds　were　free　to
  attribute　the　ghastly　work　to　supernatural　causes；　and　with
  the　thought　they　turned；　screaming；　from　the　hut；　bowling
  over　those　who　stood　directly　behind　them　in　the　exuberance
  of　their　terror。
  For　an　hour　Tarzan　heard　only　the　murmur　of　excited　voices
  from　the　far　end　of　the　village。　　Evidently　the　savages
  were　once　more　attempting　to　work　up　their　flickering　courage
  to　a　point　that　would　permit　them　to　make　another　invasion
  of　the　hut；　for　now　and　then　came　a　savage　yell；　such
  as　the　warriors　give　to　bolster　up　their　bravery　upon　the
  field　of　battle。
  But　in　the　end　it　was　two　of　the　whites　who　first　entered；
  carrying　torches　and　guns。　　Tarzan　was　not　surprised　to
  discover　that　neither　of　them　was　Rokoff。　　He　would　have
  wagered　his　soul　that　no　power　on　earth　could　have　tempted
  that　great　coward　to　face　the　unknown　menace　of　the　hut。
  When　the　natives　saw　that　the　white　men　were　not　attacked
  they；　too；　crowded　into　the　interior；　their　voices　hushed　with
  terror　as　they　looked　upon　the　mutilated　corpse　of　their　comrade。
  The　whites　tried　in　vain　to　elicit　an　explanation　from
  Tarzan；　but　to　all　their　queries　he　but　shook　his　head；　a　grim
  and　knowing　smile　curving　his　lips。
  At　last　Rokoff　came。
  His　face　grew　very　white　as　his　eyes　rested　upon　the　bloody
  thing　grinning　up　at　him　from　the　floor；　the　face　set　in　a
  death　mask　of　excruciating　horror。
  〃Come！〃　he　said　to　the　chief。　　〃Let　us　get　to　work　and
  finish　this　demon　before　he　has　an　opportunity　to　repeat　this
  thing　upon　more　of　your　people。〃
  The　chief　gave　orders　that　Tarzan　should　be　lifted　and
  carried　to　the　stake；　but　it　was　several　minutes　before　he
  could　prevail　upon　any　of　his　men　to　touch　the　prisoner。
  At　last；　however；　four　of　the　younger　warriors　dragged
  Tarzan　roughly　from　the　hut；　and　once　outside　the　pall　of
  terror　seemed　lifted　from　the　savage　hearts。
  A　score　of　howling　blacks　pushed　and　buffeted　the　prisoner
  down　the　village　street　and　bound　him　to　the　post　in　the
  centre　of　the　circle　of　little　fires　and　boiling　cooking…pots。
  When　at　last　he　was　made　fast　and　seemed　quite　helpless
  and　beyond　the　faintest　hope　of　succour；　Rokoff's　shrivelled
  wart　of　courage　swelled　to　its　usual　proportions　when　danger
  was　not　present。
  He　stepped　close　to　the　ape…man；　and；　seizing　a　spear　from
  the　hands　of　one　of　the　savages；　was　the　first　to　prod　the
  helpless　victim。　　A　little　stream　of　blood　trickled　down　the
  giant's　smooth　skin　from　the　wound　in　his　side；　but　no　murmur
  of　pain　passed　his　lips。
  The　smile　of　contempt　upon　his　face　seemed　to　infuriate
  the　Russian。　　With　a　volley　of　oaths　he　leaped　at　the　helpless
  captive；　beating　him　upon　the　face　with　his　clenched　fists
  and　kicking　him　mercilessly　about　the　legs。
  Then　he　raised　the　heavy　spear　to　drive　it　through　the
  mighty　heart；　and　still　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　smiled
  contemptuously　upon　him。
  Before　Rokoff　could　drive　the　weapon　home　the　chief　sprang
  upon　him　and　dragged　him　away　from　his　intended　victim。
  〃Stop；　white　man！〃　he　cried。　　〃Rob　us　of　this　prisoner　and
  our　death…dance；　and　you　yourself　may　have　to　take　his　place。〃
  The　threat　proved　most　effective　in　keeping　the　Russian
  from　further　assaults　upon　the　prisoner；　though　he　continued
  to　stand　a　little　apart　and　hurl　taunts　at　his　enemy。　　He　told
  Tarzan　that　he　himself　was　going　to　eat　the　ape…man's　heart。
  He　enlarged　upon　the　horrors　of　the　future　life　of　Tarzan's
  son；　and　intimated　that　his　vengeance　would　reach　as　well　to
  Jane　Clayton。
  〃You　think　your　wife　safe　in　England；〃　said　Rokoff。
  〃Poor　fool！　　She　is　even　now　in　the　hands　of　one　not　even　of
  decent　birth；　and　far　from　the　safety　of　London　and　the
  protection　of　her　friends。　　I　had　not　meant　to　tell　you　this
  until　I　could　bring　to　you　upon　Jungle　Island　proof　of　her　fate。
  〃Now　that　you　are　about　to　die　the　most　unthinkably　horrid
  death　that　it　is　given　a　white　man　to　dielet　this　word　of
  the　plight　of　your　wife　add　to　the　torments　that　you　must
  suffer　before　the　last　savage　spear…thrust　releases　you　from
  your　torture。〃
  The　dance　had　commenced　now；　and　the　yells　of　the　circling
  warriors　drowned　Rokoff's　further　attempts　to　distress
  his　victim。
  The　leaping　savages；　the　flickering　firelight　playing　upon
  their　painted　bodies；　circled　about　the　victim　at　the　stake。
  To　Tarzan's　memory　came　a　similar　scene；　when　he　had
  rescued　D'Arnot　from　a　like　predicament　at　the　last　moment
  before　the　final　spear…thrust　should　have　ended　his　sufferings。
  Who　was　there　now　to　rescue　him？　　In　all　the　world　there　was
  none　able　to　save　him　from　the　torture　and　the　death。
  The　thought　that　these　human　fiends　would　devour　him
  when　the　dance　was　done　caused　him　not　a　single　qualm　of
  horror　or　disgust。　　It　did　not　add　to　his　sufferings　as　it　would
  have　to　those　of　an　ordinary　white　man；　for　all　his　life　Tarzan
  had　seen　the　beasts　of　the　jungle　devour　the　flesh　of　their　kills。
  Had　he　not　himself　battled　for　the　grisly　forearm　of　a　great
  ape　at　that　long…gone　Dum…Dum；　when　he　had　slain　the　fierce
  Tublat　and　won　his　niche　in　the　respect　of　the　Apes　of　Kerchak？
  The　dancers　were　leaping　more　closely　to　him　now。　　The　spears
  were　commencing　to　find　his　body　in　the　first　torturing　pricks
  that　prefaced　the　more　serious　thrusts。
  It　would　not　be　long　now。　　The　ape…man　longed　for　the　last
  savage　lunge　that　would　end　his　misery。
  And　then；　far　out　in　the　mazes　of　the　weird　jungle；　rose　a
  shrill　scream。
  For　an　instant　the　dancers　paused；　and　in　the　silence　of
  the　interval　there　rose　from　the　lips　of　the　fast…bound
  white　man　an　answering　shriek；　more　fearsome　and　more　terrible
  than　that　of　the　jungle…beast　that　had　roused　it。
  For