Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 145: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

774 life with these great felines as he had so often before with their mighty cousins of his own jungle. “Tf you can hold them off until you reach this gate,” cried the man in the next chamber, “ ‘I can let you through. The bolt ig upon this ‘side.”” But even as he spoke one of the cats charged. Komodoflorensal, brushing past Janzara, leaped for the spot upon the floor at which Tarzan had disappeared, and as it gave be- neath him he heard a savage cry break from the lips of the Princess of Veltoptis- makus. “So it is you he loves?” she screamed. * But he shall not have you——no, not even in death!” And that was all that Komodo- florensal heard as the chute swallowed him. Talaskar, confronted by the infuriated Janzara, halted, and then stepped back, for the princess was rushing upon her with drawn dagger. - “Die, slave!” lunged for the white breast of Taiaskar; but the ‘slave girl caught the other’s wrist, and a moment later they dropped, locked in each other’s embrace. Together they rolled about the floor, the daughter of Elko- moelhago seeking to drive her slim blade into the breast of the slave girl, while Ta- laskar fought to hold off the menacing steel and to close with her fingers upon the -throat' of her antagonist. As the first cat.charged, the other fol- lowed, not to be robbed of its share of the flesh of the kill, for both were ravenous, and as the ape-man met the charge of the first, sidestepping its rush and springing in again to thrust at its side, Komodoflorensal, who had drawn his sword as he entered the apartment of Janzara, shot into the subter- ranean den almost into the teeth of the second beast. This savage cat was so dis- concerted by the sudden appearance of a second human that it wheeled and sprang to the far end of the den before it could gather its courage for another attack. In-the chamber above, Talaskar and Jan- zara fought savagely, two she-tigers in-hu- man form. They rolled to and fro about the room, straining and striking; Janzara screaming, “ Die, slave! You shall not have him!” - . defending themselves. she screamed, as she ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. But Talaskar held her peace and saved her breath, so that slowly she was overcom-_ ing. the other when they chanced to roll upon the very spot that had let Tarzan and Komodoflorensal down to the pit beneath. As Janzara realized what had happened she uttered a scream of terror. ‘‘ The cats! The cats!”’ she cried; and then the two disappeared into the black shaft. Komodoflorensal did not follow the cat that had retreated to the far end of the pit, but sprang at once to Tarzan’s aid,- and together they drove off the-first beast as they backed toward the gate where the man in ‘the adjoining chamber stood ready to admit them to the safety of his own apartment. The two cats charged and then retreated, springing in quickly and away again as quickly, for they had learned the taste of the sharp steel with which: the humans were The two men were almost at the gate, another instant and they could spring. through.. The cats charged again, and again were driven to. the far corner of the pit. The man in the next chamber swung open the gate. “ Quick!” he cried; and at the same in- stant the two figures shot from the mouth © of the shaft and, locked tightly in each oth- er’s embrace, rolled to the floor of the pit directly in the path of the charging cats. CHAPTER XX. FUGITIVES. S Tarzan and Komodoflorensal realized that Talaskar and Janzara lay ex- posed ‘to the savage assault of the hungry beasts they both sprang quickly to- ward the two girls. As had been the case when Komodoflorensal had shot into the pit; the cats were ‘startled by the sudden appearance of these two new humans, and in the first instant of: their surprise had leaped again to the far end of the chamber. Janzara had lost her dagger as the two girls had fallen into the shaft, and now Ta- laskar saw it lying on the floor beside her. Releasing her hold upon the. princess, she seized the weapon and leaped to her feet. Already Tarzan and Komodoflorensal were CCOnGooo S C@