登陆注册
15328900000049

第49章

Insofar as Clayton was concerned it was a very different matter, since the girl was not only of his own kind and race, but was the one woman in all the world whom he loved.

Though he knew that the lioness would make short work of both of them, he pulled with a will to keep it from Jane Porter.And then he recalled the battle between this man and the great, black-maned lion which he had witnessed a short time before, and he commenced to feel more assurance.

Tarzan was still issuing orders which Clayton could not understand.

He was trying to tell the stupid white man to plunge his poisoned arrows into Sabor's back and sides, and to reach the savage heart with the long, thin hunting knife that hung at Tarzan's hip; but the man would not understand, and Tarzan did not dare release his hold to do the things himself, for he knew that the puny white man never could hold mighty Sabor alone, for an instant.

Slowly the lioness was emerging from the window.At last her shoulders were out.

And then Clayton saw an incredible thing.Tarzan, racking his brains for some means to cope single-handed with the infuriated beast, had suddenly recalled his battle with Terkoz;and as the great shoulders came clear of the window, so that the lioness hung upon the sill only by her forepaws, Tarzan suddenly released his hold upon the brute.

With the quickness of a striking rattler he launched himself full upon Sabor's back, his strong young arms seeking and gaining a full-Nelson upon the beast, as he had learned it that other day during his bloody, wrestling victory over Terkoz.

With a roar the lioness turned completely over upon her back, falling full upon her enemy; but the black-haired giant only closed tighter his hold.

Pawing and tearing at earth and air, Sabor rolled and threw herself this way and that in an effort to dislodge this strange antagonist; but ever tighter and tighter drew the iron bands that were forcing her head lower and lower upon her tawny breast.

Higher crept the steel forearms of the ape-man about the back of Sabor's neck.Weaker and weaker became the lioness's efforts.

At last Clayton saw the immense muscles of Tarzan's shoulders and biceps leap into corded knots beneath the silver moonlight.There was a long sustained and supreme effort on the ape-man's part--and the vertebrae of Sabor's neck parted with a sharp snap.

In an instant Tarzan was upon his feet, and for the second time that day Clayton heard the bull ape's savage roar of victory.Then he heard Jane's agonized cry:

"Cecil--Mr.Clayton! Oh, what is it? What is it?"Running quickly to the cabin door, Clayton called out that all was right, and shouted to her to open the door.As quickly as she could she raised the great bar and fairly dragged Clayton within.

"What was that awful noise?" she whispered, shrinking close to him.

"It was the cry of the kill from the throat of the man who has just saved your life, Miss Porter.Wait, I will fetch him so you may thank him."The frightened girl would not be left alone, so she accompanied Clayton to the side of the cabin where lay the dead body of the lioness.

Tarzan of the Apes was gone.

Clayton called several times, but there was no reply, and so the two returned to the greater safety of the interior.

"What a frightful sound!" cried Jane, "I shudder at the mere thought of it.Do not tell me that a human throat voiced that hideous and fearsome shriek.""But it did, Miss Porter," replied Clayton; "or at least if not a human throat that of a forest god."And then he told her of his experiences with this strange creature--of how twice the wild man had saved his life--of the wondrous strength, and agility, and bravery--of the brown skin and the handsome face.

"I cannot make it out at all," he concluded."At first Ithought he might be Tarzan of the Apes; but he neither speaks nor understands English, so that theory is untenable.""Well, whatever he may be," cried the girl, "we owe him our lives, and may God bless him and keep him in safety in his wild and savage jungle!""Amen," said Clayton, fervently.

"For the good Lord's sake, ain't I dead?"The two turned to see Esmeralda sitting upright upon the floor, her great eyes rolling from side to side as though she could not believe their testimony as to her whereabouts.

And now, for Jane Porter, the reaction came, and she threw herself upon the bench, sobbing with hysterical laughter.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 穿越之天后进化论

    穿越之天后进化论

    素有“东方夜莺”之称的民国歌女白疏影,死后借尸还魂,成为21世纪的一个三流明星。谁知这三流明星还是个重生之身,前一世寄希望于影帝男友,到头来却被人抛弃,成为整个娱乐圈的笑话,最终想不开寻了短见。重活一世,白疏影决定好好经营她的人生。影帝?她可没兴趣,她的目标是凭借自己的努力成为天后!
  • 大乘成业论

    大乘成业论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 恶魔法令

    恶魔法令

    若时间就是生命,你会做什么?是安静的等待,度过最后的时光,还是放手一搏?浩瀚的大千世界,有着时间广场作为枢纽,被恶魔选中的契约者,每隔一段时间都要做一次随机任务,传送到广大无边的未知领域之中,都经历怎样的曲折与故事?
  • 错乱的幸福

    错乱的幸福

    蓝馨慈生活在一个普通再普通的家庭,父亲吃喝赌样样占,还不上班,母亲也不上班在家是家庭主妇,可以说是下下等的,从记事起,在她脑子里最多记忆里都是家里借了谁家多少钱......希望靠自己的学习和努力改变现状,但还是不如人愿......在被学校时代的两小无猜解救的同时,带入了另一个深渊......新书上传,欢迎收藏,大纲已出,保证不坑,养肥再宰
  • 英雄巅峰

    英雄巅峰

    一个看似荒唐的电竞梦,几个热血的青年,一往无前,朝它走去。
  • 皇妃逃逃甩手逆袭

    皇妃逃逃甩手逆袭

    极尽风流的八域皇上唐轩域他爱情不专、招了太多皇妃进宫。皇妃逃逃先是受尽百般萌宠、后遭虐过度、终于忍无可忍的皇妃逃逃愤而离宫出走、转而甩手逆袭。严谨的构思、三维描述、作者皇妃逃逃竭尽才力为你呈现另类皇妃的高贵形象、呵呵、她的性格秘不示人……
  • 人凤

    人凤

    父母先后离去,意味着他不再是那天下第一人的儿子。想要什么,想做什么,从此只能靠他自己争取。
  • 模因入侵

    模因入侵

    一夜之间,网络上所有灵异小说全部消失,与之伴随的是,小说中的灵异事件侵入现实。各地灵异现象频发,从最初的不信,到惊恐、绝望、疯狂……直至死亡。人类,在哭泣。
  • 暖城

    暖城

    一场关于善良与邪恶的战役,我是谁?这又是哪里?颠沛流离的一路走来,无数鲜花盛开如海,仿佛一切都是未知,仿佛世界在下一场庞大的雨,还有一座座温暖的白色城池。
  • 易小律的幸福生活

    易小律的幸福生活

    一直有着强大内心和无比想要积极向上的易小绿,在经过自己激烈的思想斗争后还是回到家乡,当然即使离开大城市,并不意味着她放弃了努力成为一名大律师的梦想,虽然这种梦想的实现概率因为她的返乡又小了很多……当然,如果在家乡重新认识一批属性基本相同的朋友,包括结婚对象,那又何尝不是一种成功呢?