Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction; Tarzan (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
For a moment the priests demurred for they had no stomach for an
encounter with this terrible man, but the warrior insisted and even
went so far as to threaten them. Their canoe was taken from them and
pushed into the lake and they were all but lifted bodily from their
feet and put aboard it. Still protesting they were shoved out upon the
water where they were immediately in full view of the lone paddler
above them. Now there was no alternative. The city of Tu-lur offered
the only safety and bending to their paddles the two priests sent their
craft swiftly in the direction of the city.
The warriors withdrew again to the concealment of the foliage. If
Tarzan had seen them and should come hither to investigate there were
thirty of them against one and naturally they had no fear of the
outcome, but they did not consider it necessary to go out upon the lake
to meet him since they had been sent to look for the escaped prisoner
and not to intercept the strange warrior, the stories of whose ferocity
and prowess doubtless helped them to arrive at their decision to
provoke no uncalled-for quarrel with him.
If he had seen them he gave no sign, but continued paddling steadily
and strongly toward the city, nor did he increase his speed as the two
priests shot out in full view. The moment the priests' canoe touched
the shore by the city its occupants leaped out and hurried swiftly
toward the palace gate, casting affrighted glances behind them. They
sought immediate audience with Mo-sar, after warning the warriors on
guard that Tarzan was approaching.
They were conducted at once to the chief, whose court was a smaller
replica of that of the king of A-lur. "We come from Lu-don, the high
priest," explained the spokesman. "He wishes the friendship of Mo-sar,
who has always been his friend. Ja-don is gathering warriors to make
himself king. Throughout the villages of the Ho-don are thousands who
will obey the commands of Lu-don, the high priest. Only with Lu-don's
assistance can Mo-sar become king, and the message from Lu-don is that
if Mo-sar would retain the friendship of Lu-don he must return
immediately the woman he took from the quarters of the Princess O-lo-a."
At this juncture a warrior entered. His excitement was evident. "The
Dor-ul-Otho has come to Tu-lur and demands to see Mo-sar at once," he
said.
"The Dor-ul-Otho!" exclaimed Mo-sar.
"That is the message he sent," replied the warrior, "and indeed he is
not as are the people of Pal-ul-don. He is, we think, the same of whom
the warriors that returned from A-lur today told us and whom some call
Tarzan-jad-guru and some Dor-ul-Otho. But indeed only the son of god
would dare come thus alone to a strange city, so it must be that he
speaks the truth."
Mo-sar, his heart filled with terror and indecision, turned
questioningly toward the priests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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