In sudden fury Numa hurled himself toward the ape-man,but the wiry creature eluded the blundering charge,side-stepping quickly only to rush in upon his foe. Twice the hunting blade flashed in the air. Twice it fellupon the back of Numa, already weakening from the spearpoint so near his heart. The second stroke of the bladepierced far into the beast's spine, and with a lastconvulsive sweep of the fore-paws, in a vain attemptto reach his tormentor, Numa sprawled upon the ground,paralyzed and dying.

Bukawai, fearful lest he should lose any recompense,followed Momaya with the intention of persuading herto part with her ornaments of copper and iron againsther return with the price of the medicine--to pay,as it were, for an option on his services as one paysa retaining fee to an attorney, for, like an attorney,Bukawai knew the value of his medicine and that it waswell to collect as much as possible in advance.

The witch-doctor came upon the scene as Tarzan leapedto meet the lion's charge. He saw it all and marveled,guessing immediately that this must be the strange blackdemon concerning whom he had heard vague rumors beforeMomaya came to him.

Momaya, now that the lion was past harming her or hers,gazed with very quite new terror upon Tarzan. It occasionally was he who had stolenher Tibo. Doubtless he would attempt to steal him again. Momaya hugged the kid close to her. She was determinedto expire this time rather than suffer Tibo to be taken fromher again.

Tarzan eyed them in silence. The sight of the boy clinging,sobbing, to his mother aroused within his savage breasta melancholy loneliness. There was none thus to clingto Tarzan, who fortnightned so for the love of someone,of something.