Neither Tarzan nor Ta-den spoke then, they but stood watching Om-at
and waiting for his decision, the ghost of a smile upon the lips
of the ape-man. Ta-den, at least, knew that the old warrior had
spoken the truth--the Waz-don entertain no strangers and take no
prisoners of an alien race.

Then spoke Om-at. "Always there is change," he said. "Even the old
hills of Pal-ul-don appear never twice alike--the brilliant sun,
a passing cloud, the moon, a mist, the changing seasons, the sharp
clearness following a storm; these things bring each a new change
in our hills. From birth to death, day by day, there is constant
change in each of us. Change, then, is one of Jad-ben-Otho's laws.

"And now I, Om-at, your gund, bring another change. Strangers who
are brave men and good friends shall no longer be slain by the
Waz-don of Kor-ul-ja!"

There were growls and murmurings and a restless moving among the
warriors as each eyed the others to see who would take the initiative
against Om-at, the iconoclast.

"Cease your mutterings," admonished the new gund. "I am your chief.
My word is your law. You had no part in making me chief. Some of
you helped Es-sat to drive me from the cave of my ancestors; the
rest of you permitted it. I owe you nothing. Only these two, whom
you would have me kill, were loyal to me. I am gund and if there
be any who doubts it let him speak--he cannot die younger."

Tarzan was pleased. Here was a man after his own heart. He admired
the fearlessness of Om-at's challenge and he was a sufficiently good