The ape-man turned so that his back was toward the approaching
animal. He poised with bent knees upon the gently swaying limb
above the trail, timing with keen ears the nearing hoof beats of
frightened Bara.

In a moment the victim flashed beneath the limb and at the same
instant the ape-man above sprang out and down upon its back. The
weight of the man's body carried the deer to the ground. It
stumbled forward once in a futile effort to rise, and then mighty
muscles dragged its head far back, gave the neck a vicious wrench,
and Bara was dead.

Quick had been the killing, and equally quick were the ape-man's
subsequent actions, for who might know what manner of killer pursued
Bara, or how close at hand he might be? Scarce had the neck of the
victim snapped than the carcass was hanging over one of Tarzan's
broad shoulders, and an instant later the ape-man was perched once
more among the lower branches of a tree above the trail, his keen,
gray eyes scanning the pathway down which the deer had fled.

Nor was it long before the cause of Bara's fright became evident to
Tarzan, for presently came the unmistakable sounds of approaching
horsemen. Dragging his kill after him the ape-man ascended to the
middle terrace, and settling himself comfortably in the crotch of
a tree where he could still view the trail beneath, cut a juicy
steak from the deer's loin, and burying his strong, white teeth
in the hot flesh proceeded to enjoy the fruits of his prowess and
his cunning.

Nor did he neglect the trail beneath while he satisfied his