Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WT BIG ke 2) "> B Oe SP ae ite) BR AE eS CAT, VO h Ma a ie Vi) ec ' 4 288 - lated Komodofiorensal out of his imagina- tion, ‘‘and he asks when you will restore him to his normal size and permit him to return to his own country, which is far from Minuni.”’ “As a Minunian he should know,” re- plied the Zertol, ‘“‘ that he never will be permitted to return to his own country— Trohanadalmakus never will see him again.”’ ** But he is not of Trohanadalmakus, nor is he a Minunian,” explained Komodofloren- sal. ‘ He came to us and we did not make a slave of him, but treated him as a friend, because he is from a far country with which we have never made war.” “What country is that?” Zoanthrohago. “That we do not know, but he says that there is a great country beyond the thorns where dwell many millions as large as was he. He says that his people would not be unfriendly to ours and for this reason we should not enslave him, but treat him as a guest.” Zoanthrohago smiled. ‘Ii you believe this you must be a simple fellow, Trohana- dalmakusian,”’ he said. ‘‘ We all know that there is naught beyond Minuni but im- penetrable forests of thorn to the very utter- most wall of the blue dome within which we all dwell. 1 can well believe that the fellow is no Trohanadalmakusian, but he most certainly is a Minunian, since all crea- tures of whatever kind dwell in Minuni. Doubtless he is a strange form of Zertala- colol, a member ‘of a tribe inhabiting some remote mountain fastness, which we have never previously discovered; but be that as it may, he will never—” At this juncture the prince was inter- rupted by the clanging of the great gong at the outer entrance to his apartments. He _ paused to count the strokes and when they reached five and ceased he turned to the warriors who had conducted Tarzan and Komodoflorensal to his presence. “ Take the slaves into that chamber,” he instructed, pointing to a doorway in the rear of the apartment in which he had received them. ‘“‘ When the king has gone I will send for them.” As they were crossing toward the door- way Zoanthrohago had indicated a warrior demanded ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. halted in the main entrance to the chamber. ‘ Elkomoelhago,” he announced, “ Tha- gosto of Veltoptismakus, Ruler of All Men, Master of Created Things, All Wise, All Courageous, All Glorious! Down before the Thagosto!”’ Tarzan glanced back as he was quitting the chamber to see Zoanthrohago and the others in the room kneel and lean far back with arms raised high above their heads as Elkomoelhago entered with a guard of a dozen gorgeous warriors, and he could not but compare this ruler with the simple and dignified soldier who ruled Trohanadal- makus and who went about his city without show or pomp, and oftentimes with no other escort than a single slave; a ruler to whom no man bent his knee, yet to whom was accorded the maximum of veneration and respect. And Elkomoelhago had seen the slaves and the warriors leaye the chamber as he had entered it. He acknowledged the sa- lutes of Zoanthrohago and his people with a curt wave of the hand and commanded them to arise. ‘“Who quitted the apartment as I en- tered?” he demanded, looking suspiciously at Zoanthrohago. _ “The slave Zuanthrol and another who interprets his strange language for me,” ex- plained the Zertol. ‘Have them back,” commanded the thagosto; ‘“‘I would speak with you con- cerning Zuanthrol.”’ Zoanthrohago instructed one of his slaves to fetch them and, in the few moments that it required, Elkomoelhago took a chair be- hind the desk at which his host had been sitting. When Tarzan and Komodofloren- sal entered the chamber the guard who ac- companied them brought them to within a few paces of the desk behind which the king sat, and here he bade them kneel and make their obeisance to the thagosto. Familiar since childhood was every tra- dition of slavery to Komodoflorensal the Trohanadalmakusian. Almost in a spirit of fatalism had he accepted the conditions of this servitude that the fortunes of war had thrust him into and so it was that, without question or hesitation, he dropped to one knee in servile salute to this alien king; but 8A Gomichbooks