Quickly cutting a thin strip of hide from the loin cloth of the
priest, Tarzan tied it securely about the upper end of the severed
member and then tucking the tail under his loin cloth behind him,
secured it in place as best he could. Then he fitted the headdress
over his shoulders and stepped from the apartment, to all appearances
a priest of the temple of Jad-ben-Otho unless one examined too
closely his thumbs and his great toes.
He had noticed that among both the Ho-don and the Waz-don it was
not at all unusual that the end of the tail be carried in one hand,
and so he caught his own tail up thus lest the lifeless appearance
of it dragging along behind him should arouse suspicion.
Passing along the corridor and through the various chambers
he emerged at last into the palace grounds beyond the temple. The
pursuit had not yet reached this point though he was conscious of
a commotion not far behind him. He met now both warriors and slaves
but none gave him more than a passing glance, a priest being too
common a sight about the palace.
And so, passing the guards unchallenged, he came at last to the
inner entrance to the Forbidden Garden and there he paused and
scanned quickly that portion of the beautiful spot that lay before
his eyes. To his relief it seemed unoccupied and congratulating
himself upon the ease with which he had so far outwitted the
high powers of A-lur he moved rapidly to the opposite end of the
enclosure.
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