The thing had been very cunningly wrought from a single block of
wood, very probably a section of a tree, upon which the features
had been carved and afterward the interior hollowed out until only
a comparatively thin shell remained. Two-semicircular notches had
been rounded out from opposite sides of the lower edge. These fitted
snugly over his shoulders, aprons of wood extending downward a few
inches upon his chest and back. From these aprons hung long tassels
or switches of hair tapering from the outer edges toward the center
which reached below the bottom of his torso. It required but the
most cursory examination to indicate to the ape-man that these
ornaments consisted of human scalps, taken, doubtless, from the
heads of the sacrifices upon the eastern altars. The headdress
itself had been carved to depict in formal design a hideous face
that suggested both man and gryf. There were the three white horns,
the yellow face with the blue bands encircling the eyes and the
red hood which took the form of the posterior and anterior aprons.
As Tarzan sat within the concealing foliage of the shrubbery
meditating upon the hideous priest-mask which he held in his hands
he became aware that he was not alone in the garden. He sensed
another presence and presently his trained ears detected the slow
approach of naked feet across the sward.
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