Page:The Cave Girl - Edgar Rice Burroughs.pdf/119

 of ruffians who composed the reception committee.

He spoke to them for a moment in a low tone, and as he was talking Waldo recognized him as the old man who had accompanied Nadara on the previous day at the battle in the glade. When he had finished speaking one of the cave men assented to whatever proposal the decrepit one had made, and Waldo saw that each of the others nodded his head in approval.

Then the old man advanced slowly toward Waldo. When he had come quite close he spoke.

“I am an old man,” he said. “Thandar would not kill an old man?”

“Of course not; but how know you that my name is Thandar?” replied Waldo.

“Nadara, she who is my daughter, has spoken of you often. Yesterday we saw you as you battled with that son of Nagoola—Nadara told me then that it was you. What would Thandar among the people of Flatfoot?”

“I come as a friend,” replied Waldo, “among the friends of Nadara. For Flatfoot I care nothing. He is no friend of Nadara, whose friends are Thandar’s friends, and whose enemies are Thandar’s enemies. Where is Nadara—but first, where is Flatfoot? I have come to kill him.”

The words and the savage challenge slipped as easily from the cultured tongue of Waldo Emerson