 Captured by giant yellow men, Tarzan and his companions are taken to the jungle city of Tor and delivered to Artea, white queen of the Giants. Challenged to a fight to the death by Tongo, chief of Artea's outer guard of Torben, Tarzan kills the giant savage. Against their will, the eight man's friends are forced to witness the sacrifice of a Rhetorian prisoner to Pantu, the fireguard of Tor. Infatuated with Tarzan, Artea tells him it is her will that he remain in Tor as king of the yellow man and become her mate. She adds that the fate of his companions rests upon his answer. The eight man puts her off. Later, as Tarzan and the others are discussing the situation in their quarters in the palace, Mungo, chief of Artea's warriors, comes with an order to conduct the eight man and Dr. Wong Tai to the queen. Mungo leads them to an underground passage, opens a heavy door and bids them enter. As they step over the threshold into a huge, well-lighted cavern, Mungo closes the door behind them. Simultaneously, with the closing of the door, a huge black main lion springs toward them with an earth-shaking roar. Wong Tai leaps to the door, finds it fastened from the outside. Get out of the way, Wong. The savage beast springs toward the two men. Tarzan, his bare feet, gripping the smooth stone floor, stands ready to meet the furious charge of Numa, his old enemy. Suddenly, as if stopped by the hand of a titan, Numa jerks upright to his hind legs, crashes over on his back. The roar of baffled rage, the great beast leaps to its feet, stands glaring savagely at the eight man. It is then that Tarzan sees the heavy metal collar about the tawny throat. The chain, taught as a bull string, one end fastened to the collar, the other end to a heavy metal ring in the center of the floor. All right, Wong, Numa's chain. He can't get out. I see that now. But that chain, it does not look strong enough to hold this brute. It'll hold. Well, Darno was right. He said this was probably a trap of Arteas. I shouldn't have trusted her. Oh, there. She is coming out from behind that curtain of skins. You would have wronged Arteo, my Tarzan, had you not trusted her. This is no trap. Only my cave of treasure. Toldo there is the sole guardian of this cavern and its riches. Your treasures are well protected, Arteas. You speak truly, Tarzan. But tell me, you would have fought Toldo with your bare hand? Yes. You are a brave man, fearless as Toldo himself. Who knows, Tarzan of the Apes, you may yet be compelled to meet Toldo in single combat. What do you want of Wong and me? I have brought you here, my Tarzan, to show you and Wong Tide the riches, the wealth of Thor, my treasures, and yours if you remain in Thor with me. Look. Ah, by the birth of the five Toldo dragons, a veltable cave of Aladdin, those heaps of gold ingots, those countless caskets of diamonds. Yours, Tarzan, for the taking. If you're interested in it, Wong, I have all I need. That is untold wealth. You might have the word at your feet. Think, man, what that would mean. It means nothing to me. Come closer, Tarzan of the Apes, and see if Artea is so savage, so cruel as you believe. Look, is Artea not beautiful? You... you are very beautiful, Artea. Am I not more so than Jeanette Burton? Am I Tarzan of the Apes? You are beautiful, Artea, as the night. Jeanette Burton, as the day. You love her very much, Tarzan? No. Nor does she love me. But we've gone over this once before, Artea. Yes. We shall forget the white and gold, Jeanette Burton. You are a true man, Tarzan of the Apes. Fit to be the mate of Artea. These are vast riches. In Torra, great minds of gold and diamonds. Together, we could sit upon a throne before which the world must bow. You and I would be all-powerful. And my companions, what will you do with them? What you wish, only do not withhold your answer. I would give you love, Tarzan, such as the world has never known. Love might hold me here, Artea, but friendship must come first. Release my friends. Guarantee their safety beyond the underground river. Then we'll talk of my remaining here. Good. I shall send them away now, at once. No. Alone in the jungle, they'd be lost. Killed by Numa and his brothers, your yellow clawmen. I have given my word to see them to safety. You mean you will go with them? Yes. And how shall I know that you will return? You would have my word. Once away from Torra, that would mean nothing. In coming here with Wong, I trusted you, Artea. Had you not come freely, Mungo would have brought you. Mungo walked alone before us. I might easily have killed him. Hmm. You ask much, Tarzan of the Apes. If I agree, have I your word that you will return? Have I yours that your people will not try to kill my companions? Are you not afraid for yourself, Tarzan? Afraid? No. I can take care of myself. Answer. Have I your word? We will speak of this again on the morrow, Tarzan of the Apes. Mungo will bring you to me at the second hour after midday. Return now to your chamber and rest the hour is near. A moment, daughter of Torra. If I may ask a question. Ask Wong Tai. These minds you spoke of a moment ago. They must be inexhaustible. They are nearby. Within the walls of Torra, you would like to see them, Wong Tai? I should be delighted, Artea. Come, Wong. Let's get back to the others. As one Tarzan, do not place too much confidence in the word of this man, my queen. What do you mean, Wong Tai? I have good reason to believe that Tarzan and Janet's burden, you understand? Delight. So, yes, Wong Tai, I understand. Back in their quarters, Ashley, O'Rourke and Dono discussed the probable reason for Tarzan's and Wong's interview with Artea. They speak in low tone, so as not to weaken Janet. So you think Dono, this midnight interview, is simply a trap? It is either that or Artea will try to force an immediate answer to her proposal from Tarzan. Ah, but the lad won't agree to it. He'll find some other way out of the mess. Hmm, Mr. Spelkawee, I hope so. Don't overlook the fact, Terry, that he's a man. And when a ravishing beauty such as she is makes up a mind to win a man, the chances are all against his ability to resist. She's a lure. Fascinating, intoxicating. Cleopatra couldn't have been more, more desired. Now, how do we, Major? He'd be falling under the spell of the little witch yourself, presently. Oh, don't be an ass, Terry. I'm immune. Furthermore, I'm old enough to be the child's father. Child, you say? Then she's a child of the devil himself. Sacrificing human beings to a haithen idol. If I wouldn't want to be in Tarzan's boots, playing with that child. You are right, Mr. Oruk. Artea has the ability to launch navies, to destroy nations. But that beautiful face conceals an eerie mind, a savage heart. I have one seat, Tarzan, and must you look after one. Grassobundio, mon ami. You have returned. Aye, Joe, I say. You fellas always made a night of it. The audience must have been interesting. I assure you, Major, it was. It's extraordinary, so... He's in in Gilwake and Jeanette. And if you have bad news, it's just as well to leave her slave. Medito, Tarzan, what did Artea have to say? Nothing new. She seemed willing enough to release you all if I stay. Well, I told Ryder to see you out of the jungle. She put off giving me a definite answer till tomorrow. She doesn't trust me to come back. May Tarzan, you did not promise to return. It amounts to the same thing, Darno. I gave it to understand that if she set you free and promised not to have her guards follow and kill you, I'd come back after seeing you all safely to walk Mede's village. Sure, and I told you he'd find a way out. Once beyond the reach of the Lady Artea, he'll be forgetting he ever saw her, Tarzan. No, Oruk. Not if I promise to return. But great scotland, you certainly wouldn't consider a promise given under existing conditions as binding. Yes. I would think so. Fair to me, lad. We won't stand for your making any such ridiculous sacrifices that. Tell him Lieutenant, he's crazy. It is useless, Monsieur Oruk. He means exactly what he says. Oh, I see. But that won't do. If I promise Artea to return, that does not mean that I've given my word to remain then indefinitely. But if you come back here, Monami... I'll have no one to look after but myself. I'll get away the same night. Let's not talk of it now. The sun will be up in a little while and tomorrow is another day. The blazing sunlight of early afternoon filters through the metal-grilled windows of their chamber before Mungo puts in an appearance. To the surprise of all, the giant chief conducts the entire party to the great audience chamber, for Artea, in all her barbaric splendor, awaits them. As they stand before her throne, her eyes rest on Tarzan, flicker over the others to focus on Jeanette. They glitter cruelly between narrowed lids. Then she turns to the ape man. Tarzan of the Apes? I have thought. I have decided. Jeanette Burton and these others may leave here on hand. You will stay willingly. And if I don't stay willingly? Then none of you will leave, ever. And I suppose that means you'll have us fried in the arms of that Panto-Hedonoidale. Is sacrifice to Panto of you? Tarzan, yes. Panto shall receive him. But you others? You others? I have other delights for you men. For Jeanette Burton? Here, come, this balcony. Look down here and watch. You're acting like a madwoman, Artea. If you expect me to... Silence, Tarzan of the Apes. If you wish to see what is in store for your friends, for Jeanette Burton, look what's these doors. Mungo! Mungo not to toldo! On the low balcony, Tarzan and his companions stand gazing down into a small circular arena just below them. At Artea's command, Mungo lifts his arm in a sweeping gesture. One of two grilled gates opening into the pit swings wide. A finely proportioned yellow giant is thrust into the enclosure. Unarmed and naked, except for a skin loincloth, he slowly crosses the arena to stop just below the balcony. Folding his arms over a mighty chest, he stares up at Artea, standing behind and a little to one side of Jeanette and smiles contentiously. At another sign from Mungo, the second grill flies open. Toldo, the huge black-maned guardian of Artea's treasure cave, bounds into the pit, roaring savagely. The yellow giant turns coolly to face the great beast. Numa couches, gathering himself for the charge. Tarzan leans forward, closely watching the huge brute. Unnoticed by the others, whose eyes are fixed upon the man and beast in the pit below, Artea roughly shoulders Jeanette to the edge of the balcony and over the low stone rails. For an instant Jeanette's scream distracts Numa's attention from his prey. The yellow man glances upward, sees Jeanette falling toward him. He steps forward, catches her in his great arms and places her lightly on the ground behind him. As he again turns to face Toldo, the great beast hurls himself forward with a thunderous roar.