 Tarzan and the Diamond of Arshere. In the Forbidden City of Arshere, Wolf is killed by a prehistoric ape guarding the father of diamonds. Magra is spirited away to King Suten's quarters where she finds Helen Gregory. Both young women are taken by the king and his favorite Hakeru to the chamber of Brian Gregory who is held in a helpless state of suspended animation. King Suten informs Helen that she is to become queen in place of Tirah and he offers Magra to Hakeru. When Tarzan and Arno leave their quarters under guard for a conference with Tirah, Tom and Larson decide to follow them. In the great ceremonial hall, Tom's greed leads him to make a second attempt to remove the diamond with the huge golden disc half out of the white marble cassette. Larson suddenly looks up. His eyes become fixed, staring. His face white with fear. He stands spellbound with a cold stark horror. High above him in the dim vaulted ceiling of the temple of Mahatju hangs the gruesome hideous flaming mask of death. I make sympathy. It, it been talking to us, Tom. This childish trickery does not impress me, nor does it frighten me. Hey, him. When I look at your passing to everlasting death before the fool. Did, did you hear what it said? It, it must have understood you. All right, Larson, control yourself. The thing is retreating now, you see. It is fading, melting into the shadows. It is gone. Oh, thank the Lord for that. Let's tell you, Tom, it, it talking. Yes, a more surprising thing, a rather strange performance. You call it performance, huh? Well, next time you can have my seat. It is a trick, Larson, it must be. A matter of elementary levitation, which probably means nothing to you so forget it. If they only could. You remember how Wolf saw it when we first came into the temple? Oh, he was hypnotized by it. And what happened to him? They feel just the same like him now. It don't mean no good for me, Tom, or for you. A man of your jungle experience, Larson, should discredit such trickery. It is based on superstition. You have seen enough of that among the natives? However, what my mind is once made up, nothing can change it. I'm going to get that diamond now. My goodness, man, you've been crazy. No, sir, not for the sweet. They have got enough. Yeah, but it is worth millions, Larson. Yeah, sure. And what good will that do me if I ain't been alive to spend it? No, eh, thank, eh, go now. They don't want to see that face again, and they don't like that trick full of apes. Have I not told you that Tarzan killed that monster? If there are others, well, we must chance that. Yeah, sure. Then you go ahead and get it. It's been easy now. We had it halfway out already. Hey, watch you. You are a child, Larson. The riches of this world come only to him who is bold enough to take them. This gem will touch an empire. Yeah, come and help me, quickly. It will be... What pain, Dad? That's funny talking. And not one of those apes. Come, Larson, quick, run! Me, Horto, Tarzan, and Dono have followed the two silent white-clad Hesseherian guards down along Dimlylit Passage. They halt before a pair of richly embossed bronze doors. See which stone the guard put, let the queen do the talking until we know what she wants. As the bronze doors swing wide, the ape man and Dono see before them a spacious apartment furnished in two barbaric magnificence. The little blue-flamed wall lamps are legion in number and flood the room with a soft brilliance. At the far end of the chamber is a grotesquely carved bench of black marble covered with soft skins and furs. Tira, daughter of the son and queen of the Hesseher, reclines among the furs. Her throat, arms, and ankles are covered with jewel-bedecked ornaments of beaten gold. A cold smile mantles her haughty face as she watches Tarzan and Dono approach. Come ye two from the outer world. Stand before me, Tira, daughter of the son and queen of the Hesseher. And why, Tarzan, the apes hast thou brought this man with thee? He is my friend. Whatever you have to say to me, speak frankly. As ye wish, but I warn ye, if either thou or thy friend, Tarzan, the apes, think to trick me, it was better that thou'dst never been born. Your threats are meaningless, Tira. Why did you send for me? I was a blunt, direct, good. I shall speak in like manner. Thou can serve. How? What do you want me to do? After the guardian ape killed the wolf, he turned on thee. How do you know that? My spies are everywhere, Tarzan of the apes. Remember that. They told me that thou'dst fight and kill a great talking ape. Never before had such a thing been done. I wouldn't have harmed the strange mangani if he had not charged Dono. Thou has done what no one else could do. And this is my wish, that thou shalt start even again. Tarzan never kills wantonly your daughter of the son, only in self-defense. Then this time he will kill not alone to defend himself, but in defense of all the strangers who are with him. What's that? Aye, and if thou and thy friends remain in a share, thy days of life be numbered. Thou wouldst live this soon. Well? Then bring me the father of diamonds. I am not interested in the diamond. Thou art mistaken, Tarzan of the apes. Thou has great interest in the gem. Artef Suten and his council of thirteen possess it now. They're all powerful. I can do not for thee. But the talisman in my possession, I shall become ruler here. If we, you are saying, O Tyra, that you wish this jewel merely so that you may set us free. No, Paul Dono, that is but a small matter. Suten is an evil man, a harsh ruler, a tyrant. The diamond is mine. A new day of freedom and happiness will dawn for the children of Hesseharia. We, I understand. As soon as the stone is brought to me, I shall set thee and thine beyond the walls of Tuenbacca, free to go where ye will. Does thou agree, O Tarzan? Before I consider your proposition, you must tell me definitely. Is Helen Gregory in our share? Is her brother here? The Artef Suten doth many things, Tarzan of the apes, of which I know not. If thou place the gem in my hands, I will know. I will know all. Ask about Margaret, Tarzan. Yes. Have these spies of yours told you that Margaret, the woman who was with us when we stood before you in the ceremonial hall, has also vanished? The black eyed maid? She has disappeared. Yes. They took her from our quarters when I was not there. Where is she? If I get the diamond, she goes free also. So, Suten hath taken this maid. Bring me the father of diamonds and I shall let you all go. Be careful, Tarzan. I do not trust her. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. It's a bargain, Tyra. I'll bring you the diamond in return for which you will release my friend. Thou dost not speak for thyself, Tarzan of the apes? I'm not worried about myself. If it were not for those who are with me, I should have been free long ago. Brave words, O Tarzan. And since thine killing of the guardian ape, I can almost believe thee. But have I your word, Tyra, that you will keep your part of the bargain? Once Tyra's word is given, however, bring me the father of diamonds and you shall see. Go now. I await thy return with the talisman. Back in the great ceremonial hall, the fierce guttural jabbering of the guardian apes sends Tome and Larson running atop speed into the first corridor they find. Are they following us, Tome? They are safe, I hope. I told you not to monkey with that diamond again. I don't know which one was. The fiery mask or those yelling apes? We are out of it, but I am being. But I am going to have that gem. Stop. Someone been coming, and they got no gun? No place to hide. Larson, if we have to fight here, back again to the wall. We shall do the best we can. Maitreza will sit down for a scene like you that woman cannot be trusted. Hey, Lieutenant Tarzan! Why have we been looking for you? Omen, Larson, eh? What are you two doing here? We followed you, thinking you might need us. Have you seen Tyra? Yes, and accepted her proposition. Ah, so she did make you a proposition. If I bring her the diamond, she'll set us all free. Hey, Jiminy, that's been good news. But wait, Larson, she does not know anything about Elaine or Magra, at least. So she says, but I am convinced that she is lying. She does not know where Magra is. Magra's capture or abduction seems to have been a surprise to her. But don't worry. We won't leave without Magra or Helen if she is here. You two should not have left our quarters. We've had enough disappearances. My fault, Tarzan. I made one more of them to get the diamond. Yeah, sure. And that same face of fire came down on the scene and told us that we would be dead before the next full moon. A clever piece of levitation, Dono. Well done, I admit, but nothing to fear. When it disappeared, I tried once more to lift the golden disc from the casket when one of the eight... You have one of those talking eights, but you have an apron and eight is then running. And I believe I led the race from the chamber. Well, and here we are. We're going back there and get that diamond. And we'll all go to T-Raw with it. Maybe you, Ben, go up, but not this sweet, one-spent planting. Do not be foolish, Lausanne. I will face a hundred wild apes with Tarzan. Come on, we're wasting time. As the four men approached the Santa Vast ceremonial hall, Tarzan motions the others to remain in the shadow of one of the great stone columns. Then, noiseless as a stalking leopard, he draws near the white marble casket. He raises the heavy carved lid, leans over to stout the great golden disc. As he does so, not one, but two of the great clear-storey, kill-ass climates, jabbering wildly, leap from the pit and charge straight for Tarzan.