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diff --git a/28936-h/28936-h.htm b/28936-h/28936-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f15303 --- /dev/null +++ b/28936-h/28936-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9991 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of In the Morning of Time, by Charles G. D. Roberts. +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + p {margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + body {margin-left: 11%; margin-right: 10%;} + a {text-decoration: none;} + @media screen { + hr.pb {margin:30px 0; width:100%; border:none;border-top:thin dashed silver;} + .pagenum {display: inline; font-size: x-small; text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 2%; padding: 1px 3px; font-style: normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; text-decoration: none; background-color: inherit; border:1px solid #eee;} + .pncolor {color: silver;} + } + @media print { + hr.pb {border:none;page-break-after: always;} + .pagenum { display:none; } + } + h3 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size:1.2em;} + hr.copy {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; width:60px;} + p.tp {font-size:1em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;text-align:center;} + .caption {font-size:.8em;} + hr.tb {border:none; margin-top: 2em;} + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + h1 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size:1.4em;} + hr.major {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; clear:both;} + h2 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size:1.4em;} +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's In the Morning of Time, by Charles G. D. Roberts + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In the Morning of Time + +Author: Charles G. D. Roberts + +Release Date: May 24, 2009 [EBook #28936] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN THE MORNING OF TIME *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team +at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h1>IN THE MORNING OF TIME</h1> +<hr class='pb' /> +<p class='tp' style='font-size:2.2em;margin-top:50px;margin-bottom:1.2em;'>IN THE<br />MORNING OF TIME</p> +<p class='tp' >BY</p> +<p class='tp' style='font-size:1.2em;'>CHARLES G. D. ROBERTS</p> +<p class='tp' style='font-size:0.8em;font-style:italic;'>Author of “The Kindred of the Wild,” etc.</p> + +<div style='margin:50px auto 100px auto; text-align:center;'> +<img alt='emblem' src='images/illus-emb.png' /> +</div> + +<p class='tp' style='margin-bottom:50px;'><span style='font-size:0.8em;'>NEW YORK</span><br /> +FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY<br /> +<span style='font-size:0.8em;'>PUBLISHERS</span></p> +<hr class='pb' /> +<p class='tp' style='font-size:smaller;'><span style='font-style:italic;'>Copyright, 1922, by</span><br /> +<span style='font-variant:small-caps;'>Frederick A. Stokes Company</span></p> + +<hr class='copy' /> + +<p class='tp' style='font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;margin-bottom:20px;'>All rights reserved</p> + +<p class='tp' style='font-style:italic;font-size:smaller;'>Printed in the United States of America</p> +<hr class='pb' /> +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> +<table border='0' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Contents' style='margin:1em auto;'> +<tr> + <td align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'><span style='font-size:small;'>CHAPTER</span></td> + <td></td> + <td align='right'><span style='font-size:small;'>PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>I</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The World Without Man</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_I_THE_WORLD_WITHOUT_MAN'>1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>II</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The King of the Triple Horn</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_II_THE_KING_OF_THE_TRIPLE_HORN'>20</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>III</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Finding of Fire</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_III_THE_FINDING_OF_FIRE'>41</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>IV</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Children of the Shining One</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_IV_THE_CHILDREN_OF_THE_SHINING_ONE'>70</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>V</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Puller-Down of Trees</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_V_THE_PULLERDOWN_OF_TREES'>97</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VI</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Battle of the Brands</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_VI_THE_BATTLE_OF_THE_BRANDS'>123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VII</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Rescue of A-ya</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_VII_THE_RESCUE_OF_AYA'>149</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VIII</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Bending of the Bow</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII_THE_BENDING_OF_THE_BOW'>174</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>IX</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Destroying Splendor</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_IX_THE_DESTROYING_SPLENDOR'>198</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>X</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Terrors of the Dark</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_X_THE_TERRORS_OF_THE_DARK'>219</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XI</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Feasting of the Cave Folk</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_XI_THE_FEASTING_OF_THE_CAVE_FOLK'>243</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XII</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>On the Face of the Waters</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_XII_ON_THE_FACE_OF_THE_WATERS'>259</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XIII</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Fear</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII_THE_FEAR'>278</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XIV</td> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Lake of Long Sleep</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV_THE_LAKE_OF_LONG_SLEEP'>295</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2>IN THE MORNING OF TIME</h2> +<hr class='pb' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_1' name='page_1'></a>1</span></div> +<p style='font-size:1.3em; text-align:center; margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em;'>In The Morning of Time</p> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 0; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='CHAPTER_I_THE_WORLD_WITHOUT_MAN' id='CHAPTER_I_THE_WORLD_WITHOUT_MAN'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<h3>THE WORLD WITHOUT MAN</h3> +</div> +<p>It lay apparently afloat on the sluggish, faintly +discolored tide––a placid, horse-faced, shovel-nosed +head, with bumpy holes for ears and immense +round eyes of a somewhat anxious mildness.</p> +<p>The anxiety in the great eyes was not without +reason, for their owner had just arrived in the tepid +and teeming waters of this estuary, and the creatures +which he had already seen about him were both unknown +and menacing. But the inshore shallows were +full of water-weeds of a rankness and succulence far +beyond anything he had enjoyed in his old habitat, +and he was determined to secure himself a place here.</p> +<p>From time to time, as some new monster came +in sight, the ungainly head would shoot up amazingly +to a distance of five or ten, or even fifteen feet, +on a swaying pillar of a neck, in order to get a +better view of the stranger. Then it would slowly +sink back again to its repose on the water.</p> +<p>The water at this point was almost fresh, because +the estuary, though fully two miles wide, was filled +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_2' name='page_2'></a>2</span> +with the tide of the great river rolling slowly down +from the heart of the continent. The further shore +was so flat that nothing could be seen of it but an +endless, pale green forest of giant reeds. But the +nearer shore was skirted, at a distance of perhaps +half a mile from the water, by a rampart of abrupt, +bright, rust-red cliffs. The flat land between the waterside +and the cliffs, except for the wide strip of beach, +was clothed with an enormous and riotous growth of +calamaries, tree-ferns, cane and palm, which rocked +and crashed in places as if some colossal wayfarers +were pushing through them. Here and there along +the edge of the cliffs sat tall beings with prodigious, +saw-toothed beaks, like some species of bird conceived +in a nightmare.</p> +<p>Far out across the water one of these creatures +was flapping slowly in from the sea. Its wings––eighteen +feet across from tip to tip––were not the +wings of a bird, but of a bat or a hobgoblin. It +had dreadful, hand-like claws on its wing-elbows; and +its feet were those of a lizard.</p> +<p>As this startling shape came flapping shoreward, +the head afloat upon the water eyed it with interest, +but not, as it seemed, with any great apprehension. +Yet it certainly looked formidable enough to excite +misgivings in most creatures. Its flight was not the +steady, even winging of a bird, but spasmodic and +violent. It came on at a height of perhaps twenty feet +above the sluggish tide, and its immense, circular eyes +appeared to take no notice of the strange head that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_3' name='page_3'></a>3</span> +watched it from the water’s surface. It seemed about +to pass a little to one side, when suddenly, with a +hoarse, hooting cry, it swerved and swooped, and +struck at the floating head with open jaws.</p> +<p>Swift as was that unexpected attack, the assailant +struck nothing but a spot of foam where the head had +disappeared. Simultaneously with the lightning disappearance, +there was a sudden boiling of the water +some eighty-odd feet away. But the great bird-lizard +was either too furious to notice this phenomenon or +not sagacious enough to interpret it. Flopping into +the air again, and gnashing his beak-like jaws with +rage, he kept circling about the spot in heavy zigzags, +expecting the harmless looking head to reappear.</p> +<p>All at once his expectations were more than realized. +The head not only reappeared, but on a towering +leather-colored column of a neck it shot straight +into the air to a height of twenty feet. The big, +placid eyes were now sparkling with anger. The flat, +shovel jaws were gaping open. They seized the swooping +foe by the root of the tail, and, in spite of screeches +and wild flappings, plucked him down backwards. +At the surface of the water there was a convulsive +struggle, and the wide wings were drawn clean under.</p> +<p>For several minutes the water seethed and foamed, +and little waves ran clattering up the beach, while +the owner of the harmless-looking head trod his assailant +down and crushed him among the weeds of +the bottom. Then the foam slowly crimsoned, and +the mauled, battered body of the great bird-lizard +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_4' name='page_4'></a>4</span> +came up again; for the owner of the mysterious head +was a feeder on delicate weeds and succulent green-stuff +only, and would eat no blood-bearing food. The +body was still struggling, and the vast, dark, broken +wings spread themselves in feeble spasms on the +surface. But they were not left to struggle long.</p> +<p>The water, in the distance, had been full of eager +spectators of the fight, and now it boiled as they +rushed in upon the disabled prey. Ravenous, cavern-jawed, +fishlike beasts, half-porpoise, half-alligator, +swarmed upon the victim, tearing at it and at each +other. Some bore off trailing mouthfuls of dark +wing-membrane, others more substantial booty, while +the rest fought madly in the vortex of discolored foam.</p> +<p>At the beginning of the fray the grim figures perched +along the red ramparts of the cliff had shown signs +of excitement, lifting their high shoulders and half +unfolding the stiff drapery of their wings. As they +saw their fellow overwhelmed they launched themselves +from their perch and came hooting hoarsely +over the rank, green tops of the palms and feathery +calamaries. Swooping and circling they gathered over +the hideous final struggle, and from time to time one +or another would drop perpendicularly downward to +stab the crown or the face of one of the preoccupied +fish-beasts with his trenchant beak. Such of the fish-beasts +as were thus disabled were promptly torn to +pieces and devoured by their companions.</p> +<p>Some fifty feet away, nearer shore, the harmless-looking +head which had been the source and inspirer +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_5' name='page_5'></a>5</span> +of all this bloody turmoil lay watching the scene with +discontent in its round, wondering eyes. Slowly it +reared itself once more to a height of eight or ten +feet above the water, as if for better inspection of +the combat. Then, as if not relishing the neighborhood +of the fish-beasts, it slowly sank again and disappeared.</p> +<p>Immediately a heavy swirling, a disturbance that +stretched over a distance of nearly a hundred feet, +began to travel shoreward. It grew heavier and +heavier as the water grew shallower. Then a leather-colored +mountain of a back heaved itself up through +the smother and a colossal form, that would make the +hugest elephant a pigmy, came ponderously forth upon +the beach.</p> +<p>The body of this amazing being was thrice or four +times the bulk of the mightiest elephant. It stood +highest––a good thirteen feet––over the haunches +(which were supported on legs like columns), and +sloped abruptly to the lower and lighter-built fore-shoulders. +The neck was like a giraffe’s, but over +twenty feet in length to its juncture with the mild +little head, which looked as if Nature had set it there +as a pleasantry at the expense of the titanic body. The +tail, enormous at the base and tapering gradually to +a whip-lash, trailed out to a distance of nearly fifty +feet. As its owner came ashore, this tremendous tail +was gathered and curled in a semi-circle at his side––perhaps +lest the delicate tip, if left too distant, might +fall a prey to some significant but agile marauder. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_6' name='page_6'></a>6</span></p> +<p>For some minutes the colossus (he was one of the +Dinosaurs, or Terrible Lizards, and known as a +Diplodocus) remained on all-fours, darting his sinuous +neck inquiringly in all directions, and snatching here +and there a mouthful of the rank tender herbage which +grew among the trunks of fern and palm. Apparently +the spot was to his liking. Here was a wide beach, +sunlit and ample, whereon to bask at leisure. There +were the warm and weed-choked shallows wherein to +pasture, to wallow at will, to hide his giant bulk from +his enemies if there should be found any formidable +enough to make hiding advisable. Swarms of +savage insects, to be sure, were giving him a hot +reception––mosquitoes of unimaginable size, and +enormous stinging flies which sought to deposit their +eggs in his smooth hide, but with his giraffe-like neck +he could bite himself where he would, and the lithe +lash of his tail could flick off tormentors from any +corner of his anatomy.</p> +<p>Meanwhile, the excitement off-shore had died down. +The harsh hootings of the bird-lizards had ceased +to rend the air as the dark wings hurtled away to seek +some remoter or less disturbed hunting-ground. Then +across the silence came suddenly a terrific crashing of +branches, mixed with gasping cries. Startled, the diplodocus +hoisted himself upon his hind-quarters, till +he sat up like a kangaroo, supported and steadied +by the base of his huge tail. In this position his +head, forty feet above the earth, overlooked the tops +of all but the tallest trees. And what he saw brought +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7' name='page_7'></a>7</span> +the look of anxiety once more into his round, saucer-eyes.</p> +<p>Hurling itself with desperate, plunging leaps through +the rank growths, and snapping the trunks of the +brittle tree-ferns in its path as if they had been cauliflowers, +came a creature not unlike himself, but of +less than half the size, and with neck and tail of +only moderate length. This creature was fleeing in +frantic terror from another and much smaller being, +which came leaping after it like a giant kangaroo. +Both were plainly dinosaurs, with the lizard tail and +hind-legs; but the lesser of the two, with its square, +powerful head and tiger-fanged jaws, and the tremendous, +rending claws on its short forearms, was plainly +of a different species from the great herb-eaters of the +dinosaurian family. It was one of the smaller +members of that terrible family of carnivorous dinosaurians +which ruled the ancient cycad forests as the +black-maned lion rules the Rhodesian jungles to-day. +The massive iguanodon which fled before it so madly, +though of fully thrice its bulk, had reason to fear it +as the fat cow fears a wolf.</p> +<p>A moment more, and the dreadful chase, with a +noise of raucous groans and pantings, burst forth into +the open, not fifty feet from where the colossus stood +watching. Almost at the watcher’s feet the fugitive +was overtaken. With a horrid leap and a hoot of +triumph, the pursuer sprang upon its neck and bore it +to the ground, where it lay bellowing hoarsely and +striking out blunderingly with the massive, horn-tipped +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8' name='page_8'></a>8</span> +spur which armed its clumsy wrist. The victor tore +madly at its throat with tooth and claw, and presently +its bellowing subsided to a hideous, sobbing gurgle.</p> +<p>The diplodocus, meanwhile, had been looking down +upon the scene with half-bewildered apprehension. +These creatures were insignificant in size, to be sure, +as compared with his own colossal stature, but the +smaller one had a swift ferocity which struck terror +to his dull heart.</p> +<p>Suddenly a red wrath mounted to his small and +sluggish brain. His tail, as we have seen, was curled +in a half-circle at his side. Now he bent his body with +it. For an instant his whole bulk quivered with the +extraordinary tension. Then, like a bow released, the +bent body sprang back. The tail (and it weighed at +least a ton) struck the victor and the victim together +with an annihilating shock, and swept them clean +around beneath the visitor’s feet.</p> +<p>Down he came upon them at once, with the crushing +effect of a hundred steam pile-drivers; and for the +next few minutes his panicky rage expended itself in +treading the two bodies into a shapeless mass. Then +he slowly backed off down into the water where the +weedy growths were thickest, till once more his whole +form was concealed except the insignificant head. +This he reared among the swaying tufts of the “mares’ +tails,” and waited to see what strange thing would +happen next.</p> +<p>He had not long to wait. That hideous, mangled +heap there, sweating blood in the noon sun, seemed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9' name='page_9'></a>9</span> +to have some way of making its presence known. +Crashing sounds arose in different parts of the forest, +and presently some half-dozen of the leaping, +kangaroo-like flesh-eaters appeared.</p> +<p>They were of varying sizes, from ten or twelve +feet in length to eighteen or twenty, and they eyed +each other with jealous hostility. But one glance at +the weltering heap showed them that here was feasting +abundant for them all. With a chorus of hoarse +cries they came hopping forward and fell upon it.</p> +<p>Presently two vast shadows came overhead, hovering +a moment, and a pair of the great bird-lizards +dropped upon the middle of the heap. Hooting +savagely, with wings half uplifted, they struck about +them with their terrible beaks till they had secured +room for themselves at the banquet. Other unbidden +guests came leaping from among the thickets; and in +a short time there was nothing left of the carcasses except +two naked skeletons, dragged apart and half dismembered +by mighty teeth. In the final mêlée one +of the smaller revellers was himself pounced upon +and devoured.</p> +<p>Then, as if by consent of a mutual distrust, the +throng drew quickly apart, each eyeing his neighbor +warily, and scattered into the woods. Only the two +grim bird-lizards remained, seeming to have a sort +of understanding or partnership, or possibly being a +mated pair. They pried into the cartilages and between +the joints of the skeletons with the iron wedges of +their beaks, till there was not another tit-bit to be enjoyed. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10' name='page_10'></a>10</span> +Then, hooting once more with satisfaction, +they spread their batlike vanes and flapped darkly off +again to their red watch-tower on the cliff.</p> +<p>When all was once more quiet the giant visitor +fell to pasturing among the crisp and tender water-weeds. +It took a long time to fill his cavernous +paunch by way of that slender neck of his, and when +he was satisfied he went composedly to sleep, his body +perfectly concealed under the water, his head resting +on a little islet of matted reeds in a thicket of “mares’ +tails.” When he woke up again the sun was half-way +down to the west, and the beach glowed hotly +in the afternoon light. Everything was drenched in +heavy stillness. The visitor made up his drowsy mind +that he must leave his hiding-place and go and bask +in that delicious warmth.</p> +<p>He was just bestirring himself to carry out his +purpose, when once more a swaying in the rank foliage +of the cycads caught his vigilant eye. Discreetly he +drew back into hiding, the place being, as he had +found it, so full of violent surprises.</p> +<p>Suddenly there emerged upon the beach a monster +even more extraordinary in appearance than himself. +It was about thirty-five feet in length, and its ponderous +bulk was supported on legs so short and bowed +that it crawled with its belly almost dragging the +ground. Its small head, which it carried close to +the earth, was lizard-like, shallow-skulled, feeble-looking, +and its jaws cleft back past the stupid eyes. In +fact, it was an inoffensive-looking head for such an +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11' name='page_11'></a>11</span> +imposing body. At the base of the head began a +system of defensive armor that looked as if it might +be proof against artillery. Up over the shoulders, +over the mighty arch of the back, and down over the +haunches as far as the middle of the ponderous tail, +ran a series of immense flat plates of horn, with +pointed tips and sharpened edges. The largest of +these plates, those that covered the center of the back, +were each three feet in height, and almost of an +equal breadth. Where the diminished plates came to +an end at the middle of the tail, their place was taken +by eight immense, needle-pointed spines, set in pairs, +of which the chief pair had a length of over two feet. +The monster’s hide was set thick with scales and +knobs of horn, brilliantly colored in black, yellow, and +green, that his grotesque bulk might be less noticeable +to his foes among the sharp shadows and patchy lights +of the fern jungles where he fed.</p> +<p>The sluggish giant moved nervously, glancing backwards +as he came, and seemed intent upon reaching +the water. In a few moments his anxiety was explained. +Leaping in splendid bounds along his broad +trail came two of those same ferocious flesh-eaters +whom the great watcher among the reeds so disliked. +They ranged up one on each side of the stegosaur, who +had halted at their approach, stiffened himself, and +drawn his head so far back into the loose skin of +his neck that only the sharp, chopping beak projected +from under the first armor-plate. One of the pair +threatened him from the front, as if to engross his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12' name='page_12'></a>12</span> +attention, while the other pounced upon one of his +massive, bowed hind-legs, as if seeking to drag it from +beneath him and roll him over on his side.</p> +<p>But at this instant there was a clattering of the +plated hide, and that armed tail lashed out with lightning +swiftness, like a porcupine’s. There was a tearing +screech from the rash flesh-eater, and he was +plucked back sidewise, all four feet in air, deeply impaled +on three of those gigantic spines. While he +clawed and writhed, struggling to twist himself free, +his companion sprang hardily to the rescue. She +hurled herself with all her weight and strength full +upon the stegosaur’s now unprotected flank. So +tremendous was the impact that, with a frightened +grunt, he was rolled clean over on his side. But at +the same time his sturdy forearms clutched his assailant, +and so crushed, mauled and tore her that she +was glad to wrench herself away.</p> +<p>Coughing and gasping, she bounded backwards out +of reach; and then she saw that her mate, having +wriggled off the spines, was dragging himself up the +beach toward the forest, leaving a trail of blood behind +him. She followed sullenly, having had more than +enough of the venture. The triumphant stegosaur +rolled himself heavily back upon his feet, grunted +angrily, clattered his armored plates, jerked his terrible +tail from side to side as if to see that it was still in +working order, and went lumbering off to another +portion of the wood, having apparently forgotten his +purpose of taking to the water. As he went, one of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13' name='page_13'></a>13</span> +the grim bird-lizards from the cliff swooped down and +hovered, hooting over his path, apparently disappointed +at his triumph.</p> +<p>The watcher in the reeds, on the other hand, was +encouraged by the result of the combat. He began +to feel a certain dangerous contempt for those leaping +flesh-eaters, in spite of their swiftness and ferocity. +He himself, though but an eater of weeds, had trodden +one into nothingness, and now he had seen two together +overthrown and put to flight. With growing confidence +he came forth from his hiding, stalked up the +beach, coiled his interminable tail beside him, and lay +down to bask his dripping sides in the full blaze of the +sun.</p> +<p>The colossus was at last beginning to feel at home +in his new surroundings. In spite of the fact that +this bit of open beach, overlooked by the deep green +belt of jungle and the rampart of red cliffs, appeared +to be a sort of arena for titanic combats, he began +to have confidence in his own astounding bulk as a +defense against all foes. What matter his slim neck, +small head and feeble teeth, when that awful engine +of his tail could sweep his enemies off their feet, and +he could crush them by falling upon them like a +mountain! A pair of the great bird-lizards flapped +over him, hooting malignantly and staring down upon +him with their immense, cold eyes, but he hardly took +the trouble to look up at them.</p> +<p>Warmed and well fed, his eyes half-sheathed in +their membraneous lids, he gazed out vacantly across +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14' name='page_14'></a>14</span> +the waving herbage of the shallows, across the slow, +pale tides whose surface boiled from time to time +above the rush of some unseen giant of a shark or +ichthyosaur.</p> +<p>In the heavy heat of the afternoon the young world +had become very still. The bird-lizards, all folded +in their wings, sat stiff and motionless along the +ramparts of red cliff. The only sounds were the hiss +of those seething rushes far out on the tide, the sudden +droning hum of some great insect darting overhead, +or the occasional soft clatter of the long, crisp cycad +leaves as a faint puff of hot air lifted them.</p> +<p>At the back of the beach, where the tree-ferns and +the calamaries grew rankest, the foliage parted noiselessly +at a height of perhaps twenty feet from the +ground, and a dreadful head looked forth. Its jaws +were both long and massive, and armed with immense, +curved teeth like scimitars. Its glaring eyes were +overhung by eaves of bony plate, and from the front +of its broad snout rose a single horn, long and sharp. +For some minutes this hideous apparition eyed the unconscious +colossus by the waterside. Then it came +forth from the foliage and crept noiselessly down the +beach.</p> +<p>Except for its horned snout and armored eyes, this +monster was not unlike in general type to those other +predatory dinosaurs which had already appeared upon +the scene. But it was far larger, approaching thirty-five +feet in length, and more powerfully built in proportion +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15' name='page_15'></a>15</span> +to its size; and the armory of its jaws was +more appalling. With a stealthy but clumsy-looking +waddle, which was nevertheless soundless as a shadow, +and his huge tail curled upwards that it might not +drag and rattle the stones, he crept down until he was +within some fifty feet or more of the drowsing colossus.</p> +<p>Some premonition of peril, at this moment, began +to stir in the heavy brain of the colossus, and he +lifted his head apprehensively. In the same instant +the horned giant gathered himself, and hurled himself +forward. In two prodigious leaps he covered the +distance that separated him from his intended prey. +The coiled tail of the colossus lashed out irresistibly, +but the assailant cleared it in his spring, fell upon the +victim’s shoulders, and buried his fangs in the base +of that columnar neck.</p> +<p>The colossus, for the first time, was overwhelmed +with terror. He gave vent to a shrill, bleating bellow––an +absurdly inadequate utterance to issue from this +mountainous frame––writhed his neck in snaky folds, +and lashed out convulsively with the stupendous coils +of his tail. But he could not loosen that deep grip, or +the clutch of those iron claws.</p> +<p>In spite of the many tons weight throttling his +neck, he reared himself aloft, and strove to throw himself +over upon his assailant. But the marauder was +agile, and eluded the crushing fall without loosing his +grip. Then, bleating frightfully, till the sounds re-ëchoed +from the red cliffs and set all the drowsing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16' name='page_16'></a>16</span> +bird-lizards lifting their wings, he plunged down into +the tide and bore his dreadful adversary out of sight +beneath a smother of ensanguined foam.</p> +<p>Now, the horned giant was himself a powerful +swimmer and quite at home in the water, but in this +respect he was no match for his quarry. Refusing +to relinquish his hold, he was borne out into deep +water; and there the colossus, becoming all at once +agile and swift, succeeded in rolling over upon him. +Forced thus to loose his grip, he gave one long, ripping +lunge with his horn, deep into the victim’s flank, and +then writhed himself from under. The breath quite +crushed out of him, he was forced to rise to the surface +for air. There he rested, recovering his self-possession, +reluctant to give up the combat, but even more +reluctant to expose himself to another such mauling in +the depths. As he hesitated, about a hundred feet +away he saw the mild little head of the colossus, apparently +floating on the tide, and regarding him anxiously. +That decided him. With a crashing bellow +of rage and a sweep of his powerful tail he darted at +the inoffensive head. But it vanished instantly, and a +sudden tremendous turmoil, developing into a wake +that lengthened out with the speed of a torpedo-boat, +showed him the hopelessness of pursuit. Turning +abruptly, he swam back to the shore and sulkily withdrew +into the thickets to seek some less unmanageable +quarry.</p> +<p>The colossus, so deeply wounded that his trail threw +up great clots and bubbles of red foam, swam onward +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17' name='page_17'></a>17</span> +several miles up the estuary. He realized now that +that patch of sunny beach was just a death-trap. But +in the middle of the estuary, far out from either shore, +far removed from the unseen, lurking horrors of the +fern forests, spread acre upon acre of drowned marsh, +overgrown with tall green reeds and feathery “mares’ +tails.” Through these stretches of marsh he ploughed +his way, half-swimming, half-wading, and felt that +here he might find a safe refuge as well as an unfailing +pasturage. But the anguish of his wounds urged him +still onwards.</p> +<p>Beyond the reed-beds he came to a long, narrow islet +of wet sand, naked to the sun. This appeared to him +the very refuge he was craving, a spot where he could +lie secure and lick his hurts. He dragged himself out +upon it eagerly. Not until he had gained the very center +of it did he notice how his ponderous feet sank in +it at every stride. As soon as he halted he felt the +treacherous sands sucking him down. In terror he +struggled to free himself, to regain the water. But +now the sands had a grip upon him, and his efforts only +engulfed him the more swiftly. He reared upon his +hind legs, and immediately found himself swallowed to +the haunches. He fell forward again, and sank to his +shoulder-blades. And then, the convulsive thrashings +of his tail hurling the sands in every direction, he +lifted his head and bleated piteously.</p> +<p>The struggle had already drawn the dreadful eyes +of those grim, folded figures perched along the cliff-tops +miles away; and now, as if in answer to his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18' name='page_18'></a>18</span> +cry they came fluttering darkly over him. Seeing his +helplessness, they flapped down upon him with hoots +of exultation. Their vast beaks tore at his helpless +back, and stabbed at the swiftly writhing convolutions +of his neck. One, more heedless than his fellows, +came within reach of the thrashing tail, and was dashed, +half stunned, to earth, where the sands got him in +their hold before he could recover himself. With +dreadful screeches, he was sucked down, but his fellows +paid no attention to his fate. And meanwhile, in a +ring about the islet, not daring to come near +for terror of the quicksand, crocodiles and alligators +and ichthyosaurs, with upturned, gaping snouts, +watched the struggle greedily.</p> +<p>As the lower part of his neck was drawn down +into the quicksand, the colossus lost the power to move +his head quickly enough to evade the attacks of +his horrid assailants. A moment more, and he was +blinded. Then he felt his head enfolded in the strangling +membranes of wings and borne downwards. Once +or twice the convulsions of his neck threw his enemies +off, and the bleeding, sightless head reëmerged to view.</p> +<p>But not only his force, but his will to struggle, was +fast ebbing away. Presently, with a thunderous, gasping +sob, the last breath left his mighty lungs, and his +head dropped on the sand. It was trodden under in +an instant; and then, afraid of being engulfed themselves, +the hooting revellers abandoned it, to crowd +struggling upon the arched hump of the back. Here +they tore and gorged and quarreled till, some fifteen +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19' name='page_19'></a>19</span> +minutes later, their last foothold sank beneath them. +Then, with dripping beaks and talons, they all flapped +back to their cliffs; and slowly the fluent sand smoothed +itself to shining complacency over the tomb of the diplodocus, +hiding and sealing away the stupendous +skeleton for half a million years.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20' name='page_20'></a>20</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_II_THE_KING_OF_THE_TRIPLE_HORN' id='CHAPTER_II_THE_KING_OF_THE_TRIPLE_HORN'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<h3>THE KING OF THE TRIPLE HORN</h3> +</div> +<p>It was a little later in the Morning of Time––later +by perhaps some two or three hundred thousand +years. Monstrous mammals now held sway over the +fresh, green round of the young earth, so exuberant in +her youthful vigor that she could not refrain from +flooding the Poles themselves with a tropical luxuriance +of flower and tree. The supremacy of the Giant +Reptiles had passed.</p> +<p>A few representatives of their most colossal and +highly-specialized forms still survived, still terrible +and supreme in those vast, steaming, cane-clothed +savannahs which most closely repeated the conditions +of an earlier age. But Nature, pleased with her experiments +in the more promising mammalian type, had +turned her back upon them after her fashion, and was +coldly letting them die out. Her failures, however +splendid, have always found small mercy at her hands.</p> +<p>But it was little like a failure he looked, the giant +who now heaved his terrible, three-horned front from +the lilied surface of the lagoon wherein he had been +wallowing, and came ponderously ploughing his way +ashore. As he emerged upon dry ground, he halted––with +the tip of his massive, lizard-like tail still in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21' name='page_21'></a>21</span> +water––and shook a shower from the hollows of his +vast and strangely armored head.</p> +<p>His eyes, coldly furious, and set in a pair of goggle-like +projections of horn, peered this way and that, as +if suspecting the neighborhood of a foe. His gigantic +snout––horned, cased in horn, and hooked like the beak +of a parrot––he lifted high, sniffing the heavy air. +Then, as if to end his doubts by either drawing or +daunting off the unknown enemy, he opened his +grotesquely awful mouth and roared. The huge +sound that exploded from his throat was something +between the bellow of an alligator and the coughing +roar of a tiger, but of infinitely vaster volume.</p> +<p>The next moment, as if in deliberate reply to the +challenge, an immense black beast stepped from behind +a thicket of pea-green bamboo, and stood scrutinizing +him with wicked little pig-like eyes.</p> +<p>It was the old order confronted by the new, the +latest most terrible and perhaps most efficient of the +titanic but vanishing race of the Dinosaurs, face to +face with one of those monstrous mammalian forms +upon which Nature was now trying her experiments.</p> +<p>And the place of this meeting was not unfitted to +such a portentous encounter. The further shore of +the lagoon was partly a swamp of rankest growth, +partly a stretch of savannah clothed with rich cane-brake +and flowering grasses that towered fifteen or +twenty feet into the air. But the hither shore was +of a hard soil mixed with sand, carpeted with a short, +golden-green herbage, and studded with clumps of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22' name='page_22'></a>22</span> +bamboo, jobo, mango and mahogany, with here and +there a thicket of canary-flowered acacia, bristling +with the most formidable of thorns.</p> +<p>They were not altogether ill-matched, these two +colossal protagonists of the Saurian and the Mammal. +The advantage of bulk lay altogether with the Dinosaur, +the three-horned King of all the Lizard kind. +His armament, too, whether for offense or for defense, +was distinctly the more formidable. Fully twenty +feet in length, and perhaps eight feet high at the crest +of the massively-rounded back, he was of ponderous +breadth, and moved ponderously on legs like columns.</p> +<p>His splotched brown and yellow hide was studded +along the neck and shoulders with pointed knobs of +horn. His enormous, fleshy tail, some seven feet long +and nearly two feet thick at the base, tapered very +gradually to a thick tip, and dragged on the ground +behind him. But the most amazing thing about this +King of the Lizards was his monstrous and awe-inspiring +head.</p> +<p>Wedge-shaped from the tip of its cruel parrot-beak +to its spreading, five-foot-wide base, its total length +was well over seven feet. Its three horns, one on +the snout and two standing out straight forward from +the forehead just above the eyes, were immensely +thick at the base and fined down smoothly to points of +terrible keenness. The one on the snout was something +over a foot in length, while the brow pair were +nearly three feet long.</p> +<p>Almost from the roots of these two terrific weapons +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23' name='page_23'></a>23</span> +protruded the huge horn goggles which served as +sockets for the great, cold, implacable lizard-eyes. +Behind the horns, outspreading like a vast ruff from +three to four feet wide upwards and laterally, slanted +a smooth, polished shield of massive shell like the carapace +of a giant turtle, protecting the neck and shoulders +from any imaginable attack.</p> +<p>The antagonist who had come in answer to the +giant’s challenge was less extravagant in appearance +and more compact in form. He was not much over +a dozen feet in length, but this length owed nothing +to the tail, which was a mere wriggling pendant. He +was, perhaps, seven feet high, very sturdy in build, +but not mountainous like his terrible challenger. His +legs and feet were something like those of an elephant, +and he looked capable of a deadly alertness in action. +But, as in the case of the King Dinosaur, it was his +head that gave him his chief distinction. Long, massive +and blunt-nosed, it was armed not only with six +horns, set in pairs, but also with a pair of deadly, +downward-pointing tusks––like those of a walrus, but +much shorter, sharper and more effective.</p> +<p>Of the six horns, the first pair, set on the tip of the +broad snout, were mere bony points, of no use as +weapons, and employed by their owner for rooting in +the turf after the fashion of a tuber-hunting pig. +The second pair, set about the middle of the long face, +just over the eyes, were about eighteen inches in +length, and redoubtable enough to make other weapons +seem superfluous. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24' name='page_24'></a>24</span></p> +<p>The third pair, however, were equally formidable, +and set far back at the very base of the skull, like those +of an antelope. The eyes, as has been already stated, +were small, deep-set and vindictive. The sullen black +of his coloring added to the portentousness of his +swift appearance around the clump of pea-green +bamboo.</p> +<p>For several minutes the two monsters stood eyeing +each other, while the rage of an instinctive hatred +mounted slowly in their sluggish brains. To the King +Dinosaur, this stranger was a trespasser on his domain, +where no other creatures, unless of his own kind, had +ever before had the presumption to confront him. The +suddenness of the black apparition, also, exasperated +him; and he loathed at once the sickly sour smell, +so unlike the pungent muskiness of his own +kindred, which now for the first time met his sensitive +nostrils.</p> +<p>The Dinoceras, on his part, was in a chronic state +of rage. He was a solitary old bull, driven out, for +his bad temper, from the comfortable herd of his +fellows, and burning to find vent for his bottled spleen. +The herd, in one of its migrations, had just arrived +in the neighborhood of the great lagoons, and he, in his +furious restlessness, was unconsciously playing the part +of vanguard to it.</p> +<p>He had never, of course, conceived of so terrible +an adversary as this splotched brown and yellow +monster before him. But he was in no mood to calculate +odds. For all his blind rage, however, he was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25' name='page_25'></a>25</span> +a crafty fighter, always. Seeing that the challenger +made no move, he gave voice to a huge, squealing grunt, +like the noise of a herd of raging pigs. Then he dug +his armed snout into the turf and hurled a shower of +sod into the air.</p> +<p>In the eyes of the King Dinosaur this was apparently +an intolerable insult. With a roar he came +lumbering forward, at a slow, rolling run which seemed +to jar the earth. Grunting again, and moving at +thrice his speed, the black beast rushed to meet him, +head down, like a charging bison.</p> +<p>They met under the spreading branches of an immense +hoya-tree. But they did not meet fairly, head +to head, as the Dinosaur intended. Had they done +so the battle would have been decided then and there, +for the black beast’s horns and unprotected front were +no match for the impenetrable armor and leveled +lances of the King’s colossal head. But they did not +meet fairly. The black stranger was much too crafty +for that. At the last moment he swerved nimbly aside, +wheeled with an agility that was marvelous for a creature +of his bulk, and thrust at the shoulders of the +colossus with a fierce, rooting movement like the stroke +of the wild boar.</p> +<p>But he struck the rim of that impenetrable defense, +the spreading ruff of horn. And he might as well have +struck a mountain-side. That enormous bulk, firm-based +on the wide-set columns which formed its legs, +merely staggered an instant, coughed from the jarring +of the blow, and swung about to present his terrific +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26' name='page_26'></a>26</span> +horns against another such attack. The black stranger, +meanwhile, as if disappointed at the meager result of +his tactics, had drawn back out of reach. He stood +rooting the turf and squealing defiance, in the hope +of luring the giant into a second charge.</p> +<p>The stupendous duel had two interested spectators. +On the top of the next tree sat an extraordinary-looking +bird, about the size of a pheasant, colored blue and +rose like a macaw. Its tail was like a lizard’s, long +and fully-vertebrated, with a pair of flat feathers +standing out opposite each other at right angles from +each joint, for all the world like an immense acacia-frond +done in red. At the tips of its wing-elbows it +carried clutching, hand-like claws, resembling those +of the flying reptiles; and its straight, strong beak was +armed with pointed teeth. It kept opening and shutting +its beak excitedly and uttering sharp cries, as if +calling everyone to come and see the fight.</p> +<p>The other spectator was not excited at all. He was +a large, ape-like man––one would have said, rather, a +manlike ape, had it not been for the look in his eyes.</p> +<p>This enigmatic figure sat on a branch immediately +over the combatants, and held on with one powerful, +hairy hand to the branch just above him. He +was covered with thick, brown hair, like fur, from head +to foot, but that on his head was true hair, long and +waving. His shoulders were massive, his chest of +great depth, his arms so long that if he had been standing +erect they would have hung to his knees, his legs +short, massive and much bowed. His hands were +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27' name='page_27'></a>27</span> +furred to the second joint of the fingers, but they were +the hands of a man, not those of an ape, for the huge +thumb was opposed to the fingers instead of being set +parallel with them like another finger. His head was +low in the arch of the skull, low and narrow in the forehead, +with a small facial angle and hardly any bridge +to the broad, flat, wide-nostriled nose; and the jaws +were heavy and thrust forward brutishly. But the +eyes, under the roof of the heavy, bony brows, held +an expression profoundly unlike the cold, mechanical +stare of the giant Dinosaur or the twinkling, vindictive +glare of the black stranger. They gazed +down at the battle with a sort of superiority, considerate, +a little scornful, in spite of the obvious fact +that either of the two, as far as mere physical bulk +and prowess were concerned, could have obliterated +him by simply setting foot upon him. In his free hand +he grasped a branch of acacia set with immense thorns, +the needle-like points of which he touched contemplatively +from time to time, as if pondering what use +he could put them to. He had no marked prejudice, +for the moment, in favor of either side in the battle +below him. Both monsters were his foes, and the +ideal result, in his eyes, would have been for the two to +destroy each other. But if he had any preference, it +was for the black mammalian beast, the lizard monster +appearing to him the more alien, the more incomprehensible +and the more impregnable to any strategy that +he might devise.</p> +<p>For perhaps a couple of minutes, now, the King +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28' name='page_28'></a>28</span> +kept his place, wheeling ponderously to face his agile +opponent, who circled about him at a distance of ten +to twelve yards, seeking an opportunity to get in a +rush upon his open flank. This wheeling and circling +made the cool watcher in the tree impatient. Wrenching +off a heavy branch, he hurled it down with all his +force upon the King’s face. To the King this seemed +but another insult from his black antagonist, and his +rage exploded once more. With a roar he wallowed +forward, thinking to pin the elusive foe to earth and +tread the life out of him.</p> +<p>This gave the black beast his opportunity. Doubling +nimbly like a wild boar, he dashed in and caught +his colossal opponent fairly on the side, midway +between the shoulder and the haunch. The impact +shocked the breath from the monster’s lungs, with a +huge, explosive cough, and brought him to a bewildered +standstill, though it could not throw him from his +feet. But the armored hide proved too tough for the +black beast’s horns to penetrate. Perceiving this on +the instant, the latter reared, and brought down the +two awful daggers of his tusks upon the monster’s +ribs. They penetrated, but they failed to rip as far +and as conclusively as their owner intended. And +while he struggled to free himself for another attack, +the monster recovered from his daze.</p> +<p>Now the stranger had taken count only of those +weapons which the King Dinosaur bore on his terrible +front; and these for the moment were out of reach. +But he had forgotten the massive and tremendous tail. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29' name='page_29'></a>29</span> +Suddenly it lashed out, nearly half a ton in weight, and +with the force of a pile-driver. It struck the black +beast on the legs, and swept them clean from under +him.</p> +<p>Before he could pick himself up the Dinosaur had +swung about and buried all three horns, to the sockets, +in his throat and chest. His life went out in one ear-splitting +squeal of rage and anguish. The red blood +streaming from horns and ruff, the monster wrenched +himself free, and then moved irresistibly over his +victim, like a rolling mountain.</p> +<p>When satisfied that his triumph was complete, the +King drew back a pace or two, and examined the +mangled heap with his cold, unchanging stare. Then +he sniffed at it contemptuously, and prodded it with +his nose-horn, and tore it with his extravagant parrot-beak. +But, being a feeder on herbage only, he had not +thought of tasting the red flesh. The smell of it was +abominable to him; and presently he moved closer under +the trees to wipe his beak, as a bird might, on a clump +of coarse grasses.</p> +<p>As he did so, the lowering of his head threw his +horny ruff far forward, exposing the folds of naked +hide on the back of his neck. The silent man-creature +on the branch above was quick to note the opportunity. +He was displeased at the monster’s triumph. He was +also interested to see if he had any power to hurt so +colossal and well protected a foe. Swinging down by +his legs and one hand, he thrust the thorned branch of +acacia deep in under the ruff. The monster, jerking +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30' name='page_30'></a>30</span> +his head up sharply at this unexpected assault, drove +the long thorns well home.</p> +<p>In an instant he was beside himself with rage and +pain. Roaring till the blue-and-crimson bird on the +tree-top flew off in a panic, he shook his head desperately, +and then almost tried to stand upon it. He +started to roll over on his back, hoping thus to dislodge +the galling thing beneath the carapace, but +thought better of it at the first added pressure. His +contortions were so vehement that the man discreetly +drew himself up to a higher branch, a slow grin widening +his heavy mouth, as he marked his power to inflict +injury on even such an adversary as the King +Dinosaur. The experiment had been successful +beyond his utmost anticipations. Like Nature herself, +he was continually experimenting, but by no means always +with satisfactory results.</p> +<p>Suddenly the monster made off, with head held as +low as possible, for the edge of the lagoon. Ploughing +his way in with a huge splashing, he disappeared beneath +the water. A minute later he returned to the +surface and swam rapidly towards the jungle on the +opposite shore, probably intending to find some projecting +stump of a dead limb on which he could scratch +the torment from under his ruff. At the edge of the +jungle he was joined by another monster, like himself, +but smaller––probably one of his mates––and together +they disappeared, with heavy crashings, in the rank +tangle of the swamp-growths.</p> +<p>The man-creature descended from his refuge, carrying +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31' name='page_31'></a>31</span> +in one hand a heavy fragment of branch, which +he held awkwardly, as if not over-familiar with the +idea of an artificial weapon. He seemed to be groping +his way towards some use of it, either as a club or as +a stabbing instrument. During the fight, while he was +experimenting with the thorn branch, he had evidently +had this weapon lodged in some safe crotch. And now +he kept handling it with a curious interest.</p> +<p>Standing erect, he might easily have been mistaken +for a slightly built and shapelier variety of the gorilla +but for the true man-hands and the steady, contemplative, +foreseeing look in the eyes. He came and examined +the mangled bulk of the Dinoceras, scrutinized +the horns and tusks minutely, and strove with all his +force to wrench one of the latter from its socket, as if +hoping to make some use of it. Then, fastidiously +selecting a shred of the victim’s torn flesh, he sniffed +and nibbled at it, and then threw it aside. He could +eat and enjoy flesh-food at a pinch. But just now +fruit was abundant; and fruit, with eggs and honey, +formed the diet he preferred. As he stood pondering +the lifeless mass before him, a shrill call came to his +ears, and, turning sharply, he saw his mate, with her +baby in the crook of her hairy arm, standing at the +foot of a tree, and signaling him to come to her. As +soon as she saw that he understood, and was coming, +she swung herself lightly up into the branches. He ran +to the tree, climbed after her, and followed her to the +very top, where she awaited him. The tree was taller +than any of its neighbors, and commanded a clear +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32' name='page_32'></a>32</span> +view of the meadow-lands that lay a half mile back +from the lagoon. His mate was pointing eagerly to +these meadows. He saw that they were dotted and +spotted with groups of great black, horned and tusked +beasts like the one whose destruction he had just witnessed. +These were the migrant herds of the Dinoceras, +just arrived at their new pasturage. The man +eyed them with discontent. He had seen a specimen +of their temper; and he congratulated himself that he +and his mate knew how to live in trees.</p> +<p>The man-creature himself was a new-comer to the +shores of the great lagoon. The place suited him admirably +by reason of the abundance of its fruits. +Along the banks of the lagoon were innumerable little +groves of plantain, the rich sustaining fruit of which +was of all foods his favorite. And he had found no +trace whatever of his most dangerous enemies, the +gigantic and implacable black lion of the caves, the red +bear and the saber-tooth.</p> +<p>Such an irresistible giant as the King of the Triple +Horn he might wonder at, and hate, but he thought +he had little cause to fear him. It is easy enough, if +one is prudent, to avoid a mountain.</p> +<p>Having found the place good, and resolved to stay, +the man had built a refuge for himself and his family +in this tall watch-tower of a tree. With interwoven +branches he had made a rude but substantial platform, +and carpeted it to something like softness with smaller +branches and twigs. A similar but lighter platform +overhead made him a roof that was anything but waterproof, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33' name='page_33'></a>33</span> +and a few bushy branches served for walls. +Such as it was, it was at least the beginning of a home. +He loved it; and in defense of the little hairy brown +mate and downy brown baby who shared it with him +he would have fought both Dinosaur and Dinoceras +with his naked hands.</p> +<p>For some days nothing more was seen of the two +Dinosaurs, the King being probably occupied, in the +depths of the jungle, with the nursing of his wrath +and his hurts. The herds of the Dinoceras, meanwhile, +kept to their meadows, having better drinking-water +in a slow stream which traversed the pastures +than in the brackish tide of the lagoon.</p> +<p>Then came a morning when the brown mother, babe +on arm, was gathering plantains not far from the +waterside, while the man chanced to be away exploring +the limits of his new domain. The woman looked +up suddenly; and there, almost upon her, was the +giant horror of the Dinosaur, his cold, expressionless +eyes gaping at her immovably from their goggling +sockets. She turned to flee; and there was the +monster’s mate, not quite so huge, but equally appalling. +Behind her was an impenetrable wall of thorn-acacia. +There was only one refuge––a tree, all too small, but +lofty enough to take her beyond the reach of those +horrifying horned and immobile masks. Up the little +tree she went, nimbly as a monkey, and crouched +shivering in a crotch. The slender trunk swayed beneath +her weight. She clutched the brown baby to her +heart, and sent shriek after shriek through the glades. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34' name='page_34'></a>34</span></p> +<p>A mile away the man heard it. He gave one deep-chested +shout in answer, and then came running in +silence, saving his breath.</p> +<p>But it was a mile he had to come. The female +Dinosaur, the more instantly malignant of the two, +hurled herself upon the trunk of the tree. It swayed +horribly, but did not yield at once. Thereupon the +two began to root beneath it with their horns, having +often used this method to obtain fruits which were +above their reach. The tree leaned far over. The +giant straddled it as a moose straddles a poplar sapling, +and bore it down irresistibly. Its top touched +earth.</p> +<p>The brown mother sprang forth with a tremendous +leap, clearing the horns with a twist which +nearly broke her back. She thought herself free. +And then a gigantic tail struck her and felled her +senseless. A second more, and the female Dinosaur’s +great foot crushed her and the wailing babe +out of existence together.</p> +<p>The swift end of the tragedy the man had seen as +he came racing down a stretch of open glade. He +did not need to look at the awful thing beneath the +monster’s foot to know that all was over. Beyond +one hoarse groan he uttered not a sound. But +blindly––for he had never yet practised such an art––he +hurled his ragged club at the nearest monster. +It rebounded like a baby’s rattle from the vast horn-armored +head. But a lucky chance had guided it. +One of its sharp, splintered knots struck fairly in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35' name='page_35'></a>35</span> +Dinosaur’s eye, and smashed it in the socket. She +roared with agony; and the two, side by side, came +lunging towards him.</p> +<p>The man ran back slowly. His despairing grief +had changed suddenly into a cold hate and a resolve +for vengeance. It was so easy for him to outstrip +these lumbering monsters who were spouting their +fetid, musky breath close upon his heels. He stumbled +carefully at every other step. He let them feel +that at the next stride they would transfix him. He +led them on, the earth shaking beneath their tread, +till another fifty feet would have brought them out +upon the skirts of the meadow. But at this point, +wearied by such an unwonted burst of effort, the +King halted sulkily. He had not had an eye put out. +He wanted to give it up. But his mate came right +on, thirsting for her revenge.</p> +<p>The man was not content with her pursuit alone. +Spurting ahead, he gathered up two handfuls of sand +and gravel, whirled about, and drove them with all +his strength into the King’s cold eyes. It worked. +Smarting and half blinded, the monster forgot his +weariness, and came charging along furiously in the +trail of his mate.</p> +<p>They were stupid, these Lizard Kings, with more +brains in their pelvic arches than in their giant skulls. +Because the puny man-creature went stumbling almost +within reach of their beaks, they imagined they were +going to catch him. That he would go dodging around +thickets which they crashed over blindly, and would +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36' name='page_36'></a>36</span> +then return to present himself again deliberately before +them, did not strike them as at all suspicious. Their +dull but relentless hate once thoroughly aroused, as +long as he was in sight and they could move the mighty +columns of their legs, they would pursue him.</p> +<p>Through the last heavy fringe of bush and leafage +they pursued him, and with a great crashing of +branches came out upon the open, short-grass meadow. +Still the man-creature stumbled on, straight out into +the open, and still they followed, raging silently.</p> +<p>The black herds of the Dinoceras stopped feeding +all at once, and raised their vicious heads and +stared.</p> +<p>There were countless cows in the herd, horned like +the bulls, but smaller, and without the rending tusks. +The cows, at this season, all had young. After one +long, comprehending stare at the two gigantic mottled +shapes bearing down upon them, the herd put itself in +motion. The man-creature they hardly noticed, he +seemed so insignificant.</p> +<p>With eyes that took in everything, coolly and sagaciously, +the man observed that the motion of the herd +was an ordered one. The black beasts were deftly sorting +themselves out to meet the danger. The bulls came +thrusting themselves to the front––a terrific array +which might have struck panic to the hearts of even +the colossal Dinosaurs had they not been too stupid +with rage for any new impression to pierce their brains. +The cows, meanwhile, pushing their calves into a huddled +mass behind them, formed themselves into a second +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37' name='page_37'></a>37</span> +array, a reserve of less mass and strength than the +ranks of the bulls, but of an invincible mother-fury.</p> +<p>The man, with a wise fearlessness, ran on straight +through the gathering line of bulls, the nearest of whom +thrust at him carelessly and then paid him no more +heed. Behind their ranks, hidden now from the sight +of his pursuers, he swerved, avoiding the line of cows, +ran sharply to the right, and came back around the +end of the line to see what was going to happen. For +all his grief, his heart was thumping almost to suffocation +as his titanic vengeance moved to its end.</p> +<p>When the two raging Dinosaurs lost sight of their +prey they stopped short, stupidly bewildered. Then +they noticed the array of black beasts charging upon +them. This, in their mad mood, afforded a new +object to their rage. They plunged wallowing forward +to meet the new foe. And at that moment the +man, appearing round the wing of the black ranks, +halted abruptly, and laughed.</p> +<p>It was a strange, disconcerting sound, that laughter, +and the nearest Dinoceras, disturbed by it, edged away +and crowded against his neighbor’s flank in an inexplicable +apprehension.</p> +<p>The next moment the stupendous opposing forces +met with a shock that, to the man’s overstrung senses, +seemed to make the very daylight reel. There was +no space for evasion or manœuver. The two ponderous +bulks went straight through the ranks of the +black bulls, ripping them with beak and horn from +shoulder to rump, treading them down like corn, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38' name='page_38'></a>38</span> +trampling them under foot as they rolled on. The +bulls on either side charged on their flanks, rearing, +grunting, squealing insanely and ripping with the +massive daggers of their tusks. But as this terrific +assault came from both sides at once, the two monsters +were in reality supported by it, so that they were +not swept off their feet. Almost without a check, +as it seemed, they ploughed straight on, lashing with +their mighty tails, and leaving a trail of disabled +victims behind them, and so wore their way right up +to the line of the cows.</p> +<p>But here they were stopped. The calves were behind +that line.</p> +<p>The black mothers simply heaped themselves upon +those impaling horns and armored fronts, bearing them +down, smothering, engulfing them in an avalanche of +screaming and monstrous bulks. The bulls, meanwhile, +were rending, tearing, stabbing, on flank and +rear. The two Dinosaurs disappeared from view. +The dreadful mountain of writhing, gigantic shapes +heaved convulsively for some minutes. Then the great +columns that were the Dinosaurs’ legs seemed to +crumble beneath the weight. The awful, battling heap +sagged, fell apart, and let in the glare of the sunlight +upon what had been the two colossal monarchs of the +early world. The dreadful, unrecognizable things still +moved, still heaved and twisted ponderously among the +bodies of their slain, but it was mere aimless paroxysm, +the blind life struggling to resist its final expulsion and +dissipation. The wounded Dinoceras drew away, to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39' name='page_39'></a>39</span> +die or recover as curious Nature might decree. The +surviving cows returned to assure themselves that their +young had come to no hurt. And the great black bulls +who had escaped serious injury in the struggle stood +about in a ring, thrusting and ripping at the unresponsive +mountains of flesh. As they satisfied themselves, +one after another, that the victory was complete, and +that there was nothing more to battle against, they fell +to devouring their prey. Ordinarily feeders on herbage +and roots, they were like pigs and rats and men, +more or less without prejudice in their diet, and they +seemed to think that dinosaur went very well with +grass.</p> +<p>At a distance of not more than fifty paces from these +destroying hosts, the man-creature stood carelessly, and +stared and considered. He had no fear of them. He +knew he could avoid them with ease. So insignificant +that in their excitement they hardly noticed him, so +small that in bulk he was no greater than the least +of their calves, he nevertheless despised the gigantic +beasts and felt himself their lord. He had played with +the two monarchs of all the early world, led them into +his trap, and taken such dreadful vengeance upon them +that his grief was almost assuaged by the fullness of +it. The black herds of the Dinoceras he had used as +the tools of his vengeance. No doubt, if necessary, +he could use them again in some such fashion.</p> +<p>He turned his back upon them, knowing that his +fine ear would inform him at once if any should take +it into their heads to pursue him, and stalked away +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40' name='page_40'></a>40</span> +with deliberation towards the wooded ground. But +he avoided his tree. He would never more go near +that empty home. He would return to the regions +beyond the head of the lagoon, where he would find +scattered members of his kindred. He would find +another mate; and in a dim, groping way he harbored +a desire for new offspring, for sons, in particular, who +should be inquiring and full of resource, like himself. +At the edge of the wood he turned, and gave one more +long, musing look at the invincible black herds whom +he had used. The idea of sons came back upon him +insistently. A faint sense of the immeasurable vastness +of what was to be done swept over his soul. +But he was not daunted. He would at least do something. +And he would teach his children, till they +should learn, perhaps, by taking thought, even to overcome +the ferocity of the saber-tooth and foil the malice +of the great red bear.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41' name='page_41'></a>41</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_III_THE_FINDING_OF_FIRE' id='CHAPTER_III_THE_FINDING_OF_FIRE'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<h3>THE FINDING OF FIRE</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>The people of the Little Hills were in extremity. +Trouble after trouble had come upon them, blow +after blow had stricken them, till now there were +but three score fighting-men, with perhaps twice that +number of women able to bear children, left to the +tribe. It looked as if but one more stroke such as +that which had just befallen them must wipe them out +of existence. And that, had ruthless Nature suffered +it, would have been a damage she might have taken +some thousands of years to repair. For the People of +the Little Hills had climbed higher from the pregnant +ooze than any other of the man or half-man tribes at +that time struggling into being on the youthful Earth.</p> +<p>First and not least formidable to the tribe had +been an incursion from the east of beings who were +plainly men, in a way, but still more plainly beasts. +Had the tribe of the Little Hills but known it, these +Ape-men were much like their own ancestors except +for the blackness of their skins beneath the coarse +fur, the narrow angle of their skulls and the heavy +forward thrust of their lower jaws.</p> +<p>Soon afterwards, appearing from no man could say +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42' name='page_42'></a>42</span> +just where, came a scattered incursion of mammoth +cave-bears, saber-toothed tigers and a few gigantic +cave-lions. These ravenous monsters not only +slaughtered wholesale the game on which the Hillmen +most depended, but strove––each for himself, fortunately––to +seize the caves. As they raged against +each other no less desperately than against their human +adversaries, the issue of the war was never in doubt. +The Hillmen stood together solidly, fought with all +their cunning of pitfall and ambuscade, and overwhelmed +the mightiest by sheer weight of numbers. +But again the victory was dearly bought. When the +last of the monsters, sullen and amazed, withdrew to +seek less difficult encounters, he left mourning and +lamentation in the caves.</p> +<p>This war had been a matter of some seasons. Then +had followed a summer of peace and good hunting, +which had given wounds time to heal. But with +winter had swept down another dreadful invasion +again from the unfriendly east––wolves, wolves of +gigantic stature, and hunting in such huge packs that +many outlying sections of the tribe were cut off and +devoured before the Hillmen could combine to withstand +them. Fortunately, the different packs had no +combined action, so after the first shock the sagacious +warrior who ruled the men of the Little Hills was able +to get his diminished followers together, along with +most of their stored supplies, and mass them in the +amphitheater of the central caves.</p> +<p>So dragged by half the desperate winter. Then +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43' name='page_43'></a>43</span> +suddenly the wolves, having exterminated or driven +off all the game among the Little Hills, once more +took the trail, though with diminished ranks, and +swept off ravaging to the south-westward. The +People of the Little Hills were free once more to +come out into the sun. But there was no more game +to hunt, neither in the forest, nor on the upland slopes, +nor in the reeking marshes by the estuary. The tribe +was driven to fumbling in the pools at low tide for +scallops and clams and mussels, a diet which their +souls despised and their bodies resented.</p> +<p>The fact that the invasion of the wolves had forced +the tribe to concentrate, however, presently proved +to have been a painfully disguised blessing. Had they +remained as before, scattered all over their domain for +the convenience of the chase, their next and hardest +trial would surely have annihilated them.</p> +<p>It was once more out of the east that it came upon +them, by the trail of the vanished Ape-men and the +ravaging wolves. About sunrise of a summer’s day +a woman of the tribe was grubbing for roots with a +pointed stick by the banks of a brook when she was +pounced upon by a pair of squat, yellow-brown, filthy +men with enormous shoulders, short bow-legs and flat +faces with gaping, upturned nostrils. Young and +vigorous, she fought like a tigress till stunned by a +blow on the head, which was not before both her assailants +were streaming with blood from the jabs of +her sharp digging-stick. Her cries had aroused the +tribe, however, and her captors, appreciating in her a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44' name='page_44'></a>44</span> +shapeliness and fairness beyond anything they had ever +seen in their own females, hastened to make sure of +their prize by dragging her off into the woods. Three +of the Hillmen, raging in pursuit, were intercepted by +a horde of the squat strangers suddenly leaping from +the thickets, surrounded, pulled down after a heaving +convulsion of struggle, torn to pieces and trodden into +the earth.</p> +<p>The Chief of the tribe, from his vantage at the +top of the slope which led up to the little amphitheater +of caves wherein he had gathered his people, +saw and understood. The perils of the past two years +had made him cool and provident. One look at those +foul and shaggy hordes, leaping like beasts, had told +him that this was to be a battle to the death. Angrily +beating back the hotheads who would have rushed +down to avenge their kin and inevitably to share their +fate, his shouts, bellowed sonorously from his deep +and hairy chest, called up the whole tribe to the defense +of the bottle-neck pass which led into the amphitheater. +At a word, passed on breathlessly from mouth to +mouth, the old men and the old women, with some of +the bigger children, swarmed up among the rocks +and ledges which formed the two walls of the pass, +while others raced about collecting stones to hand up to +them. The younger women and grown girls, armed, +like the men, with stone-headed clubs and flint-tipped +spears, took their places in the hinder ranks at the +mouth of the pass.</p> +<p>The Bow-legs, their yellow skin showing through the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45' name='page_45'></a>45</span> +clotted tufts of coarse, clay-colored hair which unevenly +clothed their bodies, came plunging irregularly +through the brook and gathered in confused masses +along the foot of the slope, jabbering shrilly to each +other and making insolent gestures toward the silent +company at the top. The hair of their heads was +stringy, coarse and scant, and of an inky blackness, in +contrast to the abundant locks of the Hillmen, which +were for the most part of a dark brown or ruddy hue.</p> +<p>In other respects the contrast was still more striking, +the Hillmen, erect and straight, were taller than their +bestial-looking opponents by a foot or fifteen inches. +With less breadth of shoulder and heaviness of trunk, +they had great depth of chest, great muscular development +in arm and leg, and a leanness of flank that gave +them a look of breed. Their skins, very hairy in the +case of the mature men, were of a reddish-tan color, +paling to pink and cream in the children and younger +women. They had ample foreheads under the wild +thatch of their hair, and high, well-bridged noses, and +fierce, steady eyes of green, blue or brown-gray. Outnumbered +nearly ten to one, and shrewd enough to see +at a glance what ferocious power lurked in those misshapen +frames at the foot of the slope, they stood staring +down upon them in silence, with an undaunted +loathing.</p> +<p>For some minutes the hordes of the Bow-legs +clustered together, jabbering and waving their crude +but massive clubs excitedly. They seemed to have +no chief, no plan of attack, no discipline of any sort. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46' name='page_46'></a>46</span> +Some of them even squatted down on the turf and +scratched themselves like monkeys, glaring malignantly +but stupidly at the little array of their opponents, and +snorting through their hideous upturned nostrils, which +were little more than wide, red pits in their faces. +Then some of those who were squatting on the ground +began to play with a dreadful red ball which had some +wisps of hair yet clinging to it.</p> +<p>A snarling roar went up from the ranks of the +Hillmen, and some of them would have rushed to +accept the ghastly challenge. But the Chief held them +back sternly. Then he himself, half a head taller +than all but one or two of his followers, with magnificent +chest and shoulders, and a dark, lionlike mane +thick-streaked with grey, strode out three or four paces +to the front and stood leaning on his huge, porphyry-headed +club while he glared down contemptuously over +the gesticulating horde.</p> +<p>The Bow-legs stilled their jabbering for a moment +to stare with interest at this imposing figure. Then +one of those who were seated on the ground seized +the ghastly ball that they were playing with, whirled +it by the hair and hurled it two-thirds of the way up +the slope. As it fell and rebounded, two young women +sprang from the ranks, their thick locks streaming like +a cloud behind them, and dashed down the hill to meet +it. The foremost caught it up, clutched it to her +naked breast, and screamed a curse upon the gaping +murderers. Then the two fled back, and were lost +in the ranks of the Hillmen. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47' name='page_47'></a>47</span></p> +<p>The sight of the two women, with their bright skins, +their strong, straight limbs and their rich, floating hair, +appeared to give the Bow-legs just the spur to concerted +action that they were needing. They rightly +judged there were more of those desirable beings in +the crowd behind that tall, contemptuous chief. Those +on the ground scrambled eagerly to their feet, and with +shrill, bestial yells the whole horde charged up the slope.</p> +<p>As the leaping and hideous forms approached the +top the pent-up fury of the Hillmen, in spite of all +the Chief could do, broke loose, and with a roar the +foremost ranks bounded forth to meet them. At the +first crash of contact the enemy were crushed back, the +stone-headed clubs and flint-tipped spears working +havoc in the reeking masses. But, as the Chief had +foreseen it would be, that forward rush was a mistake, +exposing the flanks; and sheer weight of numbers +presently forced the Hillmen back till their front was +once more level with the jaws of the pass. Here, +however, with their flanks protected, they were solid +as a wall of granite.</p> +<p>Upon this narrow wall the yelling wave of the +attack surged and recoiled, and surged again, and made +no impression. The clumsy weapons of the enemy +were no match for the pounding swing of the stone +clubs, the long, lightning thrust of the flint-headed +spears. But the Bow-legs, their little pig-eyes red +with lust for their prey, fought with a sort of frenzy, +diving in headlong and clutching at the legs of the +Hillmen with their ape-like, sinewy arms, dragging them +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48' name='page_48'></a>48</span> +down and tearing then with crooked, clawlike fingers.</p> +<p>Many of the Hillmen, and some women died in this +way. But no woman was dragged away alive; for +if this fate threatened her, and rescue was impossible, +she was instantly speared from her own ranks to save +her from a fate which would have dishonored the +tribe. And the women indeed, in this battle were no +less formidable than the men themselves, for they +fought with the swift venom of the she-wolf, the +cunning fury of the mad heifer, intuitive and implacable. +Their instincts of motherhood, the safeguard +of the future, made them loathe with a blind, unspeakable +hate these filthy and bestial males who threatened +to father their children.</p> +<p>The center of the Hillmen’s front was securely held +by the great Chief, whose massive club, wielded with +the art acquired in many battles, kept a space cleared +before him across which no foe could pass alive. +As his followers went down on either side, others from +the ranks behind stepped eagerly into the gaps. At +the extreme left, where the walls of the pass, lower +and less abrupt than on the right, invited an attack +as fierce as that upon the center, the defense was led +by a warrior named Grôm, who seemed no less redoubtable +than the Chief himself. He, too, like the +Chief, fought in grim silence, saving his breath, except +for an occasional incisive cry of command or encouragement +to those about him. And his club also, +like that of the Chief, kept a zone of death before him.</p> +<p>But his club was much smaller than that shattering +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49' name='page_49'></a>49</span> +mace of porphyry wielded by the Chief––smaller +and lighter, considerably longer in the handle and +quite of another pattern. The head was of flint, a +sort of ragged cone set sideways into the handle, so +that one end of the head was like a sledge-hammer +and the other like a pick. Grasping this neat weapon +nearly half-way up the handle, he made miraculous +play with it, now smashing with the hammer front, +now tapping with the pick, now suddenly swinging +it out to the full length of the long handle to reach +and drop an elusive adversary. The weapon was +both club and spear to him; and to guard against any +possibility of its being wrenched from him in the +mêlée, he held it secured to his wrist by a thong of +hide.</p> +<p>This warrior, though his renown in the tribe, both +as hunter and fighter, was second only to that of the +great Chief himself, had never aroused the Chief’s +jealousy. This for several reasons. He had always +loyally supported the Chief’s authority, instead of +scheming to undermine it, and his influence had always +made for tribal discipline. He was not so tall as the +Chief, by perhaps half a handbreadth, and for all his +huge muscles of arm and breast he was altogether of a +slimmer build; wherefore the Chief, while vastly respecting +his counsels, was not suspicious of his rivalry. +Moreover, up to the time of the invasion of the wolves, +he had always dwelt in a remote cave, quite on the +outskirts of the tribe, constituting himself a frontier +defense, as it were, and avoiding all the tribal gossip. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50' name='page_50'></a>50</span> +Slightly younger than the Chief, and with few gray +streaks as yet in the dense, ruddy-brown masses of his +hair and beard, his face nevertheless looked older, by +reason of its deeper lines and the considering gravity +of the eyes.</p> +<p>In his remote cave Grôm had had the companionship +of his family, consisting of his old mother, his +two wives, and his four children––three sons and a +daughter. It was while he was absent on a hunting +expedition that the wolves had come. They had surprised +the little, isolated family, and after a terrible +struggle wiped it out.</p> +<p>Conspicuous among the fighters at Grôm’s back was +a young girl, tall, with a fair skin and masses of +long, very dark hair. Armed with a spear, she fought +savagely, but at the same time managed to keep an +eye on all the warrior’s movements.</p> +<p>Suddenly from the rocks above came a shrill cry. +To Grôm’s ears it seemed like the voice of one of his +dead children. At the end of a long stroke, when his +arms and the club were outstretched full length, he +glanced upwards in spite of himself. Instantly the +club was clutched by furious hands. He was pulled +forward. At the same time one of the enemy, ducking +under his arms, plunged between his legs. And he +came down upon his face.</p> +<p>With a piercing scream, the tall girl bounded forth +and stood across him; and her spear stabbed his nearest +assailant straight through the flat and grinning face. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51' name='page_51'></a>51</span> +So lightning swift was the rage of her attack that for +one vital moment it held the whole horde at bay. Then +the Hillmen swarmed forward irresistibly, battered +down the foremost of the foe, and dragged the fallen +warrior back behind the lines to recover. In half a +minute he was once more at the front, fighting with renewed +fury, his head and back and shoulders covered +with blood. And close behind him stood the girl, +breathless, clutching at her heart and staring at him +with wide eyes, unaware that the blood which covered +him was not his but her own.</p> +<p>Although to the invaders, their every charge broken +and hurled back with terrific slaughter, it must have +seemed that their tall opponents had all the best of +the battle, to the wise old men and women up among +the rocks it was clear that their warriors were being +rapidly worn away as a bank is eaten by the waves. +But now from a high ledge on the right, where the +wall of the pass was a sheer perpendicular, came two +shrill whistles. It was a signal which the Chief, now +bleeding from many wounds, had been waiting for. +He roared a command, and his ranks, after one surge +forward to recover their wounded, gave back sullenly +till their front was more than half-way down the pass. +With yells of triumph the Bow-legs followed, trampling +their dead and wounded, till the bottle-neck was +packed so tightly that there was no room to move.</p> +<p>From the left wall a ceaseless shower of stones +came down upon their heads; but from the right, for +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52' name='page_52'></a>52</span> +a few moments, only a rain of pebbles and dust, which +blinded them and choked their hideous, upturned +nostrils.</p> +<p>Above that dust a band of graybeards heaved upon +a lever. They grunted and strained, with eyes staring +and the sweat jumping forth on their foreheads. Then +something gave. A great slice of the rock-face began +to slip. Some of the toilers scrambled back to safety, +their long, white hair flying behind them. But others, +unable to recover themselves in time, fell sprawling +forward. Then with a thunderous growl a huge slab +of rock and earth and débris crashed down upon the +packed hordes in the neck of the pass. A long shout +of triumph went up from the Hillmen. The outer +ranks of the invaders stood for a second or two +petrified with horror. Then they turned and fled, +screaming, down the slope. On their heels the Hillmen +pursued, slaughtering, till the brook-bed was +choked with the dead. Of that filthy horde hardly +a score escaped, and these fled back, gibbering, to meet +the migrant hosts of their kin who were following on +their trail. The story they told was of a tribe of tall, +fair-skinned demons, invincible in war, who tore up +mountains to hurl them on their adversaries. And +thereafter, for a time, the Bow-legged hosts changed +the path of their migration, sweeping far to the southward +to avoid the land of the Little Hills.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>A white, high-sailing moon streamed down into +the amphitheater, where the scarred remnant of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53' name='page_53'></a>53</span> +tribe of the Little Hills, squatting before their cave-mouths, +took counsel. Their dead had all been reverently +buried, under heaps of stones, on the bare +and wind-swept shoulder of the downs. Outside the +pass the giant jackals, cave-hyenas and other +scavengers of the night, howled and scuffled over the +carcasses of the slain invaders.</p> +<p>Endless and tumultuous was the talk, the white-haired, +bent old men and the women who had borne +children being listened to as attentively as the warriors. +The Chief, sitting on a rock which raised him above +the rest, spoke only a word now and then, but gave +ear to all, glancing from speaker to speaker with narrowed +eyes, weighing all suggestions. On the outskirts +of the circle stood Grôm, leaning on his club, +staring at the moon, apparently lost in dreams.</p> +<p>Suddenly the Chief uttered a sharp word, and the +tribe fell silent. He rose, yet stiff from his wounds, +and, towering masterfully over the council announced +his decision.</p> +<p>“I have heard much foolishness,” said he, “but also +some wisdom. And the greatest wisdom has come +from the lips of my father yonder, Alp the old.” He +pointed to a decrepit figure, whose bowed head was +hidden under a mass of white hair. “My father’s +eyes are blind with age,” he continued, “but behind +their darkness they see many things that we cannot see. +They have seen that all these disasters which have +lately come upon us have come out of the east. They +see that there must be a reason. They see that other +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54' name='page_54'></a>54</span> +terrible dangers must also be coming out of the east, +and that we People of the Little Hills lie in their +path. How many more can we withstand, and live? +Not one more. Therefore, I say we will leave this +place, this home of our fathers, and we will go toward +the setting sun, and find a new home far from our +enemies till we can grow strong again. I have said +it.”</p> +<p>As he sat down there was a low murmur, many +thinking he was right; while others, not daring to +dissent quite openly, yet were angry and afraid at the +idea of leaving their familiar dwellings. But Grôm, +who had turned on his club and listened to the Chief +with shining eyes, now stepped forward into the circle +and spoke.</p> +<p>“Bawr is our Chief,” said he, in a clear, calm voice; +“not only because he is our mightiest in war, but because +he is also our wisest in counsel. When do we +go?”</p> +<p>The Chief thought for a moment. For the murmurs +of the dissidents he cared nothing, having made up +his mind. But he was glad of Grôm’s support.</p> +<p>“Two moons hence,” he answered presently. “Our +wounded must be healed, for we must be strong on +the journey. And as we go far, and know not where +we go, we must gather much food to carry with us. +When the moon is twice again full, we leave these caves +and the Land of the Little Hills.”</p> +<p>“Then,” said Grôm, “if Bawr will allow me, I will +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55' name='page_55'></a>55</span> +go and find a place for us, and come again quickly +and lead the tribe thither by the shortest way.”</p> +<p>“It is good!” said Bawr, quick to see what dangerous +wanderings might be spared to the tribe by this +plan. “When will you go?”</p> +<p>“In to-morrow’s morning-red,” answered Grôm.</p> +<p>At Grôm’s words, the young girl, A-ya, who had +been watching the warrior where he stood aloof, sprang +to her feet in sharp agitation and clutched her dark +hair to her bosom in two great handfuls. At this a +huge youth, who had been squatting as close as possible +to the girl, and eyeing her averted face greedily, jumped +up with a jealous scowl.</p> +<p>“Grôm is a traitor!” he cried. “He deserts us in +our need. Let him not go, Chief!”</p> +<p>A growl of protest went up from his hearers. The +girl faced round upon him with blazing eyes. Grôm +gave him an indifferent glance, and turned away, half +smiling. The Chief struck the rock with his club, +and said coldly:</p> +<p>“Mawg is young, and his words are foolish. Grôm +is a true man. He shall do as he will.”</p> +<p>The youth’s heavy features worked angrily for a +moment as he sought words for a further attack. +Then his face smoothed into a grin as he remembered +that from so perilous a venture it was most unlikely +his rival would ever return. He gave a crafty side-glance +at the girl, and sat down again, while she turned +her back upon him. At a sign from the Chief the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56' name='page_56'></a>56</span> +council broke up, and all slipped off, chattering, into +their caves.</p> +<hr class='tb' /> +<p>As the first pink light crept up the sky, Grôm set +forth on his mysterious venture. It was just such a +venture as his sanguine and inquiring spirit, avid of +the unknown, had always dreamed of. But never +before had he had such an object before him as seemed +to justify the long risk. There was all a boy’s eagerness +in his deep eyes, under their shaggy brows, as +he slipped noiselessly out of the bottle-neck, picked +his way lightly over the well-gnawed bones of the +slain invaders, turned his back on the sunrise, and took +his course up the edge of the stream. The weapons +he carried were his war-club, two light, flint-headed +hunting-spears and a flint knife hung from his wolf-skin +girdle.</p> +<p>All that day, till mid-afternoon, he journeyed +swiftly, straight ahead, taking no precaution save to +keep always a vigilant watch and to avoid dark coverts +whence tiger or leopard might spring upon him. +He was in a region which he had often hunted over, +and where he felt at home. He traveled very swiftly, +at a long, noiseless lope; and when he wished to rest +he climbed into a tree for security.</p> +<p>Several times during the day he had had a sensation +of being followed; and, turning quickly, he had +run back, in the hope of detecting his pursuer. But +when he found no one, he concluded that it was +merely one of the ghosts the tribe so feared, but +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57' name='page_57'></a>57</span> +whom he himself rather held in contempt as futile.</p> +<p>Long before noon he had forsaken the brook, because +its course had ceased to lead him westward. In +the afternoon he reached a river which marked the +limit of his former explorations. It was a wide, swift +water, but too shallow and turbulent for swimming, +and he forded it with some difficulty. Once across, +he went with more caution, oppressed with a sense of +strangeness, although the landscape as yet was in no +way greatly changed.</p> +<p>As the sun got low, Grôm cast about for a safe tree +in whose top to pass the perilous hours of dark. As +he stared around him a cry of fear came from the +bunch of woods which he had just quitted. The voice +was a woman’s. He ran back. The next second the +trees parted, and a girl came rushing towards him, her +dark hair streaming behind her. Close after her came +three huge cave-wolves.</p> +<p>Grôm shouted, and hurled a spear. It struck one +of the wolves full in the chest, splitting the heart. At +this the other two halted irresolutely. But as Grôm’s +tall figure came bounding down upon them, their indecision +vanished. They wheeled about, and ran off +into the thickets. The girl came forward timorously, +and knelt at Grôm’s feet.</p> +<p>At first with wonder and some annoyance, the +warrior looked down upon her. Then recognition +came into his eyes. He saw the tip of a deep wound +on her shoulder, and knew that it ran, livid and angry, +half-way down her bosom. It was the young girl +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58' name='page_58'></a>58</span> +A-ya. His eyes softened, for he had heard how it was +she who had saved him in the battle, fighting so furiously +over him when he was down––she in whose blood +he had found his shoulders bathed. Yet up to that time +he had never noticed her, his mind being full of other +matters than women. Now he looked at her and +wondered. He was sorely afraid of being hampered +in his great enterprise, but he asked her gently why +she had followed him.</p> +<p>“I was afraid for you,” she answered, without +looking up. “You go to such great dangers. I could +not stay with the tribe, and wait.”</p> +<p>“You think I need help?” he asked, with a self-confident +look in his eyes.</p> +<p>“You did need me in the battle!” answered the girl +proudly.</p> +<p>“True!” said Grôm. “But for you I should now +have been sleeping under the stones and the wind.”</p> +<p>He looked at her with a feeling that surprised himself, +a kind of thrilling tenderness, such as he had +never felt toward a woman before. His wives had +been good wives and dutiful, and he had been content +with them. But it occurred to him that neither of +them would ever have thought to come with him on +this expedition.</p> +<p>“I could not stay without you,” said the girl again. +“Also, I was afraid of Mawg,” she added cunningly.</p> +<p>A wave of jealous wrath surged through Grôm’s +veins.</p> +<p>“If Mawg had troubled you, I would have killed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59' name='page_59'></a>59</span> +him!” said he fiercely. And, snatching the girl to +her feet, he crushed her for a moment vehemently to +his great breast.</p> +<p>“But why,” he went on, “did you follow me so +secretly all day?”</p> +<p>“I was afraid you would be angry, and send me +back,” she answered, with a sigh of content.</p> +<p>“I could not have sent you back,” said Grôm, his +indifference quite forgotten. “But come, we must find +a place for the night.”</p> +<p>And hand in hand they ran to a great tree which +Grôm had already marked for his retreat. As they +climbed to the upper branches, dusk fell quickly about +them, some great beast roared thunderously from the +depths of the forest, and from a near-by jungle came +sudden crashings of the undergrowth.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>III</p> +<p>For three weeks Grôm and the girl pressed on +eagerly, swinging north to avoid a vast lake, whose +rank and marshy shores were trodden by monsters such +as they had never before set eyes upon. Of nights, +no matter how high or how well hidden their tree-top +refuge might be, they found it necessary to keep vigil +turn and turn about, so numerous and so enterprising +were the enemies who sought to investigate the strange +human trail.</p> +<p>Had Grôm been alone he would soon have been worn +out for want of sleep. The girl, however, her eyes +ever bright with happiness, seemed utterly untiring, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60' name='page_60'></a>60</span> +Grôm watched her with daily growing delight. He had +never heard or dreamed of a man regarding a woman +as he regarded the lithe, fierce creature who ran beside +him. But he had never been afraid of new things or +new ideas, and he was not ashamed of this sweet ache +of tenderness at his astonished heart.</p> +<p>Beyond the lake and the morasses they came to a +strange, broken land, a land of fertile valleys, deep-verdured +and teeming with life, but sown with abrupt, +conelike, naked hills. Along the near horizon ran a +chain of those sharp, low summits, irregularly jagged +against the pale blue. From several of the summits +rose streamers of murky vapor; and one of these, +darker and more abundant than the others, spread +abroad at the top on the windless air till it took the +shape of a colossal pine-tree. To the girl the sight +was portentous. It filled her with apprehension, and +she would have liked to avoid this unfamiliar-looking +region. But, seeing that Grôm was filled with interest +at the novel phenomena before them, she thrust aside +her fears and assumed a like eagerness on the subject.</p> +<p>In the heat of the day they came to a pair of trees, +lofty and spreading, which stood a little apart from +the rest of the forest growth, in a stretch of open +meadows. An ice-cold rivulet babbled past their roots. +It was time for the noonday rest, and these trees seemed +to offer a safe retreat. The girl drank, splashed herself +with the delicious coolness, flung back her dripping +hair, then swung herself up lightly into the +branches. Grôm lingered a few moments below, letting +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61' name='page_61'></a>61</span> +the water trickle down and over his great muscles +by handfuls. Then he threw himself down upon his +face and drank deep.</p> +<p>While he was in this helpless position––his sleepless +vigilance for the moment at fault––from behind +a near-by thicket rushed a gigantic, shaggy grey form, +and hurled itself at him ponderously but with awful +swiftness, like a grey bowlder dashing down a hillside. +The girl, from her perch in the lower branches, +gave a shriek of warning. Grôm bounded to his feet, +and darted for the tree. But the monster––a gray +bear, of a bulk beyond that of the hugest grizzly––was +almost upon him, and would have seized him +before he could climb out of reach. A spear hurtled +close past his head. It grazed, and laid open, the side +of the beast’s snout, and sank deep into its shoulder. +With a roar, the beast halted to claw it forth. And in +that moment Grôm swung himself up into the branches, +dropping both his spears as he did so.</p> +<p>The bear, mad with pain and fury, reared himself +against the trunk and began to draw himself up. +Grôm struck at him with his club, but from his difficult +position could put no force into his blow +and the bear hardly seemed to notice it.</p> +<p>“We must lead him up, then drop down and run,” +said Grôm. And the two mounted nimbly.</p> +<p>The bear followed, till the branches began to yield +too perilously beneath his weight. Then Grôm and +the girl slipped over into the next tree. As they did so +another bear even huger than the first, and apparently +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62' name='page_62'></a>62</span> +her mate, appeared below, glanced up with shrewd, implacable +eyes, and proceeded to climb the second tree.</p> +<p>Grôm looked at the girl with piercing anxiety such +as he had never known before.</p> +<p>“Can you run, very fast?” he demanded.</p> +<p>The girl laughed, her terror almost forgotten in +her pride at having once more saved him.</p> +<p>“I ran from the wolves,” she reminded him.</p> +<p>“Then we must run, perhaps very far,” answered +Grôm, reassured, “till we find some place of steep rocks +where we can fight with some hope. For these beasts +are obstinate, and will never give up from pursuing us. +And, unlike the red cave-bears they seem to know how +to climb trees.”</p> +<p>When both bears were high in the two trees, Grôm +and the girl slipped down by the bending tips of the +branches, almost as swiftly as falling. They snatched +up Grôm’s two spears and A-ya’s broken one, and ran, +down along the brook toward the line of the smoking +hills. The bears, descending more slowly, came after +them at a terrific, ponderous gallop.</p> +<p>The girl ran, as she had said, well––so well that +Grôm who was famous in the tribe for his running, +did not have greatly to slacken his pace in her favor. +Finding that, at first, they gained slightly on their pursuers, +Grôm bade her slow down a little till they did +no more than hold their own. Fearing lest she should +exhaust herself, he ran always a pace behind her, +admonishing her how to save her strength and her +breath, and ever warily casting his eyes about for a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63' name='page_63'></a>63</span> +possible refuge. Warily, too, he chose the smoothest +ways, sparing her feet. For he knew that if she gave +out and fell he would stop and fight his last fight over +her body.</p> +<p>For an hour or more the girl ran easily. Then she +began to show signs of distress. Her face grew ashen, +the breath came harshly from her open lips, and once +or twice she stumbled. With the first pang of fear +at his heart, Grôm closed up beside her, made her lean +heavily on his rigid forearm, and cheered her with +words of praise. He pointed to a spur of broken +mountains now close ahead, with a narrow valley cleaving +them midway.</p> +<p>“There will be ledges,” he said, “where we can defend +ourselves, and where you can rest.”</p> +<p>Skirting a bit of jungle, so dense with massive cane +and thorned creepers that nothing could penetrate it, +they came suddenly upon a space of barren gray plain, +and saw, straight ahead, the opening of the valley. It +was not more than a couple of furlongs distant. And +its walls, partly clothed with shrubbery, partly naked, +were so seamed and cleft and creviced that they appeared +to promise many convenient retreats. But +across the mouth of the valley extended an appalling +barrier. From an irregular fissure in the parched +earth, running on a slant from one wall to the other, +came tongues of red flame, waving upwards to a height +of several feet, sinking back, rising again, and bowing +as if in some enchanted dance.</p> +<p>Grôm’s heart stood still in awe and amazement, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64' name='page_64'></a>64</span> +and for a second he paused. The girl shut her eyes +in unspeakable terror, and her knees gave way beneath +her. As she sank, Grôm’s spirit rose to the emergency. +The bears were now almost upon them. He jerked +the girl violently to her feet, and spoke to her in a +voice that brought her back to herself. Dragging her +by the wrist, he ran on straight for the barrier. The +girl, obedient to his order, shrank close to his side +and ran on bravely, keeping her eyes upon the ground.</p> +<p>“If they are gods, those bright, dancing things,” +said Grôm, with a confidence he was far from feeling, +“they will save us. If they are devils, I will +fight them.”</p> +<p>A little to the right appeared a gap in the leaping +barrier, an opening some fifty feet across. Grôm made +for the center of this opening. The fissure here was +not more than three feet in width. The runners took +it in their stride. But a fierce heat struck up from it. +It filled the girl with such horror that her senses failed +her utterly. She ran on blindly a dozen paces more, +then reeled and fell in a swoon. Before her body +touched the ground, Grôm had swung her up into his +arms, but as he did so he looked back.</p> +<p>The bears were no longer pursuing. A spear’s-throw +back they had stopped, growling and whining, +and swaying their mountainous forms from side to +side in angry irresolution.</p> +<p>“They fear the bright, dancing things,” said Grôm +to himself; and added, with a throb of exultation, +“which I do not fear.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65' name='page_65'></a>65</span></p> +<p>Noticing for the first time in his excitement that +the ground, here parched and bare, was uncomfortably +hot beneath his feet, he carried his burden a few rods +further on, to where the green began again, and laid +her down on the thick herbage. Then he turned to +see what the bears were going to do.</p> +<p>Seeing that their intended prey made no further +effort to flee, the two monsters grew still more excited. +For a moment Grôm thought they would dare the +passage of the barrier, but he was reassured to see +that the flames filled them with an insuperable fear. +They dared not come nearer than the thin edges of +the verdure. At last, as if the same notion had struck +them both at once, they whirled about simultaneously, +made off among the dense thickets to the right, and +disappeared.</p> +<p>Grôm knew far too well the obstinate vindictiveness +of their kind to think that they had given +up the chase; but, feeling safe for the present, and +seeing that the girl, recovered from her swoon, was +sitting up and staring with awed eyes at the line of +fire, he turned all his attention to these mysterious, +shining, leaping shapes to which they owed their escape.</p> +<p>With an attitude of deference, yet carrying both club +and spear in readiness, he slowly approached the +barrier, at the point where the flames were lowest and +least imposing. Their heat made him very uneasy, +but under the eyes of the girl he would show no sign +of fear. At a distance of six or eight feet he stopped, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66' name='page_66'></a>66</span> +studying the thin, upcurling tongues of brightness. +Their heat, at this distance, was uncomfortable to his +naked flesh, but as he stood there wondering and took +no further hurt, his confidence grew. At length he +dared to stretch out his spear-tip and touch the flames, +very respectfully. The green-hide thongs which bound +the flint to the wood smoked, shriveled and hissed. +He withdrew the weapon in alarm, and examined the +tip. It was blackened, and hot to the touch. But, +seeing that the bright dancers had taken no notice, he +repeated the experiment. Several times he repeated +it, deeply pondering, while the girl, from her place +at the edge of the grass, stared with the wide eyes of +a child.</p> +<p>At last, though the green thongs still held, the dry +wood burst into flame. Startled to find that when he +drew the point back he brought a portion of the shining +creature with it, Grôm dashed the weapon down upon +the ground. The flame, insufficiently started, flickered +and died. But it left a spark, winking redly on the +blackened wood. Audacious in his consuming curiosity, +Grôm touched it with his finger. It stung smartly, +and Grôm snatched back his finger with an exclamation +of alarm. But by that touch the spark itself was +extinguished. That was an amazing thing. Sucking +his finger, Grôm stood gazing down at the spear-tip, +which had but now been so bright, and was now so +black. Plainly, it was a victory for him. He did +not understand it. But at least the Mysterious Ones +were not invincible, however much the bears feared +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67' name='page_67'></a>67</span> +them. Well, he did not fear them, he said proudly in +his heart. Aloud he said to A-ya:</p> +<p>“The Shining Dancers are our friends, but they do +not like to be touched. If you touch them, they bite.”</p> +<p>His heart swelled with a vast, unformulated hope. +Ideas, possibilities which he could not yet grasp, seethed +in his brain. Dimly, but overpoweringly, he realized +that he had passed the threshold of a new world. He +picked up the spear and turned to renew his experiments.</p> +<p>This time he let the fire take well hold upon the +spear-tip before he withdrew it. Then he held it upright, +burning like a torch. As he gazed at it raptly +a scream from the girl aroused him. She had sprung +to her feet and stood staring behind her, not knowing +which way to run because of her fear of the fire. +And there, not twenty paces from her, their giant grey +bulks half emerging from the thicket, stood the bears, +slavering in their fury but afraid to come nearer the +flame.</p> +<p>With a shout, Grôm darted at them, and the wind +of his going fanned his spear-point to a fierce blaze. +The girl screamed again at the sight, but bravely stood +her ground. The bears shrank, growled, then turned +and fled. With a dozen leaps Grôm was upon them. +The flame was already licking up the spear-shaft almost +to his grip. With all his force he threw, and the flint +tip buried itself in the nearest monster’s haunch. The +long fur blazed, and, in a frenzy of terror, the great +beasts went crashing off through the coverts. The fire +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68' name='page_68'></a>68</span> +was speedily whipped out by the branches, but their +panic was uncontrollable; and long after they had +passed out of sight the sounds of their wild flight could +be followed. Grôm’s heart came near bursting with exultation, +but he disdained to show it. He turned to +the girl, and said quietly: “They will not come back.” +And the girl threw herself at his feet in adoration.</p> +<p>And now for hours Grôm sat motionless, pondering, +pondering, and watching the line of flames with deep +eyes. The girl did not dare to interrupt his thoughts. +With the going of the sun came a chill breeze drawing +down from the ridges. Grôm rose, led the girl nearer +the flames, and reseated himself. As the girl realized +the kindly and comforting warmth her fears diminished. +She laughed softly, turned her shapely body round and +round in the glow, and then curled herself up like a cat +at Grôm’s knees.</p> +<p>At last Grôm arose once more. Picking up his remaining +spear, he approached the fire with decision, +and thrust the butt, instead of the tip, into the flame. +When it was well alight, he thrust it down upon a tuft +of withered grass. The stuff caught at once, blazed +up and died out. Then Grôm rolled the burning spear-butt +on the earth till it, too, was quite extinguished. +The sparks still winking in the grass he struck with +his palm. They stung him, but they perished. He +drew himself up to his full height, turned to the girl +and stretched out his blackened hand. The girl sprang +to her feet, thrilled and wondering.</p> +<p>“See,” said Grôm, “I have made the bright Dancing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69' name='page_69'></a>69</span> +Ones my servants. The tribe shall come here. And +we shall be the masters of all things.”</p> +<p>Once more the girl threw herself at his feet. He +seemed to her a god. But remembering how she had +twice saved his life, she laid her cheek against his knee. +He lifted her into the hollow of his great arm, and she +leaned against him, gazing up into his face, while he +stood staring into the fire, his eyes clouded with visions.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70' name='page_70'></a>70</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV_THE_CHILDREN_OF_THE_SHINING_ONE' id='CHAPTER_IV_THE_CHILDREN_OF_THE_SHINING_ONE'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<h3>THE CHILDREN OF THE SHINING ONE</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>From the lip of the narrow volcanic fissure, which +ran diagonally two-thirds of the way across the +mouth of the valley, the line of fire waved and flickered +against the gathering dark. Sometimes only a few +inches high, sometimes sinking suddenly out of sight, +and then again as suddenly leaping up to a height of +five or six feet, the thin, gaseous flames danced elvishly. +Now clear yellow, now fiery orange, now of an almost +invisible violet, they shifted, and bowed their crests, +and thrust out shooting tongues, till Grôm, sitting on +his haunches and staring with fascinated eyes, had no +choice but to believe that they were live things like +himself. The girl, curled up at his side like a cat, +paid little attention to the marvel of the flames. Her +big, dark eyes, wild and furtive under the dark, tangled +masses of her hair, kept wandering back and forth +between the man’s brooding face and the obscure black +thickets which filled the valley behind him. The dancing +flames she did not understand, but she understood +the ponderous crashing, and growls, and savage cries +which came from those black thickets and slopes of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71' name='page_71'></a>71</span> +tumbled rocks. The man being absorbed in watching +the wonders of the flames, and apparently all-forgetful +of the perils prowling back there in the dark, it was +plainly her duty to keep watch.</p> +<p>From time to time Grôm would drag his eyes away +from their contemplation of the flames to study intently +the charred spots on his club and the burned, +blackened end of his spear. He looked down at the +lithe figure of the watching girl, and laid a great, +hairy hand on her shoulder in a musing caress, as if +appraising her, and delighting in her, and finding in +her a mate altogether to his desire, although but a +child to his inmost thoughts. But those sounds of +menace from the darkness behind him he affected not +to hear at all. He could see from the girl’s eyes that +the menace was not yet close at hand; and since he had +learned the power of the fire, and his own mastery +over that power, he felt himself suddenly little less +than a god. The fire was surely something of a god; +and if he had any measure of control over the fire, so +as to make it serve him surely, then still more of the +god was there in his own intelligence. His heart +swelled with a pride such as he had never before conceived, +and his brain seethed with vague but splendid +possibilities. Never before had he, though at heart +the bravest of his brave clan, been able to listen to the +terrible voices of the cave-bear, the cave-hyena, or the +saber-tooth without fear, without the knowledge that +his own safety lay in flight. Now he feared them not +at all. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72' name='page_72'></a>72</span></p> +<p>A louder roaring came out of the shadows, +closer than before, and he saw A-ya’s eyes dilate as +she clutched at his knee. A slow smile spread across +his bony face, and he turned about, rising to his feet +as he did so, and lifting the girl with him.</p> +<p>With a new, strange warmth at his heart he realized +how fully the girl trusted him, how cool and steady +was her courage. For there, along the edge of the +lighted space, glaring forth from the fringes of the +thickets, were the monstrous beasts whom man had +most cause to dread. Nearest, his whole tawny length +emerging from the brush, crouched a giant saber-tooth +with the daggers of his tusks, ten inches long, +agleam in the light of the dancing flames. He was not +more than thirty or forty paces distant, and his tail +twitched heavily from side to side as if he were trying +to nerve himself up to a closer approach to the fire. +Some twenty paces further along the fringe of mingled +light and shadow, their bodies thrust half way forth +from the undergrowth, stood a pair of huge, ruddy +cave-bears, their monstrous heads held low and swaying +surlily from side to side as they eyed the prey which +they dared not rush in and seize. The man-animal +they had hitherto regarded as easy prey, and they +were filled with rage at the temerity of these two +humans in remaining so near the dreaded flames. Intent +upon them, they paid no heed to their great enemy, +the saber-toothed, with whom they were at endless +and deadly feud. Away off to the left, quite clear of +the woods, but safely remote from the fire, a pack of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73' name='page_73'></a>73</span> +huge cave-hyenas sat up on their haunches, their long, +red tongues hanging out. With jaws powerful enough +to crack the thigh-bones of the urus, they nevertheless +hesitated to obtrude themselves on the notice either +of the crouching saber-tooth or of the two giant bears.</p> +<p>With neither the bears nor the great hyenas did +Grôm anticipate any trouble. But he felt it barely +possible that the saber-tooth might dare a rush in. +Snatching up a dry branch, and leading the girl with +him by the wrist, he backed slowly nearer the flames. +Terrified at their dancing and the scorching of their +breath, the girl sank down on her naked knees and +covered her face with her hair. Smiling at her terror, +Grôm thrust the branch into the flames. When it was +all ablaze he raised it above his head, and, carrying his +spear in his right hand, he rushed at the saber-tooth. +For a few seconds the monster faced his approach, +but Grôm saw the shrinking in his furious eyes, and +came on fearlessly. At last the beast whipped about +with a screeching snarl, and raced back into the woods. +Then Grôm turned to the bears, but they had not stayed +to receive his attentions. The sight of the flames +bursting, as it seemed, from the man’s shaggy head as +he ran, was too much for them, and they had slunk +back discreetly into the shadows.</p> +<p>Grôm threw the blazing stick on the ground, laid +several more branches upon it, and presently had a +fine fire of his own going. He seized a small branch +and hurled it at the hyenas, sending them off with their +tails between their legs to their hiding-places on the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74' name='page_74'></a>74</span> +ragged slopes. Then he fed his fire with more dry +wood till the fierce heat of it drove him back. Returning +to the side of the wondering girl, he sat down, +and contemplated his handiwork with swelling pride. +When the flames died down he piled on more branches +till they blazed again to the height of the nearest tree-tops. +This he repeated, thoughtfully, several times, +till he had assured himself of his power to make this +bright, devouring god great or little at his pleasure.</p> +<p>This stupendous fact established clearly, Grôm +brought an armful of grass and foliage, and made +the girl take her sleep. He himself continued for an +hour or two his experiments with the fire, building +small ones in a circle about him, discovering that green +branches would not burn well, and brooding with knit +brows over each new center of light and heat which +he created.</p> +<p>Then, seated on his haunches beside the sleeping +A-ya, he pondered on the future of his tribe, on the +change in its fortunes which this mysterious new creature +was bound to bring about. At last, when the +night was half worn through, he awakened the girl, +bade her keep sharp watch, and threw himself down to +sleep, indifferent to the roars, and snarls, and dreadful +cries which came from the darkness of the upper +valley.</p> +<p>The valley looked straight into the east. When +the sun rose, its unclouded, level rays paled the dancing +barrier of flames almost to invisibility. Refreshed +by their few hours’ sleep in the vital warmth, Grôm +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75' name='page_75'></a>75</span> +and the girl stood erect in the flooding light and scanned +the strange landscape. Grôm’s sagacious eyes noted +the fertility of the level lands at a distance from the +fire, and of the clefts, ledges and lower slopes of the +tumbled volcanic hills. Here and there he made out +the openings of caves, half overgrown with vines and +bush. And he was satisfied that this was the land for +his tribe to occupy.</p> +<p>That it was infested with all those monstrous beasts +which were Man’s deadliest foes seemed to him no +longer a fact worth considering. The bright god +which he had conquered should be made to conquer +them. Some inkling of his purposes he confided to the +girl, who stood looking up at him with eyes of dog-like +devotion from under the matted splendor of her hair. +If he was still the man she loved, her mate and lover, +yet was he also now a sort of demi-god, since she +had seen him play at his ease with the flames, and +drive the hyena, the saber-tooth and the terrible red +bear before him.</p> +<p>When the two started on their journey back to the +Country of the Little Hills, Grôm carried with him a +bundle of blazing brands. He had conceived the idea +of keeping the bright god alive by feeding him continually +as they went, and of renewing his might from +time to time by stopping to build a big fire.</p> +<p>The undertaking proved a troublesome one from the +first. The brand kept the great beasts at a distance, +time and again the red coals almost died out, and +Grôm had anxious and laborious moments nursing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76' name='page_76'></a>76</span> +them again into activity; and the care of the mysterious +things made progress slow. Grôm learned much, +and rapidly, in these anxious efforts. He discovered +once, just at a critical moment, the remarkable efficacy +of dry grass. A bear as big as an ox came rushing +upon them, just when the flames were flickering out +along the bundle of brands. A-ya started to run, +but Grôm’s nerve was of steel.</p> +<p>Ordering her to stop, he flung the brands to the +ground, and snatched a double handful of grass to +feed the dying flame. Luckily, the grass was dry. +It flared up on the sudden. The bear stopped short. +Grôm piled on more grass, shouted arrogantly, and +rushed at the beast with a blazing handful. It was a +light and harmless flame, almost instantly extinguished. +But it was too mysterious for the monster to face.</p> +<p>Grôm was wise enough not to follow up his victory. +Returning to the fire he fed it to a safe volume. And +the girl, flinging herself down in a passion of relief +and adoration, embraced his knees.</p> +<p>After this they journeyed slowly, Grôm tending +the brands with vigilant care, and striving to break +down the girl’s terror of them. That night he built +three fires about the base of a huge tree, gathered a +supply of dry wood, taught the girl to feed the flames––which +she did with head bowed in awe––and passed +the hours of darkness, once so dreaded, in proud defiance +of the great beasts which prowled and roared +beyond the circle of light. He made the girl sleep, +but he himself was too prudent to sleep, lest these fires +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77' name='page_77'></a>77</span> +of his own creation should prove false when his eye +was not upon them.</p> +<p>The following day, about midday, when he slept +heavily in the heat, the fire went out. It had got low, +and the girl, attempting to revive it, had smothered it +with too much fuel. In an agony of fear and remorse, +she knelt at Grôm’s side, awakened him, and showed +him what she had done. She expected a merciless +beating, according to the rough-and-ready customs of +her tribe. But Grôm had always been held a little +peculiar, especially in his aversion to the beating of +women, so that certain females of the tribe had even +been known to question his manhood on that account.</p> +<p>Furthermore, he regarded the girl with a tenderness, +an admiration, an appreciation, which he could not +but wonder at in himself, seeing that he had never +heard of it as a customary thing that a man should +regard a woman in any such manner. At the same +time he was in a state of exaltation over his strange +achievements, and hardly open, at the moment, to any +common or base brutality of rage.</p> +<p>He gave the girl one terrible look, then went and +strove silently with the dead, black embers. The girl +crept up to him on her knees, weeping. For a few +seconds he paid her no heed. But when he found that +the flames had fled beyond recovery, he lifted her up, +drew her close to him, and comforted her.</p> +<p>“You have let the Bright One escape,” said he. +“But do not be afraid. He lives back there in the +valley of the bears, and I will capture him again.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78' name='page_78'></a>78</span></p> +<p>And when the girl realized that he had no thought +of beating her, but only wished to comfort and shield +her, then she felt quite sure he was a god, and her +heart nearly burst with the passion of her love.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>It galled Grôm’s proud heart to find himself now +compelled, through loss of the fire, to go warily, to +scan the thicket, to keep hidden, to hold spear and +club always in readiness, and to climb into a tree at +night for safety like the apes. But he let no sign of +his chagrin, or of his anxiety, appear. Like the crafty +hunter and wise leader that he was, he forgot no one of +his ancient precautions.</p> +<p>They had by this time passed beyond the special +haunts of the red bear and the saber-tooth. Twice +they had to run before the charge of the great wooly +rhinoceros, against whose massive hide Grôm’s spear +and club would have been about as effective as a +feather duster. But they had fled mockingly, for the +clumsy monster was no match for them in speed. +Once, too, they had been treed by a bull urus, a +gigantic white beast with a seven-foot spread of polished +horns.</p> +<p>But his implacable and patient rage they had cunningly +evaded by making off unseen and unheard, +through the upper branches. They came to earth +again half a mile away, and ran on gaily, laughing at +the picture of the furious and foolish beast waiting +there at the foot of the tree for them to come down. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79' name='page_79'></a>79</span> +Once a prowling leopard confronted them for a +moment, only to flee in great leaps before their instant +and unhesitating attack. Once a huge bird, nearly +nine feet high, and with a beak over a foot in length, +struck at them savagely, with a shrill hissing, through +a fringe of reeds, because they had incautiously come +too near its nest. But they killed it, and feasted on +its eggs. And so, without further misadventure, they +came at last to the skirts of their own country, and +looked once more on the rounded, familiar, wind-swept +tops of the Little Hills, sacred to the barrows +of their dead.</p> +<p>It was toward sunset, and the long, rosy glow was +flooding the little amphitheater wherein the remnants +of the tribe were gathered, when Grôm crossed the +brook, and came striding up the slope, with A-ya close +behind him. She had been traveling at his side all +through the journey, but here she respected the etiquette +of her tribe, and fell behind submissively.</p> +<p>Hardly noticing, or not heeding if he noticed that +the tribe offered no vociferous welcome, and seemed +sullenly surprised at his appearance, Grôm strode +straight to the Chief, whom he saw sitting on the +judgment stone, and threw down spear and club at +his feet in sign of fealty. But A-ya, following, was +keen to note the hostile attitude of the tribe. Her +defiant eyes darted everywhere, and everywhere noted +black looks. She could not understand it, but she +divined that there was some plot afoot against Grôm. +Her heart swelled with rage, and her dark-maned head +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80' name='page_80'></a>80</span> +went up arrogantly, for she felt as if the strongest and +wisest of the tribe were now but children in comparison +with her lord. But, though children, they were many, +and she closed up behind him for a guard, grasping +more firmly the shaft of her short, serviceable spear. +She saw the broad, black, scowling visage of young +Mawg, towering over a little group of his kinsfolk, +and eyeing her with mingled greed and rage, and she +divined at once that he was at the back of whatever +mischief might be brewing. She answered his look +with one of mocking scorn, and then turned her attention +to the Chief, who was sitting in grim silence, +the customary hand of welcome ominously withheld.</p> +<p>A haughty look came over Grôm’s face, his broad +shoulders squared themselves, and he met the Chief’s +eyes sternly.</p> +<p>“I have done the bidding of Bawr the Chief,” he +said, in a clear voice, so that all the tribe might hear. +“I have found a place where the tribe may hold themselves +secure against all enemies. And I have come +back, as was agreed, to lead the tribe thither before +our enemies destroy us. I have done great deeds. +I have not spared myself. I have come quickly. I +have deserved well of the people. Why has Bawr the +Chief no welcome for me?”</p> +<p>A murmur arose from the corner where Mawg and +his friends were grouped, but a glance from the Chief +silenced it. With his piercing gaze making relentless +inquisition of the eyes that answered his so steadily, +he seemed to ponder Grôm’s words. Slowly the anger +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81' name='page_81'></a>81</span> +faded from his scarred and massy face, for he knew +men; and this man, though his most formidable rival +in strength and prestige, he instinctively trusted.</p> +<p>“You have been accused,” said he at length, slowly, +“of deserting the tribe in our weakness––”</p> +<p>A puzzled look had come over Grôm’s face at the +word “accused”; then his deep eyes blazed, and he +broke in upon the Chief’s speech without ceremony.</p> +<p>“Show me my accusers!” he demanded harshly. +The Chief waved his hand for silence.</p> +<p>“In our weakness!” he repeated. “But you have +returned to us. So I see that charge was false. Also, +you have been accused of stealing the girl A-ya. But +you have brought her back. I see not what more your +accusers have against you.”</p> +<p>Grôm turned, and, with a quick, decisive motion, +drew A-ya to his side.</p> +<p>“Bawr the Chief knows that I am his servant, and +a true man!” said he sternly. “I did not steal the +girl. She followed me, and I had no thought of it.”</p> +<p>Angry jeers came from Mawg’s corner, but Grôm +smiled coldly, and went on:</p> +<p>“Not till near evening of the second day, when she +was chased by wolves, did she reveal herself to me. +And when I understood why she had come, I looked +on her, and I saw that she was very fair and very brave. +And I took her. So that now she is my woman, and +I hold to her, Chief! But I will pay you for her +whatsoever is just, for you are the Chief. And +now let Bawr show me my accusers, that I may have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82' name='page_82'></a>82</span> +done with them quickly. For I have much to tell.”</p> +<p>“Not so, Grôm,” said the Chief, stretching out his +hand. “I am satisfied that you are a true man. +And for the girl, that will we arrange between us later. +But I will not confront you with your accusers, for +there shall be no fighting between ourselves when our +warriors that are left us are so few. And in this +I know that you, being wise, will agree with me. +Come, and we two will talk of what is to be done.”</p> +<p>He got up from his seat, an immense and masterful +figure, to lead the way to his own cave, where +they might talk in private. But Grôm hesitated, fearing +lest annoyance should befall A-ya if he left her +alone with his enemies.</p> +<p>“And the girl, Chief?” said he. “I would not have +her troubled.”</p> +<p>Bawr turned. He swept a comprehensive and significant +glance over the gaping crowd.</p> +<p>“The girl A-ya,” said he in his great voice which +thundered over the amphitheater, “is Grôm’s woman. +I have spoken.”</p> +<p>And he strode off toward his cave door. Grôm +picked up his club and spear. And the girl, with a +haughty indifference she was far from feeling, strolled +off toward the cave of certain old women, kinsfolk +of the Chief.</p> +<p>But as the meaning of the Chief’s words penetrated +Mawg’s dull wits he gave vent to a great bellow of +rage, and snatched up a spear to hurl at Grôm. Before +he could launch it, however, his kinsmen, who +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83' name='page_83'></a>83</span> +had no wish to bring down upon themselves both +Grôm’s wrath and that of the Chief, fell upon him +and bore down his arm. Raging blindly, Mawg struggled +with them, and, having the strength of a bull, he +was near to wrenching himself free. But other men +of the tribe, seeing from the Chief’s action that their +bitterness against Grôm had been unjustified, and remembering +his past services, ran up and took a hand +in reducing Mawg to submission. For a few seconds +Grôm looked on contemptuously; then he turned on +his heel and followed the Chief, as if he did not hold +his rival worth a further thought. Mawg struggled +to his feet. Grôm had disappeared. But his eyes fell +on the figure of A-ya, slim and brown and tall, standing +in the entrance of the near-by cave. He made as +if to rush upon her, but a bunch of men stood in the +way, plainly ready to stop him. He looked at his +kinsmen, but they hung their heads sullenly. Blind +with fury though he was, and slow of wit, he could +not but see that the tribe as a whole was now against +him. Stuttering with his rage, he shouted to the girl, +“You will see me again!” Snatching up his club +and spears, he rushed forth from the amphitheater, +darted down the slope, and plunged into the thick woods +beyond the brook. His kinsmen withdrew sullenly into +their cave, followed by two young women. And the +rest of the people looked at each other doubtfully, +troubled at this sudden schism in the weakened tribe.</p> +<p>“One more good warrior gone!” muttered an old +man through his bush of matted white beard. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84' name='page_84'></a>84</span></p> +<p>That night Grôm was too wary to sleep, suspecting +that his enemy might return and try to snatch the +girl from him under the cover of the dark.</p> +<p>He was not attacked or disturbed, however, but +just before dawn, against the gray pallor beyond the +mouth of the pass, he marked four shapes slinking +forth. As they did not return, he did not think it +worth while to raise the alarm. When day came, it +was found that two kinsmen of Mawg, with the two +young women who were attached to them, had fled to +join the deserter in the bush. The Chief, indignant at +this further weakening of the tribe, declared them outlaws, +and ordered that all––except the women, who +were needed as mothers––should be killed as tribal +traitors, at sight.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>III</p> +<p>As was natural since he was trying to present a +totally new conception, with no known analogies +save in the lightning and the sun, Grôm found it impossible +to convey to the Chief’s mind any real idea of +the nature of his tremendous discovery. He did succeed, +however, in making it clear to Bawr that there was +a certain mighty Bright One, capable of putting even +the saber-tooth and the red bear to instant flight, and +that he had somehow managed to subdue this powerful +and mysterious being into the service of the tribe. +Bawr had examined with deep musing the strange +black bite of the Bright One on Grôm’s club and spear. +And he realized readily enough that with such an ally +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85' name='page_85'></a>85</span> +the tribe, even in its present state of weakness, would +be able to defy any further invasions of the bow-legged +beast-men from the east. There was a rumor, vague +enough but disquieting, of another migration of the +beast-men under way. So there was no time to lose. +Bawr gave orders that the tribe should get together +their scanty possessions of food, skins and weapons, +and make a start on the morrow for their new home.</p> +<p>The attempts of the girl, meanwhile, to explain +about the fire and Grôm’s miraculous subjugation of +it to his will, had only spread terror in the tribe. +The dread of this unknown Bright One, which was +plainly capable of devouring them all if Grôm should +lose control of it, was more nerve-shaking than their +dread of the beast-men. Moreover, there was the +natural reluctance to leave the old, familiar dwellings +for an unknown, distrusted land, confessedly the haunt +of those monstrous beasts which they had most cause +to fear. Then, too, there were not a few in the tribe +who professed to think that the hordes of the Bow-legs +were never likely to come that way again. No wonder, +therefore, that there was grumbling, and protest, and +shrill lamentation in the caves; but Bawr being in no +mood, since the defection of Mawg and his party, to +tolerate any opposition, and Grôm being now regarded +as a dangerous wizard, the preparation for departure +went on as smoothly as if all were of one mind. Packing +was no great matter to the People of the Little +Hills, the richest of whom could transport all his +wealth on the back of the feeblest of his wives. So +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86' name='page_86'></a>86</span> +it came that before the sun marked noon the whole +tribe was on the march, trailing forth from the neck of +the amphitheater at the heels of Grôm and A-ya, and +picking their way over the bones of their slain enemies +which the vultures and the jackals had already polished +white. Bawr, the Chief, came last, seeing to it that +there were no laggards; and as the tail of the straggling +procession left the pass he climbed swiftly to the +nearest pinnacle of rock to take observation. He +marked Grôm and the girl, the tribe strung out dejectedly +behind them, winding off to the left along +the foot of the bare hills; and a pang of grief, for an +instant, twitched his massive features. Then he turned +his eyes to the right. Very far off, in a space of open +ground by the brookside, he marked the movement of +confused, living masses, of a dull brown on the green. +A closer look convinced him that the moving masses +were men––new hordes of the beast-men, the gaping-nosed +Bow-legs.</p> +<p>“Grôm is a true man,” he muttered, with satisfaction, +and went leaping like a stag down the slope to +rejoin the tribe. When news of what he had seen was +passed from mouth to mouth through the tribe every +murmur was hushed, and the sulkiest laggards pushed +on feverishly, as if dreading a rush of the beast-men +from every cleft and glade.</p> +<p>The journey proved, for the most part, uneventful. +Traveling in a compact mass, only by broad day, +their numbers and their air of confidence kept the red +bear and the saber-tooth, the black lion and the wolf-pack, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87' name='page_87'></a>87</span> +from venturing to molest them. By the Chief’s +orders they maintained a noisy chatter, with laughter +and shouting, as soon as they felt themselves safely +beyond range of the beast-men’s ears. For Bawr had +observed that even the saber-tooth had a certain uneasiness +at the sound of many human voices together. At +night––and it was their rule to make camp while the +sun was yet several hours high––with the aid of their +flint spear-heads they would laboriously cut down the +saplings of the long-thorned acacia, and surround the +camp with a barrier which the monsters dared not +assail. Even so, however, the nights were trying +enough to the stoutest nerves. Half the tribe at a +time was obliged to stand on guard, and there was +little sleep to refresh the weariest when the shadows +beyond the barriers were alive with mutterings and +prowlings, and terrible, paling, gleaming eyes.</p> +<p>On the fourth day of the journey, however, the +tribe met a foe whose dense brain was quite unimpressed +by the menace of the human voice, and whose +rage took no account of their numbers or their confidence. +An enormous bull urus––perhaps the same +beast which some days earlier, had driven Grôm +and the girl into the tree-tops––burst up, dripping and +mud-streaked from his wallow in a reedy pool, and +came charging upon the travelers with a roar. No +doubt an outcast from the herd, he was mad with the +lust of killing. With shouts of warning and shrieks +of fear the tribe scattered in every direction. The +nearest warriors hurled their spears as they sprang +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88' name='page_88'></a>88</span> +aside, and several of the weapons went deep into the +monster’s flanks, but without checking him. He had +fixed his eyes on one victim, an old man with a conspicuous +shock of snow-white hair, and him he followed +inexorably. The doomed wretch screamed with +despair when he found himself thus hideously selected, +and ran, doubling like a rabbit. Just as the monster +overtook him he fell, paralyzed with his fright, and one +tremendous horn pinned him to the earth. At this +instant the Chief arrived, running up from the rear +of the line, and Grôm, coming from the front. The +Chief, closing in fearlessly, swung his club with all +his strength across the beast’s front, blinding one eye, +and confusing him for the fraction of a moment. And +in that moment, Grôm, calculating his blow with precision, +drove his spear clean through the massive throat. +As he sprang back, twisting his ragged weapon in the +wound and tearing it free, the monster, with a hoarse +cough, staggered forward across his victim, fell upon +his knees, and slowly sank, while the blood emptied itself +in enormous, smoking jets from the wound.</p> +<p>The incident caused a day’s delay in the march; for +there was the dead elder to be buried, with heavy stones +heaped over his body, according to the custom of the +tribe, and there was also the meat of the slain bull to +be cut up for carrying––a rank food, but sustaining, +and not to be despised when one is on a journey with +uncertainties ahead. And the delay was more than +compensated for by the new spirit which now seized +this poor, fugitive remnant of the Tribe of the Little +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89' name='page_89'></a>89</span> +Hills. The speedy and spectacular triumph over a +foe so formidable as the giant bull urus was unanimously +accepted as an omen of good fortune.</p> +<p>As they approached the valley whose mouth was +guarded by the line of volcanic fire, Grôm purposely +led the tribe by such a path that they should get no +glimpse of the dancing flames until close upon them. +Down behind a long line of woods he led them, with +no warning of what was to come. Then suddenly +around into the open; and there, not a hundred paces +distant, was the valley-mouth, and the long, thin line +of flickering scarlet tongues drawn across it.</p> +<p>As the people came in sight of the incomprehensible +phenomenon, they stared for a moment, gasping, +or uttering low cries; then they fell upon their faces +in awe. Grôm remained standing, leaning upon his +spear; and A-ya stood with bowed head close behind +him. When the Chief, shepherding and guarding the +rear flanks, emerged around the elbow of woods and +saw his people thus prostrate before the shining wonder, +he too was moved to follow their example, for his +heart went cold within him. But not without reason +was he Chief, for he could control himself as well +as others. A pallor spread beneath the smoky tan +of his broad features, but without an instant’s hesitation +he strode to the front, and stood like Grôm, with +unbowed head, leaning calmly on his great club. His +thought was that the Shining One must be indeed a +god, and might, indeed, slay him from afar, like the +lightning, but it could not make him afraid. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90' name='page_90'></a>90</span></p> +<p>Grôm gave him a quick look of approval. “Tell +the people,” said he, “to follow us round through the +open space yonder, and into the valley, that we may +make camp, for there are many great beasts here, and +very fierce. And tell them not to approach the Shining +One, lest he smite them, but also not to fear, for +he will not come at them.”</p> +<p>When the people––trembling, staring with fascinated +eyes at the dancing array, and shrinking nervously +from the strange warmth––had all been gathered +into the open space between the fire and the thickets, +Grôm led the Chief up to the flames and hurriedly explained +to him what he had found out as to how they +must be managed. Then, leaving him to ponder the +miracle, and to experiment, he took A-ya to help him +build other fires along the edge of the thickets in order +to keep the monsters at bay. And all the while the +tribe sat watching, huddled on their haunches, with +mouths agape and eyes rolling in amazement.</p> +<p>Bawr the Chief, meanwhile, was revolving many +things in his sagacious brain, as he alternately lighted +and extinguished the little, eating flames which fixed +themselves upon the dry wood when he held it in the +blaze. His mind was of a very different order from +that of Grôm, though, perhaps, not less capacious +and capable. Grôm was the discoverer, the initiator, +while Bawr was essentially the ruler, concerned to +apply all he learned to the extension and securing of +his power. It was his realization of Grôm’s transparent +honesty and indifference to power which made +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91' name='page_91'></a>91</span> +him so free from jealousy of Grôm’s prestige. His +shrewd perceptions told him that Grôm would far +rather see him rule the tribe, so long as he ruled it +effectually, than be troubled with the task himself. +But there were others in the tribe whom he suspected of +being less disinterested––who were capable of becoming +troublesome if ever he should find his strength failing. +One of these, in particular, a gigantic, black-browed +fellow by the name of Ne-boo, remotely akin +to the deserter Mawg, was now watching him with +eyes more keen and considerate than those of his companions. +As Bawr became conscious of this inquiring, +crafty gaze, he made a slip, and closed his left hand +on a portion of his branch which was still glowing red. +With superb nerve he gave no sign of the hurt. And +he thought quickly: he had taken a liberty with the +Bright One, and been bitten by those mysterious, shining +teeth which left a scar of black. Well, someone +else should be bitten, also. Calmly heating the branch +again till it was a live coal for three-quarters of its +length, he called the crafty-eyed warrior to him. The +man came, uneasy, but full of interest.</p> +<p>“Take this, and hold it for me,” said Bawr, and +tossed him the red brand. With shrinking hands +Ne-boo caught it, to drop it instantly with a yell of +pain and terror. It fell, scraping his leg, and his +foot, and in his fright he threw himself down beside +it, begging it not to smite him again.</p> +<p>“Strange,” said Bawr, in a voice for all the tribe +to hear, “the Shining One will not suffer Ne-boo to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92' name='page_92'></a>92</span> +touch him.” With the air of a high priest he picked +the brand up, and held it again into the flames. And +Grôm returning at this moment to his side, he commanded +in a low voice: “Let none but ourselves attend +or touch the Bright One.”</p> +<p>Grôm, his mind occupied with plans for the settling +of the tribe, agreed without asking the reason for this +decree. He was thinking about getting the tribe +housed in the caves which he had noticed in the steep +sides of the valley. He knew well enough that these +caves were the houses of the red bear, the saber-tooth +and the bone-crushing hyenas, but, as he explained to +the Chief with thrilling elation, the Shining One would +drive these monsters out, and teach them to keep their +distance. To Bawr, who had had some experience +in his day with the red bear and the saber-tooth, and +who had not yet seen all that these dancing tongues of +gold and scarlet could do, the enterprise seemed a +formidable one. But he sagaciously reserved his judgment, +pondering things that he felt sure Grôm would +not dream of.</p> +<p>That night, when all was thick darkness beyond the +magic circle of the fires, the People of the Little Hills +sat or crouched trembling and wondering, while +monstrous dim shapes of such bears or tigers as they +had never imagined in their worst nightmares prowled +roaring all about them, held off by nothing more substantial +than just those thin and darting tongues of +flame. That the little, bright things could bite terribly +they had evidence enough, both in the charred and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93' name='page_93'></a>93</span> +corroded wood which the flames had licked, and in the +angry wounds of Ne-boo. At the same time they saw +their Chief and Grôm apparently handling the Terror +with impunity, and the girl A-ya approaching it and +serving it freely, though always with bowed head and +every mark of awe.</p> +<p>But what made the deepest, the most ineffaceable +impression on the minds of the tribe was to see Grôm +and the Chief, each waving a pair of dead branches all +aflame, charge at a pair of giant saber-tooths who had +ventured too near, and drive them scurrying like +frightened sheep into the bush. Repeating the tactics +which he had previously found so effective, Grôm +hurled one of his flaming weapons after the fugitives––an +example which the Chief, not to be outshone, +followed instantly. The result was startling. The +brands chanced to fall where there was a great accumulation +of dry wood and twigs and leaves. In a +moment, as it seemed, the flames had leapt up into +full fury, and were chasing the fugitives up the valley +with a roar. In the sudden great glare could be seen +saber-tooths stretching out in panic-stricken flight, +burly red bear fleeing with their awkward but deadly +swift gallop, huge hyenas scattering to this side and +that, and many furtive unknown creatures driven into +a blind and howling rout. Grôm himself was as +thunderstruck as any one at the amazing result of +his action, but his quick wits told him to disguise his +astonishment, and bear himself as if it were exactly +what he had planned. The Chief copied his attitude +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94' name='page_94'></a>94</span> +with scrupulous precision and unfailing nerve, though +quite prepared to see the red whirlwind suddenly turn +back and blot himself, the audacious Grôm, and the +whole shuddering tribe from the face of the outraged +earth. But no such thing happened. The torrent of +flame raged straight up the valley, cutting a path some +fifty odd paces in width, and leaving a track of smoldering, +winking, red stems and stumps behind it. And +all the beasts hid themselves in their terror so that not +one of them was seen again that night. As for the +People of the Little Hills, they were now ready to +fall down and put dust in their hair in utter abasement, +if either Grôm or the Chief so much as looked +at them.</p> +<p>Soon after sunrise the next day, the Chief and +Grôm, bearing lighted brands, and followed close by +A-ya with a bundle of dry faggots, twigs and grass, +took possession of two great caves on the southward-facing +slope of the valley. The giant bears which +occupied one of them fled ignominiously at the first +threat of the flames, having been scorched and +thoroughly cowed by the conflagration of the previous +night. The other cave had been already vacated by +the hyena pack, which had no stomach to face these +throwers of flame. Before the mouth of each cave, +at a safe distance, a fire was lighted––a notice to all +the beasts that their rule was at an end. The whole +tribe was set to the gathering of a great store of fuel, +which was heaped about the mouths of the caves as a +shield against the weather. Then the people began to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95' name='page_95'></a>95</span> +settle themselves in their new home, secure in the faith +that not even the hordes of the Bow-legs, should they +chance that way, would have the temerity to face their +new and terrible protector.</p> +<p>When all was ordered to his satisfaction, the Chief +called Grôm to his side. The two stood apart, and +watched the tall figure of A-ya moving from the one +fire to the other, and tending them reverently, as one +performing a rite. Grôm’s eyes took on a certain +illumination at the sight of her, a look which the Chief +had never observed in any man’s eyes before. But +he thought little of it, for his mind was full of other +matters.</p> +<p>“It is well,” said he presently, in a low voice, “that +the service and understanding of the Bright One should +not be allowed to the people, but should be kept strictly +to ourselves, and to those whom we shall choose to +initiate. I shall appoint the two best men of my own +kin, and two others whom you shall select, as servants +of the Bright One. And I will make a law that the +people shall henceforth worship only the Bright One, +instead of, as heretofore, the Thunder, and the Wind, +and the unknown Spirits, which, after all, as far as I +can see, have never been able to do much either for or +against us. But this Bright One is a real god, such +as we can be sure of. And you and I shall be his +priests. And only we shall be allowed to understand +him.”</p> +<p>“That is good,” agreed Grôm, whose brain was +busy devising other ways of making the wild flames +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96' name='page_96'></a>96</span> +serviceable to man. “But,” he went on, “there is A-ya. +She knows as much about it as you and I.”</p> +<p>The Chief pondered a moment.</p> +<p>“Either the girl must die,” said he, eyeing Grôm’s +face, “or she must be a priest along with us.”</p> +<p>“I think she will be a very good priest,” said Grôm +drily, his eyes resting upon her.</p> +<p>Then the Chief, ascending a rock between the two +fires, spoke to the people, and decreed as he had +said. He told a little about the Shining One, just so +much as he thought it good for his hearers to know. +He declared that the ones he had chosen for the great +honor of serving the fires must tend them by turns, +night and day, and guard them with their lives; for +that, if one or the other should be suffered to die out, +some great disaster would assuredly come upon the +tribe.</p> +<p>“And henceforth,” he concluded, “you shall not be +called the People of the Little Hills; for these ridges, +indeed, are not such hills as those whose bald and windy +tops are keeping the bones of our fathers. But you +shall be known and feared greatly by our enemies as +‘The Children of the Shining One,’ under whose protection +I declare you.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97' name='page_97'></a>97</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_V_THE_PULLERDOWN_OF_TREES' id='CHAPTER_V_THE_PULLERDOWN_OF_TREES'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<h3>THE PULLER-DOWN OF TREES</h3> +</div> +<p>On the broken hill-slope overlooking the Valley +of Fire, in the two great caves known as the +Cave of the Bears and the Cave of the Hyenas, the +tribe of the Children of the Shining One now dwelt +secure and began to recover heart. Before each cave-mouth, +tended night and day, burned the sacred flame, +its tongues licked upwards in gold and scarlet with a +radiance from which all the tribe, with the sole exceptions +of Bawr, the Chief, and Grôm, his right hand +and councilor, were wont to avert their eyes in awe +whenever they passed it in their comings and goings. +Only from a distance would they presume to look at +the flames directly; and ever as they looked their +wonder and their reverence grew. Their trust in the +protection of the Shining One came to have no bounds, +for night after night would the great red bears return, +prowling in the mysterious gloom just beyond the ring +of light, with their dreadful eyes turned fixedly upon +their former habitation, only to be driven off ignominiously +when Grôm rushed at them with a shout and a +flaming torch above his head. And night after night +would the troops of the hyenas come back, their +monstrous-jowled heads swinging low from their +mighty shoulders, to sit and howl their devilish laughter +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98' name='page_98'></a>98</span> +above their ancient lair, only to slink off in cowed +silence when the Chief would hurl a blazing brand +among them. When the beasts were thus discomfited +and abashed, the boldest of the warriors would go +leaping after them and bring down the hindermost +with spears. So it came about that presently the +great animals knew themselves beaten, and sullenly +withdrew to the other side of the hills.</p> +<p>It was just this country at the other side of the +hills which most appealed to the restless imagination +of Grôm. Within the valley––which widened out, +as it receded from its fiery gateway, to enclose league +upon league of fertile plain––was good hunting, along +with an abundance of roots, fruits and edible herbs. +But in Grôm’s heart burned that spirit of unquenchable +expectation which has led the race of Man upwards +through all obstacles––the urge to find out ever what +lies beyond. So the saw-toothed line of these dark, +volcanic summits drew him irresistibly, with the +promise of unknown wonders hidden behind them.</p> +<p>During these few weeks since coming to the Valley +of the Fire, Grôm had been tirelessly experimenting +with the bright element, trying this kind of fuel and +that, one after another, in order to learn what food +was most acceptable to it. He learned that certain +substances it would devour in raging haste, only to fail +and die soon after; or not truly to die, he imagined, +but to flee back unseen to its dancing, flickering source +at the valley mouth. Other substances he found that +it would consume slowly, but pertinaciously. While +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99' name='page_99'></a>99</span> +into yet others, such as dry turf and punk, it would +eat its way and hide, maintaining therein for a long +time a retired but potent existence, ready to leap into +radiant life under certain provocation. His invention +stimulated by these experiments, he had made himself +several hollow tubes of a thick green bark whipped +about with thongs, and had stuffed them with that +mixture of turf and punk which he found best calculated +to hold the furtive seeds of fire alive.</p> +<p>With one of these slow torches alight, and several +spare ones slung over his shoulders, Grôm set out to +cross the pointed hills and seek new wonders in the +lands beyond. The tall girl, A-ya, went with him. +This not being customary in the tribe, they gave reasons. +Grôm said that he needed the girl because she +alone knew how rightly to serve and tend the Shining +One in combat. It was a good reason, but he was +amazed to find in his heart so deep a desire for her that +he was ill-content whenever his eyes could not rest upon +her. There was no one in the tribe with whom he could +discuss this strange emotion, for no one, not even the +wise and subtle-minded Chief, would have comprehended +it––romantic love not yet having come openly +to these men of the Morning of Time. So Grôm gave +the lesser reason, which all, including himself, could +understand. As for the girl, she said that whatever +her lord commanded she must needs obey, which she +did with a most seemly readiness. But in her heart +she knew that if her man had commanded her to stay +behind, she would have obeyed only so long as he remained +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100' name='page_100'></a>100</span> +in sight, and would then have followed him.</p> +<p>Like Grôm, the girl carried two flint-headed spears. +Both wore clumsy but effective slivers of flint, for +knives, in their girdles of twisted skin. The girl, besides +her weapons, carried a substantial burden of +strips of meat dried hard in the sun, in case game +should prove scarce or elusive in the land beyond the +hills. But when they had got well out of sight of the +caves, Grôm turned, relieved her of her burdens which, +according to tribal conventions, it was her duty to +carry for her man, and gave her instead the light but +precious tube of fire.</p> +<p>As they ascended the ragged slopes, vegetation grew +sparse, and when toward nightfall they gained the pass +which Grôm was making for––a deep cleft between two +steep red and purple peaks––the rock beneath their +feet was naked but for a low growth of flowering +herbs and thorn. The pass was too high for the aloe +and mesembryanthemum to flourish, and the lava-bed +which floored it was yet too new to have clothed itself +in any of the larger mountain-loving trees. Here they +passed the night, in a shallow niche of rock with a +fire before it; and the fire being visible from a long +way off, no prowlers cared even to approach it.</p> +<p>On the following day they traveled swiftly, but +the pass was long. It was near sunset again when +at last the rocks fell away to either side, and they +saw spread out below their feet the land which they +had come to explore.</p> +<p>It was a vast, rolling plain, golden-green with rank, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101' name='page_101'></a>101</span> +cane-like grasses, dotted with innumerable clumps of +trees, and laced with full watercourses which lay in +spacious loops of blue and silver. Here and there lay +broad, irregular patches where the grass did not flourish, +and these were of vivid emerald-green from some +unknown growth.</p> +<p>Along the horizon to the north sparkled a great +water. And half-way down the steep, toward the +right, smoked and smouldered a shallow, saucer-shaped +crater from whose broken lower rim a purple-brown +serpent of comparatively recent lava descended in sluggish +curves across the intense green.</p> +<p>Somewhat to the girl’s apprehension, Grôm seemed +anxious to investigate the smoking crater, but the +only practicable path down the mountain led them +away from it, so he was content to leave it for another +time and another, perhaps less repellent, approach.</p> +<p>Descending presently into a region of ledges and +ravines clothed with dense thickets, they found on +every hand traces of the giant bears and the saber-tooth +tigers whom they had driven from the caves +in the Valley of Fire. Grôm hurriedly whirled the +smoldering torch into a flame, and from it lighted a +couple of resinous brands, one for himself, and one +for A-ya to carry. Thus armed, they fearlessly followed +the broad trail of bears, which led them very +conveniently down the steep. And bear and saber-tooth +alike, at sight of the flame thus apparently seeking +them out, remembered their recent scorching discomfiture, +and slunk off like whipped curs. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102' name='page_102'></a>102</span></p> +<p>Grôm’s immediate object was to make his way +straight to the shores of that great water, whose gleaming +on the horizon had been like an invitation to his +inquiring spirit. But when early in the forenoon of +the fourth day they reached the lowlands, he found +that his way would be anything but straight. The +immense grasses, a species of cane, grew so tall, so +dense and so thick in the stem, that it was impossible +to force a path through them just where he would.</p> +<p>He saw that he must use the trails of the wild +beasts, which intersected it in all directions. There +were the tracks of every animal he knew––the hunters +and the hunted alike––and of many more which he +did not know. But one broad trail in particular arrested +his attention. It struck such fear to the heart +of the girl, whose eyes were keen and understanding, +that her knees trembled beneath her, and had she dared +she would have begged Grôm to turn back from a +land which held such monsters.</p> +<p>Even Grôm himself felt a thrill of awe as he stared +at the trail which bespoke so mighty a traveler. +Wherever it led, the sturdiest growths were crushed +flat as if some huge bowlder from the mountains had +been rolled over them. And the monster footprints, +which here and there stamped themselves clearly in +the trail, were thrice the size of those of the hugest +mammoth.</p> +<p>Grôm stooped and studied these footprints, pondering +them with knit brows. What manner of giant it +might be which moved on such colossal and misshapen +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103' name='page_103'></a>103</span> +members it was beyond his wits to guess. But of a +surety it was a fine roadmaker!</p> +<p>With a confident arrogance born of the knowledge +that he was the lord of Fire, he deliberately chose to +pursue this dreadful trail. And the girl, hiding her +terror lest it should diminish her credit in his sight, +followed close at his elbow, her bright eyes tirelessly +searching the jungle on either side.</p> +<p>Suddenly behind them came a confused, terrifying +noise of panting breaths and trampling feet. It came +sweeping down the broad trail. There were grunting +cries, also; and Grôm understood at once that a herd +of pig-tapirs––heavy-footed, timorous beasts, as tall +as heifers––were sweeping down upon them in mad +flight before some unknown pursuer.</p> +<p>Against that blind panic, that headlong frantic rush, +he knew that blazing brands would avail nothing. He +clutched the girl by the hand. “Come!” he ordered. +And they fled side by side down the trail.</p> +<p>It was in their minds to climb the first suitable +tree they should come to, and let the rout go by. +In half a minute or so, over the tops of the giant +grasses, they sighted such a tree, only a few hundred +yards ahead. The trail, swerving opportunely, appeared +to lead directly towards its foot, and they raced +on, the girl now laughing softly with excitement, and +forgetting her fear of the unknown because of the +known peril behind her. It pleased her curiously to +find that her man had not grown too divine to be ready +to run away on fitting occasion; and she kept glancing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_104' name='page_104'></a>104</span> +at him from under her dark tangle of hair with +eyes of passionate possession.</p> +<p>The wild uproar behind was drawing nearer swiftly, +but the refuge was now not more than fifty paces +ahead. All at once the way to it was barred. +Out from a little side-track on the right came +lumbering a gigantic rhinoceros, his creased and folded +hide clothed in matted brown wool and caked with +clay. He swung round into the trail, almost blocking +it with his bulk, stared for a couple of seconds with +evil little eyes at the two slim beings before him, then +lowered the huge double horn that armed his snout, +and charged at them with a grunt of fury.</p> +<p>Caught thus fairly between the devil before, and +the deep sea of trampling hoofs behind, Grôm had no +choice. A second’s waving of the lighted brands convinced +him that the rhinoceros was too dense of brain +to fear the fire, or even to notice it. Once more +clutching the girl’s hand, he ran back a little way, seeking +to draw the two perils together, and give them an +opportunity to distract each other’s attention.</p> +<p>He ran back till the flying, plunging herd of the +pig-tapirs came into full view around the curve of +the trail. Then, with all his strength, he forced his +way into the grass, on the left, shouldering aside the +upright stems to make room for the girl to enter. +She hurled her blazing brand full into the face of the +rhinoceros, hoping to confuse or divert him for an +instant, then thrust herself lithely in past Grôm.</p> +<p>The rhinoceros was diverted for an instant. The +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105' name='page_105'></a>105</span> +smoke and sparks half blinded him, and in a paroxysm +of fury he checked himself to trample the strange assailant +under foot. Then he thundered forward. But +the tough stems of the grass had closed up again. The +two fugitives were hidden. He saw the packed herd +of the tapirs bearing down upon him; and, forgetting +the insignificant creatures who had first roused his +anger, he charged forward at full speed to meet this +new foe.</p> +<p>Realizing well enough that in three or four seconds +more the crash would come, and that the struggle +between the rhinoceros and the maddened herd would +be little short of a cataclysm, Grôm and the girl struggled +breathlessly to force themselves to a safe distance +lest they should be crushed in the mêlée.</p> +<p>The sweat ran down into their eyes, and swarms +of tiny insects, breeding in the giant stems, choked +their throats and nostrils; but they wrestled their way +onward blindly, foot by foot. Behind them, out in +the trail, came a ponderous crash, and, then an appalling +explosion of squeals, screams, grunts and roars. The +next instant the rigid stems gave way suddenly before +them, and they fell forward, with a startled cry from +the girl, into a deep and sunless water.</p> +<p>They came up, spluttering and choking; but as soon +as she could catch breath the girl laughed, whereupon +the grimness of Grôm’s face relaxed. The water was +a deep creek, perfectly overshadowed and hidden by +the rank growth along its banks. But just opposite +was the tree whose refuge they had been trying to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106' name='page_106'></a>106</span> +gain. They swam across in half-a-dozen strokes, and +drew themselves ashore, and shook themselves like a +pair of retrievers. Through all the flight, the fierce +effort among the grass-stems, and the unexpected ducking, +they had kept tenacious hold of every one of their +treasures. But––their fire was out! The brand was +black; the precious tube, with the seeds of fire lurking +at its heart, was drenched, saturated and lifeless.</p> +<p>For a moment or two Grôm looked into the girl’s +eyes steadily, conveying to her without a word the +whole tremendous significance of their loss. The girl +responded, after a second’s dismay, with a look of trust +and adoration which brought a rush of warmth to +Grôm’s heart. He smiled proudly, and shook his +club as if to reassure himself. Then, climbing hurriedly +into the tree, they stared back over the plumed +tops of the grasses.</p> +<p>The sight that met their eyes was not one for weak +nerves. The spot in the grass which they had just +escaped from was a shambles. The foremost of the +panic-stricken pig-tapirs, met by the charge of the +rhinoceros, had been ripped and split by the rooting +of his double horn, and hurled to either side as if +by some titanic plough. A couple more had been +trampled down and crushed before his charge was +stayed by the irresistible pressure of the surging, squealing +mass.</p> +<p>There he had stood fast, like a jagged promontory +in the surges, tossing his mighty head and thrusting +hideously, while the rest of the herd passed on, either +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107' name='page_107'></a>107</span> +scrambling clean over him or breaking down the canes +and pouring around on either side. Of those that +passed over him about one in every three or four got +ripped by the tossing horn, and went staggering forward +a few paces, only to fall and be trodden out by +their fellows. Close behind the last of the squealing +fugitives came the cause of their panic––two immense +black lions, who had apparently been playing with their +prey like cats.</p> +<p>When they came face to face with the rhinoceros +where he stood among his victims, shaking the blood +from horn and head and shoulder, they stopped abruptly. +Together, perhaps, they would have been a +match for him. But theirs was a far higher intelligence +than his. They knew the almost impenetrable +toughness of his hide, his Berserk rage, his imperviousness +to reasonable fear; and they had no care to engage +themselves without cause in so uncertain and unprofitable +a combat.</p> +<p>With a roar that rolled in thunder over the plain and +seemed to set the very tree-tops quivering, they leaped +lazily aside and went off in enormous bounds through +the grass, circling about as if to intercept, in sheer +wantonness of slaughter, the remnants of the fleeing +herd. At the sight Grôm frowned anxiously, thinking +how helpless he and the girl would be against such +foes, now that they no longer had the Shining One to +protect them.</p> +<p>Squealing to split the ears, the pig-tapirs came galloping +past the tree, making for a piece of water some +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108' name='page_108'></a>108</span> +furlongs further on, where doubtless they hoped to +evade both the lion and the rhinoceros. But they +had yet another adversary to reckon with.</p> +<p>Just past the tree, at a thicket of immense scarlet +poinsettias, the trail curved sharply. From behind the +poinsettias arose a gigantic shape unlike anything that +Grôm had ever dreamed of. And he knew that the +maker of the mysterious trail and those tremendous +footprints was before him.</p> +<p>With a trumpeting bray of indignation the monster +sat upright on hind-quarters far more ponderous than +those of a mammoth. Its tail, as thick at the base +as the body of a bear, helped to support it, while its +clumsy frame towered to a height of eighteen or twenty +feet. Its hind legs were very short, thick like tree-trunks, +grotesquely bowed; and its thighs like buttresses. +Its fore legs were more arms than legs, of +startling length and massive strength, draped in long, +stiff hair, and terminated by colossal hands with immense +hooked claws for fingers. The whole body was +clothed with rusty hair of an amazing coarseness, +like matting fiber. The vast head, flat on top and prolonged +to a snout that was almost a proboscis, had +the look of being deformed by reason of its fantastically +exaggerated jowl, or lower jaw. This terrifying +monster thrust out a narrow pink tongue, some three +or four feet in length, stooped and turned, and gave +a hurried look at something crouching behind its mighty +thighs. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109' name='page_109'></a>109</span></p> +<p>“Its baby!” muttered the girl, with a little indrawn +breath of sympathy.</p> +<p>Then the strange being sat up again to meet and +ward off the rush of the maddened pig-tapirs.</p> +<p>For a moment it beat off the assault, seizing the +frantic beasts and hurling them this way and that as +if they had been so many rabbits. Then it was completely +surrounded by the reeking squealing bleeding +horde, which paid no more personal attention to it than +if it had been a mass of rock. They rolled over the +little one, unheeding, and trod it flat. Its death cry +split the air; and at that sound the mother seemed to +sink down into her haunches. In her agony of rage +and grief she literally tore some of her assailants in +halves, throwing the awful fragments impatiently from +her in order to lose no time in seizing a new victim. +A few seconds more and the rush was past; and +presently the mad rout was hurling itself with a +tremendous splashing into the water. The monster +looked around for more victims––and was just in +time to see the hideous vision of the rhinoceros charging +down upon her. Triumphant from the encounter +with the lions, he rushed back to slake his still unsatisfied +fury on the pig-tapirs. At any other time he +would have given such an antagonist as the colossal +megatherium a wide berth; but just now he was in one +of his madnesses. His furious little swinish eyes +blinking through the blood which dripped over them, he +hurled himself straight onward. His horn was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_110' name='page_110'></a>110</span> +plunged into the monster’s paunch; but at the same +time one of those gigantic armed hands fell irresistibly +on his neck, shattering the vertebræ through +all their deep protection of hide and muscle. He collapsed +with an explosive grunt; and the giant hands +tossed him aside.</p> +<p>It was a frightful wound which the monster had +received, but for a few moments she paid no attention +to it, being occupied in licking the trampled body of +her young one with that amazing tongue of hers. +At length, apparently convinced that the little one was +quite dead, she brayed again piteously, dropping forward +upon all fours, and made off slowly down the +trail, walking with grotesque awkwardness on the sides +of her feet. For two or three hundred yards she kept +on, drawing a wake of crimson behind her; and then, +apparently exhausted by her wound, she turned off +among the canes, and lay down, close beside the trail, +but effectively screened from it.</p> +<p>From their place in the tree Grôm and the girl +had followed breathlessly these astounding encounters. +At last Grôm spoke:</p> +<p>“This is a country of very great beasts,” he remarked, +with the air of one announcing a discovery. +As A-ya showed no inclination whatever to dissent +from this statement, he presently went on to his conclusion, +leaving her to infer his minor premise.</p> +<p>“We must go back and recover the Shining One. +It is not well for us to go on without him.”</p> +<p>“Yes,” agreed the girl eagerly. For all her courage +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111' name='page_111'></a>111</span> +and passionate trust in her man, the sight of those +black lions bounding over the tops of the towering +grasses had somewhat shaken her nerve. She feared +no beasts but the swiftest, and those which might +leap into the lower branches of the trees. “Yes!” +she repeated. “Let us go back for the Shining One, +lest he be angry at us for having put him in the water.”</p> +<p>“But for yet a day more we will stay here in this +tree, and rest and sleep in safety,” continued Grôm, +“that we may travel the more swiftly, till we get beyond +the grasses.”</p> +<p>Then, climbing higher into the tree, he proceeded to +build a platform and roof of interlaced branches for +their temporary home. In this task the girl did not +help him, because of the great muscular strength which +it required. She lay in a crotch, her hairy but long and +shapely legs coiled under her like a leopard’s, now +gazing at her man with ardent eyes, now staring out +apprehensively across the sun-drenched, perilous landscape.</p> +<p>Suddenly she gave a cry of amazement, and pointed +excitedly down the trail. Beyond the water wherein +the pig-tapirs had found refuge, beyond the lurking-place +of the wounded megatherium, came three men, +running desperately. Shading his eyes, Grôm made +out that they were nearly exhausted. They were +clearly men of the type of his own tribe, light-skinned +and well shaped; and the leader, who carried a long +club, was a man of stature equal to his own. Grôm’s +sympathies went out to them, and his impulse was to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112' name='page_112'></a>112</span> +hasten to their assistance. Glancing further along the +trail to learn the cause of their headlong flight, he saw +two black lions in pursuit, probably the same two which +had been driving the pig-tapirs a couple of hours earlier. +They were coming on at such a pace that Grôm feared +the weary fugitives would be overtaken before they +could reach the tree of refuge. Instinctively he started +to climb down. But, his eyes falling upon the girl, +he remembered that he had no right to enter upon a +venture so utterly hopeless while he had her to take +care of. His eager clutch upon his spear relaxed.</p> +<p>“They are spent. They’ll never get here!” he +muttered anxiously.</p> +<p>“No!” said A-ya, with blank unconcern. “The lions +will get them. It’s Mawg, and his two cousins.”</p> +<p>Grôm growled an exclamation of astonishment. +The girl’s eyes––or her intuitions––were keener than +his. But he saw at a second glance that she was +right.</p> +<p>At this moment Mawg, running a few paces in advance +by reason of his superior speed and stamina, +passed the spot where the wounded megatherium lay +hidden. The monster lifted her dreadful head. The +next second the other two arrived, running elbow to +elbow, with drooped shoulders of exhaustion. Through +the screen of canes a gigantic hand shot out above +their heads and came down upon them, crushing the +two together. They had not time for outcry; but it +was clear that some sound caught the leader’s ears, +for he glanced back over his shoulder. He was near +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113' name='page_113'></a>113</span> +enough now for the keen-eyed watchers in the tree +to see his face change with horror. He ran on without +a pause, but now with fresh speed, as if the sight +had shocked him into new vigor. Seeing that there +was, after all, a good prospect of his reaching the tree +in time, Grôm swung down to be ready to help him up. +As he did so he saw the two lions approach the hiding-place +of the monster.</p> +<p>The vast, clawed hand still lay there on the two +crushed bodies in the middle of the trail. The lions +saw it, and they checked themselves at a safe distance. +They knew that just behind the grass-screen lurked +another such shaggy and monstrous member, waiting +to rend them as they would rend an antelope. They +shrank, and drew back, snarling angrily. It is possible +they feared lest the screen on either side of the +trail might conceal more than one of the monsters; +for they sprang far aside as if to make a wide circuit +of the perilous spot.</p> +<p>“There’s plenty of time!” muttered Grôm, and +dropped upon his feet in the middle of the trail. The +girl came in mad haste after him, but at his sharp +command “Stay there!” she contented herself with +slipping out upon the lowest branch, just over his head, +and holding her spear ready.</p> +<p>“Kill him!” she cried. But Grôm seemed not to +hear.</p> +<p>Staggering, and half blind with exhaustion Mawg +was within twenty paces before he noticed who was +confronting him. Then his dull eyes blazed. With a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114' name='page_114'></a>114</span> +snarl of fury he hurled his club straight at Grôm’s +face, missing him only by a hand’s-breadth. But the +effort, and the disappointment at finding himself thus +balked, as he imagined, on the very threshold of escape, +seemed to finish him. He stumbled on with +groping hands outstretched, and fell just at Grôm’s +feet.</p> +<p>Grôm hesitated, wondering how he could get this +inert weight up into the tree. The girl did not understand +his hesitation.</p> +<p>“Kill him!” she hissed, leaning down eagerly from +her branch overhead.</p> +<p>“No, he’s a great warrior, and the tribe needs him,” +answered Grôm, stooping to shake the prostrate form.</p> +<p>Mawg stirred, beginning to recover. Grôm shook +him again.</p> +<p>“Up into the tree, quick!” he ordered in a loud, +sharp voice. “The lions are coming.”</p> +<p>Mawg roused himself, sat up, and stared with a +look of bewilderment changing swiftly into hate.</p> +<p>“Up!” shouted Grôm again. “The tree. They’re +coming!”</p> +<p>At this the fellow growled, but sprang up as if +he had been jabbed with a spear, and clambered into +the tree as nimbly as a monkey. Grôm followed, +quickly but coolly. A-ya, who had waited with her +eyes watchfully on Mawg, stepped close to Grôm’s +side; and all three swung upwards into the higher +branches as the two lions arrived beneath.</p> +<p>Glaring up into the tree with shrewd, malevolent +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115' name='page_115'></a>115</span> +eyes, the great beasts realized that, for the present +at least, the tree man-creatures were quite out of +reach. Lashing their tufted tails in disappointment, +they turned aside to sniff, in surly scorn, at the dead, +mountainous hulk of the rhinoceros, which lay with +one ponderous foot stuck up in the air as if in clumsy +protest at Fate. Comprehending readily the manner +of its death, they came back and lay down under the +tree, and fell to gnawing lazily at the body of one of +the pig-tapirs which the megatherium had torn in two. +They had the air of intending to stay some time, so +Grôm presently turned his attention to his rescued +rival.</p> +<p>Mawg was sitting on the next branch, a good +spear’s length distant, and glowering at A-ya’s lithe +shapeliness with eyes of savage greed. Grôm knit his +brows, and significantly passed an arm about the girl’s +shoulders. Mawg shifted his attention to him.</p> +<p>“What do you want of me?” he demanded, in a +thick, guttural voice.</p> +<p>“I thought you ran as if you did not want the +lions to eat you,” answered Grôm.</p> +<p>Mawg stared with a stupid brutality and incomprehension; +and the eyes of the two men, meeting fairly, +seemed to lock in a duel of personalities.</p> +<p>They presented a significant contrast. Both, physically, +superb specimens of their race––the highest then +evolved upon the youthful earth––the elder man, in +his ample forehead and calm, reasoning eyes, displayed +all the promise of the future; while the youth, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116' name='page_116'></a>116</span> +low skulled and with his dull but pugnacious eyes set +under enormous bony brows, suggested the mere brute +from which the race had mounted. His hair was +shorter and coarser than Grôm’s, and foully matted; +and his neck was set very far forward between his +powerful but lumpy shoulders. The color of his coarse +and furrowed skin was so dark as to make the +weathered tan of Grôm and A-ya look white by +contrast.</p> +<p>In no way lacking courage, but failing in will and +steadiness, in a dozen seconds Mawg involuntarily +shifted his gaze, and looked down at the lions.</p> +<p>“What do you want of me?” he demanded again, +as if he had had no answer before.</p> +<p>“The tribe has too few warriors left. I will take +you back to the tribe!” replied Grôm with authority.</p> +<p>Mawg curled back his thick lips from his great +yellow dog-teeth in a snarling laugh of incredulity.</p> +<p>“You want to kill me!” said he, nodding his +head.</p> +<p>Grôm stared at him for a moment or two with a +look of fatigued contempt, then tore off a substantial +strip of dried flesh from the bundle hanging on the +branch, and tossed it to him. The fellow snatched it, +and hid it behind him, being too hungry to refuse it, +but too savage to eat it under his captor’s eye. Grôm +smiled slowly, and fell to playing with a heavy strand +of A-ya’s hair which had fallen over his arm. But to +this caress the girl paid no attention. She was puzzled +and outraged at Grôm’s action in protecting his rival. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117' name='page_117'></a>117</span> +Her nostrils dilated, and a red spot glowed angrily +under each cheek-bone.</p> +<p>Suddenly from down the trail came a noise of cracking +grass-stems. The two lions got up from their meal, +and turned their heads inquiringly toward the sound. +The next moment they went stalking off the opposite +way with an air of haughty indignation, ignoring all +the bodies of the slain pig-tapirs. When they had +rounded the first turn in the trail they leaped into the +grass, and went bounding off in a straight line toward +a large patch of wood some miles distant. The +wounded megatherium was returning.</p> +<p>Perhaps stung into restlessness by the anguish of +that rending thrust, the monster came dragging herself +back toward the tree, crawling on the sides of her +feet. Arriving at the scene of battle, she sniffed once +more at her mangled young one, and brayed piteously +over it. Then turning in an explosive fury upon the +body of the rhinoceros, began to tear it limb from +limb as one might pull apart a roast pigeon. While +thus occupied, she chanced to turn her eyes upon the +tree, and caught sight of the three figures looking down +upon her.</p> +<p>On the instant her rage was diverted to them. Braying +like a steam siren, she came under the tree, reared +herself against it, flung her giant arms about it, +and strove to pull it down. The tree rocked as if +struck by a tornado; and Mawg, who had been too +slow to notice what was about to happen, gave a yell +of horror as he barely saved himself from falling. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118' name='page_118'></a>118</span> +The girl laughed, whereupon he shot her a menacing +look which so enraged her that she raised her spear +as if to transfix him.</p> +<p>But there was too much happening below for her +attention to remain on Mawg. Finding the tree quite +too sturdy to be pulled down off-hand, the monster +gripped the lowest main branch, a limb eight or ten +inches through, and with one wrench peeled it down +like a stalk of celery. Her first effort, upon the main +trunk, had set the blood once more pumping from her +wound, but she paid no attention to it. Reaching to +the next great branch, she ripped that one down also, +taking another great strip from the main trunk. Grôm +saw that her purpose obviously was to pull the tree to +pieces bit by bit, in order to get at her intended victims. +Mawg apparently saw this also, and it was too much +for him. Gripping his strip of dried meat between his +teeth, he slipped around the trunk till he was sheltered +from the monster’s sight, dropped to a branch which +stretched far over the water, ran out along it nimbly +as an ape, and dived. The monster, her eyes fixed +upon the two remaining in the tree, never noticed his +escape. Mawg swam the creek, thrust his way through +the grass-stems, darted back to snatch up his club, shook +it at Grôm, and, yelling an obscene taunt, raced off to +seek himself another retreat before nightfall.</p> +<p>Neither Grôm nor A-ya had any heed to spare him +at that moment. The monster had just torn down a +limb so huge that the main trunk was almost split +in half by its loss. Grôm saw that unless he could +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119' name='page_119'></a>119</span> +stop this process of destruction, in a few moments more +the tree would be overthrown. The monster was just +rearing herself to clutch the next great bough. Spear +in hand, Grôm slipped down to meet her, and halted on +a branch just out of reach. The monster brayed +vindictively, stretched to her full height, and then +shot forth her tremendous muscular red coil of tongue, +thinking evidently to lick down her insignificant adversary +from his perch. She was within an inch of +succeeding. Grôm just eluded the strange attack by +stepping aside nimbly; and quick as thought A-ya’s +spear slashed the dreadful red tongue as it reached +flickering after her lord’s ankles. The next moment, +seeing the monster’s throat upstretched and unguarded, +Grôm drove his spear full force, straight into the soft +hollow of it. The weapon sank into a depth of perhaps +three feet, till the ragged flint lodged in the vertebræ +of the monster’s neck. Then the shaft was wrenched +violently from his hand; and the monster, blowing +blood and foam from mouth and nostrils, fell with a +crash among the litter of great branches which she +had pulled down.</p> +<p>Grôm drew a deep breath of relief, and commended +the girl for her timely and effective stroke at that +terrible tongue. Then he set himself coolly to the task +of completing their shelter for the night. As he wove +leafy branches into the floor of the platform to make +it soft, she contemplated his work with satisfaction. +Presently he remarked:</p> +<p>“I’m glad we are rid of that Mawg.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120' name='page_120'></a>120</span></p> +<p>“You should have killed him!” said the girl curtly.</p> +<p>“But why?” demanded Grôm, in some surprise. In +his eyes the fellow was a valuable piece of property +belonging to the tribe, a fighting asset.</p> +<p>“He wants <i>me</i>!” answered the girl, meeting his eyes +resentfully.</p> +<p>Grôm let his eyes roam all over her––face, hair +and form––and such a look of passionate admiration +glowed in their steady depths that her anger faded, +her own eyes dropped, and her breast gave a happy, incomprehensible +flutter. She had never seen such a +look in any man’s face before, or even dreamed of such +a look as possible.</p> +<p>“Of course, he wants you,” said Grôm, wondering, +as he spoke, at the ring of his own voice. “You are +the fairest thing, and the most desirable, on earth. All +men whose eyes come to rest on you must want you. +But none shall have you, ever, for you are mine, and +none shall tear you from me.”</p> +<p>And at that the girl forgot her anger, and forgave +him for having neglected to kill Mawg.</p> +<p>That night sleep was impossible for them, though +their lofty shelter was comfortable and secure. A +vast orange moon, near the full, illuminated the spacious +landscape; and beneath the tree came all the +giant night-prowlers, gathering to the unparallelled +banquet which the day had spread for them. Only +the two black lions, perhaps already glutted, did not +come. Wolves, a small pack of self-disciplined wild +dogs, a troop of hyenas, and several enormous leopards, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121' name='page_121'></a>121</span> +howled, snarled and wrangled in knots over the widely +scattered carcases, each group watching its neighbors +with suspicion and deadly animosity.</p> +<p>A gigantic red bear came lumbering up, and all the +lesser prowlers scattered discreetly but resentfully +before him. He strode straight to the chief place, +under the rent, dishevelled tree, and fell to tearing at +the mountainous corpse of the megatherium. He was +undisturbed till two saber-tooths arrived, their tawny +coats spectral in the moonlight, their foot-long tusks +giving their broad masks a dreadful grin.</p> +<p>Before one saber-tooth the bear would have stood +his ground scornfully; but before the two he thought +it best to defer. Slowly, and with a thunderous grumbling, +he moved over to the body of the rhinoceros, +pretending that he preferred it. The air was split +and battered with the clamor of raving voices. Other +saber-tooths came, and then another bear.</p> +<p>There were swift, sudden battles, as swiftly dropped +because neither combatant wished to fight to a finish +when there was feasting so abundant for all. And +once a leopard, dodging the paw of a saber-tooth, +sprang into the tree, only to fall back howling from +the spears thrust at him through the floor of Grôm’s +platform.</p> +<p>Just before dawn the girl slept, while Grôm kept +watch beside her lest another leopard should fancy +to explore their refuge. An hour later, when the first +pallor was spreading, she awoke with a cry of fear, +and clung to Grôm’s arm, shuddering strongly. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_122' name='page_122'></a>122</span></p> +<p>“But––what is it?” he asked, in a tender voice, +stroking her heavy mane.</p> +<p>“I was afraid!” she answered, like a child.</p> +<p>“What were you afraid of?” asked Grôm.</p> +<p>“I was afraid of Mawg. I <i>am</i> afraid of him!” she +answered, sitting up and shaking the hair from her +eyes, and staring out fearfully over the gray transparent +plains.</p> +<p>“Why should you fear Mawg?” demanded Grôm +proudly. “Am not I your man? And am not I always +with you? Many such mad brutes as Mawg could not +take you from me.”</p> +<p>“I know,” answered the girl, “that he and such as +he would be as straws in my lord’s hands. But––even +Grôm must sometimes sleep!”</p> +<p>Grôm laughed gently at her forebodings.</p> +<p>“He must sleep now, indeed, for we have a long +and perilous journey before us,” said he. Laying his +great shaggy head in her lap, and stretching his limbs +as far as the tiny platform would allow he was asleep +in two seconds. The girl, stooping forward till her +rich hair shadowed the rugged, sleeping face, with its +calm brows, pondered deeply over his inexplicable forbearance +toward his rival. Her instincts all assured +her that it was dangerous; but something else within +her, something which she strove in vain to grasp, suggested +to her that in some way it was noble, and +made her glad of it. Then, all at once, the first of +the sunrise, flooding into the tree-top, bathed her face +with a rosy glow, and wonderfully transfigured it.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123' name='page_123'></a>123</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI_THE_BATTLE_OF_THE_BRANDS' id='CHAPTER_VI_THE_BATTLE_OF_THE_BRANDS'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<h3>THE BATTLE OF THE BRANDS</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>Now for two years had the remnants of the +tribe been settled in the Valley of Fire. They +had prospered exceedingly. The caves were swarming +with strong children; for at the Chief’s orders every +warrior had taken to himself either two or three wives, +so that none of the widows had been left unmated. +Grôm alone remained with but one wife, although +his position in the tribe, second only to that of Bawr +himself, would have entitled him to as many as he +might choose.</p> +<p>Singularly happy with the girl A-ya, Grôm had been +unwilling to receive other women into their little grotto, +which branched off from the high arched entrance of +the main cave. He might, however, have yielded, from +policy and for the sake of the tribe, to pressure from +the Chief, but for a look of startled anguish which he +had seen leap into A-ya’s eyes when he mentioned the +matter to her. This had surprised him at the moment, +but it had also thrilled him curiously. And as the girl +made no objection to a step so absolutely in accordance +with the tribal customs, Grôm thought about it a good +deal. A few days later he excused himself to the +Chief, saying that other women in his cave would be a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124' name='page_124'></a>124</span> +nuisance, and would interfere with those studies of the +Shining One which had proved so beneficial to the tribe. +Bawr had accepted the excuse, though somewhat perplexed +by it, and had accommodatingly taken the extra +wives himself––a solution which had seemed to meet +with the unqualified approval of A-ya.</p> +<p>The first winter in the Valley of Fire had been a +wonderful one to the tribe, thanks to the fierce but +beneficent element ever shining, dancing and whispering +in its mysterious tongue before the cave doors. +Bleak winds and driving, icy rains out of the north had +no longer any power to distress them.</p> +<p>But when the storm was violent, with drenching and +persistent rain, then it was found necessary to feed the +fires before the cave-mouths lavishly with dry fuel +from the stores which Grôm’s forethought had caused +to be accumulated under shelter. These contests +between fire and rain were sagaciously represented by +Bawr (who had by now to his authority as Chief added +the subtle sanctions of High Priest) as the fight of the +Shining One in protection of the tribe, his children.</p> +<p>On more than one occasion of torrential downpour +the struggle had almost seemed to hang for a while +in doubt. But the Shining One lost no prestige, thereby, +for always, down there across the valley-mouth, +kept leaping and dancing those unquenchable flames of +scarlet, amber and violet, fed by the volcanic gases from +within the crevice, and utterly regardless of whatever +floods the sky might loose upon them. This was +evidence conclusive that the Shining One was master +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125' name='page_125'></a>125</span> +of the storm, no less than of the monsters which fled +so terror-stricken before him.</p> +<p>In the early spring, the girl A-ya bore a child to +Grôm; a big-limbed, vigorous boy, with shapely head +and spacious brow. In this event, and in the mother’s +happiness about it (a happiness that seemed to the rest +of the women to savor of foolish extravagance), +Grôm felt a gladness which dignity forbade him to +betray.</p> +<p>But pondering over the little one with bent brows, +and with deep eyes full of visions, he conceived such +an ambition as had perhaps never before entered into +the heart of man. It was that this child might grow +up to achieve some wonderful thing, as he himself had +done, for the advancement of his people. Of this +baby, child of the woman toward whom he felt emotions +so new and so profound, he had a premonition +that new and incalculable things would come.</p> +<p>One day Grôm was following the trail of a deer some +distance up the valley. Skilled hunter that he was, +he could read in the trail that his quarry was not +far ahead, and also that it had not yet taken alarm. +He followed cautiously, up the wind, noiseless as a +leopard, his sagacious eyes taking note of every detail +about him.</p> +<p>Presently he came to a spot where the trail was +broken. There was a twenty-foot gap to the next +hoofprints, and these went off at right angles to the +direction which the quarry had hitherto been pursuing. +Grôm halted abruptly, slipped behind a tree, crouched, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_126' name='page_126'></a>126</span> +and peered about him with the tense vigilance of a +startled fox. He knew that something had frightened +the deer, and frightened it badly. It behooved him to +find out what that something was.</p> +<p>For some minutes he stood motionless as the trunk +against which he leant, searching every bush and thicket +with his keen gaze, and sniffing the air with expert +nostrils. There was nothing perceptible to explain +that sudden fright of the deer. He was on the point +of slipping around the trunk to investigate from another +angle. But stop! There on a patch of soil +where some bear had been grubbing for tubers he +detected a strange footprint. Instantly, he sank to +the ground, and wormed his way over, silently as a +snake, to examine it.</p> +<p>It was a human footprint, but much larger than his +own, or those of his tribe; and Grôm’s beard, and the +stiff hairs on the nape of his corded neck, bristled with +hostility at the sight of it.</p> +<p>The toes of this portentous print were immensely +long and muscular, the heel protruded grotesquely far +behind the arch of the foot, which was low and flat. +The pressure was very marked along all the outer +edge, as if the author of the print had walked on the +outer sides of his feet. To Grôm, who was an adept +in the signs of the trail, it needed no second look to be +informed that one of the Bow-legs had been here. +And the trail was not five minutes old.</p> +<p>Grôm slipped under the nearest bushes, and writhed +forward with amazing speed in the direction indicated +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127' name='page_127'></a>127</span> +by the strange footprint, pausing every other second +to look, sniff the air, and listen. The trail was as +clear as daylight to him. Suddenly he heard voices, +several of them, guttural and squealing, and stopped +again as if turned to stone. Then another voice, at +which he started in amazement. It was Mawg’s, +speaking quietly and confidentially. Mawg, then, had +gone over to the Bow-legs! Grôm’s forehead +wrinkled. A-ya had been right. He ought to have +killed the traitor. He writhed himself into a dense +covert, and presently, over the broken brink of a vine-draped +ledge, was able to command a view of the +speakers.</p> +<p>They were five in number, and grouped almost immediately +below him. Four were of the Bow-legs, +squat, huge in the shoulder, long-armed, flat-skulled, +of a yellowish clay color, with protruding jaws, and +gaping, pit-like, upturned nostrils to their wide, bridgeless +noses. Grôm’s own nose wrinkled in disgust as +the sour taint of them breathed up to him.</p> +<p>They were all armed with spears and stone-headed +clubs, such as their people had been unacquainted with +up to the time of their attack upon the Tribe of the +Little Hills. It was apparent to Grôm that the +renegade Mawg, who towered among them arrogantly, +had been teaching them what he knew of effective +weapons.</p> +<p>Having no remotest comprehension of the language +of the Bow-legs––which Mawg was speaking with +them––Grôm could get little clue to the drift of their +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_128' name='page_128'></a>128</span> +talk. They gesticulated frequently toward the east, +and then again toward the caves at the valley-mouth, +so Grôm guessed readily enough that they were planning +something against his people.</p> +<p>It was clear, also, that this was but a little scouting +party which the renegade had led in to spy upon the +weakness of the tribe. This was as far as he could +premise with any certainty. The obvious conclusion +was that these spies would return to their own country, +to lead back such an invasion as should blot the +Children of the Shining One out of existence.</p> +<p>Grôm was quick to realize that to listen any longer +was to waste invaluable time. All that it was possible +for him to learn, he had learned. Writhing softly +back till he had gained what he considered a safe +distance from the spies, he rose to his feet and ran, at +first noiselessly, and crouching as he went, then at the +top of that speed for which he was famous in the +tribe. Reaching the Caves, he laid the matter hurriedly +before the Chief, and within five minutes they were +leading a dozen warriors up the trail.</p> +<p>Besides their customary weapons, both Grôm and +the Chief carried fire-sticks, tubes of thick, green bark, +tied round with a raw hide, filled with smouldering +punk, and perforated with a number of holes toward +the upper end. This was one of Grôm’s inventions, +of proved efficacy against saber-tooth and bear. By +cramming a handful of dry fiber and twigs into the +mouth of the tube, and then whirling it around his +head, he was able to obtain a sudden and most unexpected +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129' name='page_129'></a>129</span> +burst of flame which no beast ever dared to face, +and which never failed to compel the awe and wonder +of his followers.</p> +<p>Like shadows the little band went gliding in single +file through the thickets and under the drooping +branches, their passage marked only by the occasional +upspringing of a startled bird or the frightened crashing +flight of some timorous beast surprised by their +swift and noiseless approach. Arriving near the +hollow under the ledge, they sank flat and wormed +their way forward like weasels till they had gained the +post of observation behind the vine-clad rock.</p> +<p>But the strangers had vanished. An examination +of their footprints showed that they had fled in haste; +and to Grôm’s chagrin it looked as if he had himself +given them the alarm. The problem was solved in a +few minutes by the discovery that Mawg––easily detected +by his finer footprints––had scaled the ledge and +come upon the place where Grôm had lain hidden to +watch them. Seeing that they were discovered, and +that their discoverer had evidently gone to arouse the +tribe, they had realized that, the Bow-legs being slow +runners, their only hope lay in instant flight. From the +direction which they had taken it was evident that they +were fleeing back to their own country.</p> +<p>The Chief ordered instant pursuit. To this Grôm +demurred, not only because the fugitives had obtained +such a start––as was shown by the state of the trail––but +because he dreaded to leave the Caves so long unguarded. +He foresaw the possibility of another band +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_130' name='page_130'></a>130</span> +of invaders surprising the Caves during the absence +of this most efficient fighting force. But the Chief +overruled him.</p> +<p>For several hours was the pursuit kept up; and +from the trail it appeared, not only that Mawg was +leading his followers cleverly, but also that the Bow-legs +were making no mean speed. The pursuers were +come by now to near the head of the valley, a region +with which they were little familiar. It was a broken +country and well fitted for ambuscade, where a lesser +force, well posted and driven to bay, might well secure +a deadly advantage. The tribe was too weak to risk +its few fighting men in any uncertain contest; and +the Chief, yielding slowly to Grôm’s arguments, was +on the point of giving the order to turn back, when +a harsh scream of terror from just ahead, beyond a +shoulder of rock, brought the line to a halt.</p> +<p>Waving their followers into concealment on either +side of the trail, the Chief and Grôm stole forward +and peered cautiously around the turn.</p> +<p>Straight before them fell away a steep and rugged +slope. Midway of the descent, with his back to a +rock, crouched one of the Bow-legs, battling frantically +with his club to keep off the attack of a pair of +leopards. The man was kneeling upon one knee, with +the other leg trailed awkwardly behind him. It seemed +an altogether difficult and disadvantageous position in +which to do battle.</p> +<p>“The fool!” said Bawr. “He doesn’t know how to +fight a leopard.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131' name='page_131'></a>131</span></p> +<p>“He’s hurt. His leg is broken!” said Grôm. And +straightway, a novel purpose flashing into his far-seeing +brain, he ran leaping down the slope to the rescue, +waving his fire-stick to a blaze as he went.</p> +<p>The Chief looked puzzled for a moment, wondering +why the deliberate Grôm should trouble to do what it +was plain the leopards would do for him most effectually. +But he dreaded the chance of an ambuscade. +Shouting to the men behind to come on, he waved his +own fire-stick to a blaze, and followed Grôm.</p> +<p>One of the leopards had already succeeded in closing +in upon the wounded Bow-leg; but at the sight of Grôm +and the Chief leaping down upon them they sprang +back snarling and scurried off among the thickets like +frightened cats. The Bow-leg lifted wild eyes to learn +the meaning of his deliverance. But when he saw those +two tall forms rushing at him with flame and smoke +circling about their heads, he gave a groan and fell +forward upon his face.</p> +<p>Grôm stood over him, staring down upon the misshapen +and bleeding form with thoughtful eyes; while +the Chief looked on, striving to fathom his purpose. +The warriors came up, shouting savage delight at +having at last got one of their dreaded enemies into +their hands alive. They would have fallen upon him +at once and torn him to pieces. But Grôm waved them +back sternly. They growled with indignation, and +one, sufficiently prominent in the tribal counsels to dare +Grôm’s displeasure, protested hotly against this favor +to so venomous a foe. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_132' name='page_132'></a>132</span></p> +<p>“I demand this fellow, Bawr, as my captive!” said +Grôm.</p> +<p>“It was you who took him,” answered the Chief. +“He is yours.” He was about to add, “though I can’t +see what you want of him”; but it was a part of his +policy never to seem in doubt or ignorance about anything +that another might perhaps know. So, instead, +he sternly told his followers to obey the law of the +tribe and respect Grôm’s capture. Then Grôm stepped +close beside him and said at his ear: “Many things +which we need to know will Bawr learn from this +fellow presently, as to the dangers which are like to +come upon us.”</p> +<p>At this the Chief, being ready of wit, comprehended +Grôm’s purpose; and, to the amazement of his followers, +he looked down upon the hideous prisoner with +a smile of satisfaction.</p> +<p>“Well have I called you the Chief’s Right Hand,” +he answered. “I shall also have to call you the Chief’s +Wisdom, for in saving this fellow’s life you have +shown more forethought than I.”</p> +<p>The captive’s wounds having been dressed with +astringent herbs, and his broken leg put into splints +in accordance with the rude but not ineffective surgery +of the time, he was placed on a rough litter of interlaced +branches and carried back by the reluctant +warriors to the Caves.</p> +<p>None of the warriors were advanced enough to +have understood the policy of their leaders, so no +effort was made by either the Chief or Grôm to explain +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133' name='page_133'></a>133</span> +it. The Chief, doubly secure in his dominance by +reason of Grôm’s loyal support, cared little whether his +followers were content or not, and he took no heed of +their ill-humor so long as they did not allow it to become +articulate.</p> +<p>But when, after an hour’s sullen tramping, they +suddenly grew merry at their task, and fell to marching +with a child-like cheer under their repulsive and +groaning burden, he was surprised, and made inquiry +as to the reason for this sudden complaisance. It +turned out that one of the warriors, accounted more +discerning than his fellows, had suggested that the +captive was to be nursed back to health in order that +he might be made an acceptable sacrifice to the Shining +One. As this notion seemed to meet with such +hearty approval, the wise Chief did not think it worth +while to cast any doubt upon it. In fact, as he thought, +such a solution might very well arrive, in the end, in +case Grôm’s design should fail to come up to his expectations.</p> +<p>To the presence of the hideous and repulsive stranger +in her dwelling, A-ya, as was natural, raised warm objection. +But when Grôm had explained his purpose +to her, and the imminence of the peril that threatened, +she yielded readily enough, the dread of Mawg being +yet vivid in her imagination. She lent herself cheerfully +to the duty of caring for the captive’s wounds and +of helping Grôm to teach him the simple speech of the +tribe.</p> +<p>As for the captive, for some days he was possessed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134' name='page_134'></a>134</span> +by a morose anticipation of being brained at any moment––an +anticipation, however, which did not seem +to interfere with his appetite. He would clutch eagerly +all the food offered him, and crouch, huddled over +it, with his face to the rock-wall, while he devoured it +with frantic haste and bestial noises. But as he found +himself treated with invariable kindness, he began to +develop an anxious gratitude and docility. On A-ya’s +tall form his little round eyes, shy and fierce at the same +time, came to rest with an adoring awe. The smell +of him being extremely offensive to all this cleanly tribe, +and especially to A-ya and Grôm, who were more fastidious +than their fellows, A-ya had taken advantage +of her office as priestess of the Shining One to establish +a little fire within the precincts of her own dwelling, +and by the judicious use of aromatic barks upon +the blaze she was able to scent the place to her taste. +And the Bow-leg, seeing her mastery of the mysterious +and dreadful scarlet tongues which licked upwards +from the hollow on their rocky pedestal, regarded her +less as a woman than as a goddess––a being who, for +her own unknown reasons, chose to be beneficent toward +him, but who plainly could become destructive if +he should in any way transgress. Toward Grôm––who +regarded him altogether impersonally as a means +to an end, a pawn to be played prudently in a game of +vast import––his attitude was that of the submitted +slave, his fate lying in the hollow of his master’s hand. +Toward the rest of the tribe––who, till their curiosity +was sated, kept crowding in to stare and jeer and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135' name='page_135'></a>135</span> +curse––he displayed the savage fear and hate of a lynx +at bay.</p> +<p>But the babe on A-ya’s arm seemed to him something +peculiarly precious. It was not only the son of +Grôm, his grave and distant master, but also of that +wonderful, beautiful, enigmatic deity, his mistress, +the fashioner and controller of the flames. The adoration +which soon grew up in his heart for A-ya’s beauty, +but which his awe of her did not suffer him even to +realize to himself, was turned upon the babe, and +speedily took the form of a passionate and dog-like +devotion. A-ya, with her mother instinct, was quick +to understand this, and also to realize the possible value +to her child of such a devotion, in some future +emergency. Moreover, it softened her heart toward +the hideous captive, so that she busied herself not only +to help Grôm teach him their language, but also to +reform his manners and make him somewhat less unpleasant +an associate. His wounds soon healed, thanks +to the vitality of his youthful stock; and the bones +of the broken leg soon knit themselves securely. But +Grôm’s surgery having been hasty and something less +than exact, the leg remained so crooked that its owner +could do no more than hobble about with a laborious, +dragging gait. It being obvious that he could not +run away, there was no guard set upon him.</p> +<p>But it soon became equally obvious that nothing +would induce him to remove himself from the neighborhood +of A-ya’s baby. He was like a gigantic watchdog +squatting at Grôm’s doorway, chained to it by +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_136' name='page_136'></a>136</span> +links stronger than any that hands could fashion. And +those of the tribe who had been hoping to do honor to +the Shining One, as well as to the spirits of their +slain kinsmen back in the barrow on the windy hills, +by a great and bloody sacrifice, began to realize with +discontent that their hopes were like enough to be +disappointed.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>The captive said his name was Ook-ootsk––a clicking +guttural which none but A-ya was able to master. +When he had learned to make himself understood, he +proved eager to repay Grôm’s protection by giving +all the information that he possessed. Simple-minded, +but with much of a child’s shrewdness, he quickly +came to regard himself as of some importance when +both the Chief and Grôm would spend hours in interrogating +him. His own people he repudiated with +bitterness, because, when he had fallen among the +rocks and shattered his leg, his party had refused to +burden their flight by helping him. It became his +pride to identify himself with the interests of his +master, and to call himself the slave of his master’s +baby.</p> +<p>The information which he was able to give was such +as to cause the Chief and Grôm the most profound disquietude. +It appeared that the Bow-legs, having +gradually recovered from the panic of their appalling +defeat in the Pass of the Little Hills, had made up +their minds that the disaster must be avenged. But +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137' name='page_137'></a>137</span> +no longer did they hold their opponents cheap on account +of their scanty numbers. They realized that +if they would hope to succeed in their next attack they +must organize, and prepare themselves by learning how +to employ their forces better. To this end, therefore, +when Mawg and his fellow-renegades fell into their +hands, instead of tearing them to pieces in bestial +sport, they had spared them, and made much of them, +and set themselves diligently to learn all that the +strangers could teach. And Mawg, seeing here his +opportunity both for vengeance on Grôm and for the +gratification of that mad passion for A-ya which had +so long obsessed him, had gone about the business with +shrewd foresight and a convincing zeal.</p> +<p>It was apparent from the accounts which Ook-ootsk +was able to give that the invasion would take place +as soon as possible after their hordes were adequately +armed with the new weapons. This, said Ook-ootsk, +would be soon after the dry season had set in. In +any case, he said, the hordes were bound to wait for +the dry season, because the way from their country +to the Valley of Fire lay through a region of swamps +which became impassable for any large body of +migrants during the month of rains.</p> +<p>As the dry season was already close upon them, +Bawr and Grôm now set themselves feverishly to the +arrangement of their defenses. Counting the older +boys who had grown into sizable youths since the +last great battle and all the able-bodied women and +girls, they could muster no more than about six score +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_138' name='page_138'></a>138</span> +of actual combatants. They knew that defeat would +mean nothing less than instant annihilation for the +tribe, and for the women a foul captivity and a loathsome +mating. But they knew also that a mere successful +defense would avail them only for the moment. +Unless they could inflict upon the invaders such a defeat +as would amount to a paralyzing catastrophe, they +would soon be worn down by mere force of numbers, +or starved to death in their caves. It was not only +for defense, therefore, but for wholesale attack––the +attack of six score upon as many thousand––that Bawr +planned his strategy and Grôm wove unheard-of devices.</p> +<p>Of the two great caves occupied by the tribe one +was now abandoned, as not lending itself easily to +defense. To Bawr’s battle-trained eyes it revealed +itself as rather a trap than a refuge, because from the +heights behind it an enemy could roll down rocks +enough to effectively block its mouth. But the cliff +in which the other cave was hollowed was practically +inaccessible, and hung beetling far over the entrance.</p> +<p>Into this natural fortress the tribe––with an infinite +deal of grumbling––was removed. Store of roots and +dried flesh was gathered within; and every one was +set to the collection of dry and half-dry fuel. The +light stuff, with an immense number of short, highly-inflammable +faggots, was piled inside the doorway +where no rain could reach it. And the heavy wood +was stacked outside, to right and left, in such a fashion +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139' name='page_139'></a>139</span> +as to form practical ramparts for the innermost line +of defense.</p> +<p>Directly in front of the cave spread a small fan-shaped +plateau several hundred square yards in area. +On the right a narrow path, wide enough for but one +wayfarer at a time, descended between perpendicular +boulders to the second cave. On the left the plateau +was bordered by broken ground, a jumble of serrated +rocks, to be traversed only with difficulty. In front +there was a steep but shallow dip, from which the land +sloped gently up the valley, clothed with high bush +and deep thickets intersected with innumerable narrow +trails.</p> +<p>Directly in front of the cave, and about the center +of the plateau, burned always, night and day, the +sacred fire, tended in turn by the members of the little +band appointed to this distinguished service by the +Chief. Under the Chief’s direction the whole of the +plateau was now cleared of underbrush and grass, +and then along its brink was laid a chain of small fires, +some ten or twelve feet apart, and all ready for lighting.</p> +<p>Meanwhile, Grôm was busy preparing the device +on which, according to his plan of campaign, the +ultimate issue was to hang. For days the tribe was +kept on the stretch collecting dry and leafy brushwood +from the other side of the valley, and bundles of dead +grass from the rich savannahs beyond the valley-mouth, +on the other side of the dancing flames. All +this inflammable stuff Grôm distributed lavishly +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140' name='page_140'></a>140</span> +through the thickets before the plateau, to a distance +of nearly a mile up the slope, till the whole space was +in reality one vast bonfire laid ready for the torch.</p> +<p>While these preparations were being rushed––somewhat +to the perplexity of the tribe, who could not +fathom the tactics of stuffing the landscape with rubbish––Bawr +was keeping a little band of scouts on +guard at the far-off head of the valley. They were +chosen from the swift runners of the tribe; and Bawr, +who was a far-seeing general, had them relieved twice +in twenty-four hours, that they might not grow weary +and fail in vigilance.</p> +<p>When all was ready came a time of trying suspense. +As day after day rolled by without event, cloudless +and hot, the country became as dry as tinder; and the +tribe, seeing that nothing unusual happened, began to +doubt or to forget the danger that hung over them. +There were murmurs over the strain of ceaseless watching, +murmurs which Bawr suppressed with small +ceremony. But the lame Ook-ootsk, squatting misshapen +in Grôm’s doorway with A-ya’s baby in his ape-like +arms grew more and more anxious. As he conveyed +to Grôm, the longer the delay the greater the +force which was being gathered for the assault.</p> +<p>Having no inkling of Grôm’s larger designs, he +looked with distrust on the little heaps of wood that +were to be fires along the edge of the plateau, and +wished them to be piled much bigger, intimating that +his people, though they would be terribly afraid of +the Shining One, would be forced on from behind by +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141' name='page_141'></a>141</span> +sheer numbers and would trample the small fires out. +The confidence of the Chief and Grôm, and of A-ya +as well, in the face of the awful peril which hung over +them, filled him with amazement.</p> +<p>Then, at last, one evening just in the dying flush +of the sunset, came the scouts, running breathlessly, +and one with a ragged spear-wound in his shoulder. +Their eyes were wide as they told of the countless +myriads of the Bow-legs who were pouring into the +head of the valley, led by Mawg and a gigantic black-faced +chief as tall as Bawr himself.</p> +<p>“Are they as many,” asked Grôm, “as they who came +against us in the Little Hills?”</p> +<p>But the panting men threw up their hands.</p> +<p>“As a swarm of locusts to a flock of starlings,” they +replied.</p> +<p>To their astonishment the Chief smiled with grim +satisfaction at this appalling news.</p> +<p>“It is well,” said he. Mounting a rock by the cave-door, +he gazed up the valley, striving to make out the +vanguard of the approaching hordes; while Grôm, marshalling +the servitors of the fire, stationed them by the +range of piles, ready to set light to them on the given +word.</p> +<p>It was nearly an hour––so swift had been the terror +of the scouts––before a low, terrible sound of crashings +and mutterings announced that the hordes were drawing +near. It was now twilight, with the first stars +appearing in a pallid violet sky; and up the valley +could be discerned an obscurely rolling confusion +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142' name='page_142'></a>142</span> +among the thickets. Bawr gave orders, rapid and +concise; and the combatants lined out in a double rank +along the front of the plateau some three or four paces +behind the piles of wood.</p> +<p>They were armed with stone-headed clubs, large or +small, according to personal taste, and each carried at +least three flint-tipped spears. At the head of the +narrow path leading up from the lower cave were +stationed half a dozen women, similarly armed. Bawr +had chosen these women because each of them had one +or more young children in the cave behind her; and +he knew that no adventurous foe would get up that +path alive. But A-ya was not among these six wild +mothers, for her place was at the service of the fires.</p> +<p>The ominous roar and that obscure confusion rolled +swiftly nearer, and Bawr, with a swing of his huge +club, sprang down from his post of observation and +strode to the front. Grôm shouted an order, and +light was set to all the crescent of fires. They flared +up briskly; and at the same time the big central fire, +which had been allowed to sink to a heap of glowing +coals, was heaped with dry stuff which sent up an +instant column of flame. The sudden wide illumination, +shed some hundreds of yards up the valley, revealed +the front ranks of the Bow-legs swarming in +the brush, their hideous yellow faces, gaping nostrils +and pig-like eyes all turned up in awe towards the +glare.</p> +<p>The advance of the front ranks came to an instant +halt, and the low muttering rose to a chorus of harsh +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143' name='page_143'></a>143</span> +cries. Then the tall figure of Mawg sprang to the +front, followed, after a moment of wondering hesitation, +by that of the head chief of the hordes, a massive +creature of the true Bow-leg type, but as tall as Bawr +himself, and in color almost black. This giant and +Mawg, refusing to be awed by the tremendous phenomenon +of the fire, went leaping along the lines of their +followers, urging them forward, and pointing out that +their enemies stood close beside the flames and took no +hurt.</p> +<p>On the front ranks themselves this reasoning seemed, +at first, to produce little effect. But to those just +behind it appeared more cogent, seconded as it was by +a consuming curiosity. Moreover, the masses in the +rear were rolling down, and their pressure presently +became irresistible. All at once the front ranks realized +that they had no choice in the matter. They +sagged forward, surged obstinately back again, then +gave like a bursting dam and poured, yelling and leaping, +straight onward toward the crescent of fires.</p> +<p>As soon as the rush was fairly begun, both Mawg +and the Black Chief cleverly extricated themselves +from it, running aside to the higher, broken ground at +the left of the plateau whence they could see and direct +the attack. It was plain enough that they accounted +the front ranks doomed, and were depending on sheer +weight of numbers for the inevitable victory.</p> +<p>Standing grim, silent, immovable between their fires, +the Chief and Grôm awaited the dreadful onset. In +all the tribe not a voice was raised, not a fighter, man +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_144' name='page_144'></a>144</span> +or woman, quailed. But many hearts stood still, for +it looked as if that living flood could never be stayed. +Presently from all along its front came a cloud of +spears. But they fell short, not more than half a +dozen reaching the edge of the plateau. In instant +response came a deep-chested shout from Bawr, followed +by a discharge of spears from behind the line +of fire.</p> +<p>These spears, driven with free arm and practised +skill, went clean home in the packed ranks of the +foe, but they caused no more than a second’s wavering, +as the dead went down and their fellows crowded on +straight over them. A second volley from the grimly +silent fighters on the plateau had somewhat more effect. +Driven low, and at shorter range, every jagged flint-point +found its mark, and the screaming victims +hampered those behind. But after a moment the mad +flood came on again, till it was within some thirty +paces of the edge of the plateau.</p> +<p>Then came a long shout from Grôm, a signal +which had been anxiously awaited by the front line +of his fighters. Each fire had been laid, on the inner +side, with dry faggots of a resinous wood which not +only blazed freely but held the flame tenaciously. +These faggots had been placed with only their tips in +the fire. Seizing them by their unlighted ends, the +warriors hurled them, blazing, full into the gaping faces +before them.</p> +<p>The brutal, gaping faces screeched with pain and +terror, and the whole front rank, beating frantically +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145' name='page_145'></a>145</span> +at the strange missiles, wheeled about and clawed at +the rank behind, battling to force its way through. +But the rolling masses were not to be denied. After +a brief, terrible struggle, the would-be fugitives were +borne down and trodden underfoot. The new-comers +were greeted with a second discharge of the blazing +brands, and the dreadful scene repeated itself. But +now there was a difference. For many of the assailants, +realizing that there was no chance of retreat, +came straight on, heedless of brand or spear, with the +deadly, uncalculating fury of a beast at bay.</p> +<p>For some seconds, under the specific directions of +the Chief on the right center and of Grôm far to the +left, many of the blazing brands had been thrown, +not into the faces of the front rank, but far over their +heads, to fall among the tinder-dry brushwood. Long +tongues of flame leaped up at once, here, there, everywhere, +curling and licking savagely. Screeches of +horror arose, which brought all the hordes to a halt +as far back as they could be heard. A light wind +was blowing up the valley, and almost at once the +scattered flames, gathering volume, came together with +a roar. The hordes, smitten with the blindest madness +of panic, turned to flee, springing upon and tearing +at each other in the desperate struggle to escape.</p> +<p>Shouting triumph and derision, the defenders +bounded forward, down over the edge of the plateau, +and fell upon the huddled ranks before them. But +these, with all escape cut off, and far outnumbering +their exultant adversaries, now fought like rats in a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_146' name='page_146'></a>146</span> +pit. And the men of the caves found themselves locked +in a struggle to the death just when they had thought +the fight was done.</p> +<p>A-ya, no longer needed at the fires, was just about +to follow Grôm down into the thick of the reeking +battle, when a scream from the cave-mouth made her +whip round. She was just in time to see Ook-ootsk +hurl his spear at the tall figure of Mawg, leaping down +upon him from the broken slope on the left. A half +score of the Bow-legs were following hard upon +Mawg’s heels. With a scream of warning to Grôm +she rushed back to the cave. But Grôm did not hear +her. He had been pulled down, struck senseless and +buried under a writhing heap of foes.</p> +<p>Her long hair streaming behind her, her eyes like +those of a tigress protecting her cubs, A-ya darted to +the cave-door. But she did not reach it. Just outside +the threshold a club descended upon her head, +and she dropped. Instantly she was pounced upon, +and bound. A moment later three Bow-legs, followed +by Mawg, streaming with blood, came running out of +the cave. Mawg swung the limp form across his +shoulder with a grin of satisfaction, and the party +beat a hurried retreat up the slopes.</p> +<p>In a few minutes that last death-grapple along the +front of the plateau came to an end, and Bawr, leaving +nearly a third of his followers slain with the slain +Bow-legs, led the exultant survivors back to the cave. +It had been a costly victory for the Children of the +Shining One; but for the invaders it was little less than +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147' name='page_147'></a>147</span> +annihilation. The flames were raging for a mile up +the valley, wherever they were not choked by the piles +and windrows of the dead or dying Bow-legs. The +lurid night was shaken with the incessant rising and +falling chorus of shrieks, and far off under the glare +rolled that awful receding wave of fugitives, with the +flames leaping upon them and slaying them as they +fled. Leaning upon his club and gazing thoughtfully +across the scene of incredible destruction, Bawr told +himself that never again, so long as the memory of +this night survived, would the Bow-legs dare to come +against his people.</p> +<p>Then wild lamentation from the women drew the +Chief into the cave. Here he found that half the +little ones had been killed in that swift incursion of +Mawg, and that nearly all the old men and women had +been slaughtered in defending their charges. Across +Grôm’s doorway, crouching on his face and with his +great teeth buried in the throat of a dead Bow-leg, lay +the lame captive, Ook-ootsk. Seeing that he still +breathed, and marking the fury with which he had +fought in defense of their little ones, the warriors +lifted him aside gently. Beneath him, and safely +guarded in the crook of his shaggy arm, they found +Grôm’s baby, without a hurt. The women defending +the head of the path on the right having seen the rape +of A-ya, Bawr handed the babe to one of his own wives +to cherish.</p> +<p>Then search was made for Grôm. At first the Chief +imagined that he had followed the captors of A-ya, in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148' name='page_148'></a>148</span> +a desperate hope of effecting her rescue alone. But +they found him under a heap of dead, so nearly dead +himself that they despaired of him. Realizing that it +was he who had saved the tribe, they began over him +that great keening lamentation hitherto reserved +strictly for the funeral of the supreme Chief himself. +But Bawr, his massive features furrowed with solicitude, +stopped them, vowing that Grôm should not die. +And lifting the hero in his arms he bore him into the +cave.</p> +<p>Grôm’s wounds proved to be deep, but not fatal +to one of these clean-blooded sons of the open and the +wind. It was some days before it was clearly borne in +upon him that A-ya had been carried off alive by the +Bow-legs. Then, with a great cry, he sprang to his +feet. The blood spouted afresh from his wounds, +and he fell back in a swoon. When he came to himself +again, for days he would speak to no one, and it +looked as if he would die, not of his wounds so much as +of the insufficient will to live. But a chance word of +the captive Ook-ootsk, who was being nursed back +to life beside him, reminded him that there was vengeance +to be lived for, and he roused himself a little. +Then Bawr, ever subtle in the reading of his people’s +hearts, suggested to him that even such a feat as the +rescue of the girl A-ya might not be impossible to the +subjugator of the fire and the slayer of a whole people.</p> +<p>And from that moment Grôm began climbing steadily +back to life.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149' name='page_149'></a>149</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII_THE_RESCUE_OF_AYA' id='CHAPTER_VII_THE_RESCUE_OF_AYA'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<h3>THE RESCUE OF A-YA</h3> +</div> +<p>The clay-colored, ape-like, bow-legged men +squatted in council.</p> +<p>It was not long, as time went in the long, slow +morning of the world––perhaps a half-score thousand +years or so––since their ancestors, in the pride of their +dawning intelligence, had swung down from their +tree-tops, to walk upright on the solid earth and +challenge the supremacy of the hunting beasts. Their +arms were still of an unhuman and ungainly length, +their short powerful legs were still so heavily bowed +that they had no great speed in running; and they still +had their homes high among the branches, where they +could sleep secure from surprise. They were still tree +dwellers; but they were men, intent upon asserting their +lordship over all the other dwellers upon earth’s surface.</p> +<p>They were not beautiful to look upon. Their squat, +powerful forms, varying in color from a dingy yellow-brown +to blackish mud-color, were covered unevenly +with a thin growth of dark hairs. On thigh and +shoulder, down the backbone, and on the outer side of +the long forearm, this growth was heavier and longer, +forming a sort of irregular thatch; while the hair of +their heads was jet black, and matted into a filthy +tangle with grease and clay. Their faces were broad +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150' name='page_150'></a>150</span> +and flat, with powerful protruding jaws, low and very +receding foreheads, and wide noses which seemed to +have been punched in at the bridge so that the flaring +red nostrils turned upwards hideously.</p> +<p>It was but a battered and crestfallen remnant of the +tribe which now took counsel over their diminished +fortunes. In an irregular half-circle they squatted, +pawing gingerly at their wounds or scratching themselves +uncouthly, while their apish women loitered in +chattering groups outside the circle, or crouched in the +branches of the neighboring trees. Those who were +perched in the trees mostly held babies at their breasts, +and were therefore instinctively distrustful of the +dangerous ground-levels. Here and there on the outskirts +of the crowd, either squatting on hillocks or +clinging in a tree-top, wary-eyed old women kept watch +against surprise; though there were few among either +beasts or men who would be likely to venture an attack +upon the ferocious tribe of the Bow-legs.</p> +<p>On a low, flat-topped bowlder, which served the +purpose of a throne, sat the Chief of the Bow-legs, +playing with his unwieldy club (which was merely +the root end of a sapling hacked into shape with sharp +stones), as if it had been a bulrush. In height and +bulk he was far above his fellows, though similar to +them in general type except for the matter of color, +which was dark almost to blackness. His jaws were +those of a beast, and his whole appearance was bestial +beyond that of any other in the whole hideous throng––except +for his eyes. These, though small and deep-set, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151' name='page_151'></a>151</span> +blazed with fierce intelligence, and swept his +audience with an air of assured mastery which made +plain why he was chief. He was talking rapidly, with +broad gestures, and in a barking, clicking speech which +sounded little more than half articulate. He was working +himself up into a rage; and the squatting listeners +wriggled apprehensively, while they applauded from +time to time with grunts and growls.</p> +<p>Near the end of the foremost rank of the semi-circle, +very close to the haranguing Chief, sat one who was +plainly of superior race to his companions. Something +in the harangue seemed to concern him particularly, +for he sprang to his feet and stood leaning on +his club––which was longer and more symmetrically +fashioned than that of the chief. In color he was +manifestly white, for all that dirt and the weather could +do to disguise it. He was taller even than the great +Black Chief himself––but shorter in the body, and +achieving his height through length and straightness of +leg. He had chest and shoulders of enormous power; +but, unlike the barrel-shaped Bow-legs he was comparatively +slim of waist and hips. He had less hair +on the body––except on the chest and forearm––than +his companions; but far more on the head, where it +stood out all around like an immense black-tawny mane. +His face, though heavy and lowering, <i>was</i> a face––with +square, resolute jaws, a modelled mouth, a big, fully-bridged +nose, and a spacious forehead. His eyes were +blue, and now, deep under their shaggy brows, glared +upon the Chief with desperate defiance. Close behind +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152' name='page_152'></a>152</span> +his heels crouched a girl, obviously of his own race––a +tall, strong, shapely figure of a woman, as could well +be seen, though her attitude was one of utter dejection, +her face sunk upon her knees, and half her body hidden +in the tangled torrent of her dull chestnut hair.</p> +<p>The tall alien, so dauntlessly eyeing the Chief, was +Mawg the renegade. Arrogant in his folly, he had +not realized that the Tree Men would hold him to account +for the calamity which he had brought upon +them. He had not realized that the girl A-ya, with +her straight limbs and her strong comeliness, might +stir the craving of others besides himself. Now, as he +listened to the fierce harangue of the Chief, as his alert +ears caught the mutterings behind and about him, he +saw the pit yawn suddenly at his feet. But though +a brute and a traitor, he was no coward. His veins began +to run hot, his sinews to stretch for the death +struggle which would presently be upon him.</p> +<p>As for the girl, unseeing, unhearing, her head bowed +between her naked knees, she cared nothing. She +loathed life, and all about her, equally. Her baby and +her lord, if they yet lived, were far away beyond the +mountains and the swamps, in the caverned hillside +behind the smoke of the fires. Her captor, Mawg, +she loathed above all; but she was here behind him +because he held her always within reach lest the filthy +women of the Bow-legs should tear her to pieces.</p> +<p>Suddenly, without looking around, Mawg spoke to +her, in their own tongue, which the Bow-legs could +not understand. “Be ready, girl. They are going to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153' name='page_153'></a>153</span> +kill me now. The Black Chief wants you. But I +kill him and we run. They are all dirt. <i>Come!</i>”</p> +<p>On the word, he sprang straight at the great Black +Chief, where he towered upon his rock. But the girl, +though she heard every syllable, never stirred.</p> +<p>The spring of Mawg was like a leopard’s; but the +Black Chief, though slow of foot, was not slow of +hand or wits. Though taken by surprise, he swung +up his club in time to partly parry Mawg’s lightning +stroke, which would otherwise have broken his bull +neck. As it was, the club was almost beaten from his +grasp. He dropped it with a snarl and leaped at his +assailant’s throat with clutching hands.</p> +<p>Had it been possible to fight it out man to man, +Mawg would have liked nothing better, though the +issue would have been a doubtful one. But he had +no mind to face the whole tribe, which was now surging +forward like a pack of wolves. He had no time to +repeat his blow fairly; but as he eluded the gigantic, +clutching fingers he got in a light glancing stroke with +the butt which laid open his adversary’s cheek and +closed one furious little eye. At the same instant he +whirled away lithely, sprang from the rock on the +further side, and ran off like a deer through the trees, +cursing the girl because she had not followed him. +About half the tribe went trailing after him, yelling +hoarsely, while the rest drew back and waited uneasily +to see what their Chief would do.</p> +<p>The Chief, clapping one hairy hand over his +wounded eye, glared after the fugitive with the other. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154' name='page_154'></a>154</span> +But he knew the folly of trying to catch his fleet-footed +adversary, and after a moment he dismissed him from +his mind. With a grunt he stepped down from his +rock, and heedless of his wound, strode over to the +girl. Through all the tumult she had never lifted her +head from between her knees, or shown the least sign +of concern. The Chief seized her by the shoulder and +shook her roughly, ordering her to come with him. +She did not understand his language, but his meaning +was obvious. She looked up and stared straight into +his one open eye. In her own eyes shifted the dangerous, +lambent flame of a beast at bay, and for a moment +she was on the point of darting at his throat.</p> +<p>But not without reason was the Black Chief dictator +of the Bow-legs. Brutal and filthy though he was, +and hideous beyond description, and horrible with his +gashed face and the blood pouring down over his huge +and shaggy chest, he was all a man, and the mastery +in him checked her. She felt the hopelessness of fighting +her fate. The flame flickered out, leaving her eyes +dull and leaden. She rose listlessly, and followed her +new lord to the tree in which he had his dwelling of +woven branches.</p> +<p>At the foot of the tree the Black Chief stopped, +stood back, and signed the girl to ascend. A climber +as expert as himself, she clutched the rough trunk +with accustomed hands. Then she hesitated, and shut +her eyes. Should she obey, yielding to her fate? +Mawg, her late captor, she had hated with a murderous +hate; yet she had submitted to him, in a dim way biding +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155' name='page_155'></a>155</span> +her time for vengeance. He was of her own race; and +it was in her mind, her spirit––though she herself could +not so analyze the emotion––that she hated him. But +this new master was an alien, and of a lower, beastlier +type. Toward him she felt a sick bodily repulsion. +Behind her tight-shut lids the dark went red. She +stood rigid and quivering, stormed through by a +raging impulse to tear out either his throat or her +own. She was herself a more advanced product of +her own advanced race, and urged by impulses still +new and imperfectly applied to life. But the countless +centuries of submission were in her blood also; and +they whispered to her insidiously that she was lawful +prey. A huge hand fell significantly upon the back +of her neck. She jumped, gave a sobbing cry, and +sprang up into the tree. Who was she to challenge +doom for an idea, a hundred thousand years before her +time.</p> +<hr class='tb' /> +<p>Some days’ journey to the westward of the swampy +refuge of the Bow-legs, a tall hunter was making his +way warily through the forest. His color, his build, +and his swift grace of movement proclaimed him of the +same race as Mawg and the girl A-ya, acquitting him +easily of any kinship with the People of the Trees. +In height and weight he was much like Mawg, but +lighter in complexion, somewhat less hairy, and of a +frank, sagacious countenance. His eyes were of a +blue-gray, calm and piercing, yet with a look in them +as of one who broods on mysteries. He was obviously +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_156' name='page_156'></a>156</span> +much older than Mawg, his long, thick hair and short, +close-curling beard being liberally touched with gray. +He carried in one hand a peculiar long-handled club, +which he had fashioned by lashing, with strips of green +hide, a split and jagged flint-stone into the cleft head +of a stick. In the other hand he bore two long, slender +spears, their tips hardened and pointed in fire.</p> +<p>On the day, now many weeks back, when Grôm +set out from the Caves behind the Fire to seek for +A-ya in the far-off country of the Bow-legs, he had +carried also two hollow tubes of green bark, with +the seeds of fire, kept smouldering in a bed of punk, +hidden in the hearts of them. But the need of stopping +frequently to build a fire and renew the vitality of the +secret spark had soon exasperated his impatient spirit. +Intolerant of the hindrance, and confident in his own +strength and craft, he had thrown the fire-tubes away +and fallen back upon the weapons which had sufficed +him before his discovery and conquest of the Shining +One.</p> +<p>Engrossed in his purpose, thinking only of regaining +possession of the girl, the mother of his man-child, +he shunned all contest with the great beasts which +crossed his path, and fled without shame from those +which undertook to hunt him.</p> +<p>He would risk no doubtful battle. He satisfied +his hunger on wild honey, and the ripe fruits and tubers +with which the forest abounded at this season. At +night he made his nest, of hurriedly woven branches, +in the highest swaying of the tree-tops, where not even +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157' name='page_157'></a>157</span> +the leopard, cunning climber though she was, could +come at him without giving timely warning. And so, +doggedly and swiftly making his way due east, he came +at length to the fringes of that vast region of swampy +meres and fruitful, rankly wooded islets which was occupied +by the Bow-legs.</p> +<p>Here he had need of all that wood-craft which had +so often enabled him to stalk even the wary antelope. +The light color of his skin being a betrayal, he rubbed +himself with clayey ooze till he was of the same hue +as the Bow-legs. Crawling through the undergrowth +at dusk as soundlessly as a snake, or swinging along +smoothly through the branches like a gray ape in the +first confusing glimmer of the dawn, he made short +incursions among the outlying colonies, but could find +no sign of the girl, or Mawg, in whose hands he +imagined her still to be. But working warily around +the outskirts of the tribe, to northward, he came at +last upon the stale but unmistakable trail of a flight +and a pursuit. This he followed up till the pursuit +came stragglingly to an end, and the trail of the fugitive +stood out alone and distinct. One clear footprint in +the wet earth revealed itself clearly as Mawg’s––for +there was no such thing as confounding that arched +and moulded imprint with those left by the apish men. +Feverishly the hunter cast about for another trail, +smaller and slimmer. Forward he searched for it, and +then back among the trampings of the pursuers. But +in vain. Clearly Mawg had been the sole fugitive.</p> +<p>Grôm sat down in sudden despair. If Mawg, who +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_158' name='page_158'></a>158</span> +at least was no coward, had fled alone, then surely the +girl was dead. Grôm’s club and his spears dropped +from his nerveless hands. His interest in life sank +into a sick indifference, a dull anguish which he did +not even try to understand. It was well for him that +no prowling beast came by in that moment of his unseeing +weakness. Then a new thought came to him, +and his despair flamed into rage. He leapt to his feet, +clutching at his shaggy beard. The girl had been +seized, without doubt, by the great Black Chief. The +thought of this defilement to his woman, the mother of +his man-child, drove him quite mad for the moment. +Snatching up his weapons, he roared with anguish, and +ran blindly forward along the trampled trail, ready to +hurl himself upon the whole loathsome tribe. A +gigantic leopard, crouching in a thicket of scarlet +poinsettia beside the trail, made as if to pounce upon +him as he went by––but shrank back, instead, with +flattened ears, daunted by his fury.</p> +<p>But presently the madness burned itself out. As +sanity returned he checked his rush, glanced once more +watchfully about him, and at length stepped furtively +into the thick of the jungle. Now more than ever +was his coolest craft demanded, that A-ya might be +plucked from the monster’s arms.</p> +<p>Following up the plain clue of that tremendous +pursuit, Grôm worked his way deep into the Bow-legs’ +country. With all his craft and his lynx-like stealth, +it was at times hair-raising work. Not only the +ground thickets, but the tree-tops as well, were swarming +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159' name='page_159'></a>159</span> +with his keen-eyed foes. He had to worm his way +between swamp-sodden roots, and sometimes lie moveless +as a stone for hours, enduring the stings of a +million insects. Sometimes, not daring to lift his head +to look about him, he had to trust to his ears and his +hound-like sense of smell for information as to what +was going on. And sometimes it was only his tireless +immobility that saved him from the stroke of a startled +adder or a questioning and indignant crotalus. After +long swaying, poised for the death-stroke, the serpent +would decide that the menacing thing before it was not +alive. It would slowly dissolve its tense coils, and glide +away; and Grôm would resume his shadowy progress.</p> +<p>Then, about sunrise (for the Bow-legs, like the birds, +were early risers) of the second day after the discovery +of Mawg’s footprints, the patient hunter’s eyes +fell upon A-ya. He had crept in to within a hundred +yards or so of the Council Rock, which was surrounded +by a horde of the Bow-legs. Crouching low as he was, +in a dense thicket, Grôm’s view was limited; but he +could see, over the heads of the listening mob, the +Black Chief seated on the rock, his ragged club in his +hand. He was haranguing his warriors in rapid clicks +and gutturals, which conveyed no meaning to Grôm’s +ear. The harangue came soon to an end. The Chief +stood up. The bestial crowd parted––and through the +opening Grôm saw A-ya, crouched, with her hair over +her knees, at the Chief’s feet. Stepping down from +the rock, the Chief seized her by the wrist and dragged +her upright. She took her place at his heels, dejectedly, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160' name='page_160'></a>160</span> +like a whipped dog. Grôm, from within his +thicket, ground his teeth, and with difficulty held himself +in leash. Surrounded as A-ya was, at that +moment, by the hordes of her captors, any attempt at +her rescue would have been hopeless folly.</p> +<p>There was something going on among the bow-legged +mob which Grôm, from his hiding-place could +not at first make out. Then he saw that the Chief +was trying to instruct his powerful but clumsy followers +in the handling of the club and spear. Having +been taught by the white renegade, Mawg, the Chief +used his massive club with skill, but he was still clumsy +and absurdly inaccurate in throwing the spear. After +he had split the face of one of his followers by a misdirected +cast, he gave up the spear-throwing, turned to +the girl, and ordered her to teach this art of her people. +It was obvious that the mob had vast confidence in +her powers, as one of superior race, although a mere +woman, for they opened out at once on two sides to +leave room for the expected display. The heart of +the watcher in the thicket began to thump as he saw +a way clearing itself between his hiding-place and the +wild-haired woman he loved.</p> +<p>A-ya affected to misunderstand the Chief’s orders. +She took the spear, but stood holding it in stupid dejection. +The Chief threatened her angrily, but she +paid no attention. At this moment the whistling cry +of a plover sounded from the thicket. The girl +straightened herself and every muscle grew tense. The +melancholy cry came again. It was a strange place +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161' name='page_161'></a>161</span> +for a plover to lurk in, that rank thicket of jungle; +but the Bow-legs took no notice of the incongruity. +Upon the girl, however, the effect of the cry was +magical. She gave no glance toward the thicket, but +suddenly, smilingly, she seemed to understand the +orders of the Chief. Poising the rude spear at the +height of her shoulder, she pointed to a huge, whitish +fungus which grew upon a tree-root some sixty or +seventy feet away. With a flexing of her whole lithe +body––as Grôm had taught her––she made her throw. +The white fungus was split in halves.</p> +<p>With a hoarse clamor of admiration, the mob surged +forward to examine the fragments. Even the Chief, +though disdaining to show the interest of his followers, +took a stride or two in the same direction. For a +second his back was turned. In that second, the +girl fled, light and swift as a deer, speeding toward the +thicket whence the cry of the plover had sounded. Her +long bushy hair streamed out behind her as she ran.</p> +<p>With a bellow of wrath, the Black Chief, the whole +mob at his heels, came pounding after her. The next +instant, out from the thicket leapt Grôm, a towering +figure, and stood with spear uplifted. Like a lion +at bay, he glanced swiftly this way and that, balancing +the chances of battle and escape, while he menaced the +foes immediately confronting him.</p> +<p>At this amazing apparition, the mob paused irresolute; +but the Black Chief came on like a mad buffalo. +Grôm hurled one of his two spears. He hurled it +with a loathing fury; but he was compelled to throw +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162' name='page_162'></a>162</span> +high, to clear A-ya’s head. The Chief saw it coming, +and cunningly flung himself forward on his face. +The weapon hurtled on viciously, and pierced the +squat body of one of the waverers a dozen paces behind. +At his yell of agony the mob woke up, and +came on again with guttural, barking cries. But already +Grôm and the girl, side by side, were fleeing +down an open glade to the left, toward a breadth of +still water which they saw gleaming through the trunks. +Grôm knew that the way behind him was swarming +with the enemy. He had seen that there was no +chance of getting through the hordes in front and to +the right. But in this direction there were only a +few knots of shaggy women, who shrank in terror at +his approach; and he gambled on the chance of the +bow-legged men having no great skill in the water.</p> +<p>All the Folk of the Caves could swim like otters, +and both Grôm and the girl were expert beyond their +fellows. The water before them was some three or +four hundred yards in width. They did not know +whether it was a sluggish fenland river, or the arm of +a lake; but, heedless of the peril of crocodiles and +water-snakes they plunged in, and with long powerful +side-strokes went surging across toward the opposite +shore. They had a clear start of thirty or forty yards, +and their pace in the water was tremendous. Some +heavy splashes in the water behind them showed how +the clumsy missiles of their foes––ragged clubs and +fragments of broken branches––were falling short; and +they looked back derisively. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163' name='page_163'></a>163</span></p> +<p>The bow-legged, shaggy men with their wide, red, +skyward nostrils were ranged along the shore, and the +Chief was fiercely urging them into the water. They +shrank back in horror at the prospect––which, indeed, +seemed little to the taste of the Chief himself. +Presently he seized the two nearest by their matted +manes, and flung them headlong in. With yells of +terror they scrambled out again, and scurried off to the +rear like half-drowned hens.</p> +<p>The Chief screeched an order. Straightway the mob +divided. One part went racing clumsily up the shore +to the left, the other followed the Chief along through +the rank sedge-growth to the right––the Chief, by +reason of his superior stature and length of leg, rapidly +opening up his lead.</p> +<p>“It’s nothing but a pond,” said Grôm, in disgust, +“and they’re coming round the shore to head us off.”</p> +<p>But the girl, her hair trailing darkly on the water +behind her, only laughed. She was free at last. And +she was with her man.</p> +<p>Suddenly Grôm felt a sharp, stabbing pain in the +calf of his leg. With a cry, he looked back, expecting +to see a water-snake gliding off. He saw nothing. +But in the next instant another stab came in the other +leg. Then A-ya screamed: “They’re biting me all +over.” A dozen stinging punctures distributed themselves +all at once over Grôm’s body. Then he understood +that their assailants were not water-snakes.</p> +<p>“Quick! To shore!” he ordered. Throwing all +their strength into a breath-sapping, over-hand roll, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_164' name='page_164'></a>164</span> +they shot forward, gained the weedy shallows, and +scrambled ashore. Their bodies were hung thickly with +gigantic leeches.</p> +<p>Heedless of the wounds and the drench of blood, +they tore off their loathsome assailants. Then, after +a few seconds’ halt to regain breath and decide on their +direction, they started northwestward at a rapid, swinging +lope, through a region of open, grassy glades set +with thickets of giant fern and mimosa.</p> +<p>They had run on at this free pace for a matter of +half-an-hour or more, and were beginning to flatter +themselves that they had shaken off their pursuers, +when almost directly ahead of them, to the right, appeared +the Black Chief, lumbering down upon them. +Nearly half-a-mile behind, between the mimosa clumps, +could be seen the mob of his followers straggling up +to his support. He yelled a furious challenge, swung +up his great club, and charged upon Grôm. Waving +A-ya behind him, Grôm strode forward, accepting the +challenge.</p> +<p>As man to man, the rivals looked not unfairly +matched. The fair-skinned Man of the Caves was the +taller by half a head, but obviously the lighter in +weight by a full stone, if not more. His long, +straight, powerfully muscled legs had not the massive +strength of his bow-legged adversary’s. He was even +slim, by comparison, in hip and waist. But in chest, +arms and shoulders his development was finer. +Physically, it seemed a matter of the lion against the +bear. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165' name='page_165'></a>165</span></p> +<p>To Grôm there was one thing almost as vital, in +that moment, as the rescue of his woman. This was +the slaking of his lust of hate against the filthy beast-man +who had held that woman captive. Fading +ancestral instincts flamed into new life within him. +His impulse was to fling down spear and club, to fall +upon his rival with bare, throttling hands and rending +teeth. But his will, and his realization of all that +hung upon the outcome, held this madness in check.</p> +<p>Silent and motionless, poised lightly and gathered as +if for a spring, Grôm waited till his adversary was +within some thirty paces of him. Then, with deadly +force and sure aim, he hurled his one remaining spear. +But he had not counted on the lightning accuracy, +swifter than thought itself, with which the men of the +trees used their huge hands. The Black Chief caught +the spear-head within a few inches of his body. With +a roar of rage he snapped the tough shaft like a +parsnip stalk, and threw the pieces aside. Even as +he did so, Grôm, still voiceless and noiseless, was upon +him.</p> +<p>Had the vicious swing of Grôm’s flint-headed club +found its mark, the battle would have been over. But +the Black Chief, for all his bulk, was quick as an eel. +He bowed himself to the earth, so that the stroke +whistled idly over him, and in the next second he +swung a vicious, short blow upwards. It was well-aimed, +at the small of Grôm’s back. But the latter, +feeling himself over-balanced by his own ineffective +violence, leapt far out of reach before turning to see +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_166' name='page_166'></a>166</span> +what had happened. The Chief recovered himself, +and the two lashed out at each other so exactly together +that the great clubs met in mid-air. So shattering was +the force of the impact, so numbing the shock to the +hairy wrists behind it, that both weapons dropped to +the ground.</p> +<p>Neither antagonist dared stoop to snatch them up. +For several seconds they stood glaring at each other, +their breath hissing through clenched teeth, their +knotted fingers opening and shutting. Then they +sprang at each other’s throats––Grôm in silence, the +Black Chief snarling hoarsely. Neither, however, +gained the fatal grip at which he aimed. They found +themselves in a fair clinch, and stood swaying, straining, +sweating, and grunting, so equally matched in +sheer strength that to A-ya, standing breathless with +suspense, the dreadful seconds seemed to drag themselves +out to hours. Then Grôm, amazed to find that +in brute force he had met his match, feigned to give +way. Loosing the clutch of one arm, he dropped upon +his knees. With a grunt of triumph the Black Chief +crashed down upon him, only to find himself clutched +by the legs and hurled clean over his wily adversary’s +head. Before he could recover himself, Grôm was +upon him, pinning him to the earth and reaching for +his throat. In desperation he set his huge ape teeth, +with the grip of a bull-dog, deep into the muscular base +of Grôm’s neck, and began working his way in toward +the artery. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_167' name='page_167'></a>167</span></p> +<p>At this moment A-ya glanced about her. She saw +two bodies of the Bow-legs closing in upon them from +either side––the nearest not much more than a couple +of hundred yards distant. Her lord had plainly +ordered her to stand aside from this combat, but this +was no time for obedience. She snatched up the sharpened +fragment of the broken spear. Gripping it with +both hands she drove it with all her force into the +side of the Black Chief’s throat, and left it there. +With a hideous cough his grip relaxed. His limbs +straightened out stiffly, and he lay quivering.</p> +<p>Covered with blood, Grôm sprang to his feet, and +turned angrily upon A-ya. “<i>I</i> would have killed him,” +he said, coldly.</p> +<p>“There was no time,” answered the girl, and pointed +to the advancing hordes.</p> +<p>Without a word Grôm snatched up his club, +wrenched the broken spear from his dead rival’s neck, +thrust it into the girl’s hands, and darted for the +narrowing space of open between the two converging +mobs.</p> +<p>With their greatly superior speed it was obvious that +the two fugitives might reasonably expect to win +through. They were surprised, therefore, at the note +of triumph in the furious cries of the Bow-legs. A +few hundred yards ahead the comparatively open +country came to an end, and its place was taken by a +belt of splendid crimson bloom, extending to right and +left as far as the eye could see. It was a jungle of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_168' name='page_168'></a>168</span> +shrubs some twenty feet high, with scanty, pale-green +leaves almost hidden by their exuberance of blossom. +But jungle though it was, Grôm’s sagacious eyes decided +that it was by no means dense enough to seriously +hinder their flight. When they reached it, the jabbering +hordes were almost upon them. But, with mocking +laughter, they slipped through, and plunged in +among the gray stems, beneath the overshadowed rosy +glow. Their pursuers yelled wildly––it seemed to +Grôm a yell of exultation––but they halted abruptly at +the edge of the rosy barrier and made no attempt to +follow.</p> +<p>“They know they can’t catch us,” said Grôm, +slackening his pace. But the girl, puzzled by this +sudden stopping of the pursuit, felt uneasy and made +no reply.</p> +<p>Loping onward at moderate pace through the enchanting +pink light, which filtered down about them +through the massed bloom overhead, they presently +became conscious of an oppressive silence. The cries +of their pursuers having died away behind them, there +was now nothing but the soft thud of their own footfalls +to relieve the anxious intentness of their ears. +Not a bird-note, not the flutter of a wing, not the hum +or the darting of a single insect, disturbed the strangely +heavy air. No snake or lizard or squeaking mouse +scurried among the fallen leaves. They wondered +greatly at such stillness. Then they wondered at the +absence of small undergrowth, the lack of other shrubs +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_169' name='page_169'></a>169</span> +and trees such as were wont to grow together in the +warm jungle. Nothing anywhere about them but +the endless gray stems and pallid slim leaves of the +oleander, with their rose-red roof of blossom.</p> +<p>Presently they felt a lethargy creeping over their +limbs, which began to grow heavy; and a dull pain +came throbbing behind their eyes. Then understanding +of those cries of triumph flashed into Grôm’s +mind. He stopped and clutched the girl by the wrist. +“It is poison here. It is death,” he muttered. “That’s +why they shouted.”</p> +<p>“Yes, everything is dead but the red flowers,” +whispered A-ya, and clung to him, shuddering with +awe.</p> +<p>“Courage!” cried Grôm, lifting his head and dashing +his great hand across his eyes. “We <i>must</i> get +through. We <i>must</i> find air.”</p> +<p>Shaking off the deadly sloth, they ran on again +at full speed, peering through the stems in every direction. +The effort made their brains throb fiercely. +And still there was nothing before them and about +them but the endless succession of slender gray stems +and the downpour of that sinister rosy light. At last +A-ya’s steps began to lag, as if she were growing sleepy.</p> +<p>“Wake up!” shouted Grôm, and dragged so fiercely +at her arm that she cried out. But the pain aroused +her to a new effort. She sprang forward, sobbing. +The next moment, she was jerked violently to the left. +“This way!” panted Grôm, the sweat pouring down +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_170' name='page_170'></a>170</span> +his livid face; and there, through the stems to the left, +her dazed eyes perceived that the hated rosy glow was +paling into the whiteness of the natural day.</p> +<p>It was a big white rock, an island thrust up through +the sea of treacherous bloom. With fumbling, nerveless +fingers they scaled its bare sides, flung themselves +down among the scant but wholesome herbage, +which clothed its top, and filled their lungs with the +clean, reviving air. Dimly they heard a blessed buzzing +of insects, and several great flies, with barred +wings, lit upon them and bit them sharply. They lay +with closed eyes, while slowly the throbbing in their +brains died away and strength flowed back into their +unstrung limbs.</p> +<p>Then, after perhaps an hour, Grôm sat up and looked +about him. On every side outspread the fatal flood +of the rose-red oleanders, unbroken except toward +the north-west. In that quarter, however, a spur +of the giant forest, of growths too mighty to feel the +spell of the envenomed blooms, was thrust deep into +the crimson tide. Its tip came to within a couple of +hundred yards of the rock. Having fully recovered, +Grôm and A-ya swung down, with loathing, into the +pink gloom, fled through it almost without drawing +breath, and found themselves once more in the rank +green shadows of the jungle. They went on till they +came to a thicket of plantains. Then, loading themselves +with ripe fruit, they climbed high into a tree, and +wove themselves a safe resting-place among the +branches. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_171' name='page_171'></a>171</span></p> +<p>For the next few days their journey was without +adventure, save for the frequent eluding of the +monsters of that teeming world. Grôm had his club, +A-ya her broken spear; but they were avoiding all +combats in their haste to get back to their own country +of the homely caves and the guardian watch-fires. At +the approach of the great black lion or the saber-tooth, +or the wantonly malignant rhinoceros, they betook +themselves to the tree-tops, and continued their way +by that aërial path as long as it served them. The +most subtle of the beasts they knew they could outwit, +and their own anxiety now was Mawg, whose craft +and courage Grôm could no longer hold in scorn. He +was doubtless at large, and quite possibly on their +trail, biding his time to catch them unawares. They +never allowed themselves, therefore, to sleep both at +the same time. One always kept on guard: and hence +their progress, for all their eagerness, was slower than +it would otherwise have been.</p> +<p>On a certain day, after a long unbroken stretch of +travel, A-ya rested and kept watch in a tree-top, while +Grôm went to fetch a bunch of plantains. It was +fairly open country, a region of low herbage dotted +with small groves and single trees; and the girl, herself +securely hidden, could see in every direction. She +could see Grôm wandering from plantain clump to +plantain clump, seeking fruit ripe enough to be palatable. +And then, with a shiver of hate and dread, she +saw the dark form of Mawg, creeping noiselessly on +Grôm’s trail, and not more than a couple of hundred +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_172' name='page_172'></a>172</span> +paces behind him. At the very moment when her +eyes fell upon him, he dropped flat upon his face, and +began worming his way soundlessly through the +herbage.</p> +<p>Her mouth opened wide to give the alarm. But the +cry stopped in her throat, and a smile of bitter triumph +spread over her face.</p> +<p>If Mawg was hunting Grôm, he was at the same +time himself being hunted. And by a dreadful hunter.</p> +<p>Out from behind a thicket of glowing mimosa appeared +a monstrous bird, some ten or twelve feet in +height, lifting its feet very high in a swift but noiseless +and curiously delicate stride. Its dark plumage +was more like long, stringy hair than feathers. Its +build was something like that of a gigantic cassowary, +but its thighs and long blue shanks were proportionately +more massive. Its neck was long, but immensely +muscular to support the enormous head, which was +larger than that of a horse, and armed with a huge, +hooked, rending, vulture’s beak. The apparent length +of this terrible head was increased by a pointed crest +of blood-red feathers, projecting straight back in a +line with the fore-part of the skull and the beak.</p> +<p>The crawling figure of Mawg was still a good +hundred paces from the unsuspecting Grôm, when the +great bird overtook it. A-ya, watching from her tree-top, +clutched a branch and held her breath. Mawg’s +ears caught a sound behind him, and he glanced around +sharply. With a scream, he bounded to his feet. But +it was too late. Before he could either strike or flee, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_173' name='page_173'></a>173</span> +he was beaten down again, with a smash of that pile-driving +beak. The bird planted one huge foot on its +victim’s loins, gripped his head in its beak, and neatly +snapped his neck. Then it fell greedily to its hideous +meal.</p> +<p>At Mawg’s scream of terror, Grôm had turned and +rushed to the rescue, swinging his club. But before +he had covered half the distance, he saw that the +monster had done its work; and he hesitated. He was +too late to help the victim. And he knew the mettle +of this ferocious bird, almost as much to be dreaded, +in single combat, as the saber-tooth itself. At his +approach, the bird had lifted its dripping beak, half +turned, and stood gripping the prey with one foot, +swaying its grim head slowly and eyeing him with +malevolent defiance. Still he hesitated, fingering his +club; for the insolence of that challenging stare made +his blood seethe. Then came A-ya’s voice from the +tree-top, calling him. “Come away!” she cried. “It +was Mawg.”</p> +<p>Whereupon he turned, with the content of one who +sees all old scores cleanly wiped out together, and went +back to gather his ripe plantains.</p> +<p>The peril of Mawg being thus removed from their +path, they journeyed more swiftly; and when the next +new moon was a thin white sickle in the sky, just above +the line of saw-toothed hills, they came safely back to +the comfortable caves and the clear-burning watch-fires +of their tribe.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_174' name='page_174'></a>174</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII_THE_BENDING_OF_THE_BOW' id='CHAPTER_VIII_THE_BENDING_OF_THE_BOW'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<h3>THE BENDING OF THE BOW</h3> +</div> +<p>Before the Caves of the Pointed Hills the fires +of the tribe burned brightly. Within the caves +reigned plenty and an unheard-of security; for since +the conquest of fire those monstrous beasts and gigantic +carnivorous, running birds, which had been Man’s +ceaseless menace ever since he swung down out of the +tree-tops to walk the earth erect, had been held at a +distance through awe of the licking flames. Though +the great battle which had hurled back the invading +hosts of the Bow-legs had cost the tribe more than +half its warriors, the Caves were swarming with vigorous +children. To Bawr, the Chief, and to Grôm, his +Right Hand and Councilor, the future of the tribe +looked secure.</p> +<p>So sharp had been the lessons lately administered +to the prowling beasts––the terrible saber-tooth, the +giant red bear of the caves, the proud black lion, and +the bone-crushing cave hyena––that even the stretch +of bumpy plain outside the circle of the fires, to a +distance of several hundred paces, was considered a +safe playground for the children of the tribe. On the +outermost skirts of this playground, to be sure, just +where the reedy pools and the dense bamboo thickets +began, there was a fire kept burning. But this was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_175' name='page_175'></a>175</span> +more as a reminder than as an actual defense. When +a bear or a saber-tooth had once had a blazing brand +thrust in his face, he acquired a measure of discretion. +Moreover, the activities of the tribe had driven all +the game animals to some distance up the valley; and +it was seldom that anything more formidable than a +jackal or a civet-cat cared to come within a half-mile +of the fires.</p> +<p>It was now two years since the rescue of A-ya from +her captivity among the Bow-legs. Her child by Grôm +was a straight-limbed, fair-skinned lad of somewhere +between four and five years. She sat cross-legged near +the sentinel fire, some fifty yards or so from the edge +of the thickets, and played with the lad, whose eyes +were alight with eager intelligence. Behind her +sprawled, playing contentedly with its toes and sucking +a banana, a fat brown flat-nosed baby of some +fourteen or fifteen months.</p> +<p>Both A-ya and the boy were interested in a new +toy. It was, perhaps, the first whip. The boy had +succeeded in tying a thin strip of green hide, something +over three feet in length, to one end of a stick which +was several inches longer. The uses of a whip came +to him by unerring insight, and he began applying it +to his mother’s shoulders. The novelty of it delighted +them both. A-ya, moreover, chuckled slyly at the +thought that the procedure might, on some future occasion, +be reversed, not without advantage to the cause +of discipline.</p> +<p>At last the lithe lash, so enthusiastically wielded, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_176' name='page_176'></a>176</span> +stung too hard for even A-ya, with all her stoicism, +to find it amusing. She snatched the toy away and +began playing with it herself. The lash, at its free end, +chanced to be slit almost to the tip, forming a loop. +The butt of the handle was formed by a jagged knot, +where it had been broken from the parent stem. Idly +but firmly, with her strong hands she bent the stick, +and slipped the loop over the jagged knot, where it +held.</p> +<p>Interested, but with no hint of comprehension in +her bright eyes, she looked upon the first bow––the +stupendous product of a child and a woman playing.</p> +<p>The child, displeased at this new, useless thing, and +wanting his whip back, tried to snatch the bow from +his mother’s hands. But she pushed him off. She +liked this new toy. It looked, somehow, as if it invited +her to do something with it. Presently she +pulled the cord, and let it go again. Tightly strung, +it made a pleasant little humming sound. This she +repeated many times, holding it up to her ear and +laughing with pleasure. The boy grew interested +thereupon, and wanted to try the new game for himself. +But A-ya was too absorbed. She would not +let him touch it. “Go get another stick,” she commanded +impatiently; but quite forgot to see her command +obeyed.</p> +<p>As she was twanging the strange implement which +had so happily fashioned itself under her hands, Grôm +came up behind her. He stepped carefully over the +sprawling brown baby. He was about to pull her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_177' name='page_177'></a>177</span> +heavy hair affectionately; but his eyes fell upon the +thing in her hands, and he checked himself.</p> +<p>For minute after minute he stood there motionless, +watching and studying the new toy. His eyes narrowed, +his brows drew themselves down broodingly. +The thing seemed to him to suggest dim, cloudy, vast +possibilities; and he groped in his brain for some hint +of the nature of these possibilities. Yet as far as he +could see it was good for nothing but to make a faintly +pleasant twang for the amusement of women and +children. At last he could keep his hands off it no +longer. “Give it to me,” said he suddenly, laying hold +of A-ya’s wrist.</p> +<p>But A-ya was not yet done with it. She held it +away from him, and twanged it with redoubled vigor. +Without further argument, and without violence, +Grôm reached out a long arm, and found the bow in +his grasp. A-ya was surprised that such a trifle should +seem of such importance in her lord’s eyes; but her +faith was great. She shook the wild mane of hair +back from her face, silenced the boy’s importunings +with an imperative gesture, and gathered herself with +her arms about both knees to watch what Grôm would +do with the plaything.</p> +<p>First he examined it minutely, and then he fastened +the thong more securely at either end. He twanged +it as A-ya had done. He bent it to its limit and +eased it slowly back again, studying the new force imprisoned +in the changing curve. At last he asked who +had made it. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_178' name='page_178'></a>178</span></p> +<p>“I did,” answered A-ya, very proud of her achievement +now that she found it taken so seriously by +one being to whom her adventurous spirit really deferred.</p> +<p>“No, <i>I</i> did!” piped the boy, with an injured air.</p> +<p>The mother laughed indulgently. “Yes, he tied one +end, and beat me with it,” said she. “Then I took +it from him, and bent the stick and tied the other end.”</p> +<p>“It is very good!” said Grôm, nodding his approval +musingly. He squatted down a few feet away, and +began experimenting.</p> +<p>Picking up a small stone, he held it upon the cord, +bent the bow a little way, and let go. The stone flew +up and hit him with amazing energy in the mouth.</p> +<p>“<i>Oh!</i>” murmured A-ya, sympathetically, as the +bright blood ran down his beard. But the child, thinking +that his father had done it on purpose, laughed with +hearty appreciation. Somewhat annoyed, Grôm got +up, moved a few paces farther away, and sat down +again with his back to the family circle.</p> +<p>As to the force that lurked in this slender little implement +he was now fully satisfied. But he was not +satisfied with the direction in which it exerted itself. +He continued his experiments, but was careful to +draw the bow lightly.</p> +<p>For a long time he found it impossible to guess +beforehand the direction which the pebbles, or the +bits of stick or bark, would take in their surprising +leaps from the loosed bow-string. But at length a +dim idea of aim occurred to him. He lifted the bow––his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_179' name='page_179'></a>179</span> +left fist grasping its middle––to the level of his +eyes, at arm’s length. He got the cord accurately in +the center of the pebble, and drew toward his nose. +This effort was so successful that the stone went +perfectly straight––and caught him fair on the thumb-knuckle.</p> +<p>The blow was so sharp that he dropped the bow +with an angry exclamation. Glancing quickly over +his shoulder to see if A-ya had noticed the incident, +he observed that her face was buried between her +knees and quite hidden by her hair. But her shoulders +were heaving spasmodically. He suspected that she +was laughing at him; and for a moment, as his knuckle +was aching fiercely, he considered the advisability of +giving her a beating. He had never done such a +thing to her, however, though all the other Cave Men, +including Bawr himself, were wont to beat their women +on occasion. In his heart he hated the idea of hurting +her; and it would hardly be worth while to beat her +without hurting her. The idea, therefore, was +promptly dismissed. He eyed the shaking shoulders +gloomily for some seconds; and then, as the throbbing +in the outraged knuckle subsided, a grin of sympathetic +comprehension spread over his own face. He picked +up the bow, sprang to his feet, and strolled over to the +edge of a thicket of young cane.</p> +<p>The girl, lifting her head, peered at him cautiously +through her hair. Her laughter was forgotten on the +instant, because she guessed that his fertile brain was +on the trail of some new experiment. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_180' name='page_180'></a>180</span></p> +<p>Arriving at the cane-thicket, Grôm broke himself +half a dozen well-hardened, tapering stems, from two +to three feet in length, and about as thick at their +smaller ends as A-ya’s little finger.</p> +<p>These seemed to suggest to him the possibility of +better results than anything he could get from those +erratic pebbles.</p> +<p>By this time quite a number of curious spectators––women +and children mostly, the majority of the +men being away hunting, and the rest too proud to +show their curiosity––had gathered to watch Grôm’s +experiments. They were puzzled to make out what +it was he was busying himself with. But as he was +a great chief, and held in deeper awe than even Bawr +himself, they did not presume to come very near; and +they had therefore not perceived, or at least they had +not apprehended, those two trifling mishaps of his. +As for Grôm, he paid his audience no attention whatever. +Now that he had possessed himself of those +slender straight shafts of cane, all else was forgotten. +He felt, as he looked at them and poised them, that +in some vital way they belonged to this fascinating +implement which A-ya had invented for him.</p> +<p>Selecting one of the shafts, he slowly applied the +bigger end of it to the bow-string, and stood for a +long time pondering it, drawing it a little way and +easing it back without releasing it. Then he called to +mind that his spears always threw better when they +were hurled heavy end first. So he turned the little +shaft and applied the small end to the bow-string. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_181' name='page_181'></a>181</span> +Then he pulled the string tentatively, and let it go. +The arrow, all unguided, shot straight up into the air, +turned over, fell sharply, and buried its head in a +bit of soft ground. Grôm felt that this was progress. +The spectators opened their mouths in wonder, but +durst not venture any comment when Grôm was at his +mysteries.</p> +<p>Plucking the shaft from the earth, Grôm once more +laid it to the bow-string. As he pulled the string, the +shaft wobbled crazily. With a growl of impatience, +he clapped the fore-finger of his left hand over it, holding +it in place, and pulled it through the guide thus +formed. A light flashed upon his brooding intelligence. +Slightly crooking his finger, so that the shaft +could move freely, he drew the string backward and +forward, with deep deliberation, over and over again. +To his delight, he found that the shaft was no longer +eccentrically rebellious, but as docile as he could wish. +At last, lifting the bow above his head, he drew it +strongly, and shot the shaft into the air. He shouted +as it slipped smoothly through the guiding crook of +his finger and went soaring skyward as if it would +never stop. The eyes of the spectators followed its +flight with awe, and A-ya, suddenly comprehending, +caught her breath and snatched the boy to her heart in +a transport. Her alert mind had grasped, though +dimly, the wonder of her man’s achievement.</p> +<p>Now, though Grôm had pointed his shaft skyward, +he had taken no thought whatever as to its direction, +or the distance it might travel. As a matter of fact, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_182' name='page_182'></a>182</span> +he had shot towards the Caves. He had shot strongly; +and that first bow was a stiff one. Most of the folk +who squatted before the Caves were watching; but +there were some who were too indifferent or too stupid +to take an interest in anything less arresting than a +thump on the head. Among these was a fat old +woman, who, with her back to all the excitement, was +bending herself double to grub in the litter of sticks +and bones for some tit-bit which she had dropped. +Grôm’s shaft, turning gracefully against the blue +came darting downward on a long slope, and buried +its point in that upturned fat and grimy thigh. With +a yell the old woman whipped round, tore out the +shaft, dashed it upon the ground, stared at it in horror +as if she thought it some kind of snake, and waddled, +wildly jabbering, into the nearest cave.</p> +<p>An outburst of startled cries arose from all the +spectators, but it hushed itself almost in the same +breath. It was Grôm who had done this singular +thing, smiting unawares from very far off. The old +woman must have done something to make Grôm +angry. They were all afraid; and several, whose +consciences were not quite at ease, followed the old +woman’s example and slipped into the Caves.</p> +<p>As for Grôm, his feelings were a mixture of embarrassment +and elation. He was sorry to have hurt +the old woman. He had a ridiculous dislike of hurting +any one unnecessarily; and when he looked back and +saw A-ya rocking herself to and fro in heartless mirth, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_183' name='page_183'></a>183</span> +he felt like asking her how she would have liked it +herself, if she had been in the place of the fat old +woman. On the other hand, he knew that he had +made a great discovery, second only to the conquest +of the fire. He had found a new weapon, of unheard-of, +unimagined powers, able to kill swiftly and +silently and at a great distance. All he had to do was +to perfect the weapon and learn to control it.</p> +<p>He strode haughtily up to the cave mouth to recover +his shaft. The people, even the mightiest of the +warriors, looked anxious and deprecating at his approach; +but he gave them never a glance. It would +not have done to let them think he had wounded the +old woman by accident. He picked up the shaft and +examined its bloodstained point, frowning fiercely. +Then he glared into the cave where the unlucky victim +of his experiments had taken refuge. He refitted the +shaft to the bow-string, and made as if to follow up +his stroke with further chastisement. Instantly there +came from the dark interior a chorus of shrill feminine +entreaties. He hesitated, seemed to relent, put the +shaft into the bundle under his arm, and strode back +to rejoin A-ya. He had done enough for the moment. +His next step required deep thought and preparation.</p> +<p>An hour or two later, Grôm set out from the Caves +alone in spite of A-ya’s pleadings. He wanted +complete solitude with his new weapon. Besides a +generous bundle of canes, of varying lengths and sizes, +he carried some strips of raw meat, a bunch of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_184' name='page_184'></a>184</span> +plantains, his spear and club, and a sort of rude basket, +without handle, formed by tying together the ends of +a roll of green bark.</p> +<p>This basket was a device of A-ya’s, which had added +greatly to her prestige in the tribe, and caused the +women to regard her with redoubled jealousy. By +lining it thickly with wet clay, she was able to carry +fire in it so securely and simply that Grôm had adopted +it at once, throwing away his uncertain and always +troublesome fire-tubes of hollow bamboo.</p> +<p>Mounting the steep hillside behind the Caves, Grôm +turned into a high, winding ravine, and was soon lost +to the sight of the tribe. The ravine, the bed of a +long-dry torrent, climbed rapidly, bearing around to +the eastward, and brought him at length to a high +plateau on a shoulder of the mountain. At the back +of the plateau the mountain rose again, abruptly, to one +of those saw-tooth pinnacles which characterized this +range. At the base of the steep was a narrow fissure +in the rock-face, leading into a small grotto which +Grôm had discovered on one of his hunting expeditions. +He had used it several times already as a retreat +when tired of the hubbub of the tribe and anxious +to ponder in quiet some of the problems which for ever +tormented his fruitful brain.</p> +<p>Absorbed in meditations upon his new weapons, +Grôm set himself to build a small fire before the entrance +of the grotto. The red coals from his fire-basket +he surrounded and covered with dry grass, dead +twigs, and small sticks. Then, getting down upon all +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_185' name='page_185'></a>185</span> +fours, he blew long and steadily into the mass till +the smoke which curled up from it was streaked with +thin flames. As the flames curled higher, his ears +caught the sound of something stirring within the cave. +He looked up, peering between the little coils of smoke, +and saw a pair of eyes, very close to the ground, glaring +forth at him from the darkness.</p> +<p>With one hand, he coolly but swiftly fed the fire +to fuller volume, while with the other he reached for +and clutched his club. The eyes drew back slowly to +the depths of the cave. Appearing not to have observed +them, Grôm piled the fire with heavier and +heavier fuel, till it was blazing strongly and full of +well-lighted brands. Then he stood up, seized a brand, +and hurled it into the cave. There was a harsh snarl, +and the eyes disappeared, the owner of them having apparently +shrunk off to one side.</p> +<p>A moment or two later the interior was suddenly +lighted up with a smoky glare. The brand had fallen +on a heap of withered grass which had formerly been +Grôm’s couch. Grôm set his teeth and swung up his +club; and in the same instant there shot forth two +immense cave-hyenas, mad with rage and terror.</p> +<p>The great beasts were more afraid of the sudden +flare within than of the substantial and dangerous fire +without. The first swerved just in time to escape the +fire, and went by so swiftly that the stroke of Grôm’s +club caught him only a light, glancing blow on the +rump. But the second of the pair, the female, was +too close behind to swerve in time. She dashed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_186' name='page_186'></a>186</span> +straight through the fire, struck Grôm with all her +frantic weight, knocked him flat, and tore off howling +down the valley, leaving a pungent trail of singed +fur on the air.</p> +<p>Uninjured save for an ugly scratch, which bled +profusely, down one side of his face, Grôm picked +himself up in a rage and started after the fleeing +beasts. But his common sense speedily reasserted +itself. He grunted in disgust, turned back to the fire, +and was soon absorbed in new experiments with the +bow. As for the blaze within the cave, he troubled +himself no more about it. He knew it would soon +burn out. And it would leave the cave well cleansed +of pestilential insects.</p> +<p>All that afternoon he experimented with his bundle +of shafts, to find what length and what weight would +give the best results. One of the arrows he shattered +completely, by driving it, at short range, straight +against the rock-face of the mountain. Two others +he lost, by shooting them, far beyond his expectations, +over the edge of the plateau and down into the dense +thickets below him, where he did not care to search too +closely by reason of the peril of snakes. The bow, as +his good luck would have it, though short and clumsy +was very strong, being made of a stick of dry upland +hickory. And the cord of raw hide was well-seasoned, +stout and tough; though it had a troublesome trick +of stretching, which forced Grôm to restring it many +times before all the stretch was out of it.</p> +<p>Having satisfied himself as to the power of his bow +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_187' name='page_187'></a>187</span> +and the range of his arrows, Grôm set himself next +to the problem of marksmanship. Selecting a plant +of prickly pear, of about the dimensions of a man, +he shot at it, at different ranges, till most of its great +fleshy leaves were shredded and shattered. With his +straight eye and his natural aptitude, he soon grasped +the idea of elevation for range, and made some respectable +shooting. He also found that he could guide +the arrow without crooking his finger around it. His +elation was so extreme that he quite forgot to eat, till +the closing in of darkness put an end to his practice. +Then, piling high his fire as a warning to prowlers, +he squatted in the mouth of the cave and made his +meal. For water he had to go some little way below +the lip of the plateau; but carrying a blazing balsam-knot +he had nothing to fear from the beasts that lay +in ambush about the spring. They slunk away sullenly +at the approach of the waving flame.</p> +<p>That night Grôm slept securely, with three fires +before his door. Every hour or two, vigilant woodsman +that he was, he would wake up to replenish the +fires, and be asleep again even in the act of lying down. +And when the dawn came red and amber around the +shoulder of the saw-toothed peak, he was up again and +out into the chill, sweet air with his arrows.</p> +<p>The difficulty which now confronted him was that +of giving his shafts a penetrating point. Being of +a very hard-fibered cane, akin to bamboo, they would +take a kind of splintering-point of almost needle sharpness. +But it was fragile; and the cane being hollow, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_188' name='page_188'></a>188</span> +the point was necessarily on one side, which affected +the accuracy of the flight. There were no flints in the +neighborhood, or slaty rocks, which he could split into +edged and pointed fragments. He tried hardening +his points in the fire; but the results were not altogether +satisfactory. He thought of tipping some of the +shafts with thorns, or with the steely points of the +old aloe leaves; but he could not, at the moment, devise +such a method of fixing these formidable weapons in +place as would not quite destroy their efficiency. +Finally he made up his mind that the thing to use +would be bone, ground into a suitable shape between +two stones. But this was a matter that would have +to await his return to the Caves, and would then call +for much careful devising. For the present he would +perforce content himself with such points as he had +fined down and hardened in the fire.</p> +<p>This matter settled in his mind, Grôm burned to +put his wonderful new weapon to practical test. He +descended cautiously the steep slope from the eastern +edge of his plateau––a broken region of ledges, subtropical +thickets, and narrow, grassy glades, with here +and there some tree of larger growth rising solitary +like a watch-tower. Knowing this was a favorite feeding-hour +for many of the grass-eaters, he hid himself +in the well-screened crotch of a deodar, overlooking a +green glade, and waited.</p> +<p>He had not long to wait, for the region swarmed +with game. Out from a runway some thirty or forty +yards up the glade stepped a huge, dun-colored bull, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_189' name='page_189'></a>189</span> +with horns like scimitars each as long as Grôm’s arm. +His flanks were scarred with long wounds but lately +healed, and Grôm realized that he was a solitary, beaten +and driven out from his herd by some mightier rival. +The bull glanced warily about him, and then fell to +cropping the grass.</p> +<p>The beast offered an admirable target. Grôm’s +arrow sped noiselessly between the curtaining branches, +and found its mark high on the bull’s fore-shoulder. +It penetrated––but not to a depth of more than two +or three inches. And Grôm, though elated by his +good shot, realized that such a wound would be nothing +more than an irritant.</p> +<p>Startled and infuriated, the bull roared and pawed +the sod, and glared about him to locate his unseen +assailant. He had not the remotest idea of the direction +from which the strange attack had come. The +galling smart in his shoulder grew momentarily more +severe. He lashed back at it savagely with the side +of his horn, but the arrow was just out of his reach. +Then, bewildered and alarmed, he tried to escape from +this new kind of fly with the intolerable sting by +galloping furiously up and down the glade. As he +passed the deodar, Grôm let drive another arrow, at +close range. This, too, struck, and stuck. But it did +not go deep enough to produce any serious effect. +The animal roared again, stared about him as if he +thought the place was bewitched, and plunged headlong +into the nearest thicket, tearing out both arrows +as he went through the close-set stems. Grôm heard +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_190' name='page_190'></a>190</span> +him crashing onward down the slope, and smiled to +think of the surprise in store for any antagonist that +might cross the mad brute’s path.</p> +<p>This experiment upon the wild bull had shown Grôm +one thing clearly. He must arm his arrows with a +more penetrating point. Until he could carry out his +idea of giving them tips of bones, he must find some +shoots of solid, pithless growth to take the place of his +light hollow canes. For the next hour or two he +searched the jungle carefully and warily, looking for +a young growth that might immediately serve his +purpose.</p> +<p>But there in the jungle everything that was hard +enough was crooked or gnarled, everything that was +straight enough was soft and sappy. It was not till +the sun was almost over his head, and the heat was +urging him back to the coolness of his grotto, that he +came across something worth making a trial of. On a +bleak wind-swept knoll, far out on the mountain-side, +lay the trunk of an old hickory-tree, which had +evidently been shattered by lightning. From the +roots, tenacious of life, had sprung up a throng of +saplings, ranging from a foot or two in height to +the level of Grôm’s head. They were as straight and +slim as the canes. And their hardness was proved +to Grôm’s satisfaction when he tried to break them off. +They were tough, too, so that he almost lost his +patience over them, before he learned that the best way +to deal with them was to strip them down, in the +direction of the fiber, where they sprang from the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_191' name='page_191'></a>191</span> +parent trunk or root. Having at length gathered an +armful, he returned to his grotto and proceeded to +shape the refractory butts in the fire. As he squatted +between the cave door and the fire he made his meal +of raw flesh and plantains, and gazed out contemplatively +over the vast, rankly-green landscape below him, +musing upon the savage and monstrous strife which +went on beneath that mask of wide-flung calm. And +as he pondered, the fire which he had subjugated was +quietly doing his work for him.</p> +<p>The result was beyond his utmost expectations. +After judicious charring, the ends being turned continually +in the glowing coals, he rubbed away the +charred portions between two stones, and found that +he could thus work up an evenly-rounded point. The +point thus obtained was keen and hard; and as he +balanced this new shaft in his hand he realized that its +weight would add vastly to its power of penetration. +When he tried a shot with it, he found that it flew +farther and straighter. It drove through the tough, +fleshy leaf of the prickly pear as if it hardly noticed the +obstruction. He fashioned himself a half-dozen more +of these highly-efficient shafts, and then set out again––this +time down the ravine––to seek a living target +for his practice.</p> +<p>The ravine was winding and of irregular width, +terraced here and there with broken ledges, here and +there cut into by steep little narrow gullies. Its bottom +was in part bare rock; but wherever there was an accumulation +of soil, and some tiny spring oozing up +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_192' name='page_192'></a>192</span> +through the fissures, there the vegetation grew rank, +starred with vivid blooms of canna and hibiscus. In +many places the ledges were draped with a dense +curtain of the flat-flowered, pink-and-gold mesembryanthemum. +It was a region well adapted to the +ambuscading beasts; and Grôm moved stealthily as a +panther, keeping for the most part along the upper +ledges, crouching low to cross the open spots, and slipping +into cover every few minutes to listen and peer +and sniff.</p> +<p>Presently he came to a spot which seemed to offer +him every advantage as a place of ambush. It was +a ledge some twenty feet above the valley level, with +a sort of natural parapet behind which he could crouch, +and, unseen, keep an eye on all the glades and runways +below. Behind him the rock-face was so nearly perpendicular +that no enemy could steal upon him from the +rear. He laid his club and his spear down beside him, +selected one of his best arrows, and hoped that a fat +buck would come by, or one of those little, spotted, two-toed +horses whose flesh was so prized by the people of +the Caves. Such a prize would be a proof to all the +tribe of the potency of his new weapon.</p> +<p>For nearly an hour he waited, moveless, save for +his ranging eyes, as the rock on which he leaned. To +a hunter like Grôm, schooled to infinite patience, this +was nothing. He knew that, in the woods, if one +waits long enough and keeps still enough, he is bound +to see something interesting. At last it came. It was +neither the fat buck nor the little two-toed horse with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_193' name='page_193'></a>193</span> +dapple hide, but a young cow-buffalo. Grôm noticed +at once that she was nervous and puzzled. She seemed +to suspect that she was being followed and was undecided +what to do. Once she faced about angrily, staring +into the coverts behind her, and made as if to +charge. Had she been an old cow, or a bull, she would +have charged; but her inexperience made her irresolute. +She snorted, faced about again, and moved on, ears, +eyes and wide nostrils one note of wrathful interrogation. +She was well within range, and Grôm would +have tried a shot at her except for his seasoned wariness. +He would rather see, before revealing himself, +what foe it was that dared to trail so dangerous a +quarry. The buffalo moved on slowly out of range, +and vanished down a runway; and immediately afterwards +the stealthy pursuer came in view.</p> +<p>To Grôm’s amazement, it was neither a lion nor a +bear. It was a man, of his own tribe. And then he +saw it was none other than the great chief, Bawr himself, +hunting alone after his haughty and daring +fashion. Between Grôm and Bawr there was the fullest +understanding, and Grôm would have whistled that +plover-cry, his private signal, but for the risk of interfering +with Bawr’s chase. Once more, therefore, he +held himself in check; while Bawr, his eyes easily +reading the trail, crept on with the soundless step of a +wild cat.</p> +<p>But Grôm was not the only hunter lying in ambush +in the sun-drenched ravine. Out from a bed of giant, +red-blooming canna arose the diabolical, grinning head +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_194' name='page_194'></a>194</span> +and monstrous shoulders of a saber-tooth, and stared +after Bawr. Then the whole body emerged with a +noiseless bound. For a second the gigantic beast +stood there, with one paw uplifted, its golden-tawny +bulk seeming to quiver in the downpour of intense sunlight. +It was a third as tall again at the shoulders as +the biggest Himalayan tiger, its head was flat-skulled +like a tiger’s, and its upper jaw was armed with two +long, yellow, saber-like tusks, projecting downwards +below the lower jaw. This appalling monster started +after Bawr with a swift, crouching rush, as silent, for +all its weight, as if its feet were shod with thistledown.</p> +<p>Grôm leapt to his feet with a wild yell of warning, +at the same time letting fly an arrow. In his haste +the shaft went wide. Bawr, looking over his shoulder, +saw the giant beast almost upon him. With a tremendous +bound he gained the foot of a tree. Dropping +his club and spear, he sprang desperately, caught +a branch, and swung himself upward.</p> +<p>But the saber-tooth was already at his heels, before +he had time to swing quite out of reach. The gigantic +brute gathered itself for a spring which would have +enabled it to pluck Bawr from his refuge like a ripe +fig. But that spring was never delivered. With a +roar of rage the monster turned instead, and bit furiously +at the shaft of an arrow sticking in its flank. +Grôm’s second shaft had flown true; and Bawr, greatly +marveling, drew up his legs to a place of safety.</p> +<p>With the fire of that deep wound in its entrails the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_195' name='page_195'></a>195</span> +saber-tooth forgot all about its quarry in the tree. +It had caught sight of Grôm when he uttered his yell +of warning, and it knew instantly whence the strange +attack had come. It bit off the protruding shaft; +and then, fixing its dreadful eyes on Grôm, it ceased +its snarling and came charging for the ledge with a +rush which seemed likely to carry it clear up the twenty-foot +perpendicular of smooth rock.</p> +<p>Grôm, enamored of the new weapon, forgot the +spear which was likely to be far more efficient at +these close quarters. Leaning far out over the parapet, +he drew his arrow to the head and let drive just as the +monster reared itself, open-jawed, at the wall. The +pointed hickory went down into the gaping gullet, and +stood out some inches at the side of the neck. With a +horrible coughing screech the monster recoiled, put its +head between its paws, and tried to claw the anguish +from its throat. But after a moment, seeming to +realize that this was impossible, it backed away, +gathered itself together, and sprang for the ledge. +It received another of Grôm’s shafts deep in the chest, +without seeming to notice the wound; and its impetus +was so tremendous that it succeeded in getting its +fore-paws fixed upon the ledge. Clinging there, its +enormous pale-green eyes staring straight into Grôm’s, +it struggled to draw itself up all the way––an effort +in which it would doubtless have succeeded at once +but for that first arrow in its entrails. The iron claws +of its hinder feet rasped noisily on the rock-face.</p> +<p>Grôm dropped his bow beside him and reached for +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_196' name='page_196'></a>196</span> +the spear. His hand grasped the club instead; but +there was no time to change. Swinging the stone-head +weapon in air, he brought it down, with a grunt of +huge effort, full upon one of those giant paws which +clutched the edge of the parapet. Crushed and +numbed, the grip of that paw fell away; but at the +same moment one of the hinder paws got over the +edge, and clung. And there the monster hung, its +body bent in a contorted bow.</p> +<p>Bawr, meanwhile, seeing Grôm’s peril, had dropped +from his tree, snatched up his spear and club, and +rushed in to the rescue. It was courage, this, of +the finest, counting no odds; for down there on the +level he would have stood no ghost of a chance had +the beast turned back upon him. Grôm yelled to him +to keep away, and swung up his club for another +shattering blow. But in that same moment the great +glaring eyes filmed and rolled upwards; blood spouted +from between the gaping jaws; and with a spluttering +cough the monster lost its hold. It fell, with a soft +but jarring thud, upon its back, and slowly rolled +over upon its side, pawing the air aimlessly. The +arrow in the throat had done its work.</p> +<p>With fine self-restraint Bawr refrained from striking, +that he might seem to usurp no share in Grôm’s +amazing achievement. He stood leaning upon his +spear, calmly watching the last feeble paroxysm, till +Grôm came scrambling down from the ledge and stood +beside him. He took the bow and arrows, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_197' name='page_197'></a>197</span> +examined them in silence. Then he turned upon +Grôm with burning eyes.</p> +<p>“You found the Fire for our people. You saved +our people from the hordes of the Bow-legs. You +have saved my life now, slaying the monster from +very far off with these little sticks which you have +made. It is you who should be Chief, not I.”</p> +<p>Grôm laughed and shook his head. “Bawr is the +better man of us two,” said he positively, “and he is +a better chief. He governs the people, while I go +away and think new things. And he is my friend. +Look, I will teach him now this new thing. And we +will make another just like it, that when we return +to the Caves Bawr also shall know how to strike from +very far off.”</p> +<p>With their rough-edged spear-heads of flint they +set themselves to the skinning of the saber-tooth. +Then they went back to the high plateau, where Bawr +was taught to shoot a straight shaft. And on the +following day they returned to the fires of the tribe, +carrying between them, shoulder high, slung upon their +two spears, this first trophy of the bow, the monstrous +head and hide of the saber-tooth.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_198' name='page_198'></a>198</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX_THE_DESTROYING_SPLENDOR' id='CHAPTER_IX_THE_DESTROYING_SPLENDOR'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<h3>THE DESTROYING SPLENDOR</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>To Grôm, hunting farther to the south of the +Tribal Fires than he had ever ranged before, +came suddenly a woman running, mad with fright, a +baby clutched to her bosom. She fell at Grôm’s feet, +gibbering breathlessly, and plainly imploring his protection. +Both she and the child were streaming with +blood, and covered with strange cup-like wounds, +as if the flesh had been gouged out of them with some +irresistible circular instrument.</p> +<p>Grôm swiftly fitted an arrow to his bow, and peered +through the trees to see what manner of adversary the +fugitive was like to bring upon him. At the same +time, he gave a piercing cry, which was answered at +once from some distance behind him.</p> +<p>Having satisfied himself (the country being fairly +open) that the woman’s pursuer, whatever it might +be, was not close upon her heels, and that no immediate +danger was in view, he turned his attention upon the +woman herself. She was not of his race, and he +looked down upon her with cold aversion. At first +glance he thought she was one of the Bow-legs. But +the color of her skin, where it could be seen for the +blood, was different, being rather of a copper-red; and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_199' name='page_199'></a>199</span> +she was neither so hairy on the body nor of so ape-like +proportions. She was sufficiently hideous, however, +and of some race plainly inferior to the People of +the Caves. The natural instinct of a Cave Man would +have been to knock her and her offspring on the head +without ceremony––an effective method of guarding +his more highly developed breed from the mixture of +an inferior blood. But Grôm, the Chief and the wise +man, had many vague impulses moving him at times +which were novel to the human play-fellows of Earth’s +childhood. He disliked hurting a woman or a child. +He might, quite conceivably, have refused to concern +himself with the suppliant before him, and merely left +her and her baby to the chances of the jungle. But the +peculiar character of her wounds interested him. She +aroused his curiosity. Here was a new mystery for +him to investigate. The woman was saved.</p> +<p>Knowing a few words of the Bow-legs’ tongue, +which he had learned from his lame slave Ook-ootsk, +he addressed the crouching woman, telling her not to +fear. The tongue was unintelligible to her, but the +tones of his voice seemed to reassure her. She sat +up, revealing again the form of the little one, which +she had been shielding with her hair and her bosom +as if she feared the tall white hunter might dash its +brains out; and Grôm noted with keen interest that +the child also had one of those terrible, cup-shaped +wounds, almost obliterating its fat, copper-colored +shoulder. He saw, also, that the woman’s face, though +uncomely, was more intelligent and human than the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_200' name='page_200'></a>200</span> +bestial faces of the Bow-legs’ women. It was a broad +face, with very small, deep-set eyes, high cheek bones, +a tiny nose, and a very wide mouth, and it looked as +if some one had sat on it hard and pushed it in. The +idea made him smile, and the smile completed the +woman’s reassurance. She poured a stream of chatter +quite unlike the clicks and barkings of the Bow-legs. +Then she crept closer to Grôm’s feet, and proceeded to +give her little one the breast. It was twisting uneasily +with the pain of its dreadful wound, but it nursed +hungrily, and with the prudent stoicism of a wild +creature it made no outcry.</p> +<p>As Grôm stood studying the pair, the mother kept +throwing glances of horror over her shoulder, as if +expecting her assailants to arrive at any moment. +Grôm followed her eyes, but there was no sign of any +pursuit. Then he observed the fugitives’ wounds more +closely, and noted that the blood upon them was already, +in most cases, pretty well coagulated. He noted +also certain other wounds, deep, narrow punctures, like +stabs. He guessed that they could not be much less +than an hour old. The Thing, whatever it was, which +had inflicted them––the Thing with so strange a mouth, +and so strange a way of using it––had apparently +given up the pursuit. Grôm’s curiosity burned within +him, and he was angry at the woman because she +could not speak to him in his own language, or at least +in that of the Bow-legs. It seemed to him willful +obstinacy on her part to refuse to understand the +Bow-legs’ tongue. He stooped over her, and roughly +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_201' name='page_201'></a>201</span> +examined one of the wounds with his huge fingers. +She winced, but made no complaint, only covering her +baby with her hair and her arms in terror lest it +should suffer a like harsh handling.</p> +<p>With a qualm of compunction, which rather puzzled +him, Grôm gave over his investigating, and turned to a +tall, slim youth with a great mop of chestnut hair who +at this moment came running up to him. It was +A-ya’s young brother, Mô, Grôm’s favorite follower +and hunting mate; and he had come at speed, being +very swift of foot, in answer to Grôm’s signal. +Breathing quickly, he stood at Grôm’s side, and looked +down with wonder and dislike upon the crouching +woman.</p> +<p>Briefly Grôm explained, and then pointed to the +inexplicable wounds. The youth, unable to believe +that any human creature should be unable to comprehend +plain human speech, such as that of the Cave +People, tried his own hand at questioning the woman. +He got a flow of chatter in reply, but, being able to +make nothing out of it, he imagined it was not speech +at all, and turned away angrily, thinking that she +mocked him. Grôm, smiling at the mistake, explained +that the woman was talking her own language, which +he intended presently to learn as he had learned that +of the Bow-legs.</p> +<p>“But now,” said he, “we will go and see what it is +that has bitten the woman. It is surely something with +a strange mouth.”</p> +<p>Mô, who was not only brave to recklessness, but who +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_202' name='page_202'></a>202</span> +would have followed Grôm through the mouth of hell, +sprang forward eagerly. Grôm, who realized that the +mystery before him was a perilous one, and who loved +to do dangerous things in a prudent manner, looked to +his bow-string and saw that his arrows were handy +in his girdle, before he started on the venture. Besides +his bow he carried the usual two spears and his inseparable +stone-headed club. Though danger was his +delight, it was not the danger itself but the thrill of +overcoming it that he loved.</p> +<p>The moment he stepped forward, however, the +woman divined his purpose and leapt wildly to her +feet. She sprang straight in front of him, screaming +and gesticulating. She was plainly horror-stricken +at the thought that the two men should venture into +the perils from which she had so hardly escaped. To +Grôm’s keen intelligence her gestures were eloquent. +She managed to convey to him the idea of great +numbers, and the impossibility of his dealing with +them. When he attempted to pass her, she threw herself +down and clung to his feet, shaking with her +terror. When she saw that Grôm was at last impressed, +she stretched herself out as if dead, and then, +after a few moments of ghastly rigidity, with fixed, +staring eyes, she came to and held up one hand with +the fingers outspread.</p> +<p>This frantic pantomime Grôm could read in no other +way than as an attempt to tell him that the unknown +Something had killed five of the woman’s companions. +The information gave him pause. Adventurous as +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_203' name='page_203'></a>203</span> +he was, he had small respect for mere pig-headed recklessness. +He was resolved to solve the problem––but +after all it could abide his more thorough preparation.</p> +<p>“Come back,” he ordered, turning to the impetuous +Mô. “She says they are too many for us two. They +have killed five of her people. We will go back to +the Caves, and after three sleeps for good counsel, we +will return with fire and find the destroying Thing.”</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>On their return to the Caves, Grôm gave the +strange woman and her baby to his faithful slave +Ook-ootsk, who accepted the gift with enthusiasm because, +being a Bow-leg, he had not been allowed to +take any of the Cave Women to wife. He lavished +his attentions upon the unhappy stranger, but he +could make no more of her speech than Grôm had +done. The girl A-ya, however, in a moment of +peculiar insight had gathered, or thought she gathered, +from the stranger’s signs, that the dreadful and destroying +Thing was something that flew––therefore, +a great flesh-eating bird. But she gathered, also, that +it was something which in some way bore a resemblance +to fire––for the woman, after getting over her first +terror of the dancing flames, kept pointing to them +and then to her wounds in a most suggestive way. +This, however, as Grôm rather scornfully pointed out, +was too absurd. There was nothing that could be in +the least like fire itself; and the wounds of the fugitives +had no likeness whatever to the corrosive bites of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_204' name='page_204'></a>204</span> +flame. A-ya took the correction submissively, but held +her own thought; and when a day or two later, events +proved her to have been right, she discreetly refrained +from calling her lord’s attention to the fact––a point +upon which Grôm was equally reserved.</p> +<p>With so provocative a mystery waiting to be solved, +Grôm could not long rest idle. Had she not known +well it would be a waste of breath, A-ya would have +tried to dissuade him from the perilous, and to her +mind profitless, adventure. It was one she shrank +from in spite of her tried courage and her unwavering +trust in Grôm’s prowess. The mystery of it daunted +her. She feared it in the same way that she feared +the dark. But she kept her fears to herself, and +claimed her long-established right to go with Grôm +on the expedition. Grôm was willing enough, for +there was no one whose readiness and nerve, in a +supreme crisis, he could so depend upon, and he wanted +her close at hand with her fire-basket. There was +nothing to keep her at home, as the children were +looked after by Ook-ootsk.</p> +<p>It was a very little party which started southward +from the Caves––simply Grôm, A-ya, young Mô, and +a dwarfish kinsman of Grôm’s, named Loob, who was +the swiftest runner in the tribe and noted for his +cunning as a scout. He could go through underbrush +like a shadow, and hide where there was apparently no +hiding-place, making himself indistinguishable from +the surroundings like a squatting partridge. Each one +carried a bow, two light spears, and a club––except +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_205' name='page_205'></a>205</span> +A-ya, who had no club, and only one spear. The +weapon she chiefly relied upon was the bow, which she +loved with passion. She considered herself the inventor +of it; and in the accuracy of her shooting she +outdid even Grôm. In addition to these weapons, +each member of the party except the leader himself +carried a fire-basket, in which a mass of red coals +mixed with punk smouldered in a bed of moist clay.</p> +<p>The little expedition traveled Indian file, Grôm leading +the way, with A-ya at his heels, then Loob the +Scout, and young Mô bringing up the rear. They had +started about dawn, when the first of the morning rose +was just beginning to pale the cave-mouth fires. They +traveled swiftly, but every two hours or so they would +make a brief halt beside a spring to drink and breathe +themselves and to look to the precious fires in the fire-baskets. +When it wanted perhaps an hour of noon, +they came to a little patch of meadow surrounding a +solitary Judas-tree covered with bloom. Here they +built a fire, for the replenishing of the coals in the fire-baskets, +and as a menace to prowling beasts. Then +they dined on their sun-dried meat and on ripe plantains +gathered during the journey. Having dined, the three +younger members of the party stretched themselves out +in the shade for their noon sleep, while Grôm, whose +restless brain never suffered him to sleep by day, kept +watch, and pondered the adventure which lay before +them.</p> +<p>As Grôm sat there, ten or a dozen paces from the +fire, absorbed in thought, his eyes gradually focussed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_206' name='page_206'></a>206</span> +themselves upon a big purple-and-lemon orchid bloom, +which glowed forth conspicuously from the rank green +jungle-growth fringing the meadow. The gorgeous +bloom seemed to rise out of a black, curiously gnarled +elbow of branch or trunk which thrust itself out +through the leafage. Grôm’s eyes dwelt for a time, +unheeding, upon this piece of misshapen tree trunk. +Suddenly he saw the blackness wink. His startled +vision cleared itself instantly, and revealed to him the +hideous, two-horned mask of a black rhinoceros, peering +forth just under the orchid blossom.</p> +<p>Grôm’s first impulse was to wake the sleepers with +a yell and shepherd them to refuge in the tree––for the +gigantic woolly rhinoceros, with his armor of impenetrable +hide, was a foe whom Man had not yet +learned to handle with any certainty. But a deeper +instinct held Grôm motionless. He knew that the +monster, whose eyesight was always dim and feeble, +could not see him distinctly, and was in all probability +staring in stupid wonder at the dancing flames of the +camp-fire. As long as no smell of man should reach +the brute’s sensitive nostrils to rouse its rage, it was +not likely to charge. There was no wind, and the air +about him was full of the spicy bitterness of the wood-smoke. +Grôm decided that the safest thing was to keep +perfectly still and wait for the next move in the game +to come from the monster. He devoutly trusted that +the sleepers behind him were sleeping soundly, and that +no one would wake and sit up to attract the monster’s +attention. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_207' name='page_207'></a>207</span></p> +<p>Grôm could now see plainly that it was the fire, and +not himself, which the rhinoceros was staring at. The +shifting flames, and the smell of the smoke, apparently +puzzled it. After a moment or two, it took a step +forward, so that half of its huge, black, shaggy bulk +projected from the banked greenery as from a frame. +Then it stood motionless, blinking its little malignant +eyes, till the silent suspense grew to be a strain even +upon Grôm’s well-seasoned nerves.</p> +<p>At last a large stick, laid across the fire, burned +through and fell apart. The flames leapt upwards with +redoubled vigor, preceded by a volley of crackling +sparks. Knowing the temper of the rhinoceros, Grôm +expected it to fly into a fury and charge upon the fire +at once. His mouth opened, indeed, for the yell of +warning which should wake the sleepers and send them +leaping into the tree. But he checked himself in time. +The monster, for once in its life, seemed to be abashed. +The curling red flames were too elusive a foe for it. +With a grunt of uneasiness, it drew back into the +leafage; and in a moment or two Grôm heard the +giant bulk crashing off through the jungle at a gallop. +The unwonted sensation of alarm, once yielded to, +had swollen to a panic, and the dull-witted brute fled +on for a mile or more before it could forget the cause +of its terror.</p> +<p>That afternoon toward sundown the expedition +reached the point where the fugitive had made her +appeal to Grôm. For fear of giving information to +the unknown enemy, no fires were lighted. The night +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_208' name='page_208'></a>208</span> +was passed in a dense and lofty tree-top. For Grôm, +strung up with excitement, suspense and curiosity, +there was little sleep. For the most part he perched +on his woven platform with his arms about his knees, +listening to the sounds of the night––the occasional +sudden rush of a hunting beast, the agonized scream and +scuffle, the gurglings and noisy slaverings that told of +the unseen tragedies enacted far down in the murderous +dark. But there was no sound novel to his own +experience. Once there came a scratching of claws +and a sniffing at the base of the tree.</p> +<p>But Grôm dropped a live coal from his fire-basket, +and chanced to make a lucky shot. With a snarl +some heavy body bounced away from the tree. The +coal then fell into a tuft of dry grass, which flared +up suddenly. Grôm had a glimpse of huge shapes +and startled, savage eyes backing away from the circle +of light. The blaze died down as quickly as it had +arisen; and thereafter the night prowlers kept at a +distance from the tree. But the sleepers had all been +thoroughly aroused and till dawn they sat discussing, +for the hundredth time, the chances of the morrow’s +venture.</p> +<p>Before the sun was clear of the horizon, the little +party was again upon the march, but now going with +the wariness of a sable. They no longer went Indian +file, but flitting singly from tree to tree, from covert +to covert, Grôm picking up the old trail of the fugitive, +the rest of the party keeping him in view and peering +ahead for some sign of the unknown Terror. The +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_209' name='page_209'></a>209</span> +red woman in her flight had left a sharp trail enough; +but in the lapse of three days it had been so obliterated +that all Grôm’s wood-craft was needed to decipher it, +and his progress was slow. He began to be puzzled +at the absence of any other trail, of any footsteps of a +mysterious, unknown monster. Such tracks as crossed +those of the fugitive, however terrible, were all familiar +to his eye.</p> +<p>Suddenly he almost stumbled over a hideous sight. +A low whistle brought his followers closing in upon +him. The skeleton of a full-grown man lay outstretched +in the grass. The bones were fresh––bloodstained +and bright––and a swarm of blood-sucking +insects arose from them. They were picked minutely +clean, except for a portion of the skull, where the +long, strong, densely matted hair seemed to have served +as an effective armor. The bones were not pulled +about, or crushed for their marrow, as they would +have been if the victim had been the prey of any of +the great carnivorous beasts. And there were no +tracks about it save those of a few small rat-like +creatures. It was clear that the Mystery, whatever it +might be, had wings.</p> +<p>“A bird!” whispered A-ya, with a gleam of triumph +in her eyes, at the same time glancing up into the +tree-tops apprehensively. But Grôm did not think so. +There were no marks of mighty claws on the turf +around the skeleton.</p> +<p>Grôm cast about him an eager but anxious eye. +The country was not densely wooded at this point, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_210' name='page_210'></a>210</span> +but studded with low thickets, and set here and there +with scattered trees. From a little way ahead came a +gleam of calm water through the greenery. It was a +scene of peace, and security, and summer loveliness. +Its very beauty seemed to Grôm an added menace, as +if some peculiar treachery must lurk behind it.</p> +<p>In the center of an open glade, not far from the +skeleton, Grôm set his party to building a circle of +fires, as likely to afford the surest kind of a refuge. +A supply of fuel having been gathered, he directed +A-ya and Mô to remain and tend the fires and not to +leave the circle unless he should summon them. Loob, +the cunning scout, he sent off to the left through the +underbrush. He himself followed the trail of the +fugitive––now doubled by that of the other fugitive +whose skeleton lay there in the sun––down toward +that gleam of water through the trees. A-ya gazed +after him anxiously as he vanished, half minded to +dare his displeasure and follow him.</p> +<p>Grôm was presently able to make out that the +water was a wide, reedy lake or the arm of a shallow +river. There was no wind, and the surface shone +like clear glass. But once and again his eyes were +dazzled by a dart of intense radiance, a great flash +of rose or violet or blue-green flame, shooting over +the surface of the water. A memory of what A-ya +had professed to gather from the stranger woman +rushed into his mind. Perhaps the Destroying Thing +was like a bird, and nevertheless, at the same time, +something like fire. He felt himself confronted by a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_211' name='page_211'></a>211</span> +mystery which made even his tried nerves creep; and +he hid himself in the densest undergrowth as he stole +forward toward the water. He had forgotten, and +forsaken, the trail he was following, in his haste to +solve the problem of those darting splendors.</p> +<p>A few moments more and he gained the edge of an +open glade which led straight to the water. He paused +behind the screening leaves. Out over the water a +bar of ruby light, surrounded by a globe of rose-pink +mist, shot by and vanished from his narrow field of +vision. He was just about to thrust out his head +and crane his neck to follow the gorgeous apparition, +when a peculiar dry rustling in the air above checked +him. He glanced up cautiously, and saw hovering, +not more than twenty or thirty yards away, a beautiful +and dreadful being.</p> +<p>In shape it was exactly like a dragon-fly; but the +length of its flaming violet body was greater than that +of Grôm’s longest arrow. The spread of its two +pairs of transparent, crystal-shining, colorless wings +was even greater than the length of its body. Its +enormous eyes, wells of purple fire which took up the +whole of the top and sides of its monstrous head, +seemed to see everywhere at once; and Grôm shivered +with the feeling that they had spied him out and were +peering into his very soul.</p> +<p>The awful eyes may have seen him, indeed; but at +that moment they spied out something else which apparently +concerned them more. With a pounce like +a flash of violet lightning––and, indeed, almost as +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_212' name='page_212'></a>212</span> +swift––the bright shape swooped to the grass. The +four shining wings waved there for a moment, and +there seemed to be a mild struggle. Then the giant +fly rose again, lightly, into the air, holding in the +clutch of its six slender, jointed legs the body of one +of those black, rat-like animals which Grôm knew so +well as infesting the grass of all meadows near the +water. The captor flew to a naked branch near the +waterside, alighted upon it, and proceeded to make its +meal, holding up the body between the end joints of +its front pair of legs and turning it over and over +deftly while its appalling jaws both crushed and +mangled it. The process was amazingly swift. In +the space of a couple of minutes all the blood, flesh, and +soft material of the rat were squeezed out and sucked +down. The remnants were rolled into a hard little +ball, perfectly spherical, and scornfully tossed aside. +And the monster, leaping into the air with a rustle +of its glittering wings, flashed off over the water.</p> +<p>Almost in the same moment an amazingly loud +rustle, like the sweep of a fierce gust of rain upon +a rank of palmetto leaves, filled the air above the +glade, and Grôm, looking up with a start, saw a great +shoal of the radiant shapes storm by, as if with the +rainbow entangled in their wings. He wondered upon +what foray they were bent; and now for the first time +he realized, with a creeping of the flesh, what it was +that had overtaken the man whose skeleton he had +found in the grass. The shoal swept out over the +lake a little way, and then down the shore toward the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_213' name='page_213'></a>213</span> +left; and Grôm drew a long breath as he assured himself +that their course was taking them far from the +fires of A-ya and Mô.</p> +<p>When Grôm lowered his eyes to earth again he +started. On the side of the stump of a fallen tree, +out in the glade not more than eight or ten yards +distant, clung one of the monsters, scintillating blue-green +and amethyst in the full blaze of the sun. Its +wings, exquisitely netted and of crystal transparency, +were tinged with an ineffable purple iridescence. Its +jointed body, slightly longer than Grôm’s arm, was +nearly as thick as his wrist, and ended at the tail with +a formidable double claw. Its six legs, arranged in +three pairs under the thorax, were armed on the inner +sides with powerful spines, needle-pointed and steel +hard, with which to grip and hold its victims. The +thorax, from the back of which sprouted the four great +wings, was of the thickness of Grôm’s forearm, while +its head was as big as Grôm’s two great fists put +together. It was this head which held Grôm’s fascinated +gaze, giving him more of the sensation of +cold fear than he had ever known before. More than +two-thirds of the head consisted of a pair of huge, +globose eyes, without pupil, ethereally transparent, yet +unfathomable. From the depths of them flamed a +ceaselessly changing radiance of blue-green, purple and +violet. Grôm found the stare of those blank, pupilless +eyes almost intolerable.</p> +<p>It was plainly straight at him, through the ineffectual +screen of the leafage, that the dreadful insect was staring. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_214' name='page_214'></a>214</span> +At first it stared with the back of its head. +Then, very deliberately, it turned its head completely +around, without moving its body a hair-breadth, till +its mouth was in the same plane with its back. This +gave Grôm a sense of disgust, and his shrinking dread +began to give way to a sort of rage.</p> +<p>Then he took note of the monster’s mouth––and +understood those great cup-shaped wounds on the +woman and the child. The mouth took up the remaining +third of the head, and seemed to consist of +globular discs working one over the other, so as either +to cut cleanly or to grind. They were working, slowly, +now––and Grôm felt suddenly that he must put a stop +to it, that he must put out the awful light in those +monstrous devil eyes. Stealthily, almost imperceptibly, +he fitted an arrow to his bow, raised it, drew +it, and took a long, steady aim. He must not miss. +The shaft flew––and the great fly was pinned, through +the thorax, to the soft, rotten wood of its perch.</p> +<p>To Grôm’s horror that stroke, which to any beast he +knew would have at once been fatal, did not kill the +monstrous fly. Its struggles, and the beating of its +four great wings were so violent that the arrow-head +was presently wrenched loose from its hold in the +wood, and the raging splendor, with the shaft half-way +through its thorax, bounded into the air. It +darted straight at Grôm, who had prudently edged +in among a tangle of stems. Its fury carried it +through the screen of leafage––but then, its wings +impeded by the branches, and the arrow hampering it, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_215' name='page_215'></a>215</span> +it dashed itself to the earth. Instantly Grôm was +upon it, stamping its slim body, as it lay there blazing +and quivering, into the soil. The violet light in the +huge, pupilless eyes still stared up at him implacable, +from a head turned squarely over the back. But in +a cold fury Grôm shattered the gleaming head with +his club. Then he trod the silver wings to dust.</p> +<p>Having slaked his wrath effectually, Grôm turned +to stare forth again at those destroying splendors +darting and glittering above the surface of the lake. +To his surprise there were no more of them to be seen. +Then far off down the shore he heard the voice of +Loob, shouting for help. The shouting changed at +once to a scream of terror, and Grôm started to the +rescue on the full run––taking care, however, to keep +within cover of the thickets. But before he had gone +a quarter of a mile he heard A-ya’s voice calling him, +wildly, insistently, mingled with excited yells from Mô. +He shouted in reply and dashed madly for the fires. +The peril of A-ya put all other considerations out of +his mind.</p> +<p>As he burst forth into the glade of refuge, he +saw A-ya and young Mô leaping about frantically +among their fires, now trying to stir the fires to a +fiercer blaze, now beating upwards with their spears, +while above them darted and gleamed and swooped and +scintillated, with a horrid dry rustling of their silver +wings, shoal upon shoal of the devouring monsters. +As he burst into the open, with a great shout of encouragement, +something dropped upon him. He felt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_216' name='page_216'></a>216</span> +his head instantly caged by six steel-like legs which +gripped like jaws, their spines sinking deep into the +flesh of neck and cheek. He reached up his left hand, +caught his dreadful assailant just where the head and +thorax join, and strove to throttle it. This was impossible, +by reason of the insect’s armor, but he succeeded +in holding off those horrid jaws from his face +as he dashed for the circle. Another monster swooped +and struck its spines into his back, and bit a great +mouthful out of his shoulder. But he gained the fires, +and, holding his breath, sprang right through the +fiercest flame. The wings of his assailants shrivelled +instantly, and the flame, drawn into the mouth of their +breathing tubes, sealed them up. Grôm tore them off, +and slammed the writhing, wingless bodies into the +fire.</p> +<p>Inside the circle, now that the fires were burning +high, it was possible to defend oneself effectually, as +the bulk of the assailants seemed to realize that the +flames were fatal to their frail wings. But there were +enough so headlong in their ferocity that both Grôm +and Mô were kept busy beating them off with spears, +while A-ya fed the fires; and the ground inside the +circle was littered with the radiant bodies of the dying +insects, which, even in dying, bit like bull-dogs if foot +or leg came within reach. Grôm noticed that their +supply of fuel was all but gone, and his heart sank. +He measured with his eyes the distance to the nearest +thickets that looked dense enough for a shelter.</p> +<p>“We’ll have to run for those bushes,” he said +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_217' name='page_217'></a>217</span> +presently. “They can’t fly in where the branches are +thick. It breaks their wings.”</p> +<p>“Good,” said young Mô. But A-ya, whose shapely +shoulders and thighs were already covered with hideous +wounds, trembled at the prospect.</p> +<p>At that moment, however an amazing change came +over the scene. A black thunder-cloud passed across +the face of the sun. The moment the sunshine +vanished the destroyers seemed to forget their fury. +All the life and energy went out of them. They simply +flocked to the nearest trees and hung themselves up, +gigantic, jewelled blooms, upon the branches. In less +than a minute every dreadful wing was stilled.</p> +<p>“Now is our time. Come!” commanded Grôm, +leading the way out of the circle.</p> +<p>“Let’s stop and kill them all!” pleaded young Mô, +his eyes red with rage.</p> +<p>But Grôm pointed to the cloud. “It will pass +quickly,” said he. “We must be far from here before +the sun shows his face again.”</p> +<p>He paused, however, to transfix upon his spear-head +one of their wounded but still fluttering foes, +that he might be able to show the tribe what manner +of monsters they had had to deal with. Both A-ya +and Mô followed his example; and they all ran off +down the glade searching for Loob, whom they soon +found and bearing their strange trophies on their spear-heads +they went on. The monsters, clinging sullenly +to their perches, rolled baleful eyes of emerald and +rose and amethyst upon them as they went, but lifted +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_218' name='page_218'></a>218</span> +never a wing to follow them. Ten minutes later the +sun came out again. Then the monsters all sprang +hurtling into the air, and darted hither and thither +above the glade in shoals of iridescent radiance, seeking +their prey. But Grôm and A-ya, Mô and Loob +triumphant in spite of their wounds, were by this time +far away among the inland thickets, where those intolerable +eyes could not search them out, nor the clashing +wings pursue.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_219' name='page_219'></a>219</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_X_THE_TERRORS_OF_THE_DARK' id='CHAPTER_X_THE_TERRORS_OF_THE_DARK'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<h3>THE TERRORS OF THE DARK</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>From the topmost summit of that range of +pointed hills which held the caves and the cave-mouth +fires of his people, Grôm stared northward +with keen curiosity. To east and south and west he +had explored, ever seeking to enlarge the knowledge +and strengthen the security of his tribe. But to northward +of the pointed hills lay league on league of profound +jungle––grotesque and enormous growths +knitted together impenetrably by a tangle of gigantic, +flame-flowered lianas. And in those rank, green +glooms, as Grôm had reason to believe, there lurked +such monsters as even he, with all his resources of fire +and novel weapons, had so far shrunk from challenging.</p> +<p>But beyond the expanse of jungle stretched another +line of hills, their summits not saw-toothed like his +own, but low and gently rounded, and of a smoky purple +against the pure turquoise sky. These hills Grôm +was thirsting to explore. They might contain caves +more roomy than those of his own hills––spacious and +suitable to give shelter to his tribe, which was now finding +itself somewhat cramped. Moreover, it had always +seemed to Grôm that there might be a mystery behind +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_220' name='page_220'></a>220</span> +those hills, and to his restless imagination a mystery +was always like a stinging goad.</p> +<p>In all this neighborhood the crust of earth was thin +as plainly appeared from the fringe of wavering +volcanic flames which, during all the five years since +the coming of the tribe, had been dancing from the +lip of the narrow fissure across the mouth of their +valley. Night and day, now high and vehement, now +low and faint, they had danced there, guarding the +valley entrance––until just one moon ago. Then had +come an earthquake, shaking the hearts of all the tribe +to water. The dancing flames had died. The fissure +had closed up, and its place had been taken by a pool +of boiling pitch. And one of the caves had fallen in, +burying several members of the tribe, who had been too +stupefied with panic to flee into the open at the first +alarm. For some days after this catastrophe the tribe +had camped in the open, huddled about their great +fires. Then, but with deep misgivings, they had all +crowded back into the remaining caves.</p> +<p>But now there was not room enough, and Bawr, +the wise Chief, had taken frequent counsel upon the +matter with Grôm, whom, loving him greatly he called +sometimes his Right Hand and sometimes the Eye +of the People. At last, it had been settled that Grôm +should lead a party through the jungle land to those +other hills, to spy out the prospect. And Grôm, like +the foresighted leader that he was, had spent many +hours on the mountain-top, planning his route and +studying the luxuriant surface of the jungle outstretched +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_221' name='page_221'></a>221</span> +below him, before plunging into its mysterious +depths.</p> +<p>As was his custom when on a perilous venture, +Grôm would have few followers to share the peril +with him. He took A-ya, not only because of her +oft-proved courage and resourcefulness, not only because +he wanted her always at his side, but, above +all, because he knew he could not leave her behind. +Had he tried to leave her, she would have disobeyed +and followed him by stealth––and perhaps fallen a +prey to prowling beasts. He took also A-ya’s young +brother, the hot-head Mô; and Loob, the shaggy, little +sharp-faced scout, who could run like a hare, hide like +a fox, and fight like a cornered weasel. This he would +have accounted, ordinarily, a sufficient party. But the +present enterprise being one of peculiar difficulty, he +decided at the last moment to strengthen his following +by the addition of a dark-faced, perpetually-grinning +giant named Hobbo, who was slow of wit, but thewed +like a bull, and a mighty fighter with the stone-headed +club.</p> +<p>This little but greatly daring band, which Grôm, +one flaming sunrise, led down into the unknown jungle, +was well armed. Besides the spear and the club, each +member of the party but Hobbo (who had displayed no +aptitude for its use) carried Grôm’s wonderful invention––the +bow. Hobbo, however, because of his +immense strength, bore the heavy fire-basket, wherein +the smoldering coals were cherished in a bed of clay. +As a food reserve, everyone carried a few strips of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_222' name='page_222'></a>222</span> +half-dried meat; but their main dependence, of course, +was to be upon the spoils of their hunting and the +fruits that they might gather on their march.</p> +<p>The forest into whose depths Grôm now led the way +was in reality a survival from a previous age, into +which the forms, both vegetable and animal, of contemporary +life had been gradually infiltrating. The +soil, of incredible fertility, still poured forth those +gigantic tree grasses, and colossal, sappy ferns and +psuedo-palms, which had flourished chiefly in the +carboniferous period. But here they were mingled +with the more enduring hard-wood growths of the later +tropical forests; and only these were strong enough to +support the massive, strangling coils of the cable-like +lianas, which wound their way up the huge trunks and +reached out in aërial, swaying bridges from tree-top +to tree-top. On every side, high or low, the deep-green +gloom was splashed with color from the gorgeous +orchids and other epiphytes, which flowered out into +grotesque or monstrous wing-petaled shapes of vermilion +and purple and orange and rose and white, +eyed with velvet black or streaked with iridescent +bronze.</p> +<p>To men of to-day this jungle would have been impenetrable, +except by the incessant use of axe or +machete. But Grôm and his party were Cave-Men, +and had not yet forgotten all the instincts and capacities +of their tree-dwelling ancestors. Sometimes, +where it seemed easiest, they forced their way along +the ground, or followed the trodden trail of some great +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_223' name='page_223'></a>223</span> +jungle beast, so long as it led in the right direction. +But here they had to be ceaselessly on the watch +against surprise by creatures whose monstrous tracks +were unlike any that they had ever seen before. +Whenever possible, therefore, they preferred to +journey, after the fashion of their apish ancestors, by +way of the high branches and the liana bridges. +Hampered as they were by their weapons, their +progress by this aërial way was slow. But it was +comparatively secure. And it was also comparatively +cool; while down at the ground-level the steaming heat +and the stinging insects were almost beyond endurance.</p> +<p>Yet before the end of that first day’s journey they +learned that even in tree-tops it was necessary to be +always on the watch. Once the little hairy scout, +Loob, who traveled always on the outskirts of the +party, was struck at suddenly by a huge black leopard, +which lay ambushed in the crotch of a tree. Loob, +however, who was so quick-sighted that he seemed to +see things before they actually happened, leapt to a +higher branch in time to escape the deadly paw. In +the next instant he struck down furiously with his +spear, catching his assailant between the shoulder-blades +and driving the stroke home with all his strength. +With a screech, the beast stiffened out, and then, somewhat +slowly, collapsed. As Loob wrenched his weapon +free, the great animal slumped limply from its branch. +For a moment or two it hung by the fore-paws, coughing +and frothing at the mouth. Then this last hold +relaxed and it fell, bumping with a curious deliberation +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_224' name='page_224'></a>224</span> +from branch to branch. It vanished through a +floor of thick leafage, and struck the ground with a +dull crash. It must have fallen under the very jaws +of an unseen waiting monster; for there arose at once +a strange, hooting roar, followed by the sound of +rending flesh and cracking bone. Loob grinned over +his feat, and Grôm, glancing at A-ya, muttered quietly: +“It is better to be up here than down there.” As he +spoke, and they all peered downwards, a dreadful +head, with the limp body of the leopard gripped like a +rat between its long jaws and dripping yellow fang, +thrust itself up through the floor of leafage and stared +at them with round eyes as cold and black as ice.</p> +<p>Grôm itched to shoot an arrow into one of those +unwinking, devilish eyes. But arrows were too +precious to be wasted.</p> +<p>That night they slept profoundly on a platform +which they wove of branches in one of the tallest and +most unscalable trees. They kept watch, of course, +turn and turn about; but nothing attempted to approach +them, and they cared little for the sounds of +strife, the crashings of pursuit and desperate flight, +which came up to them at intervals from the blackness +far below.</p> +<p>On the morrow, however, as they were pursuing +their aërial path along the borders of a narrow, sluggish +bayou, they were suddenly made to realize that +the tree-tops held perils more deadly than that of the +lurking leopards. They were all staring down into the +water, which swarmed with gigantic crocodiles and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_225' name='page_225'></a>225</span> +boiled immediately beneath them with the turmoil of a +life-and-death struggle between two of the brutes, when +harsh jabbering in the branches just across the water +made them look up.</p> +<p>The tree-tops opposite were full of great apes, mowing +and gibbering at them with every sign of hate. +The beasts were as big and massive as Hobbo himself, +and covered thickly with long, blackish fur. Their +faces, half human, half dog-like, were hairless and of +a bright but bilious blue, with great livid red circles +about the small, furious eyes. With derisive gestures +they swung themselves out upon the overhanging +branches, till it almost seemed as if they would hurl +themselves into the water in their rage against the +little knot of human beings.</p> +<p>The girl A-ya, overcome with loathing horror because +the beasts were so hideous a caricature of man, +covered her eyes with one hand. Young Mô, his fiery +temper stung by their challenge, clapped an arrow to +his string and raised his bow to shoot. But Grôm +checked him sternly, dreading to fix any thirst of vengeance +in the minds of the terrible troop.</p> +<p>“They can’t come at us here. Let them forget about +us,” said he. “Don’t take any more notice of them at +all.”</p> +<p>As he led the way once more through the branches +along the edge of the bayou, the apes kept pace with +them on the other side. But presently the bayou +widened, and then swept sharply off to the west. Grôm +kept on straight to the north, by the route which he had +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_226' name='page_226'></a>226</span> +planned. And the mad gibbering died away into the +hot, green silence of the tree-tops.</p> +<p>The adventurers now pushed on with redoubled +speed, unwilling to pass another night in the tree-tops +when such dangerous antagonists were in the neighborhood. +The hills, however, were still far off when +evening came again. Not knowing that the great +apes always slept at night, Grôm decided to continue +the journey in order to lessen the risk of a surprise. +When the moon rose, round and huge and honey-colored, +over the sea of foliage, traveling through the +tree-tops was almost as easy as by day, while the +earth below them, with its prowling and battling monsters, +was buried in inky gloom. When day broke, +there were the rounded hills startlingly close ahead, +as if they had crept forward to meet them in the +night.</p> +<p>And now the hills looked different. Between the +nearest––a long, rolling, treeless ridge of downland––and +the edge of the jungle lay an expanse of open, +grassy savannah, dotted with ponds, and here and there +a curious, solitary, naked tree-trunk, with what looked +like a bunch of grass on its top. They were like gigantic +green paint-brushes, with yellow-gray handles, +stuck up at random. Far off they saw a herd of +curious beasts at pasture, and away to the left a giant +bird, as tall as the tree by which it stood, seemed to +keep watch. A little to the right, where the treeless +ridge came abruptly to an end, gleamed a considerable +stretch of water. It was toward this point, where +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_227' name='page_227'></a>227</span> +the water washed the steep-shouldered promontory, +that Grôm decided to shape his course across the +plain.</p> +<p>By the time the sun was some three hours high +they had arrived within a couple of hundred yards +of the open. Sick of the oppressive jungle, and eager +for the change to a type of country with which they +were more familiar, they were swinging on through +the tree-tops at a great pace, when that savage, snarling +jabber which they so dreaded was heard in the +branches behind them. Grôm instantly put A-ya in +the lead, while he himself dropped to the rear to meet +this deadliest of perils. There was no need to urge +his party to haste; but it seemed to them all as if they +were standing still, so swiftly did the clamor of the +apes come upon them.</p> +<p>“Down to earth,” ordered Grôm sharply, seeing that +they must be overtaken before they could reach the +open, and realizing that in the tree-tops they could +not hope to match these four-handed dwellers of the +trees.</p> +<p>As they dropped nimbly from branch to branch, +the foremost of the apes arrived in sight, set up a +screech of triumph, and came swooping down after +them in vast, swinging leaps. In the hurry Hobbo +dropped his fire-basket, which broke as it fell and +scattered the precious coals. Grôm, guarding the rear +of the flight, made the mistake of keeping his eye +too much on the enemy, too little on where he was +going. In a moment or two, he found himself cut +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_228' name='page_228'></a>228</span> +off, upon a branch from which there was no escape +without a drop of twenty feet to a most uncertain +foothold. Rather than risk it, he ran in upon his +nearest assailant at the base of the branch, thrusting +at the blue-faced beast with his spear. But his position +being so insecure, his thrust lacked force and precision. +The great ape caught it deftly; and Grôm, to preserve +his balance, had to let the spear be wrenched from his +hand. At the same moment another ape dropped on +the branch behind him.</p> +<p>For just one second Grôm thought his hour had +come. He crouched to steady himself, then darted forward +and hurled his club straight at his foe’s protruding +and shaggy paunch. Again the beast caught the +missile in its lightning clutch; but in the next instant +it threw up its long arms, without a sound, and fell +backwards out of the tree. A-ya, who had been the +first to reach the ground, had drawn her bow and shot +upwards with sure aim. The shaft had caught the +great ape under the center of the jaw, far back at the +throat, and pierced straight up to the brain.</p> +<p>Surprised at seeing their leader fall with so little +apparent reason, the other apes halted for a moment +in their onset, chattering noisily. In that moment +Grôm swung himself to the ground. As he reached +it both Mô and Loob discharged their arrows. Another +ape fell from his perch, but caught himself on +a lower branch and hung there writhing; while a +third, with a shaft half buried in his paunch, fled back +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_229' name='page_229'></a>229</span> +yelling into the tree-top. Then the adventurers +snatched up their fallen weapons from the ground and +made for the open as fast as they could run. And the +apes, with a hellish uproar of barks and screams, came +swarming after them through the lower branches.</p> +<p>At this point, fortunately for the travelers, the jungle +was already thinning, and they had a chance to show +their speed. The raging blue-faces were speedily distanced, +and the fugitives ran out breathless upon the +sunny savannah. Here, feeling themselves safe, they +halted to look back. The lower branches all along +the edge of the grass were thronged with leaping +brown forms, and gnashing blue masks, and red-rimmed, +devilish eyes. But not one of the great beasts, +for all their rage, seemed willing to venture forth into +the open.</p> +<p>“There must be something out here that they fear +greatly,” commented Grôm, peering warily about him. +But there was nothing in sight to suggest any danger, +and he led the way onward through the rank grass at +a long, leisurely trot.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>For the most part the grass grew hardly waist +high; but here and there were patches, perhaps an +acre or so in extent, where it was more cane than +grass and rose to a height of twelve or fifteen feet. +To such patches, which might serve as lurking-places +to unknown monsters, Grôm gave a wide berth. He +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_230' name='page_230'></a>230</span> +had a vivid remembrance of that colossal head, with +the awful dead eyes, which had reared itself through +the leafage to stare up at him.</p> +<p>In spite of the strange and enormous trails which +crossed their path at times; in spite of occasional massive +swayings and crashings in the deep beds of cane, +the adventurous party accomplished the journey across +the savannah without encountering a single foe. The +mid-noon blaze of the sun upon the windless grass, +which was almost more than they could endure, was +probably keeping the monsters to their lairs; and the +only living things to be seen, besides the insects and a +high-wheeling vulture or two, were a few shy troops +of a kind of small antelope, incredibly swift of foot.</p> +<p>Grôm drew a breath of relief as they reached the +foot of the hills. But just here it was impossible to +climb them. A range of high limestone downs, they +were fringed at this point by an unbroken line of +cliff, perpendicular and at times overhanging, from +forty or fifty to perhaps a couple of hundred feet in +height, and so smooth that even these goat-footed +cave-folk could not scale them. The rich plain-land +at their feet had once been a shallow, inland sea, and +now its grasses washed along their base in a gold-green, +scented foam.</p> +<p>Turning to the right, Grôm led the way close along +the cliff-foot toward the water, which glowed like +brass about a mile ahead. Along the right of their +path the ground sloped off gently to a belt of that high +cane-like growth which Grôm regarded with such +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_231' name='page_231'></a>231</span> +suspicion. Before they had gone many hundred yards +his suspicion was more than justified.</p> +<p>From a little way behind them there arose all at +once a chorus of explosive gruntings, mixed with a +huge crashing of the canes. Glancing over their +shoulders, they saw a great rust-red animal, about the +size of a rhinoceros, which burst forth from the canes +and stood staring after them. Its hideous head was +larger than that of any rhinoceros they had ever seen, +and armed with a pair of enormous conical horns, +each more than a foot in diameter at the base and +tapering to a keen point. Set side by side, at a +moderate angle, upon the bridge of the snout, they +were far more terrible than the horns of any rhinoceros. +Their bearer lowered them menacingly, and charged +down upon Grôm’s party with a sound that was something +between the grunting of a hog and the braying of +an ass. Immediately upon his massive heels a whole +herd of the red monsters surged forth from the canes, +and came charging after their leader at a ponderous +gallop which seemed literally to shake the earth.</p> +<p>For a moment or two Grôm’s party had paused, +confident in their own fleetness of foot, and wondering +at that pair of amazing horns on the monster’s +snout. But when the rest of the terrific herd came +thundering down upon them, they fled in all haste. +To their amazement, they found that their speed was +none too great for their need. The red monsters, in +spite of their bulk, were disconcertingly swift.</p> +<p>As he neared the swift promontory which terminated +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_232' name='page_232'></a>232</span> +with the range of downs, Grôm began to fear that he +and his followers would have to take refuge in the +water. This water, as it chanced, was the brackish +estuary of a river which, sweeping down from the +east, here made its way to the sea through a long, +slanting break in the limestone hills. It was now +near low tide, and there opened before the hard-pressed +fugitives, as they approached the shore, a strip of +damp beach running around the base of the bluff. As +they left the grass and ran out upon the beach they +were astonished to find that the thundering pursuit had +stopped short. Just at the turn of the cliff they halted +and stared back wonderingly. Their pursuers, though +swinging their great horns and braying with rage, were +evidently unwilling to venture so near the waterside. +They drew back, indeed, as if they feared it, and at +last went crashing away into the canes. The fugitives, +glad of an opportunity to rest their laboring lungs, +squatted down with their backs against the cliff and +congratulated themselves on having got rid of such +perilous attentions. But Grôm’s sagacious eyes +searched the cliff face anxiously, without neglecting to +watch the unruffled water. If that water was so +dreaded that even the mighty herd of their pursuers +durst not approach it, surely its smiling surface must +hide some peril of surpassing horror.</p> +<p>For the next few hundred yards, till it vanished +around the curve, the strip of naked beach was not +more than twenty or thirty feet in width. Not without +some apprehensions, Grôm decided to push forward. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_233' name='page_233'></a>233</span> +There seemed nothing else to do, indeed, seeing +that the cane-beds behind them were occupied by that +irresistible red herd. Somewhere ahead, he argued, +there must be a break in the cliff which would give +access to the rolling downs above, where they might +travel in safety.</p> +<p>Disguising his growing uneasiness that he might +not discourage his followers––who were now +full of elation at having reached the foot of the hills––he +led on again in haste, though there seemed to be +no need of haste. Both Hobbo and young Mô, indeed, +were for staying a while and sleeping in the shade +of an overhanging rock. But A-ya, who sensed +through sympathy her lord’s disquietude, and the little +scout Loob, who was always, on principle, ill at +ease in any spot where there was no tree to climb, +were as eager as their chief to push ahead; and the +others would never have dared, in any case, to question +Grôm’s decision.</p> +<p>As they rounded the next bend of the cliff, however, +a clamor of excited satisfaction arose from all +the party. Straight ahead, and not fifty paces distant, +there opened before them a spacious cave-mouth, with +a somewhat wider strip of beach before it. Immediately +beyond the cave the strip of beach came +sharply to an end, and the tide lapped softly against the +foot of the cliff.</p> +<p>But just then, in the moment of their elation, a +terrifying thing happened. As if aroused by their +voices, the still surface a few yards from shore boiled +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_234' name='page_234'></a>234</span> +up, and was lashed to foam by the strokes of a gigantic +tail.</p> +<p>“Run!” yelled Grôm; and they all dashed forward, +there being no chance to go back. In the same instant, +an appalling head––like that of a thrice magnified and +distorted crocodile, with vast, round, painted eyes––was +upthrust from the water and came rushing after +them at a pace which sent up a curving wave before +it.</p> +<p>Quick as thought, Grôm drew his bow and shot +at the appalling head. The arrow drove straight into +the gaping throat, eliciting a thunderous bellow of +rage, but producing no other effect. Then Grôm +sprang after his fleeing companions, and raced for +his life toward the cave mouth. The cave might be +nothing more than a death-trap for them all; but it +seemed to offer the one possibility of escape.</p> +<p>As they dashed into the cave the awful, gaping head +was close behind them. They had a flashing glimpse, +through the gloom, of high-arched distance melting into +blackness, of a strip of black water along the right, +and to the left a gentle ascent of smooth white sand, +whose end was out of sight.</p> +<p>Up this slope they raced, with the clashing of +monstrous fangs close behind them. But they had not +gone a dozen strides when the slope quivered, and +heaved upwards shudderingly beneath them; and they +all fell forward flat upon their faces. From all but +Grôm there went up a shriek so piercing that in their +own ears it disguised the stupendous rending roar +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_235' name='page_235'></a>235</span> +which at that moment seemed to stun the air. The +mighty arch of the cave mouth had slipped and crashed +down, completely jamming the entrance, and opening +up a gash of blue heaven above their heads.</p> +<p>To Grôm’s unshaken wits, it was clear on the instant +what had happened. He staggered to his feet and +looked back through a rain of falling rock-splinters. +He had a vision of their colossal pursuer, its jaws +stretched to their utmost width, the vast globes of its +eyes protruding from their armored sockets, its ponderous, +bowed fore-legs pawing the air aimlessly in the +final convulsion. The falling rock-mass had caught +it on the middle of the back, crushing its mighty frame +like an eggshell.</p> +<p>For a second or two, Grôm stood there rigid, staring, +his gnarled fingers clenched upon his weapons. +Then a second earthquake tremor beneath his feet +warned him. With an unerring instinct, he sprang on +up the slope after his companions, who had fled as +soon as they could pick themselves up. And in the +next moment the rock above his head, fissured deep by +the rains, slipped again. With a growling screech, +as if torn from the bowels of the mountain, it settled +slowly down, and sealed the mouth of the cave to utter +blackness.</p> +<p>Grôm stopped short, having no mind to dash out +his brains against the rock. There was stillness at +last, and silence save for the faint, humming moan of +the earthquake which seemed to come from vast depths +beneath his feet. Profoundly awed, but master of his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_236' name='page_236'></a>236</span> +spirit, he stood leaning upon his spear in the thick +dark till the last of that strange humming note had +died away. Then, through a silence so thick it seemed +to choke him, he called aloud:</p> +<p>“A-ya! where are you?”</p> +<p>“<i>Grôm!</i>” came the girl’s answer, a sobbing cry of +relief and joy, from almost, as it seemed, beneath his +outstretched hand.</p> +<p>“We are all here,” came the voices of the three men.</p> +<p>They had fallen headlong at the second shock, as +at the first; and in the darkness they had not dared to +rise again, but lay waiting for their leader to tell them +what to do. In half a dozen cautious, groping steps +he was among them, and sank down by A-ya’s side, +clutching her to him to stop her trembling.</p> +<p>“What are we to do now?” asked the girl, after a +long silence. Without Grôm, they would probably +have died where they were, not daring to stir in the +darkness. But their faith in their chief kept them +cheerful even in this desperate plight.</p> +<p>“We must find a way out,” answered Grôm, with +resolute confidence.</p> +<p>“If Hobbo had not dropped the fire!” said young +Mô bitterly.</p> +<p>The giant groaned in self-abasement, and beat his +chest with his great fists. But Grôm, who would allow +no dissensions in his following, answered sternly:</p> +<p>“Be silent. You might have done no better yourself.”</p> +<p>Then for a time there was no more said, while +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_237' name='page_237'></a>237</span> +Grôm, sitting there in the dark with the girl’s face +buried in his great shaggy chest, thought out his +plans. It was plain to him, from what he had seen +in that last instant of daylight, that the entrance was +blocked impregnably. Moreover, he judged that any +attempt to work an opening in that direction would +be likely, for the present, to bring more rocks down +upon them. It would be better, first, to feel their way +on into the cave in the hope of finding another exit. +He was not afraid of getting lost, no matter how +absolute the dark, because he possessed that sixth sense, +so long ago vanished from modern man’s equipment––the +sense of direction. He knew that, as a matter +of course, he could find his way back to this starting-point +whenever he would.</p> +<p>“Come on!” he ordered at last, lifting A-ya and +holding her hand in his grasp. Reaching out with +his spear, he kept tapping the ground before him as +he went, and occasionally the wall upon his left. +Sometimes, too, he would reach upwards to assure +himself that there was no lowering of the rocky ceiling. +A spear’s length to the right, more or less, he got +always a splash of water.</p> +<p>With their fine senses intensely alert, they were able +to make fair progress, even though unaided by their +eyes. But Grôm checked his advance abruptly. He +had a perception of some obstacle before him. He +reached out his spear as far as he could. It touched +a soft object. The object, whatever it was, surged +violently beneath the touch. His flesh crept, and the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_238' name='page_238'></a>238</span> +shaggy hair uplifted on his neck. “Back!” he hissed, +thrusting A-ya off to arm’s length and bracing his +spear point before him to receive the expected attack. +A pair of faintly phosphorescent eyes, small, but so +wide apart as to show that their owner’s head must +have been enormous, flashed round upon them. There +was a hoarse squeal of alarm, and a heavy body went +floundering off into the water. They could hear it +swimming away in hot haste.</p> +<p>Every one drew a long breath. Then, after a few +moments, A-ya laughed softly:</p> +<p>“It’s good to find something at last that runs away +from us instead of after us!” said she.</p> +<p>A little further on the cave wall turned to the left. +A few steps, and their path came to an end. There +was water ahead of them, and on both sides. Grôm’s +exploring spear assured them that it was deep water.</p> +<p>“We must swim,” said he. “Leave your clubs behind.” +And leading the way down into the unknown +tide, he struck out straight ahead.</p> +<p>It was nerve-testing work swimming thus through +that unseen water to an unguessed goal; but Grôm +was unhesitating, and his companions rested upon his +steady will. The water was of a summer warmth, +and slightly salt, which convinced him that it had free +communication with the sunlit tides outside. Several +times he came within touch of the rocky walls of the +cavern, and found that they went straight down to a +depth he could not guess. But he kept on with hope +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_239' name='page_239'></a>239</span> +and confidence at a leisurely pace, which, in that bland +and windless flood, he knew that every member of +his party could have maintained for half a day.</p> +<p>Suddenly there appeared ahead of them a faint, +bluish gleam upon the water’s surface. It was something +elusive and unreal, and vaguely menacing.</p> +<p>“Daylight!” exclaimed young Mô eagerly. But +Grôm said nothing. He did not think it was daylight, +and he was apprehensive of some new peril.</p> +<p>The strange light grew and spread. It was evident +now that it rose from the water, and also that it was +advancing rapidly to meet the astonished swimmers. +After a few moments it was bright enough in its blue +pallor to show the swimmers that they were traversing +a vast hall of waters, whose roof was lost in darkness. +Some fifty yards ahead of them, and a little to the +right, a low spit of rock, half awash for the greater +part of its length, ran out slantingly from the wall of +the stupendous chamber.</p> +<p>Toward this ledge Grôm now led the way, hurling +himself through the water on his side at top speed. +He could not fathom this mysterious phosphorescence, +and he wished to get his people out upon dry land +before it reached them. But fast as the adventurers +swam, the ghostly radiance spread faster. Before +they got to the ledge, the light was all about them; +but it seemed to be coming from a great depth.</p> +<p>Nervously they all glanced down, and a low cry +of horror broke from their lips. The depths were +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_240' name='page_240'></a>240</span> +swarming with monstrous, luminous forms, a moon-bright, +crawling, sliding field of claws and feelers, and +broad, flat backs, and dreadful, protruding eyes.</p> +<p>The eyes all stared straight up at them with a fixed +malignancy that froze even Grôm’s blood. They +seemed innumerable, and all together they came +suddenly floating upwards.</p> +<p>Already the fugitives were dragging themselves +out upon the ledge, in frantic haste, when the diabolical +swarm reached the surface. But Hobbo, who was the +slowest swimmer, was merely clutching at the rock +when the water boiled all about him in a froth of light. +A pair of huge, pincer-like claws seized him by the +neck, and another pair by one arm, plucking him back. +His convulsed face stared upward for an instant, and +then, with a choked scream, he was dragged under. +He disappeared in a swirl of pale blue, frantically +waving claws, and eyes, and feelers, and black-fringed, +chopping mouths.</p> +<p>Beside himself with rage and horror, Grôm stabbed +down wildly into the whirling struggle, and his example +was followed at once by Loob and young Mô. Some +of their random blows went home, and as one or another +of the gigantic crabs turned over in its death-throes, +its nearest fellows seized it, tore it to pieces, +and devoured it.</p> +<p>But A-ya, who had taken no part in this vengeance, +now snatched Grôm by the arm, shrieking wildly:</p> +<p>“Look! They are coming out!”</p> +<p>Recovering their senses, the three half-maddened +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_241' name='page_241'></a>241</span> +men stared about them. On every side the gigantic +crabs––some with claws eight or ten feet long, and +eyes upon the ends of long waving stalks––were crawling +up upon the ledge.</p> +<p>The ledge, fortunately, was of some width. At its +landward end it rose into a mass of tumbled rocks +perhaps twenty or thirty feet above the water. Toward +this post of vantage the adventurers fought their +way, striking and thrusting desperately with their +spears as the monsters, crowding up from the water +on either side, snatched at them with their terrible +mailed claws. Over and over again one or another of +the party was seized by the foot or the leg; but his +companions would beat the long, jointed limb to fragments, +or drive their spear-points deep into the awful, +drooling mouth, and set him free.</p> +<p>At last, bleeding from many wounds, they reached +the end of the ledge and clambered to the top. Here +but three or four of the giant crustaceans tried to +follow them. These were easily speared from above, +and hurled back disabled among their ravening kin. +And the whole swarm, apparently forgetting their intended +victims as soon as they were out of reach, fell +to fighting hideously among themselves over the convulsed +bodies of these wounded. The lower portion +of the ledge, and the water all about it, was a crawling +mass of horror that seemed to froth with blue light. +And a confused noise of crackling, snapping and hissing +arose from it.</p> +<p>Every eye but Grôm’s was glued in fascination to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_242' name='page_242'></a>242</span> +the baleful scene. But Grôm now thought only of +using that pervasive light to best advantage while it +should last. The wall of the cavern at this point was +so broken and fissured that it was not unscalable; +and a little way off to the right he marked, at some +height above the water, what looked like the entrance +to a lateral gallery.</p> +<p>“Come! While the light lasts,” he ordered, setting +off over the rocks. The others followed close. Now +sidling along knife-like ledges, now clinging by fingers +and toes to almost imperceptible projections, they made +their way across the face of the steep, and gained the +mouth of the gallery. It was spacious, and easy to +traverse, its floor sloping upwards somewhat steeply. +They plunged into it with confidence. And the blue +light of the Hall of Terrors faded out behind them.</p> +<p>Not many minutes later, another light, as it were a +white star, gleamed ahead of them. It grew as they +went, and turned to gold. Then a patch of turquoise +sky, flecked sweetly with small fleeces of cloud, opened +before them, and in a moment more they came out +upon a high, blossoming down, blown over by a +breeze that smelt of honey and salt. Below them was +a lovely, land-locked bay, with a herd of deer pasturing +among scattered trees by the shore. Away behind +them undulated the gracious line of the downs, inviting +their feet.</p> +<p>“It is a pleasant land,” said Grôm, “and we will +surely come back to it. But I think we must find another +way than that by which we came.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_243' name='page_243'></a>243</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI_THE_FEASTING_OF_THE_CAVE_FOLK' id='CHAPTER_XI_THE_FEASTING_OF_THE_CAVE_FOLK'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<h3>THE FEASTING OF THE CAVE FOLK</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>At last, and reluctantly, the Folk of the Caves had +withdrawn from their earthquake-harassed +valley and betaken themselves to the new dwelling-place +which Grôm had found for them, on the green +hill-slope beside the Bitter Waters. They had lost +no time, however, in accepting the new conditions; for +these caves in the limestone were ample and secure––it +was hard for any invader to come at them save by +way of the long, bare ridge of the downs running +westward behind the caves; a sweet-water brook ran +almost past their threshold to fall with a pleasant +clamor into the bay,––and the surrounding country +was rich in game. The vast basin of marshy plain +and colossal jungle, to be sure, which stretched and +steamed below the downs to southward, was the habitation +of strange monsters; but these, apparently, had +no taste for exploring the high, clean, windy downs.</p> +<p>On a certain golden morning it chanced that the +caves were well-nigh deserted. The men of the tribe, +including the chiefs themselves, Bawr and Grôm, together +with most of the women and the half-grown +children, had gone off down the shore to a shallow +inlet five or six miles distant to gather shell-fish––great +luscious mussels and peculiarly plump and savory +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_244' name='page_244'></a>244</span> +whelks. The girl A-ya, absorbed in her special occupation +of fashioning bows and arrows for the tribe, +had remained, with a half-score of old men and women +and Grôm’s giant slave, the lame Bow-leg, Ook-ootsk, +to guard the little children and the tribal fires. As +Grôm’s mate, and his confidential associate in all his +greatest ventures, A-ya’s prestige in the tribe had come +to be only less than that of Bawr and Grôm themselves.</p> +<p>On the open, grassy level before the cave mouth, +the two great fires burned steadily in the sun. The +giant Ook-ootsk, hideous with his ape-like forehead, +his upturned, flaring nostrils, his protruding jaw, his +shaggy, clay-colored torso, and his short, massive, +grotesquely bowed legs––of which one was twisted so +that the toes pointed almost backwards––lay sprawling +and chuckling benevolently near the entrance, while a +swarm of little ones, A-ya’s two among them, +clambered over him. The old men and the old women +most of them dozed in the shade, save two or three of +the most diligent, who occupied their gnarled fingers +in twisting thin strips of hide into bow-strings, or +lashing slivers of stone into the heads of spears. +A-ya sat cross-legged a little apart, beside a tiny fire, +laboriously fashioning her bows and arrows by charring +the wood in the embers and then rubbing it +between two rough stones. With her head bent low +over her work, the heavy, tangled masses of her hair +fell upon it and got in her way, and from time to time +she shook them aside impatiently. It was a picture +of primeval peace. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_245' name='page_245'></a>245</span></p> +<p>But peace, in the days when earth was young, was +something more precarious than a bubble.</p> +<p>From around the green shoulder of the hill came a +sound of trampling hooves and labored breathing. +A-ya sprang to her feet, snatching up her own well-tried +bow and fitting an arrow to the string. At the +same time she gave a sharp alarm-cry, at which the +lame slave, Ook-ootsk, arose, shaking off the swarm of +children, and came hobbling towards her with his +weapons in both hands. An old woman pounced +upon the startled, wide-eyed children, and in a twinkling +had them shepherded into the cave-mouth, out of +sight. The old men, springing from their sleep, and +blinking, hurried forth into the sunlight, with such +spears or clubs as they could lay instant hand upon.</p> +<p>A breathless moment, while all stood waiting for +they knew not what. Then around the corner appeared +a tall, wide-antlered elk, its eyes showing the +whites with terror, its dilated nostrils spattering bloody +froth. A long, raking wound ran scarlet down one +flank. Staggering from weariness or loss of blood, +it came on straight toward the cave-mouth, so blinded +by its terror that it seemed not to see the human creatures +awaiting it, or even the fires before them.</p> +<p>A-ya fetched a deep breath of relief when she saw +that this was no ravening monster. Her immediate +thought was the hunter’s thought. She drew her bow +to the full length of her shaft, and as the panting +beast went by she let drive. The arrow pierced to +half its span, just behind the straining fore-shoulder. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_246' name='page_246'></a>246</span> +Blood burst from the animal’s nostrils. It fell on its +knees, struggled up again, blundered on for half a +dozen strides, and dropped half-way across the second +fire.</p> +<p>There was a chorus of triumphant shouts from the +old men and women; and A-ya started forward with +the intention of dragging her prize from the fire. +But a look of apprehension and warning in the keen +little eyes of Ook-ootsk, who had by this time hobbled +to her side, checked her. In a flash the meaning of it +came to her.</p> +<p>“What do you suppose was chasing it, Ook-ootsk?” +she queried; and whipped about, without waiting for +his answer, to stare anxiously at the green shoulder +of the hillside.</p> +<p>“Black lion, maybe,” said Ook-ootsk, in his harsh, +clucking voice, dropping his spear and club beside him +and setting a long arrow to the string of his massive +bow.</p> +<p>But the words were hardly out of his throat, when +his guess was proved wrong. Around the turn came +lumbering, with huge heads hung low and slavering, +half-open jaws a pair of those colossal red bears of +the caves which had always been A-ya’s peculiar terror.</p> +<p>“Hide the children!” she yelled, and then let fly an +arrow, almost without aim, at the foremost of the +monsters. She was the best shot in the tribe, and the +shaft sped even too true. It struck the bear full in +the snout, and pierced through the palate and into the +throat––a wound which, though likely to prove mortal +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_247' name='page_247'></a>247</span> +after a time, only made the beast more dangerous for +the moment. It paused, coughing, and tried to paw +the torment from its jaws, and then rushed forward, +screaming hideously.</p> +<p>In that pause, however, though it was but for a +second or two, the second bear had forged ahead of +its companion. It was greeted instantly by an arrow +from the massive bow of Ook-ootsk, aimed with cool +deliberation. The long shaft of hickory, delivered +thus at close range, caught the enemy in the front of +the right shoulder and drove clean in to the joint, so +that the leg gave way and the gigantic brute almost fell +upon its side. With a roar, it bit off the protruding +half of the tough hickory, and then came on again, on +three legs. From A-ya’s nimble bow it got another +arrow, which went half-way through its neck; but to +this deadly wound, which sent the blood gushing from +its mouth, it seemed to pay no heed whatever. A-ya’s +next shot missed; and then, screaming for the old +men to come into the fray, she snatched up her stone-headed +spear and ran around behind the nearest fire, +expecting the bears to follow her and be led away from +the hiding-place of the children.</p> +<p>But she had forgotten that the slave, Ook-ootsk, +with his twisted and shrunken leg, could not run. +That valiant savage, blinking his little eyes rapidly and +blowing defiantly through his upturned nostrils as he +saw his doom rushing upon him, let drive one more of +his long shafts into the red, towering bulk, then dropped +his bow, sank upon one knee, and held up his spear +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_248' name='page_248'></a>248</span> +slantingly before him, with its butt firmly braced upon +the ground. As the monster reared itself and fell upon +him, the jagged point of the spear was forced deep +into its belly, straight up till it reached the backbone. +Then the shaft snapped, Ook-ootsk sprawled forward +upon his face, and the monster, in the paroxysm of its +amazement and agony, leapt onward and plunged right +over him, involuntarily hurling him aside and clawing +most of the flesh off his back with a kick of one +gigantic hind paw.</p> +<p>He clenched his teeth stoically, shut his eyes, folded +his long, hairy arms about his head, and rolled himself +into a ball, confidently expecting in the next +moment to feel the life crunched out of him.</p> +<p>But just as the monster, recovering itself, was turning +madly to finish off its insignificant but torturing +opponent, A-ya came leaping back to the rescue, with +a blazing and sparkling faggot in each hand, and the +old men, some with fire-brands, some with spears, +clamoring resolutely behind her. With fearless +dexterity, she thrust the fire straight into the monster’s +eyeballs, totally blinding him. As he wheeled to strike +her down, she slipped aside with a mocking laugh, and +threw one of the brands between his jaws, where he +crunched upon it savagely before he felt the torment +of it and spat it out.</p> +<p>Depending now upon his ears, the monster blundered +straight forward in the direction of the shouting voices. +He had quite forgotten Ook-ootsk. He raged to +come at this last intolerable foe, who had scorched +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_249' name='page_249'></a>249</span> +the light from his eyes. He made for her voice +straight enough; but it chanced that exactly in his +path lay the second fire––that into which the body of +the elk had fallen. Already too maddened with the +anguish of his wounds to notice the fire at once, he +stumbled upon the body. Here, surely, was one of +his foes. He fell to rending the carcase with his claws, +and biting it, crawling forward upon it to reach its +throat with the fire licking up derisively about his +head; till at length the flames were drawn deep into +his laboring lungs, searing them and sealing them so +that they could no more perform their office. With a +shallow, screeching gasp he threw himself backwards +out of the fire, rolled upon the turf, and lay there +fighting the air with his paws as he strangled swiftly +and convulsively.</p> +<p>The second bear, meanwhile, wallowing with astonishing +nimbleness on three legs, had charged roaring +into the group of old men. In a twinkling he had +three or four spears sticking into him; but the arms +that hurled the spears were weak, and the monster +ramped on unheeding. Several fire-brands fell upon +him, scorching his long, red fur, but he shook them off, +too maddened to remember his natural dread of the +flames.</p> +<p>The group scattered in all directions. But one brave +old gray-beard, who had marked A-ya’s success, +lingered in the path, and tried to thrust his blazing +faggot into the monster’s eyes, as she had done. He +was not quick enough. The monster threw up its +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_250' name='page_250'></a>250</span> +muzzle, dodging the stroke, and the next moment it +had struck down its feeble adversary and crushed his +head between its tremendous jaws.</p> +<p>In its folly, it now forgot its other enemies, and fell +to wreaking its madness on the lifeless victim. But +in another second or two it was fairly overwhelmed +with the red brands descending upon its head. A-ya, +with all the force of her strong young arms, drove +her short spear half-way through its loins. Then, with +one eye blinded and its long fur smouldering, its rage +gave way suddenly into panic. Lifting its giant head +high into the air, as if thus to escape its fiery assailants, +it turned and scuttled back the way it had +come, while the old men swarmed after it, belaboring +and jabbing its elephantine rump with their live brands.</p> +<p>A-ya, racing like a deer and screaming with exultation, +ran round the pack of old men and stabbed the +frantic brute in the neck, with her spear held short +in both hands. Shrinking abjectly from this attack, +he swerved off toward the left. It was his left eye +that was blinded, and the other was full of smoke and +ashes. He missed the path, therefore, and plunged +squalling over the edge of the bluff, which at this +point dropped about a hundred feet, almost perpendicularly, +to the beach. Rolling over and over, and bouncing +out into space every time he struck the cliff face +he fell to the bottom amid a shower of stones and dust, +and lay there as shapeless as a fur rug dropped from +an upper window.</p> +<p>The old men, jabbering in triumph, craned their +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_251' name='page_251'></a>251</span> +shaggy gray heads out over the brink to grin down +upon him, while A-ya, with a wild light in her eyes +and her strong white teeth gleaming savagely, turned +back to tend the wounds of her slave, Ook-ootsk.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>Having assured herself that the hurts of Ook-ootsk, +dreadful though they were, were yet not +mortal (our sires of Cave and Tree took a lot of +killing!), A-ya stepped over to the further fire to see +about rescuing the carcase of the slain elk before it +should be quite burned up. As a matter of fact, +there was little of it actually consumed by the fire, +but it was amazingly shredded by the clawing of the +blinded bear; and an odor of roasted venison steamed +up from it, which seemed rather pleasant to A-ya’s +nostrils. Under her direction, the old men hauled +the body from the fire by the hind-legs, and dragged +it over to the edge of the bluff before cutting it up, +for convenience in getting rid of the offal. Every +one followed, to secure their due share of the tit-bits, +except Ook-ootsk and one old woman. This old +woman sat rocking and keening beside the body of her +mate whom the bear had slain; while Ook-ootsk +crawled off into a neighboring hollow to look for +certain healing herbs which should cleanse and astringe +his wounds.</p> +<p>The hide of the elk was too much burnt, too ripped +and torn by the claws of the bear, to be of any use +except for thongs; but the old men skinned it off +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_252' name='page_252'></a>252</span> +expertly before dividing the flesh. Though their +gnarled fingers were feeble, they were amazingly clever +in the use of the sharp-edged flakes of stone which +served them as knives. A-ya stood by them, watching +closely, to see that none of the specially dainty +cuts were appropriated. These delicacies were reserved +for herself and her two children, and for Grôm +when he should return. She had the right to them, +not only because she was the mate of Grôm, but because +the kill was hers.</p> +<p>As she stood over the carcase––the fore-part of +which had been superficially barbecued in the fire––the +smell of the roasted flesh began to appeal to her +even more strongly than at first. As she sniffed it, +curiously, it began to entice her appetite as nothing had +ever tempted it before. She touched a well-browned, +fatty morsel, and then put her fingers into her mouth. +The flavor seemed to her as delightful as the smell. +She cast about for a suitable morsel on which to +experiment.</p> +<p>Now it chanced that the elk’s tongue, having lain +in the heart of the fire, but enclosed within the half-open +jaws, had been cooked to a turn. A-ya possessed +herself of this ever-coveted delicacy. It looked so +queer, in its cooked state, charred black along the lower +edge, that she hesitated to taste it. At last, persuaded +by its fragrance, she brought herself to nibble at it.</p> +<p>A moment more and she was devouring it with a +gusto which, had manners been greatly considered in +the days when the earth was young, might have seemed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_253' name='page_253'></a>253</span> +unbecoming in the wife of a great chief. Never before +had she eaten anything that seemed to her half so +delicious. It was the food she had all her life been +craving. Her two little boys, pulling at her, aroused +her from her ecstasy. She gave them each a fragment, +which they swallowed greedily, demanding more; +and between the three of them the great lump of roast +tongue quickly vanished.</p> +<p>The rest of the crowd meanwhile had been looking +on with instinctive disapproval. The portions of the +meat which the fire had cooked, or partly cooked, +seemed to them spoiled. A-ya might, indeed, like the +strange food; but she was different from the rest of +them in so many ways! When, however, they saw +her two boys follow her example, and noted their enthusiasm, +several of the old men ventured to try for +themselves. They were instant converts. Last of all, +the old women and the children––always the most conservative +in such matters, took the notion that they +were losing something, and dared to essay the novel +diet. One taste, as a rule, proved enough to vanquish +their prejudices. In a very few minutes every shred +of the carcase that could claim acquaintance with the +fire had been eaten, and all were clamoring for more. +Fully three-parts of the carcase remained, indeed, but +it was all raw flesh. A-ya looked down upon it with +disdain.</p> +<p>“Take it back and throw it on the fire again!” she +ordered angrily. The generous lump of steak, which +she had hacked off for herself from the loin, had proved +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_254' name='page_254'></a>254</span> +to be merely scorched on the outside, and she was disappointed. +She stood fingering the raw mass with resentful +aversion, while the old men and women, chattering +gleefully and followed by the horde of children +dragged the mangled carcase back to the fire, lifted it +laboriously by all four legs, and managed to deposit it +in the very midst of the flames. A shrill shout of +triumph went up from the withered old throats at this +achievement, and they all drew back to wait for the +fire to do its wonderful work.</p> +<p>But A-ya was impatient, and vaguely dissatisfied +as she watched that crude roasting in the process. She +stood brooding, eyeing the fire and turning her lump +of raw flesh over and over in her hands. The attitude +of body was one she had caught from Grôm, when he +was groping for a solution to some problem. And +now it seemed as if she had caught his attitude of mind +as well. Into her brain, for the moment passive and +receptive, flashed an idea, she knew not whence. It +was as if it had been whispered to her. She picked +up a spear, jabbed its stone head firmly into the lump +of meat, and thrust the meat into the edge of the +fire, as far as it could go without burning the wood +of the spear shaft.</p> +<p>It took her a very few minutes to realize that her +idea was nothing less than an inspiration. Moving the +morsel backwards and forwards to keep it from charring, +she found that it seemed to do best over a mass +of hot coals rather than in a flame; and being a thin +cut, it cooked quickly. When it was done she burnt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_255' name='page_255'></a>255</span> +her fingers with it, and her big red mouth as well; and +her two boys, for whom she had torn off shreds too +hot for herself to hold, danced up and down and wept +loudly with the smart of it, to be instantly consoled by +the savor.</p> +<p>Noting the supreme success of A-ya’s experiment, +the spectators rushed in, dragged the carcase once more +from the fire, and fell to hacking off suitable morsels, +each for himself. In a few minutes every one who +could get hold of a long arrow, or a spear, or a pointed +stick, was busy learning to cook. Even the wailing +old mourner, finding the excitement irresistible, forsook +the body of her slain mate and came forward to take +her share. Only the dead man, lying outstretched in +the sun by the cave-door, and the crippled giant Ook-ootsk, +away in the green hollow nursing his honorable +wounds, had no part in the rejoicing, in this revel +of the First Cooked Food. The hot meat juices, +modified by the action of the fire, were almost as +stimulating as alcohol in the veins of these simple +livers, and the revel grew to something like an orgie +as the shriveled nerves of the elders began to thrill +with new life. A-ya, seeing the carcase of the elk +melt away like new snow under a spring sun, gave +orders to skin and cut up the body of the first bear.</p> +<p>But the old men were too absorbed in their feasting +to pay any attention to her orders; and she herself +was too exhilarated and content to make any serious +effort to enforce them. Every one, old and young +alike, was sucking burnt fingers and radiating greasy, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_256' name='page_256'></a>256</span> +happy smiles, and she felt dimly that anything like +discipline would be unpopular at such a moment.</p> +<p>During all this excitement the main body of the +tribe came straggling back along the beach from their +hunting of whelks and mussels. At the foot of the +bluff below the cave they found the body of the second +bear, and gathered anxiously about it, clamoring over +its spear-wounds and the arrows sticking in it, till Bawr +and Grôm, who were in the rear, came up. It was +plain there had been a terrific battle at the Cave. With +most of the warriors the two Chiefs dashed on and up +the path, to find out how things had gone, while a +handful remained behind to skin the bear and cut up +the meat.</p> +<p>When the anxious warriors arrived before the cave, +they were amazed at the hilarity which they found +there––and inclined, at first, to resent it, being something +to which they had no clue. What were all +the old fools doing, dancing and cackling about the +fire, and wasting good meat by poking it into the fire +on the ends of sticks and spears and arrows?</p> +<p>The younger women, coming up behind the warriors, +were derisive. They were always critical in their attitude +towards A-ya––so far as they dared to be––and +now they ran forward to scold and slap their respective +children for putting this disgusting burnt meat +into their mouths.</p> +<p>To Grôm and Bawr, however, A-ya explained the +whole situation in a few pertinent phrases, and followed +up her explanation by proffering them each a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_257' name='page_257'></a>257</span> +well-cooked morsel. They both smelled it doubtfully, +tasted it, broke into smiles, and devoured it, smacking +their bearded lips.</p> +<p>“Did <i>you</i> do this, girl?” demanded Grôm, beaming +upon her proudly and holding out his great hairy hand +for another sample. But Bawr strode forward, thrust +the old men aside, hacked himself off a generous collop, +stuck it on his spear-head, and thrust it into the fire.</p> +<p>In his impatience, Bawr kept pulling the roast out +every minute or two, to taste it and see if it was done +enough. His enthusiasm––and that of Grôm, who was +now following his example––cured the rest of the +warriors of their hesitation, so effectually that in five +minutes there was nothing more left of the great elk’s +carcase but antlers, bone and offal. Those who had +got nothing fell upon the body of the bear, skinning +it and hacking it in greedy haste. The young women, +having satisfied convention by slapping their bewildered +and protesting brats, soon yielded to curiosity and +began surreptitiously to nibble at the greasy cooked +morsels which they had confiscated. Then they, too, +grabbed up spears and sticks for toasting-forks and +came clamoring shrilly for their portions. And A-ya, +standing a little apart with Grôm, smiled with comprehending +sarcasm at their conversion.</p> +<p>For the next few hours the fires were surrounded +each by a seething and squabbling mob, the innermost +rings engaged in toasting their collops with one hand, +while with the other they tried to shield their faces +from the heat. As fast as those in the front rank wriggled +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_258' name='page_258'></a>258</span> +out with their browned and juicy tit-bits, others +battled in to take their places; and the Tribe of the +Cave Men, mindful of nothing but the gratification of +this new taste, feasted away the afternoon with such +unanimous and improvident rejoicing as they had never +known before. At last, radiant with gravy and repletion, +they flung themselves down where they would +and went to sleep, Bawr and Grôm, and two or three +others of the older warriors, who had been wise enough +to banquet without gorging themselves, thought with +some misgiving of what might happen if an enemy +should steal upon them at such an hour of torpor.</p> +<p>But no enemy approached. With the fall of the dew +the moon arose over the bay, honey-colored in a violet +sky, and played fantastic tricks with the shifting light +of the fires. And from within the cave came softly +the voice of A-ya, soothing a restless child.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_259' name='page_259'></a>259</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII_ON_THE_FACE_OF_THE_WATERS' id='CHAPTER_XII_ON_THE_FACE_OF_THE_WATERS'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<h3>ON THE FACE OF THE WATERS</h3> +</div> +<p style='text-align:center;'>I</p> +<p>The People of the Cave were running short of +arrows. The supply of young hickory sprouts, +on which they had depended for their shafts, was almost +exhausted. And within a two days’ journey of +the Caves there was nothing to be found that would +quite take the place of those hickory sprouts. Neither +Grôm himself nor any other member of his tribe had +as yet succeeded in so fixing a tip of bone or flint to a +shaft of cane as not to interfere with its penetration. +Some growth must be found that was tough, perfectly +straight, and tapering, while at the same time so solid +and hard of grain that it would take and hold a point, +and heavy enough for driving power. All this was +difficult to find, and Grôm was convinced that it must +be sought for far afield. Life had been running uneventfully +for months at the Great Caves, and Grôm’s +restless spirit was craving new knowledge, new adventure.</p> +<p>On this quest of the arrow Grôm took with him only +two companions––his slim, swift-footed mate, A-ya +and that cunning little scout, Loob, the Hairy One.</p> +<p>For the space of three days they journeyed due west +from the Caves. Then the range of downland which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_260' name='page_260'></a>260</span> +they had been following swept off sharply to the south.</p> +<p>Being bent upon exploring to the westward––though +he was not very clear as to his reasons for his preference––Grôm +led the way down from the hills into the +rankly wooded plain. For two days more they pushed +on through incessant perils, the country swarming +with black lions, saber-tooth, and woolly rhinoceros. +As they were not fighting, but exploring, the price of +safety was a vigilance so unremitting that it soon began +to get on their nerves, and they were glad to take a +whole day’s rest in the spacious security of a banyan +top, where nothing could come at them but leopards or +pythons. Neither leopards nor pythons gave them any +great concern.</p> +<p>On the second day after quitting their refuge in +the banyan top, they emerged from the jungle so +suddenly that they nearly fell into a river, whose +whitish, turbid flood ran swirling heavily before their +feet. It was a mighty stream, a good half-mile in +width, and at this point the current was eating away +the bank so hungrily that whole ranks of tree and +bush had toppled over into the tide.</p> +<p>The great river barred their way, flowing as it did +toward the north-east, and Grôm reluctantly turned +the course of the expedition southward, following up +the shore. Swift as was the current, these folk of the +Caves might have crossed it by swimming; but Grôm +knew that such waters were apt to swarm with giant +crocodiles of varying type and unvarying ferocity, as +well as with ferocious flesh-eating fish that swarmed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_261' name='page_261'></a>261</span> +in wolfish packs, and were able to tear an aurochs or +a mastodon in pieces with their razor-edged teeth. He +gazed desirously at the opposite shore, however––which +looked to him much more beautiful and more +interesting than that on which he stood––and wondered +if he should ever be able to devise some way of +reaching it other than by swimming.</p> +<p>Along the river shore the travelers had endless +variety to keep them interested, with a less exhausting +imminence of peril than in the depths of the +jungle. Sometimes great branches, draped and festooned +with gorgeous-flowered lianas, thrust themselves +far out over the water, affording easy refuge. +Sometimes the river was bordered by a strip of grassy +level, behind which ran the edge of the jungle in the +form of a steep bank of violent green, with here and +there a broad splotch of magenta or violet or orange +bloom flung over it like a curtain. At times, again, +it was necessary to plunge back into the humming and +steaming gloom behind this resplendent screen, in order +to make a détour around some swampy cove, whose +dense growth of sedge, fifteen to twenty feet in height, +was traversed by wide trails which showed it to be +the abode of unfamiliar monsters. The travelers were +curious as to the makers of such colossal trails, but +were not tempted to gratify this curiosity by invading +their lairs.</p> +<p>In all this time, and through all difficulties and +dangers, neither Grôm nor A-ya, nor the unsleeping +Loob had lost sight of the object of their journey. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_262' name='page_262'></a>262</span> +Every straight and slender sapling and seedling of +hard grain they tested, but hitherto they had found +nothing that came within measurable distance of their +requirements.</p> +<p>In the customary order of their going, Grôm went +first, peering ahead, ever studying, pondering, observing, +with his bow and his club swung from his +shoulder, his heavy, flint-headed spear always in readiness +for use at close quarters. Loob the scout, little +and dark and hairy, with the eyes of a weasel and the +heart of a bull buffalo, went darting and gliding soundlessly +through the undergrowth a few paces to the left, +guarding against the approach of any attack from the +jungle-depths. While A-ya, whose quickness and precision +with the bow, her darling weapon, were nothing +less than a miracle to all the tribe, covered the rear, +lest any prowling monster should be following on +their trail.</p> +<p>It chanced that A-ya dropped back some paces +further, without saying anything to Grôm. She had +marked a slim shaft of a seedling which looked suitable +for an arrow; and in case the discovery should +prove a good one, she wanted the credit of it to herself. +She stooped to pull the seedling up by the roots, +since it seemed too tough to break. It was obstinate. +In the effort her naked side and shoulder leaned fully +against the trunk of a small tree of which she had +taken no notice. In a second it seemed to her as if +the tree trunk were made of red-hot coals. The stinging +fire of it ran like lightning all over her arms +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_263' name='page_263'></a>263</span> +and body. With a piercing scream she sprang away +from the tree, and began tearing and beating frantically +at her body with both hands. She was covered +with furious ants––the great, red, stinging ants whose +venom is like drops of liquid flame.</p> +<p>At the sound of her scream, Grôm was back at +her side in two leaps, his hair and beard bristling +stiffly, his eyes blazing with rage. But there was no +assailant in sight on whom to hurl himself. For a +second or two he glared about him wildly, with Loob +crouched beside him, snarling for vengeance. Then, +perceiving the woman’s plight, he flung himself upon +her, trying to envelop her in one sweeping embrace that +should crush all the virulent pests at once. In this +he failed signally; and in an instant the liquid fire was +running over his own body. The torture of it, however, +was a small thing to him compared with the +torture of seeing them sting the woman, and feeling +himself impotent to effect her instant succor. He +slapped and beat at her with his great hands, while she +covered her face with her own hands to protect it from +disfigurement.</p> +<p>Loob came to help, but Grôm, his brain keen in +every emergency, stopped him.</p> +<p>“Keep off!” he ordered. “Keep off! and keep +watch!”</p> +<p>Then he seized A-ya by one arm, rushed her to the +edge of the bank, and dragged her with him into the +water.</p> +<p>At this point the water was not much more than +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_264' name='page_264'></a>264</span> +three feet deep. They crouched down in it, heads +under, for nearly a minute; while Loob, spear in hand, +stood over them, his wild little eyes scanning the water +depths in front and the jungle depths behind for the +approach of any foe.</p> +<p>When they could hold their breath no longer, they +stood up. Their red assailants were floating off on +the current; but the fiery poison remained, and they +bathed each other’s scarlet and scorched shoulders assiduously, +forgetful for the moment of everything +besides. At this moment a gigantic water python +reared its head from the leafage close by, fixed its +flat, lidless, glittering eyes upon them, and drew back +to strike. But in the next second Loob’s ready spear +was thrust clean through its throat, and his yell of +warning tore the air. Grôm and A-ya whipped up onto +the bank like a pair of otters: and the python, +mortally stricken, shot out into the water over their +heads, carrying Loob’s spear with it, gripped tight in +the constriction of its throat muscles.</p> +<p>As the lashing body struck the surface the water +boiled about it, suddenly alive with crocodiles. +Balked of their human prey, they fell upon the python. +One of the monsters shot straight up, half-way out of +the water, with two convulsive coils of the python’s +tail wrapped crushingly about its jaws; but the python, +with Loob’s spear through its throat, could only +struggle blindly. A moment more and it was bitten +in two, and the crocodiles were fighting monstrously +among themselves for the writhing fragments. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_265' name='page_265'></a>265</span></p> +<p>“You got us out of that just in time,” said Grôm, +grinning upon the little scout with approval.</p> +<p>A-ya wrung the water out of her heavy hair with +both hands, and threw the masses back with an upward +toss of her head.</p> +<p>“I hate ants,” she said, shuddering. “Let’s get +away from here.”</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;'>II</p> +<p>Some two hours after sunrise of the following day +they came to a place where a belt of woods, +perhaps a hundred to two hundred yards in depth, ran +bordering the river, while behind it a broad stretch of +grassy plain thrust back the jungle. Along the edge +of the plain, skirting the belt of woods, the grass was +short and the traveling was easy; but off to the left +the growth was ranker, and interspersed with thickets +such as Grôm always regarded with suspicion. He +had learned by experience that these dense thickets in +the grass-land were a favorite lurking-place of the +unexpected––and that the unexpected was almost always +perilous.</p> +<p>Suddenly from the deeper grass a couple of hundred +yards or so to the left rose heavily the menacing bulk +of a red Siva moose bull, and stood staring at them +with mingled wonder and malevolence in his cruelly +vindictive eyes. In stature surpassing the biggest +rhinoceros that Grôm had ever seen, he gave the impression +of combining the terrific power of the +rhinoceros with the agile speed and devilish cunning of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_266' name='page_266'></a>266</span> +the buffalo. His ponderous head, with its high-arched +eagle-hooked snout, was armed with two pairs of +massive, keen-tipped, broad-bladed horns, that seemed +to be a deadly-efficient compromise between the horns +of a buffalo and the palmated antlers of a moose. +This alarming apparition snorted loudly, and at once +from behind him lurched to their feet some two score +more of his like, and all stood with their eyes fixed upon +the little group of travelers by the edge of the wood.</p> +<p>Grôm had heard vague traditions of the implacable +ferocity of these red monsters, but having before +never come across them he answered their stare with +keen interest. At the same time, edging in closer to +the wood, he whispered:</p> +<p>“Don’t run. But if they come we must go up the +first tree. They are swift as the wind, these great +beasts, and more terrible than the saber-tooth.”</p> +<p>“Can’t go in <i>these</i> trees!” said Loob, whose piercing +eyes had investigated them minutely at the first glimpse +of the monsters in the grass.</p> +<p>“Why not?” demanded Grôm, his eyes still fixed +upon the monsters.</p> +<p>“Oh! The bees! The terrible bees!” whispered +A-ya. “Where can we go?”</p> +<p>Grôm turned his head and scanned the belt of woodland, +his ears now suddenly comprehending a deep, +humming sound which he had hitherto referred solely +to the winged foragers in the grass-tops. Scattered +at intervals from the branches, in the shadowy green +gloom, hung a number of immense, dark, semi-pear-shaped +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_267' name='page_267'></a>267</span> +globes. They looked harmless enough, but +Grôm knew that their inhabitants, the great jungle-bees, +were more to be dreaded than saber-tooth or +crocodile. To disturb, or seem to threaten to disturb, +one of their nests, meant sure and instant doom.</p> +<p>“No, we must trust to our running––and they are +very swift,” said Grôm. “But let us go softly now, +and perhaps they will not charge upon us.”</p> +<p>The words were hardly out of his mouth when the +giant red bull, with a grunt of wrath, lurched forward +and charged down at them. And instantly the whole +herd, with their ridiculous little tails stuck up stiffly +in the air, charged after him. Swift as thought A-ya +drew her bow. The arrow buried itself deep in the +red giant’s muzzle. With a bawl of fury, he paused, +to try and root the burning torment out of his nose. +The whole herd paused behind him. It was only for a +few seconds, and then he came on again, blowing +blood and foam from his nostrils; but they were +precious seconds, and the fugitives, running lightly, +and stooping low for fear of offending the bees, had +gained a start of a hundred yards or more.</p> +<p>The three were among the swiftest runners of the +tribe; but Grôm soon saw that the utmost they could +hope was to maintain their distance. And there was +the imminent risk that the bees, disturbed by the noise +of flight and pursuit, might take umbrage. To lessen +this frightful risk, he swerved out till he was some +thirty or forty paces distant from the belt of woods. +And he noticed, too, that the pursuing herd seemed to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_268' name='page_268'></a>268</span> +have no great anxiety to approach the frontiers of the +Bee People. They were following on a slant that +gave the woods a wide berth.</p> +<p>About a mile further on the woods came to an +end, and Grôm, though he feared the pace might be +beginning to tell on A-ya, and though there was no +refuge in sight, breathed more freely. He feared the +bees more than the yellow monsters, because they were +something he could not fight. The grass-land now ran +clear to the river’s edge, and gave firm footing; and +the fugitives raced on, breathing carefully, and trusting +to come to trees again before they should be spent.</p> +<p>At last a curve of the bank showed them the woods +sweeping down again to the water, but three or four +miles ahead! Grôm, looking back over his shoulder, +realized that their pursuers were now gaining upon +them appreciably. With an effort he quickened his +pace still further. Loob responded without difficulty. +But A-ya’s face showed signs of distress, and at this +Grôm’s heart sank. He began to scan the water, +weighing the chances of the crocodiles. It looked as +if they were trapped beyond escape.</p> +<p>Perhaps half a mile up the shore a spit of land +ran out against the current, and behind its shelter an +eddy had collected a mass of uprooted trees and other +flood refuse, all matted with green from the growth +of wind-borne seeds. It was in reality a great natural +raft, built by the eddy and anchored behind the little +point. For this Grôm headed with new hope. It +might be strong enough––parts of it at least––to bear +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_269' name='page_269'></a>269</span> +up the three fugitives. But their furious pursuers +would surely not venture their giant bulks upon it.</p> +<p>Approaching the point he slackened his pace, and +steadied A-ya with one hand. At the edge of the eddy +he stopped, casting an appraising eye over the collection +of débris, in order to pick out a stable retreat and +also the most secure path to it. In this pause the +monsters swept up with a thunder of trampling hooves +and windy snortings. They had their victims at last +where there was no escape.</p> +<p>The raging brutes were not more than a dozen paces +behind, when Grôm led the way out upon the floating +mass, picking his steps warily and leaping from trunk +to trunk. Loob and A-ya followed with like care. +Certain of the trunks gave and sank beneath their +feet, but their feet were already away to surer footing. +And at the very outermost point of that old collection +of débris, where the current and the eddy wavered for +mastery, on a toughly interwoven tangle of uprooted +trunks and half-dead vines, they found a refuge which +did not yield beneath them. Here, steadying themselves +by upthrust branches, they turned and looked +back, half apprehensive and half defiant, at their mighty +pursuers.</p> +<p>“They’ll never dare to try to follow us here,” gasped +A-ya.</p> +<p>But she was wrong. Quite blind with rage through +that galling shaft in his muzzle, the giant bull came +plunging on, and half a dozen of his closest followers, +infected with his madness, came with him. The +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_270' name='page_270'></a>270</span> +inner edge of the mass gave way at once beneath them––and +the bank at this point was straight up and down. +The monsters floundered in deep water, snorting and +spluttering, while their fellows on the shore checked +themselves violently and drew back bawling with bewilderment. +As the drowning monsters battled to +get their front legs up upon the raft, the edges gave +way continually beneath them, plunging them again +and again beneath the surface, while A-ya stabbed at +them vengefully with her spear, and Loob shot arrows +into them till Grôm stopped him, saying that the arrows +were too precious to waste. Thereupon Loob tripped +delicately over the surging trunks and smote at the +struggling monsters’ heads with his light club.</p> +<p>The anchorage of this natural raft having been +broken, the weight of the monsters striving to gain +a foothold upon it soon thrust its firm outer portion +forth into the grip of the current. In a minute or two +more this solid portion was torn away from the rest, +and went sailing off slowly down stream with its +living freight. The incoherent remnant was left in +the eddy, where the snorting monsters struggled and +threshed about amongst it, now climbing half-way out +upon some great trunk, which forthwith reared on end +and slid them off, now vanishing for a moment beneath +the beaten stew of leaves and vines.</p> +<p>A couple of the horned giants, being close to the +bank, now seemed to recover their wits sufficiently to +turn and clamber ashore. But the others were mad +with terror. And in a moment more the fascinated +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_271' name='page_271'></a>271</span> +watchers on the raft perceived the cause of this madness. +All round the scene of the turmoil the water +seethed with lashing tails and snapping jaws; and then +one of the monsters, which had struggled out into +clear water, was dragged down in a boiling vortex +of jaws and bloody foam. A few moments more and +the whole eddy became a bubbling hell of slaughter, +and great broad washes of crimson streamed out upon +the current. The monsters, for all their giant strength, +and the pile-driving blows of their huge hoofs, were +as helpless as rabbits against their swarming and +ravenous assailants; and the battle––which indeed was +no battle at all––soon was over. The eddy had become +but a writhing nest of crocodiles.</p> +<p>“It was hardly worth while wasting arrows, you +see?” said Grôm, standing erect on the raft and watching +the scene with brooding interest.</p> +<p>“Do you suppose those swimming beasts with the +great jaws can get at us here?” demanded A-ya with +a shudder.</p> +<p>“While this thing that carries us holds together, +I think we can fight them off,” replied Grôm. And +straightway he set himself to examine how securely +the trees were interknit. The trunks had been piled +by flood one upon another, and the structure seemed +substantial; but to further strengthen it he set all to +work interweaving the free branches and such creepers +as the mass contained, with the skill that came of +much practice in the weaving of tree-top nests.</p> +<p>When all was done that could be done, the voyagers +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_272' name='page_272'></a>272</span> +took time to look about them. They had by now been +swept far out into the river, and the shores on either +side seemed low and remote. A-ya felt oppressed, +the face of the waters seeming to her so vast, inscrutable +and menacing. She stole close up to Grôm +and edged herself under his massive arm for reassurance. +The little scout sat like a monkey between +two branches, and scratched his hairy arms, and, with +an expression of pleased interest, scanned the water +for the approach of new foes. As for Grôm, he was +entranced. This, at last, was what he had really come +in search of, the stuff for arrows being merely his +excuse to himself. This was the utterly new experience, +the new achievement. He was traveling by +water, not in it, but upon it––upborne, dry and without +discomfort, upon its surface.</p> +<p>For a little while he did not ask whither he was being +borne. To his surprise the crocodiles and other +formidable water-dwellers, which were quite unknown +to him, paid them no attention whatever; and he concluded +that they looked upon the raft as nothing more +than a mass of floating driftwood containing nothing +for them to eat. He could see them everywhere about, +swimming with brute snouts half above water or basking +on sandy spits of shore. Then he observed that +the current was bearing them gradually towards that +further shore which he so longed to visit, and he +thrilled with new anticipation. But when, after +perhaps an hour, the capricious tide blew them again +to mid-stream, a new idea took possession of him. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_273' name='page_273'></a>273</span> +He must find some way of influencing the direction +of their voyage. He could not long relinquish himself +to the blind whim and chance of the current.</p> +<p>Just as he was beginning to grapple with this +problem, A-ya anticipated his thought––as he had +noticed that she often did. Looking up at him through +her tossed hair, she enquired where they were going.</p> +<p>“I am just trying to think,” he answered, “how to +make this thing take us where we want to go.”</p> +<p>“If the water is not too deep, couldn’t you push +with your long spear?” suggested the girl.</p> +<p>Acting at once on the suggestion, Grôm leaned over +the edge and thrust the spear straight downwards. +But he could find no bottom.</p> +<p>“It is too deep,” said he, “but I’ll find a way.”</p> +<p>As he stood near the forward end of the raft he +began sweeping the spear in a wide arc through the +water, as if it were a paddle, but with the idea merely +of testing the resistance of the water. Poor substitute +as the spear was for a paddle or an oar, his great +strength made up for its inefficiency, and after a few +sweeps he was astonished and delighted to notice that +the head of the raft had swung away from him, so +that it was heading for the shore from which they had +come.</p> +<p>He pondered this in silence for a little, then stepped +over to the other side and repeated the experiment. +After several vigorous efforts the unwieldy craft +yielded. Its head swung straight, and then, very +gradually, toward the other side. Yes, there was no +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_274' name='page_274'></a>274</span> +doubt about it. He had found a way of influencing +their direction.</p> +<p>“I am going to take you over to the other shore,” +he announced proudly.</p> +<p>And now, laboring in a keen excitement, he set +himself to carry out his boast. First he so overdid +it that he made the raft turn clean about and head upstream. +He puzzled over this for a time, but at +length got it once more headed in the direction which he +wished it to take. Then he found that he could keep +it to this direction––more or less––by taking a few +strokes on one side, then hurriedly crossing to take a +few strokes on the other. And in this way they began +once more to approach the other bank. The process, +however, was slow; and Grôm presently concluded +that it was wasteful. He hit upon the idea of setting +A-ya and Loob together to stroking with their spears +on one side, while he, with his great strength, balanced +their effort on the other. Whereupon the sluggish +craft woke up a little and began to make perceptible +progress, on a slant across the current toward shore.</p> +<p>“I have found it!” he exclaimed in exultation. “On +this thing we can travel over the water where we will.”</p> +<p>“But not against the current,” objected A-ya, whose +enthusiasm was a little damped by the fact that she did +not like the look of that further shore.</p> +<p>“That will come in time,” declared Grôm confidently.</p> +<p>“Here’s something coming now,” announced Loob, +springing to his feet and grabbing his bow. At the +same moment the flat, villainous head of a big crocodile +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_275' name='page_275'></a>275</span> +shot up over the edge of the raft, and its owner, with +enormous jaws half open, started to scramble aboard.</p> +<p>A-ya’s bow was bent as swiftly as Loob’s, and the +two arrows sped together, both into the monster’s +gaping gullet. Amazed at this reception it shut its jaws +with a loud snap, halted and came on again. Then a +stab of Grôm’s great spear caught it full in the eye, +and this wound struck fear into its dull mind. It rolled +back hastily into the water and sank, leaving a foamy +wake of blood behind it.</p> +<p>By this time they were getting nearer the other shore. +But on close view, Grôm was bound to admit that it +was not alluring. It was so low as to be all awash, and +fringed deep with towering reeds, which were traversed +by narrow lanes of water. Of dry land there was +none to be seen.</p> +<p>“Oh, we don’t want to go ashore there!” protested +A-ya fervently. As she spoke a hideous head, with +immense, round, bulging eyes and long, beak-like +mouth arose over the sedge tops on a long, swaying +neck and stared at them fixedly.</p> +<p>“No, we don’t,” said Grôm, with decision, making +haste to swing the head of the raft once more out into +the channel. They were pursued by a dense crowd +of mosquitoes, voracious and venomous, which followed +them to mid-stream and kept tormenting them +till an up-river gust blew them off.</p> +<p>Grôm made up his mind that the exploration of that +unknown shore could wait a more convenient season. +He was now deeply absorbed in the complex problem +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_276' name='page_276'></a>276</span> +of directing and managing his raft. As he pulled his +spear through the water, and noted the additional effect +of its flat head, the conception came to him of something +that would get a more propulsive grip upon the +water than was possible to a round pole. Furthermore, +he was quick to realize that the immense, shapeless +mass of débris on which they were traveling might +be replaced by something light and manageable which +he would make by lashing some trimmed trunks together +with lengths of bamboo to give additional +buoyancy. As he brooded this in silence, with that +deep, inward look in his eyes which always kept A-ya +from breaking in upon his vision, he came to the idea +of a formal raft, and a formal paddle. And to this +he added, with a full sense of its value, A-ya’s suggestion +that this new structure might very well be pushed +along, in shallow water, with a pole. Having thought +this out, he drew a deep breath, looked up, and met +A-ya’s eyes with a smile. His eager desire now was +to get back home and put his new scheme into execution.</p> +<p>“Where are we going now?” asked A-ya.</p> +<p>Grôm looked about him wildly––at the sky, at the +far-off hills on their right, at the course of the stream, +which had changed within the past few miles. His +sense of direction was unerring.</p> +<p>“This river,” he answered, “flows towards the rising +sun, and must empty into the bitter waters not more +than a day or a half day from the Caves. We are +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_277' name='page_277'></a>277</span> +going home. We will come again to look for arrows +in a new raft which I will make.”</p> +<p>As he spoke, Loob’s spear darted down beside the +raft, and came up with a big, silvery fish writhing +upon it. He broke its neck with a blow and laid the +prize at A-ya’s feet.</p> +<p>“I wish we had fire with us, to cook it with,” said +she.</p> +<p>“On the new raft, as I will make it,” said Grôm, +“that may very well be. Our journey will be safe and +easy, and the good fire we will have always with us.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_278' name='page_278'></a>278</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII_THE_FEAR' id='CHAPTER_XIII_THE_FEAR'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> +<h3>THE FEAR</h3> +</div> +<p>The People of the Caves were beginning to dread +their good fortune. Plenty was being showered +upon them with so lavish and sudden a hand that +they looked at it askance, distrustful of the unsought-for +largess. For a week or more their hunting-grounds +had been swarming with game, in amazing and +daily increasing numbers, till there was little more of +chance or of excitement in the hunt than in plucking +a ripe mango from its branch. It was game of the +choicest kinds, too––deer of many varieties, and +antelope, and the little wild horse whose flesh they +accounted such a delicacy. They slew, and slew, and +their cooking-fires were busy night and day, and the +flesh they could not devour was dried in the sun in +long strips or smoked in the reek of green-wood fires. +They feasted greedily, but there was something sinister +in the whole matter, something ominous; and they +would stop at times to wonder anxiously what stroke +of fate could be hanging over the Caves.</p> +<p>During the past day or two, moreover, there had +been a disquieting influx of those great and fierce +beasts which the Cave Men were by no means anxious +to hunt. The giant white and the woolly rhinoceros +had arrived by the score in the dense thickets of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_279' name='page_279'></a>279</span> +steaming savannah which unrolled its green-and-yellow +breadths along the southward base of the downs. +These half-blind brutes appeared to be waging a dreadful +and doubtful war with the red herds of those monstrous, +cone-horned survivals from an earlier age, the +Arsinotheria, who had ruled the reeking savannah for +countless cycles. The roar and trampling of the +struggle came up from time to time to the dwellers in +the Caves, when the hot breeze came up from the southward.</p> +<p>What concerned the Cave Folk far more than any +near-sighted and blundering rhinoceros, however +malignant, was the sudden arrival of the great red +bears, the black lions, the grinning and implacable +saber-tooth tigers, and giant black-gray wolves which +hunted in small, handy packs of six or seven in number. +All these, the dread foes of Man for as long as tradition +could remember, had been mercifully few and +scattered. Now, in a night, they had become as +common as conies; and not a child could be allowed to +play beyond shelter of the cave-mouth fires, not a +woman durst venture to the spring without a brightly +blazing fire-brand in her hand. Yet––and this seemed +to the Tribe the most portentous sign of all––these +blood-thirsty beasts appeared to have lost much of +their ancient hostility to Man. They were all well +fed, of course, their accustomed prey being now so +abundant that they had little more to do than put forth +an armed paw and seize it. But they all seemed uneasy +and half-cowed, as if weighed down by a menace which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_280' name='page_280'></a>280</span> +they did not know how to face. When a man confronted +them, the fiercest of them made way with a +deprecating air, as if to say that they had troubles +enough on their minds.</p> +<hr class='tb' /> +<p>Bawr, the Chief, and Grôm, his right hand and his +counselor, stood upon the bare green ridge above the +Cave-mouth, and stared down anxiously upon the sun-drenched +plain. Of old it had taken keen eyes to +discern the varied life which populated its bamboo-thickets +and cane-choked marshes. Now it was as +thronged as the home pastures of a cattle-farm. Here +and there a battle raged between such small-brained +brutes as the white rhinoceros and the cone-horned +monster; but for the most part there was an apprehensive +sort of truce, the different kinds of beasts keeping +as far as possible to themselves.</p> +<p>Further out in the plain pastured a herd of gigantic +creatures such as neither Bawr nor Grôm had ever +seen before. A pair of rhinoceros looked like pygmies +beside them. They were both tall and massive, of a +dark mud-color, with colossal heads, no necks whatever, +huge ears that flapped like wings, immensely long, +up-curving tusks of gleaming yellow––mighty enough +to carry a bison cradled in their curve––and it seemed +to the astonished watchers on the ridge that from the +snout of each monster grew a great snake, which reared +itself into the air, and waved terribly, and pulled down +the tops of trees for the monster’s food.</p> +<p>It was the Cave Man’s first view of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_281' name='page_281'></a>281</span> +Mammoth––which had not yet developed the shaggy coat it +was later to grow on the cold sub-Artic plains.</p> +<p>Recovering at length from his amazement, Bawr +remarked:</p> +<p>“They seem to have two tails, those new beasts––a +little tail behind, in the usual place, and a very big +tail in front, which they use as a hand. They are +very many, and very terrible. Do you think it is they +who are driving all these other beasts upon us to +overwhelm us?”</p> +<p>Grôm thought long before replying.</p> +<p>“No,” said he, “they are not flesh-eaters. See! +They do not heed the other beasts. They eat trees. +And they, too, seem restless. I think they are themselves +driven. But what dreadful beings must be +they who can drive them!”</p> +<p>“If they are driven over us,” muttered Bawr, “they +will grind us and our fires into the dust.”</p> +<p>“It must be men,” mused Grôm aloud, “men far +mightier than ourselves and so countless that the +hordes of the Tree Men would seem a handful in +comparison. Only men, or gods, and in swarms like +locusts, could so drive all these mighty beasts before +them as a child drives rabbits.”</p> +<p>“Before they come,” said Bawr, dropping his great +craggy chin upon his breast, “the People of the Caves +will be trodden out. Whither can we escape from +such foes? We will build great fires before the caves, +and we will go down fighting, as befits men.”</p> +<p>He lifted his maned and massive head, and shook +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_282' name='page_282'></a>282</span> +his great spear defiantly at the unknown doom that was +coming up from the south. But Grôm’s eyes were +sunken deep under his brows in brooding thought.</p> +<p>“There is one way, perhaps,” he said at length. +“We have learned to journey on the water. We must +build us rafts, many rafts, to carry all the tribe. And +when we can no longer hold our fires and our caves +we will push out upon the water, and perhaps make +our way to that blue shore yonder, where they cannot +follow us.”</p> +<p>“The waves, and the monsters of the waves, will +swallow us up,” suggested Bawr.</p> +<p>“Some of us, perhaps many of us,” agreed Grôm. +“But many of us will escape, to keep the tribe-fires +burning, if the gods be kind upon that day and bind +down the winds till we get over. If we stay here we +shall all die.”</p> +<p>“It is well,” grunted Bawr, turning to hurry down +the steep. “We will build rafts. Let us hasten.”</p> +<hr class='tb' /> +<p>On the beach below the Caves the Men of the Tribe +worked furiously, dragging the trunks of trees together +at the water’s edge, lashing them with ropes of +vine and cords of hide, and laboriously lopping some +of the more obstructive branches by the combined use +of fire and split stones. The women, and the lame +slave Ook-ootsk––with the old men, who, though their +hearts were still high, were too frail of their hands +for such a heavy task as raft-building––remained before +the Caves under the command of A-ya, Grôm’s mate. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_283' name='page_283'></a>283</span> +They had enough to do in feeding the chain of fires, +keeping the children out of danger, and fighting back +with spear and arrow the ever-encroaching mob of +wild-eyed beasts. The beasts feared the fires, and +feared the human beings who leaped and screamed and +smote from among the fires. But still more they +seemed to fear some unknown thing behind them. +For a time, however, the crackling flames and the +biting shafts proved a sufficient barrier, and the motley +but terrifying invaders went sheering off irresolutely +to westward over the downs.</p> +<p>Down by the edge of the tide the raft-builders +worked under Grôm’s guidance. The broad water––some +four or five miles across––was the tidal estuary +of a great river which flowed out of the north-west. +Its brimming current bore down from the interior jungles +the trunks of many uprooted trees, which the +tides of the estuary hurled back and strewed along the +beach. The raft-builders, therefore, had plenty of +material to work with. And the fear that lay chill +upon their hearts urged them to a diligence that was +far from their habit.</p> +<p>It was rather like working in a nightmare. From +time to time would come a rush, a stampede, of +deer or tapirs, along the strip of beach between the +water and the cliff. The toiling men would draw +aside till the rabble went by, then fall to work again.</p> +<p>Once, however, it was a herd of wild cattle, snorting, +and tossing their wide, keen-pointed horns; and their +trampling onrush filled the whole space so that the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_284' name='page_284'></a>284</span> +men had to plunge out into deep water to escape. +Several, afraid of the big-mouthed, flesh-eating fish +which infested the estuary at high tide, stayed too close +in shore, and paid for their irresolution by being gored +savagely.</p> +<p>It was about the full of the moon and the time +of the longest days, and the raft-builders toiled feverishly +the whole night through. By sunrise Bawr and +Grôm estimated that there were rafts enough to carry +the whole tribe, provided the present calm held on. +They decided, however, to construct several more, in +case some should prove less buoyant than they hoped.</p> +<p>But for this most wise provision Fate refused to +grant the time.</p> +<p>A naked slip of a girl, her one scant garment of +leopard skin caught upon a rock and twitched from off +her loins as she ran, came fleeing down the hill-path, +her hair afloat upon the fresh morning air. Straggling +far behind her came a crowd of children, and old +women carrying babies or bundles of dried meat.</p> +<p>“They must not come yet. They’ll be in the way!” +cried Bawr angrily, waving them back. But they paid +no attention––which showed that there was something +they feared more even than the iron-fisted Chief.</p> +<p>“There are none of the young women or the old +men, who can fight, among them,” said Grôm. “A-ya +must have sent them, because the time has come. Let +us wait for the young girl, who seems to bring a +message.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_285' name='page_285'></a>285</span></p> +<p>Breathless, and clutching at her bosom with one +hand, the girl fell at Bawr’s feet.</p> +<p>“A-ya says, ‘Come quick!’” she gasped. “They +are too many. They run over the fires and trample +us.”</p> +<p>Grôm sprang forward with a cry, then stopped and +looked at his Chief.</p> +<p>“Go, you,” said Bawr, “and bring them to us. I +will stay here and look to the rafts.”</p> +<p>Taking a half-score of the strongest warriors with +him, Grôm raced up the steep, torn with anxiety for +the fate of A-ya and the children.</p> +<p>It was now about three-quarters tide, and the flood +rising strongly. By way of precaution some of the +rafts had been kept afloat, let down with ropes of +vine to follow the last ebb, and guided carefully back +on the returning flood. But most of them were lying +where they had been built, or left by the preceding tide, +along high-water mark, as hopelessly stranded, for the +next two hours, as a birch log after a freshet. As +the old women with children arrived, Bawr rushed +them down the wet beach to the rafts which were afloat, +appointing to each clumsy raft four men, with long, +rough flattened poles, to manage it. For the moment, +all these men had to do was hold their charges in +place that they might not be swept away by the incoming +tide.</p> +<p>When Grôm and his eager handful, passing a stream +of trembling fugitives on the way, reached the level +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_286' name='page_286'></a>286</span> +ground before the Caves, the sight that greeted them +was tremendous and appalling. It looked as if some +great country to the southward had gathered together +all its beasts and then vomited them forth in one vast +torrent, confused and irresistible, to the north. It +was a wholesale migration, on such a scale as the +modern world has never even dreamed of, but suggested +in a feeble way by the torrential drift of the bison +across the North American plains half a century ago, +or the sudden, inexplicable marches of the lemming +myriads out of the Scandinavian barrens that give +them birth.</p> +<p>The shrill cries of the women, fighting like she-wolves +in defense of the children and the home-caves, +the hoarse shouts of the old men, weak but indomitable, +were mingled with an indescribable medley of noises––gruntings, +bellowings, howlings, roarings, bleatings +and brayings––from the dreadful mob of beasts which +besieged the open space behind the fires. Some of the +beasts were maddened with their terror, some were in a +fighting rage, some only wanted to escape the throng +behind them. But all seemed bent upon passing the +fires and getting into the Caves, as if they thought there +to find refuge from the unknown fear.</p> +<p>At the extreme right of the line the two farthest +fires were already overwhelmed, trodden out by frantic +hooves, and three or four old men, with a couple of +desperate young women, behind a barrier of slain elk +and stags were fighting like furies to hold back the +victorious onrush. Two of the old men were down, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_287' name='page_287'></a>287</span> +trodden out between the fires by blind hooves, and a +third, jammed limply against the rocky wall beside the +furthest cave, was being worried by a bear––hideously +but aimlessly, as if the great beast hardly heeded what +it was doing. There was something peculiarly terrifying +in the animal’s preoccupation.</p> +<p>At the center of the line, immediately before the +main Cave-mouth––whose yawning entrance seemed +to be the objective of the swarming beasts––A-ya was +heading the battle, with the lame slave, Ook-ootsk, +crouched fighting at her side like a colossal frog gone +mad. Here the fires were almost extinguished––but +the line of slain beasts formed a tolerable barricade, +upon the top of which the women leapt, stabbing with +their spears and screeching shrill taunts, while the old +men leaned upon the gory pile to save their strength +with frugal precision. Here and there among the carcases +was the body of a woman or an old man, impaled +on the horn of a bull or ripped open by the rending +antler of an elk. As Grôm and his men came +shouting across the level a huge woolly rhinoceros +plunged over the barrier, his bloody horn ploughing +the carcases, trod down a couple of the defenders without +appearing to see them, dashed through the nearest +fire, and charged blindly into the Cave-mouth with +his matted coat all ablaze. The children and old +women who had not already fled down to the beach +shrieked in horror. The frantic monster heeded them +not at all, but went thundering on into the bowels of +the cavern. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_288' name='page_288'></a>288</span></p> +<p>“Go back, all you women!” yelled Grôm above the +tumult, as he and his men raced to the barrier. “Get +down to the beach with the children. We’ll hold the +rush back till you get down. Run! Run!”</p> +<p>Sobbing with the fury of the struggle, the women +obeyed, darting back and pouncing upon their own +little ones––all but A-ya, who remained doggedly at +Grôm’s side.</p> +<p>“Go,” ordered Grôm fiercely. “The children need +you. Get them all down.”</p> +<p>Sullenly the woman obeyed, seeing he was right, +but still lusting for the fight, though her wearied arm +could now do little more than lift the spear.</p> +<p>Under the shock of these fresh fighters, with lionlike +heads, masterful eyes, and smashing, irresistible +weapons, the front ranks of the animals recoiled, +trampling those behind them; and for a few minutes +the pressure was relieved. Grôm turned to the old +men.</p> +<p>“You go now,” he ordered.</p> +<p>But they refused.</p> +<p>“We stay here,” cried one, breathless, but with fire +in his ancient eyes. “None too much room on the +rafts.” And they fell again grimly to the fight.</p> +<p>Grôm laughed proudly. With such mettle even in +withered veins, the Tribe, he thought, was destined +to great things. He turned to the lame slave, whom he +had ever favored for his faithfulness.</p> +<p>“You go! You are lame and cannot run.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_289' name='page_289'></a>289</span></p> +<p>The crouching giant looked up at him with a widemouthed +grin.</p> +<p>“I am no woman,” said he. “I stay and hold them +back when you all go. I kill, and kill. And then I +go very far.”</p> +<p>He waved one great gnarled hand, dripping with +blood, toward the sun and the high spaces of air.</p> +<p>Before Grôm could answer, from below the southward +edge of the plateau there came a mad, high +trumpeting, so loud that every other voice in that +pandemonium was silenced by it. At that dread sound +the rabble of beasts surged forward again upon the +barrier, upon the clubs and spears of the defenders. +Up over the brow of the slope came a forest of waving +trunks, and tossing tusks, and ponderous black foreheads.</p> +<p>“The Two-Tails are upon us!” cried Grôm, in a +voice of awe. And his followers gasped, as the +colossal shapes shouldered up into full view.</p> +<p>Grôm looked behind him, and saw the last of the +women and children, shepherded vehemently by A-ya +with the butt of her spear, vanishing down the steep +toward the beach.</p> +<p>“It is time for us to go too,” shouted Grôm, clutching +the lame slave by the arm to drag him off. But +Ook-ootsk wrenched himself free.</p> +<p>“I’ll hold them back till you get away,” he growled, +and drove his great spear into the heart of a bull which +came over the barrier at that instant. Grôm saw it +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_290' name='page_290'></a>290</span> +would be useless now to try and save him. With the +rest of his band he ran for paths leading down to +the beach. It was well, he thought, that the valiant +slave should die for the Tribe.</p> +<p>The beasts came over the barrier and the fires like +a yelling flood. But now, finding all opposition so +suddenly withdrawn, the flood divided upon the massive, +thrusting figure of Ook-ootsk as upon a black +rock in mid-stream. It united again behind him, surging +pell-mell for the Cave-mouths, where in the crush +the weaker and lighter were savagely torn and trampled +underfoot.</p> +<p>Then the Mammoths came thundering and trumpeting +across the plateau, going through and over the +lesser beasts like a tidal wave. Grôm, having seen the +last of his warriors pass down the beach paths, turned +for one more glimpse of the monstrous and incredible +scene. He had a swift vision of the squatting form of +Ook-ootsk thrusting upward with reddened spear at +the breast of a black monster which hung over him +like a mountain. Then the mountain rolled forward +upon him, blotting him out, and Grôm slipped hurriedly +over the brink and down the path.</p> +<hr class='tb' /> +<p>At the rafts it was bedlam. A score or more of +the women and children, as they were crossing to the +water’s edge, had been wiped out of existence by the +rush of maddened bison along the beach, and the keenings +of their relatives rose above the shouts and +cries of embarkation. Fully half the rafts were afloat, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_291' name='page_291'></a>291</span> +with their loads, by now, and men grunted heavily in +the effort to pry the others free, while women and +children crowded into the water around them, waiting +to struggle aboard as soon as the men would let them.</p> +<p>As Grôm and his panting band, covered with blood +from head to foot, reached the waterside and flung +their dripping weapons upon the rafts, a fringe of +animals came over the edge of the steep, crowded aside +from the caves. Some, being sure-footed, like the +lions and bears, made their way with care down the +paths. Others, pushed over and struggling frantically, +came rolling downward, bouncing from rock and +ledge, and landing on the beach a mass of broken +bones. Then behind them, along the brink, black and +gigantic against the blue sky-line, appeared a group +of the Mammoths. They waved their long trunks, +and trumpeted piercingly, but hesitated to try the +descent.</p> +<p>“Hurry! hurry!” thundered Bawr, straining at the +stranded timbers till the great veins stood out on neck +and forehead as if they would burst.</p> +<p>Under the added efforts of Grôm and his band the +last of the rafts floated. The children were thrown +aboard, the women clambered after them, and the men, +wading and guiding, lest the rafts should ground again, +began to follow cautiously.</p> +<p>At this moment, along the beach came a new rush +of animals––chiefly buffalo, headed by three huge white +rhinoceros. These all seemed quite blind with panic. +They dashed on straight ahead, paying no heed whatever +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_292' name='page_292'></a>292</span> +either to the people on the rafts or to the other +beasts coming down the steep. On their heels +thundered a second herd of Mammoths, their trunks +held high in the air, the red caverns of their mouths +wide open.</p> +<p>As these colossal, rolling bulks came abreast of the +rafts, a child shrieked at the terrifying sight. The +leader of the herd turned his malignant little eye upon +the rafts, seeming to perceive them for the first time. +Without pausing in his huge stride he reached down +his trunk, whipped it about the waist of Bawr, and +swung him aloft, crushing in his ribs with the terrific +pressure, and carried him along high in the air above +the trumpeting ranks.</p> +<p>A howl of rage went up from the rafts; and A-ya, +whose bow was quick as thought, let fly an arrow +before Grôm could stay her hand. The shaft struck +deep in the monster’s trunk. Dashing down its lifeless +victim among the feet of the herd, the monster +tried to turn back to take vengeance for the strange +wound. But unable to stem the avalanche behind, it +was borne up the beach, screaming with rage.</p> +<p>Grôm, who was now sole chief and master of the +tribe, signed every raft to push out into deep water, +beyond reach of further attack. With all responsibility +now upon his shoulders, he had little time to +grieve for the death of Bawr, who, after all, had died +greatly, as a Chief should. The rafts were now traveling +inland at a fair rate, on the last half-hour of the +flood; and, as the estuary narrowed rapidly above their +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_293' name='page_293'></a>293</span> +starting-place, he hoped to be able, during the slack +of tide, to work the clumsy rafts well over towards the +northern shore before getting caught in the full +strength of the ebb. As he studied out this problem, +and urged the warriors to their utmost effort on the +heavy and awkward pole-paddles, he kept puzzling all +the time over the great mystery. What was it that +swept even the mighty mammoths before its face? +How should he name the Fear?</p> +<p>Then all at once, when the rafts were about three +or four hundred yards out from shore, he saw. A +low cry of wonder broke from his lips, and was reechoed +in chorus from all the burdened rafts.</p> +<p>Down over the heights where the Cave Folk had +been dwelling, up along the beach from which the rafts +had just escaped, in countless ravening, snapping +swarms, poured hyenas by the myriad––huge hyenas, +bigger than the mightiest timber wolves, their deep-jowled +heads carried close to the ground. It was clear +in a moment that they were mad with hunger, driven +by nothing but their own raging appetites. They fled +from nothing, but some of them stopped, in struggling +masses, to devour the bodies of the beasts which they +found slain, while the rest poured on insatiably, to +pull down by sheer weight of numbers and the might +of their bone-crushing jaws the mightiest of the +monsters which fled before them. Here and there a +mammoth cow, maddened by the slaughter of her calf, +or an old rhinoceros bull, indignant at being hunted by +such vermin, would turn and run amuck through the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_294' name='page_294'></a>294</span> +mass, stamping them out by the hundred. But this +made no impression at all, either upon their numbers or +the rage of their hunger, and in a few minutes the +colossus, its feet half eaten off, would come crashing +down, to be swarmed over and disappear like a fat grub +in an ant-heap. Here and there, too, a mammoth, +more sagacious than its fellows, would wade out belly +deep into the water––upon finding its escape cut off––and +stand there plucking its foes one by one from the +shore to trample them under its feet, screaming shrill +triumph.</p> +<p>Grôm turned with a deep breath from the unspeakable +spectacle, looked across to the green line of the +opposite shore, and thanked his unknown gods that it +was so far off. With that great river rolling its flood +between, he thought the Tribe might rest secure from +these fiends and once more build up its fortunes.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_295' name='page_295'></a>295</span> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV_THE_LAKE_OF_LONG_SLEEP' id='CHAPTER_XIV_THE_LAKE_OF_LONG_SLEEP'></a> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<h3>THE LAKE OF LONG SLEEP</h3> +</div> +<p>Driven from their home beside the Bitter Water +by the great migration of the beasts, the Tribe +of the Cave Folk, diminished in numbers and stricken +in spirit, had escaped on rafts across the broad river-estuary +which washed the northern border of their +domain. There they had found a breathing-space, but +it had proved a perilous one. The whole region north +of the estuary was little better than a steaming swamp, +infested with poisonous snakes and insects, and with +strange monsters, survivals from a still earlier age, +whose ferocity drove the Cave Folk back to their ancestral +life in the tree-tops. Under these conditions it +was all but impossible to keep alight the sacred fires––as +precious to the tribe as life itself––which they had +brought with them in their flight upon the rafts. And +Grôm, the Chief, saw his harassed people in danger +of sinking back into the degradation from which his +discovery and conquest of fire had so wonderfully uplifted +them.</p> +<p>From the top of a solitary jobo tree, which towered +above the rank surrounding jungle, Grôm could make +out what looked like a low bank of purple cloud along +the western and north-western horizon. As it was +always there, whenever he climbed to look at it, he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_296' name='page_296'></a>296</span> +concluded that it was not a cloud-bank, but a line of +hills. Where there were hills there might be caves. +In any case, the People must have some better place to +inhabit than this region of swamps and monsters. +The way to that blue line of promise lay across what +would surely be the path of the migrating beasts, if +they should take it into their heads to swim across the +river. The possibility was one from which even his +resolute spirit shrank. But he felt that he must face +any risk in the hope of winning his way to those cloudy +hills. Within an hour of his reaching this decision the +Tribe of the Cave Folk was once more on the march.</p> +<p>The first few days of the march were like a nightmare. +Grôm led the way along the shore of the river, +both because that seemed the shortest way to the hills, +and because, in case of emergency, the open water +afforded a door of escape by raft. Had it been possible +to make the journey by raft matters would have +been simplified; but Grôm had already proved by experience +that his heavy unwieldy rafts could not be +forced upwards against the mighty current of the river. +At the last point to which the flood-tides would carry +them the rafts had been abandoned––herded together +into a quiet cove, and lashed to the shore by twisted +vine-ropes against some possible future need.</p> +<p>At the head of the dismal march went Grôm, with +his mate A-ya, and her two children, and the hairy +little scout Loob, whose feet were as quick as his eyes +and ears and nostrils, and whose sinews were as untiring +as those of the gray wolf. Immediately behind +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_297' name='page_297'></a>297</span> +these came the main body of the warriors, on a wide +line so as to guard against surprise on the flank. Then +followed the women and children, bunched as closely as +possible behind the center of the line; and a knot of +picked warriors, under young Mô, the brother of A-ya, +guarded the rear. There were no old men and women, +all these having gone down in the last great battle at +the Caves, selling their lives as dearly as possible to +cover the retreat. Such of the young women as had +no small children to carry bore the heavy burdens of +the fire-baskets, or bundles of smoke-dried meat, leaving +the warriors free to use their bows and spears.</p> +<p>In traversing the swamp the march was sometimes +at ground-level, sometimes high in the tree-tops. In +the tree-tops it was safer, but the progress was slow +and laborious. At ground-level the swarms of stinging +insects were always with them, till Grôm invented +the use of smudges. When every alternate member of +the tribe carried a torch of dry grass and half-green +bark, the march was enveloped in a cloud of acrid +smoke, which the insects found more or less disconcerting.</p> +<p>Of the grave perils of this weary march to the hills +a single instance may suffice. The nights, as a rule, +were passed by the whole tribe in the tree-tops, both +for the greater security, and because there was seldom +enough dry ground to sleep upon. But one evening, +toward sunset, they came upon a sort of little island +in the reeking jungle. Its surface was four or five +feet above the level of the swamp. The trees which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_298' name='page_298'></a>298</span> +dotted it were smooth, straight, towering shafts with +wide fans of foliage at their far-off tops. And the +ground between these clean, symmetrical trunks was +unencumbered, being clothed only with a rich, soft, +spicy-scented herbage, akin to the thymes and mints. +Such an opportunity for rest and refreshment was not +to be let slip, and Grôm ordered an immediate halt.</p> +<p>A fat, pig-like water beast, of the nature of the +dugong, had been speared that day in a bayou beside +the line of march, and with great contentment the tribe +settled themselves down to such a comfortable feasting +as they had not known for many days. While the +fat dugong was being hacked to pieces and divided +under the astute direction of A-ya, Grôm made haste +to establish the camp-fires in a chain completely encircling +the encampment, as a protection against night-prowlers +from the surrounding jungle. As darkness +fell the flames lit up the soaring trunks, but the roof +of the over-arching foliage was so high that the smoky +illumination was lost in it.</p> +<p>While the rest of the tribe gave itself up to the +feasting, Grôm and Loob, and half a dozen of the +other warriors, kept vigilant watch whilst they ate, +distrusting the black depths of jungle and the deep, +reed-fringed pools beyond the circle of light. +Suddenly, all along one side of the island there arose +a sound of heavy splashing, and out of the darkness +came a row of small, malignant eyes, all fixed upon the +feasters. Then into the circle of light swam the masks +of giant alligators and strange, tusked caymans. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_299' name='page_299'></a>299</span> +Quite unawed by the fires they came ashore with a +clumsy rush, open-mouthed.</p> +<p>While the clamoring women snatched the children +away to the other side of the encampment, Grôm and +the other warriors hurled themselves upon the hideous +invaders as they came waddling with amazing nimbleness +in between the fires. But these were no assailants +to be met with bow and spear. At Grôm’s sharp +orders each warrior snatched a blazing brand from the +fire, and drove it into the gaping throat of his nearest +assailant. In their stupid ferocity the monsters invariably +bit upon the brand before they realized its +nature. Then, bellowing with pain, they wheeled +about and scrambled back toward the water, lashing +out with their gigantic tails, so that three of the +warriors were knocked over and half a dozen of the +fires were scattered.</p> +<p>The feasters had hardly more than settled down +after this startling visitation, when from the darkness +inland came a hoarse, hooting cry, followed by a succession +of crashing thuds, as if a pair of mammoths +were playing leap-frog in the jungle. All the men +sprang again to their weapons, and stood waiting, in +a sudden hush, straining their eyes into the perilous +dark. Some of the women herded the children into +the very center of the island, while others fed the fires +with feverish haste. The hooting call, and the heavy, +leaping thuds, came nearer and nearer at a terrifying +speed; and suddenly, amid the far-off, vaguely-lighted +tangle of the tree-trunks appeared a giant form, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_300' name='page_300'></a>300</span> +seven or eight times the height of Grôm himself. +Leaping upon its mighty hind-legs, and holding its +mailed fore-paws before its chest, it came bounding +like a colossal kangaroo through the jungle, smashing +down the branches and smaller trees as it came, and +balancing itself at each spring with its massive, +reptilian tail. Its vast head, something like a cross +between that of a monstrous horse and that of an +alligator, was upborne upon a long, snaky neck, and +its eyes, huge and round and lidless, were like two +discs of shining and enamelled metal where they +caught the flash of the camp-fires.</p> +<p>This appalling shape had apparently no dread whatever +of the flames. When it was within some thirty +or forty yards of the line of fire, Grôm yelled an +order and a swarm of arrows darted from the bows to +meet it. But they fell futile from its armored hide, +which gleamed like dull bronze in the fire-light. Grôm +shouted again, and this time the warriors hurled their +spears––and they, too, fell harmless from the monster’s +armor. Its next crashing bound brought the monster +to the edge of the encampment, where one of its +ponderous feet obliterated a fire. With a lightning +swoop of its gigantic head it seized the nearest warrior +in its jaws and swung him, screaming, high into the +air, as a heron might snatch up a sprawling frog. At +the same instant A-ya, who was the one unerring +archer in the tribe, let fly an arrow which pierced full +half its length into the center of one of those horrifying +enamelled eyes; while Grôm, who alone, of all the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_301' name='page_301'></a>301</span> +warriors, had not recoiled in terror, succeeded in driving +a spear deep into the unarmored inner side of the +monster’s thigh. But both these wounds, dreadful +though they were, failed to make the colossus drop its +prey. With mighty, braying noises through its +nostrils it brushed the spear shaft from its hold like a +straw, flopped about, and with the arrow still sticking +in its eye, went leaping off again into the darkness to +devour its victim.</p> +<p>For several hours, with the fires trebled in number +and stirred to fiercer heat, the tribe waited for the +monster to return and claim another victim. But it +did not return. At length Grôm concluded that his +spear-head in its groin and A-ya’s arrow in its eye +had given it something else to think of. Once more +he set the guards, and gradually the tribe, inured to +horrors, settled itself down to sleep. It slept out the +rest of the night without disturbance––but the following +night, and the next two nights thereafter, were +spent in the tree-tops. Then, on the fourth day, the +harassed travelers emerged from the swamp into a +pleasant region of grassy, mimosa-dotted, gently-rolling +plain. The hills, now showing green and +richly wooded, were not more than a day’s march +ahead.</p> +<p>And just here, as the Fates which had of late been +pursuing them would have it, the worn travelers found +themselves once more in the line of the hordes of +migrating beasts.</p> +<p>Grôm’s heart sank. To reach the refuge of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_302' name='page_302'></a>302</span> +hills across the march of those maddened hordes was +obviously impossible. Were his people to be forced +back into the swamp, to resume the cramped and ape-like +life among the branches? Having ordered the +building of a half-circle of fire around a spur of the +jungle, he climbed a tree to reconnoiter.</p> +<p>The river ran but a mile or two distant upon his +left. Immediately before him the fleeing beasts were +not numerous, consisting merely of small herds and +terrified stragglers. Further out, however, toward the +hills, the plain was blackened by the fugitives, who +were thrust on by the myriads swimming the river +behind them. Assuredly, it was not to be thought of +that he should attempt to lead his people across the +path of that desperate flight. But a point that Grôm +noted with relief was that only certain kinds of +beasts had ventured the crossing of the river. He +saw no bears, lions or saber-tooths among those +streaming hordes. He saw deer of every kind––good +swimmers all of them––with immense, rolling herds +of buffalo and aurochs, and scattered companies of the +terrible siva moose, and some bands of the giant elk, +their antlers topping the mimosa thickets. Here and +there, lumbering along sullenly as if reluctant to retreat +before any peril, journeyed a huge rhinoceros, stopping +from time to time for a few hurried mouthfuls of the +rich plains grass. But as yet there was not a +mammoth in sight––whereat Grôm wondered, as he +thought they would have been among the first to dare +the crossing of the river. Had they kept on up the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_303' name='page_303'></a>303</span> +other shore, hesitating to trust their colossal bulks to +the current, or had they turned at bay, at last, in uncontrollable +indignation, and gone down before the +countless hordes of their ignoble assailants?</p> +<p>The absence of the mammoths, which he dreaded +more than all the other beasts because of the fierce intelligence +that gleamed in their eyes, decided Grôm. +He would lead his people along to the right, skirting +the swamp and marching parallel to the flight of the +beasts, calculating thus to have the jungle always for +a refuge, though not for a dwelling, until they should +come to a region of hills and caves too difficult for the +migrating beasts to traverse.</p> +<p>For several days this plan answered to a marvel. +The fugitives nearest to the swamp-edge were mostly +deer of various species, which swerved away nervously +from the line of march, but at the same time afforded +such good hunting that the travelers revelled in abundance +and rapidly recovered their spirits. Once, when +a great wave of maddened buffalo surged over upon +them, the whole tribe fled back into the jungle, clambering +into the trees, and stabbing down, with angry +shouts, at the nearest of their assailants. But the assault +was a blind one. The buffalo, a black mass +that seemed to foam with tossing horns and rolling +eyes, soon passed on to their unknown destination. +And the tribe, dropping down from the branches, quite +cheerfully resumed its march.</p> +<p>On the fifth day of the march they saw the jungle +on their right come to an end. It was succeeded +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_304' name='page_304'></a>304</span> +by a vast expanse of shallow mere dotted with half-drowned, +rushy islets, and swarming with crocodiles. +After some hesitation, Grôm decided to go on, though +he was uneasy about forsaking the refuge of the trees. +Some leagues ahead, however, and a little toward the +left, he could see a low, thick-wooded hill, which he +thought might serve the tribe for a shelter. With +many misgivings, he led the way directly towards it, +swerving out across the path of a vast but straggling +horde of sambur deer which seemed almost exhausted.</p> +<p>To Grôm’s surprise these stately and beautiful +animals showed neither hostility nor fear toward +human beings. According to all his previous experience, +the attitude of every beast toward man was one +of fear or fierce hate. These sambur, on the contrary, +seemed rather to welcome the companionship of the +tribe, as if looking to it for some protection against the +strange pursuing peril. His sleepless sagacity perceiving +the value of this great escort as a buffer against +the contact of less kindly hordes, Grôm gave strict +orders that none of these beasts should be molested. +And the Cave Folk, not without apprehension, found +themselves traveling in the vanguard of an army of tall, +high-antlered beasts which stared at them with mild +eyes of inquiry and appeal.</p> +<p>Marching at their best speed, the Tribe kept easily +in the van of the distressed sambur, and more than +once in the next few hours, Grôm had reason to +congratulate himself upon his venture into this strange +fellowship. First, for instance, he saw a herd of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_305' name='page_305'></a>305</span> +black buffalo overtake the sambur host and dash +heavily into its rear ranks. The frightened sambur +closed up, instead of scattering, and the impetus of the +buffalo presently spent itself upon the unresisting mass. +They edged their way through to the left leaving +swathes of gored and trodden sambur in their wake, +and went thundering off on another line of retreat, +caroming into a herd of aurochs, which fought them +off and punished them murderously. It was obvious +to Grôm, as he studied the dust-clouds of this last +encounter, that the buffalo herd, here in the open, +would have rolled over the tribe irresistibly, and +trampled it flat.</p> +<p>Journeying thus at top speed toward that hill of +promise before them, the travelers came at length +to a wide space of absolutely level ground which presented +a most curious appearance. It was as level +as a windless lake, and almost without vegetation. +The naked surface was of a sort of indeterminate +dust-color, but dotted here and there with tiny patches +of vegetation so stunted that it was little more than +moss. Grôm, with his inquiring mind, would have +liked to stop to investigate this curious surface, unlike +anything he had ever seen before. But the hordes +of the sambur were behind, pressing the tribe onwards, +and straight ahead was the wooded hill, dense with +foliage, luring with its promise of safe and convenient +shelter. He led the way, therefore, without hesitation, +out across the baked and barren waste, sniffing curiously, +as he went, at a strange smell, pungent but not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_306' name='page_306'></a>306</span> +unpleasant, which steamed up from the dry, hot surface +all about him.</p> +<p>The first peculiarity that he noticed was a remarkable +springiness in the surface upon which he trod. +Then he was struck by the fact that the dust-brown +surface was seamed and criss-crossed in many places +by small cracks––like those in sun-scorched mud, +except that the cracks were almost black in color. +These things caused him no misgivings. But +presently, to his consternation, he detected a slight but +amazing undulation, an immensely long, immensely +slow wave rolling across the dry surface before him. +He could hardly believe his eyes––for assuredly nothing +could look more like good solid land than that +stretch of barren plain. He stopped short, rubbing +his eyes in wonder. A-ya grabbed him by the arm.</p> +<p>“What is it?” she whispered, staring at the unstable +surface in a kind of horror.</p> +<p>Before he could reply, cries and shouts arose among +the tribe behind him, and they all rushed forward, +almost sweeping Grôm and A-ya from their feet.</p> +<p>The surface of the barren, all along the edge of the +grass land, had given way beneath the weight of the +sambur herds, and the front ranks were being engulfed +with frantic snortings and awful groans, in what +looked like a dense, blackish, glistening ooze. The +ranks behind were being forced forward to this awful +doom, in spite of their panic-stricken struggles to hold +back; and it was the pressure of this battling mass that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_307' name='page_307'></a>307</span> +was creating the horrible, bulging undulation on the +plain.</p> +<p>Grôm’s quick intelligence took in the situation on +the instant. The naked brown surface beneath the +feet of the tribe was nothing more than a thin crust +overlying a lake of some dense, dark, strange-smelling +liquid.</p> +<p>His first impulse, naturally, was to turn back––and +A-ya, with wide eyes of terror, was already dragging +fiercely at his elbow. But to turn back was utterly +impossible. That way lay the long strip of engulfing +pitch, swallowing up insatiably the ranks of the groaning +and kicking sambur. There was but one possible +way of escape left open, and that was straight ahead.</p> +<p>But would the crust continue to uphold them? Already, +under the weight of the whole tribe pressing +together, it was beginning to sag hideously. With +furious words and blows he tried to make the tribe +scatter to right and left, so as to spread the pressure +as widely as possible. Perceiving his purpose, A-ya +and Loob, and several of the leading warriors, +seconded his efforts with frantic vehemence; till in a +few minutes the whole tribe, amazed and quaking with +awe, was extended like a fan over a front of three or +four hundred yards. Seeing that the perilous sagging +of the crust was at once relieved, Grôm then ordered +the tribe to advance cautiously, keeping the same wide-open +formation, while he himself brought up the rear.</p> +<p>But in a few minutes every one, from Grôm downwards, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_308' name='page_308'></a>308</span> +came to a halt irresistibly, in order to watch +the monstrous drama unfolding behind them.</p> +<p>For nearly half a mile to either side of their immediate +rear, between the still unbroken surface of the +dust-brown expanse and the edge of the trampled +grassy plain, stretched a sort of canal, perhaps ten +paces wide, of brown-black, glistening pitch, beaten +up with thrashing antlers, and tossing heads that +whistled despairingly through wide nostrils, and heaving, +agonizing bulks that went down slowly to their +doom. After several ranks of the herd had been engulfed +those next behind turned about in terror and +fought madly to force their way back from the fatal +brink. But the inexorable masses behind them rolled +them on backwards, and slowly they too were thrust +down into the pitch, till the canal was filled to the +brink, and writhed horribly along its whole length. +By this time, however, the alarm had spread through +the rest of the sambur ranks. By a desperate effort +they got themselves turned, and went surging off to +the left in a direction parallel to the edge of the plain +of death.</p> +<p>Thrilled with the wonder and the horror of it, Grôm +drew a deep breath and relaxed the tension of his +watching. He was just about to turn and order the +tribe forward again, when he was arrested by the sight +of a vast cloud of dust rolling up swiftly upon the +left flank of the retreating sambur.</p> +<p>A confused cry of alarm went up from the watching +tribe, as they saw a forest of waving trunks appear in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_309' name='page_309'></a>309</span> +the front of the dust-cloud. A second or two more +and a long array of mammoths emerged along the +path of the cloud. Among the mammoths, here and +there, raced a black or a white rhinoceros, or a towering, +spotted giraffe. Behind this front rank, vague +and portentous through the veiling cloud, came further +colossal hordes, filling the distance as far as eye could +see.</p> +<p>This advance looked as if nothing on earth, not even +the lake of pitch, could ever stop it, and certain of the +tribe started to flee. But Grôm, after a moment of +misgiving and hasty calculation, checked the flight +sternly. He must, at all risks see the incredible thing +that was about to happen. And he felt certain that, +at this distance out upon the crust of the gulf, the +tribe would be secure.</p> +<p>The stupendous wave of dust and waving trunks and +galloping black bulks thundered up at a terrific pace, +and fell with irresistible impact upon the flank of the +marching sambur. These unhappy beasts went down +like grass before it. They were rolled flat, trodden out +like a fire in thin grass, annihilated. And the screaming, +trumpeting monsters, hardly aware that there had +been an obstacle in their path, arrived at the edge of the +canal.</p> +<p>Here and there an old bull, leading, took alarm, +trumpeted wildly, and strove to stop. But the belt +of pitch was full to the brink with the packed bodies of +the sambur, and did not look to be a very serious +barrier to the spacious brown levels beyond it. Moreover, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_310' name='page_310'></a>310</span> +the panic of a long flight was upon them, and +the rear ranks were thrusting them on. The trumpeting +leaders were overborne in a twinkling. The +ponderous feet of the front rank sank into the mass of +bodies and horns and pitch, stumbled forward, belly +deep, and strove to clamber out upon the solid-looking +further edge. With trunks eagerly outstretched as if +seeking to grip something, the huge, bat-eared heads +heaved themselves up. The next moment the treacherous +crust crumbled away beneath them like an eggshell, +and with screams that tore the heavens they +sank into the gulfs of pitch. The next two or three +ranks went over on them, trod them deeper down, +heaved and surged and battled for some moments +along the edge of the crumbling crust. With mad +trumpetings, they were themselves swallowed up in that +sluggish, implacable flood. Here and there a black +trunk, twisting in agony, lingered long, awful +moments above the pitch. Here and there the pallid +head of a giraffe, tongue protruding and eyes bursting +from their sockets, stood up rigid on its long neck and +screamed hideously.</p> +<p>As the thick tide closed slowly, slowly over its prey, +the hosts in the rear, having taken alarm at the +agonized trumpetings, succeeded by a gigantic effort +in checking their career. Those nearest the edge of +doom reared up and fell back upon those next behind, +to be ripped with frantic tusks in the mad confusion. +But presently the whole colossal array brought itself +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_311' name='page_311'></a>311</span> +to a halt, got itself turned to the left, and went thundering +off on the trail of the sambur remnants.</p> +<p>Grôm stood staring for a long time, with wide, +brooding eyes, at the still-bubbling and heaving +breadths of dark pitch. He was stunned by the sudden +engulfing and utter disappearance of such a monstrous +horde. He seemed to see the countless gigantic shapes +heaped one upon the other, laid to their long sleep there +in the deeps of the pitch. At last he shook himself, +passed his shaggy hand over his eyes, and shouted to +the tribe that all was well. Then he set himself once +more at their head, and led them, slowly and cautiously, +onward across the dreadful level, till they gained the +shelter of that sweetly wooded and rivulet-watered +hill.</p> +<p style='text-align:center;margin-top:2em;'>THE END</p> + +<!-- generated by ppg.rb version: ppg0522 --> +<!-- timestamp: Sun May 24 04:18:12 -0600 2009 --> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's In the Morning of Time, by Charles G. D. 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