The Raymer enterprise., 1911-01-26
up erect. as tall as the doctor. and
began stumbling forward along the

infancy was behind it. and 1t was time
for the appearance of the normal psy.
Geological instincts of affection.
We saw the light OF intelligence
come into its eyes as 1t turned them
OH us and sazed at us, puzzled. appar-
emily, and uncertain, as some house
pet that sees its image for the first
time In glass. But 1t manifested
none OF the child's affection for Its
parents. 1t seemed to divine, by some
horrible Intuition. the awful c!rcum-
stances OF Its birth. 1t shrunk back.
retreated into a corner of the hall.
and crouched there. glaring and glib
berins at us. AS 1t swayed uncertain
ly from side to side 1t stumbled over
the projecting edge Of mummy case
and fell 1t leaped to its feet with
shrill scream Of pain and fell upon the
inanimate wood, reducing 1t to splin.
ters with few well-directed blows of
its naked fists. And now 1t had
learned the secret Of its strength. 1t
came out Of its corner, its eyes fixed
savagely upon the doctors.
Take care!" l screamed.
was too late. With the cunning of
cat It had crouched down, 1t averted
its gaze one moment: then. straight
as an arrow. It leaped for the doctors
throat, seeking. with the wild beasts
instinct, for the great vulnerable art.
cries. Brodsky staggered under the
impetus of the attack; l glanced hast.
lily round me and perceived an instru.
ment of iron with long handle of
wood, such as is used for opening
packing cases. l flung myself upon
the thing and belabored it with all
my strength. 1t left the doctor and
turned upon me, snarling. l hit 1t with
all my force upon the bridge of the
nose, and with whine 1t fell at my
feet, fawning upon me. 1t had dis.
covered the meaning of its second
lesson. the strength of others. Brod.
sky rose slowly His shoulder had
been bruised, but he was not other.
wise injured.
We three withdrew into a corner OF
the room and watched the creature.
The fight had been beaten out Of It;
with the short memory of the savage
it seemed already to have forgotten
its sudden murderous onslaught. 1t
was now crouched upon the floor, fin.
gering the tool which | had let fall,
patting and turning it over with an
aspect of intense curiosity. This was
the stage of prehistoric man, the sep.
aration from the beast by the faculty
of imagination.
Professor Adams found his voice.
This is terrible. DOCTOR" he whis
pered tremulously, plucking at Brod.
sky'S sleeve. What will you do with
1t? have some chloroform in my
room; keep it for cleaning the
papyrus. Shall bring 1t in? You can
destroy"
1T is not necessary" l answered.
Look"
They glanced back at the creature.
II was still seated upon the floor, but
had dropped the tool and now sat,
crouched in heap, staring before it
idly, while low whimpering sound
came from between its lips. And it's
aspect had changed With the arrival
Of adolescence the features had in.
sensibly altered; already had noticed
how the soul within, working upon the
| plastic clay, moulding it in its own
| image, had thrown back the fine fore.
head OF the mummy, enlarged the
Jaws. heightened the arms and bowed
the lower limbs, until it began to show
the sem.human appearance of the
| primeyal man. But now the muscles
had wasted upon the limbs, the face
was lined. the thick growth of beard
that had sprung out upon the lower
half Of the face was turning white.
The creature was aging visibly before
our eyes. It's span of normal life was
almost over.
And then occurred the most pathetic
Of all the incidents that ! remember.
Perhaps primitive man feeling his
strength go from him, might have
wondered in his dimly developed mind
at the slow approach of death, pon.
dered upon the unknown gulf before
him. toward whose edge he was an.
preaching with irresistible movements
and longed that his little, helpless
lie should not go out alone, without
some human companIonshlp The crea.
ture half rose. and. very bent and
ialterIng, stumbled toward us and COW
cred at our feet, laying its head down
upon the ground before the doctor
much as an old dog might seek its
master In the hour OF death. In spIte
OF my repugnance tears sprung into
my eyes, This was our first ancestor
the father of the race. Brodsky
stopped over the thing and laid his
hand upon Its head. The head was
raised one instant; saw an agony OF
question in the eyes. Then the body
colls 'sed, 1t moved family once or
twice, and long sigh shook the frame.
A moment afterward 1t began to grow
cold. ! turned 1t upon its back. The
lace was that OF an old savage In the
last extremity of old age.
We DlaCel the body hack in tho c,oa