The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-04-13

90. ifor Nat-ul, wondrous daughter "
Lmightiest Of hunters.
Only 30 recently as the last dark
moon. the two had walked hand in
hand beside the restless sea, she had
made IL quite plain to MI, the son of
Nu.' that not even he. son OF the
chiof OF chiefs. could claim her un-
less there hung at the thong OF his
loin.cloth the fangs of 90.
"Nat-ui." she had said to him.
wishes her man to be greater than
other men. She loves M now better
than her life; but II love is to walk
at her side during life. pride and re-
spect must walk with it,"
Her slender hand reached UP to
stroke the young giants black hair.
u am proud Of Nu." she continued.
Among the young men Of the tribe
there Is no greater hunter. or no
mightier fighter than M. the son OF
M. Should you. single-handed, STAY
100 before q grown-ma beard has
darkened your cheek. none will be
greater In all the world than Nat-uls
mate. M. the son Of Nu."
The young man was stu sensible to
The sound Of her soft voice and the
caress Of her gentle touch upon his
brow.
Even n these things had sent hin,
speeding forth into the jungle in
search Of 90 while the day was stiil
20 young that the night prowiing
beasts were yet abroad. 20 they urged
him forward deeper and deeper into
the dark and trackless mazes Of the
tanklsd forest.
A. hs forged on the scent Of Ia be-
came stronger. until At last the huge.
ungainly beast doomed large before
Nus eyes.
He was standing In Q little clearing.
In deep. rank Jungle grasses. and had
he not been head on toward M no
would not have seen him, since even
his hearing WAS far too dull to appre-
hsnd the noiseless tread Of the cave
man moving lightly up wind.
A. the tiny. bloodshot eyes Of tho
primoydial beast discovered tho man.
the grsat head went down and TIA. Ill
naturVd and bellicose progenitor of
the equally ill-natured and bellicose
rhinoceros OF the twentieth century.
charged tho little giant who had dis
turbed his antediluvian meditation.
the creatures great bulk and awk-
ward. 'uncouth lines belied his speed.
for he tore cyclonically down upon
Nu, and had not the brain and mus
Gle OF tho troglodyte been fitted by
heritage and training to the success
full meeting Of such emergencies there
would be no tale to tell to-day OF Nu.
fine son OF NJ.
Y But the young man was prepared,
\ and, turning. he ran with the swift
ness Of q hare toward the nearest
tree, q huge, arboreal fern. towering
upon the verge OF tho little clearing.
Like cat. the man ran UP the per-
pendicular pole. his hands and feet
seeming barely to touch the project
Ing knobs marking the remains OF
former fronds which converted the
towering stem into an easy stairway
for such as he.
About Nus neck his stone tipped
spear hung by It's rawhide thong
down his back. while stone Ratchet
and stono knife dangled from his geo.
string, giving him free use OF his
hands for climbing.
"A
seeming safety Of the lowest fronds
Of the great tree. fifty feet above the
ground, might have heaved q great
sigh of relief that we had thus easily
escaped the hideous monster beneath;
but not so M. who was wise to the
ways OF tho creatures OF his remote
age.
Not one whit did he abate his
speed as he neared the lowest branch,
nor did he even waste a precious Sec
.. ond In a downward glance at his en-
\ emy. What need, indeed? Did he not
Know precisely what Ia would do?
Instead, he swung. monkey like. to a
broad leaf, and though the chances
he took would have paled the face OF
q brave man to-day they did not
cause M even TO hesitate as he rar
lightly and swiftly along the bending
swaying frond. leaping Just at the
right instant toward the hole OF
nearby jungle giant.
Nor was he an instant too soon
Tho frond from which he had spruni
had scarcely whipped up from be-
meath his weight when Ia. with al
tho force and momentum OF runa
way locomotive. struck the base OF
the tree head on.
The jar OF that terrific collision
shook the earth; there was the sount
J Of the splintering of wood. and thu
mighty tree toppled to the groun'
J with a deafening crash,
NJ, from an adjoining tree, looked
down and grinned.
lie was not hunting ia that day