The Glasgow courier., 1915-09-03
Continued from page ~


OF the wherea bouts Of the tribe of
his father they could tell him nothing.
for they had never heard Of such a
people, or of the great sea beside
which he told them that his people
dwelled.
His breakfast finished and his spear
repaired, NJ set out toward the plain
to bring down one Of the beasts he
had seen grazing there. for his stom.
ach called aloud for flesh. Fruit and
bugs might be all right for children
and ape people. but a full grown man
must have meat. warm and red and
dripping.
Closest to him as he emerged from
the jungle browsed small herd of
zebra. They were directly up wind.
and between him and them were
patches Of tall grass and clumps Of
trees scattered about the surface of
the plain.
Nu wondered at the strange beasts.
admiring their gaudy markings as he
came closer to them Upon the edge
of the herd nearest him plump stall
lion stood switching his tail against
the annoying flies. occasionally raising
his head from his feeding to search
the horizon for signs of danger. sniff
ing the air for the telltale scent of an
enemy 1t was be that M selected
for his prey.
Stealthily the cave man crept
through the tall grass. scarce a blade
moving to the sinuous advance of his
sleek body. Within flfty feet Of the
zebra M stopped. for the stallion was
giving evidence Of restlessness. as
though sensing intuitively the near ap-
proach Of a foe he could neither see
nor hear nor smell.
The man. still prone upon his belly.
drew his spear into the throwing
grasp. With the utmost caution he
wormed his legs beneath him. and
then, like lightning. and all with q
single movement. be leaped to his feet
and cast the stone tipped weapon at
his quarry.
With a snort Of terror the stallion
reared to plunge away, but the spear
had found the point behind his shoul-
der even as be saw the figure of the
man rise from the tall grass AS the
balance Of the herd galloped madly off.
their leader pitched headlong to the
earth.
M ran forward with ready knife.
but the animal was dead before he
reached its side. The great spear had
passed through its heart and was pro
truding upon the opposite side Of the
body. The man removed the weapon
and with his knife cut several long
strips of meat from the plump
launches.
Ever and anon he raised his head tO
scan the plain and jungle for evidences
Of danger. shifting the breeze just as
had the stallion he had killed.
His work was but partially com
pleted when he caught the scent OF
man yet a long way OF. He knew
that he could not be mistaken. yet
never had he sensed 80 strange al
od0r. There were men coming. b
knew, but Of the other odors that &C
companied them he could make moth
ing. for khaki and guns and sweaty
saddle blankets and the odor Of tannet
leather were to Nus nostrils as woult
Greek have been to his ears.
It would be best, thought Nu. to re
treat to the safety Of the forest unit
he could ascertain the number ant
kind Of beings that were approaching
and so. taking but careless advantag
Of the handler shelter, the cave mai
sauntered toward the forest: for nov
he was not stalking game. and neve
yet had he shown fear in the presenc
Of an enemy.
him to cope with single handed b
would not show himself. but non
might ever say that they had seen NJ
the son Of M. run away from dar
ger.
In his hand still swung the head Z
CO, and as the man leaped to the 10,
branches Of a tree at the jungle's edg
to spy upon the men he knew to be az
vancing from the far side Of the plai
he fell to wondering how he was I
flnd his way back to Nat-ul that b
might place the trophy at her feet an
claim her AZ his mate.
Only the previous evening they ha
walked together hand In hand alon
the beach, and now he had not the r
hottest conception Of where that beac
lay.
Straight across the plain should
the direction Of II. for from that dire
ton had he come to dnd the lair Of o
But now all was changed.
There was no single familiar Ian
mark to guide him. Not even the al
people knew of any sea nearby. and
himself had no conception as to whet
er he was In the same world that
had traversed when last the sun shol
upon him.