The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-05-09

great body smashed down upon the
four CT us locked together. We were
driven violently apart and rolled over
ana over, and In the suddenness OF
surprise we released our holds on one
another. At the moment OF the shock
Big Face screamed terribly. did not
know what had happened. though
smelled tiger and caught a glimpse OF
striped fur as I sprang for n tree
1t was old saber Tooth. Aroused In
lis lair by the noise we had made he
mad crept upon us unnoticed. The
swift One gained the next tree to
NINE, and | immediately Joined her
put my arms around her and held her
close to Inc while she whimpered and
cried softly. From the ground came
snarling and crunching Of bones. 1t
was saber Tooth making his supper of
what had been Big Face. From be-
yond. with inflamed rims and eyes.
Red Eye poered down. Here was
monster mightier than he. The Swift
One and turned and went away
quietly through the trees toward the
cave. while the folk gathered overhead
and showercd down abuse and twigs
and branches upon their ancient enc.
my. He dashed his tail and snarled.
but went on eating.
And In such fashion were we saved.
ii was mere accident--the sheerest
accident. Else would have died there
In Red Eyes clutch. and there would
have been no bridging of time to the
tune OF thousand centuries down to
a progeny that reads newspapers and
rides on electric cars-ay. and that
writes narratives of bygone happen.
ings even as this Is written.
! 1t was In the early fall of the follow
ing year that 1t happened After his
failure to get the Swift One, Red Eye
had taken another wife, and. strange to
relate, she was still alive. Stranger
still. they had a baby several months
old-Red Eyes first child. His previ.
GUS wives had never lived long enough
to bear him children. The year had
gone well for all of us. The weather
had been exceptionally mild and food
PLENTIFUL ! remember especially the
turnips of that year. The nut crop was
also very heavy. and the wild plums
were larger and sweeter than usual
In short Il was golden year. And
then 1t happened II was in the early
morning. and we were surprised in our
caves. In the chill gray light we awoke
from sleep, most OF US. to encounter
death. The Swift One and I were
aroused by pandemonium of screech.
ing and gibbering. Our cave was the
highest Of all on the cliff, and we crept
to the mouth and peered down. The
open space was filed with the Fire
People. Their cries and yells were add
ed to the clamor. but they had order
and plan. while we folk had none.
Each one OF us fought and acted for
himself. and no one of us knew the
extent Of the calamity that was be.
falling us.
BY the time We got to stone throw.
ing the Fire People had massed thick
at the base Of the cliff. Our first volley
must have mashed some heads, for
when they swerved back from the cliff
the ground. These were struggling
and floundering, and one was trying to
crawl away. But we fixed them. BY
this time we males were roaring with
rage, and we rained rocks upon the
three men that We're down. Several of
the fire men returned to drag them
into safety, but our rocks drove the
rescuers back.
The Fire People became enraged.
Also they became cautious. In spite
Of their angry yells they kept mt a dis
lance and sent flights of arrows against
us. This put an end to the rock throw
ing. BY the time half dozen OF us
had been killed and score injured
the rest Of us retreated inside our
caves. | was not out OF range in my
lofty cave, but the distance was great
enough to spoil effective shooting. and
the Fire People did not waste many
arrows on me. Furthermore. was
curious. / wanted to see. While the |
Swift One remained well inside the |
cave. trembling with fear and making .
low wailing sounds because l would .
and watched.
The fighting had now become inter
mittent. 1t was sort of deadlock. |
We were in the caves, and the ques-
ton with the Fire People was how to .
get us out. They did not dare come In .
after us. and In general we would not
expose ourselves TO their arrows. DC. !
casionally. when one of them drew In
close to the base OF the cliff. one or
another of the folk would smash rock
down. In return he would be trans
fixed by half dozen arrows. This
ruse worked well for some time. but
finally the folk no longer were in
weighed into showing themselves. The
deadlock was complete.
Behind the Fire People I could see
the little wizened old hunter directing
1t all. They obeyed him and went
here and there at his commands. Some
NJ thavn vpant into tho fnra,t .na ro