The People That Time Forgot

d the little pools of rainwater were sufficient to quench our thirst. The sun came out a few hours after we emer

close to the base of the mighty barrier-cliffs there was a large party of Band-lu warriors going north to hunt. We had a splendid view from our lofty cliff-top. Dimly, to the west, we could see the farther shore of the inland sea, and southwest the large sout

e pointed out the cliffs at its southern boundary, which mark the frontier, south of which lies the country of Kro-lu-the archers. We now had but to pass through the balance of the Band-lu territory and that of the Kro-lu to be within the confines of her own land; but that meant tra

f, and I am free to admit that my hair stood on end during the process, for the drop was considerable and the ledge appallingly narrow, with a frightful drop sheer below down to the rocks at the base of the cliff; but with Ajor there to catch and steady me, I made it all right, and then

s before we were accosted, and then a huge fellow ste

bound me the night that I had been captured. From me his gaze went to Ajor. He was a fine-looking man with clear, intellig

mold. He has the face of a Galu, but his weapons and the strange skins

replied Ajo

e Band-lu quite truthfully, toying wit

g ammunition as well as to avoid the loud alarm of a shot which might bring other Band-lu warriors upon us. "I am from America, a land of which you never hear

?" he asked, and poi

" I re

ht in his mind. At last he spoke. "What is that?" he asked. "And

the women in the pool beneath us. "With this," I said, tapping my pistol, "I could kil

e balance in the palm of my right hand-"I could slay one of those distant warriors

sively, "and then it may be that I shall b

kill any of them," I r

nds on you, and they would eat you into the bargain. But I know why you do not try it-it is because you have spoken lies; your wea

h me to kill your o

nd expecting it for a long time; today I am a Kro-lu. Today I go into the coslupak" (unpeopled country, or literally, no man's land) "between the Band-lu and the Kro-lu, and there I fashion my bow and my arrows and my shield; there I hunt the r

u wish to kill

knew that they would know at once that I had become a Kro-lu and would kill me. They will kill me if they find me in the coslupak; so will the Kro-lu if they come upon me before I have won my Kro-lu weapons and jerkin. You would kill me if you could, and that is the reason I know that you spe

d. It was difficult to bring myself to take a human life. I could feel no enmity toward this savage barbarian who acted almost as wholly upon instinct as might a wild beast, and to the last moment I

he panic and its cause. The women had, evidently, been quitting the pool and slowly returning toward the caves, when they were confronted by a monstrous cave-lion which stood di

" he added, a trace of sadness in his tone, "whom I hoped would soon follow me to the Kro-lu. Together have we come up from the beginning." He raised his spear above his head and poised it ready to hurl downward

aimed, for it smashed the brute's spine back of his shoulders and tore on through his heart, dropping him dead in his tracks. For a moment the women were as terrified by the report of t

firing, lest he should pursue his threatened attac

could do that, did you

no quarrel with you. I do not care to

ortunity to escape him." This, however, I found later to be an exaggeration, as the tribes of the west coast and even the Kro-lu of the east coast are far less bloodth

r. "Can I trust

"Why not? Has he not

are two of the strongest characteristics of these primitive people. They are not sufficiently culture

So-al, whom I had given up as dead." He threw down his spear and covered both his eyes with the palms of his two hands. I looked inquiringly toward A

uld I do?

fore his eyes and return his

his friendship. They told me that had I walked away, the moment that I was out of sight of the warrior we would ha

man with good sense blinds his eye

yalty of my new friend. I was glad to have him with us, for he knew the country and was

t to detain us and were almost certain to set upon Ajor. So we hastened down the narrow path, reaching the foot of the cliffs but a short distance ahead of the wo

pped and looked around, we saw a woman running rapidly toward us. As she approached nearer I could see

d To-mar. "Is she mad t

paid not the slightest attention to Ajor or me; but devouring To-ma

all that the

I did not know that it had come to you. I can see it in your eyes, To-mar,

separated by that strange law of evolution which holds good in Caspak and which was slowly unfolding before my incredulous mind. I did not then comprehe

e cave-lion and saved her life, and that Ajor was my woma

nd later became fast friends. So-al was a mighty fine-looking girl, built like a tigress as to strength and sinuosity, but withal sweet and womanly. Ajor

fit themselves in the matter of arms and apparel, but remained with them. Thus we became well acquainted-to such an extent that we looked forward with regret to the day when they took their places among their new comrades and we

passed through, I often wondered what chance I had to complete that journey in search of my friends. The further south I should travel on the west side of the island, the more frightful would the dangers become as I neared the stamping-grounds of the more hideous reptilia and the haunts of the Alu

retrace my steps from the beginning, after failing to find my own people, and return to the far northern land of Galus? I doubted it. However, I was learning fro