 CHAPTER XIX A RACE WITH DREAD The fab looked toward the forest wherein lightfoot had fled, and then looked upon that which lay at his feet. It was oak. There were the form and features of his friend, but somehow it was not oak. There was too much silence, and the blood upon the leaves seemed far too bright. And he wanted oak to answer and call to him, but oak did not answer. Then came slowly to him the idea that oak was dead, and that the wild beasts would that night devour the dead man where he lay. The thought nerve'd him to desperate sudden action. He leaped forward, put his arms about the body, and carried it away to a hollow in the wooded slope. He worked madly, doing some things as he had seen the cave people do at other bearings. He placed the weapons of oak beside him. He took from his belt his own knife, because it was better than that of oak, and laid it close to the dead man's hand. And then, first covering the body with beech leaves, he worked frantically upon the overhanging soil, prying it down with a sharp pointed fragment of limb, and tossing in upon all as heavy stones as you could lift. Until a great cairn rose above the hunter who would hunt no more. Panting with his efforts, Ab sat himself down upon a rock, and looked upon the monument he had raised. Again he called to oak, but there was still no answer. The sun had set, evening shadows thickened around him. Then there came upon the live man a feeling as dreadful as it was new. And with a yell, which was almost a shriek, he leaped to his feet and bounded away in fearful flight. He only knew this, that there was something hurt inside of body and soul, but not the inside of him as it had been when once he had eaten poison his berries, or when he had eaten too much of the little deer. It was something different. It was an awful oppression, which seemed to leave his body in a manner unfeeling, which had a great dread about it, and which made him think and think of the dead man, and made him want to run away and keep running. He had always run far that day, but he was not tired now. His legs seemed to have the hard sinews of the stag in them, but up toward the top of him was something for them to carry away as fast and as far as possible from somewhere. He raced from the dense woodland down into the broad morass to the west, beyond which was the rock country, and into which he had rarely ventured, so treacherous its ways. What cared he now? He made great leaps, and his muscles and sinews responded to the thought of him to cross that morass safely, required a touch on tussocks, and an upbounding aside zigzag exhibition of great strength and knowingness and recklessness, but it was unreasoning. It was the instinct begotten of long training and now of the absence of all nervousness. Each taut toe touched each point of bearing just as was required above the quagmire, and all unperceiving and uncaring he fled over dirty death as easily as he might have run upon some hardened woodland pathway. He did not think nor know nor care about what he was doing. He was only running away from the something he had never known before. Why should he be running now? He had killed things before and had not cared and had forgotten. Why should he care now? But there was the something which made him run, and where was Oak? Would Oak meet him again, and would they hunt together? No, Oak would not come, and he, this ab, had made it so. He must run. No one was following him. He knew that, but he must run. The marsh was past. Night had fallen, but he ran on, pressing into the bare and tiger-haunted forest beyond. Anything, anything to make him forget the strange feeling and the thing which made him run. He plunged into a forest path, utterly reckless, wanting relief, a seeker for whatever might come. In that age, and under such conditions as to locality, it was inevitable that the creature man running through such a forest path at night must face some fierce creature of the carnivorous seeking his body for food. Ab, blinded of mood, cared not for, and avoided not a fight, though it might be with a monster bear or even the great tiger. There was no reason in his madness. He was, though he knew it not, a practical suicide, yet one who would die fighting. What to him were weight and strength tonight? What to him were such encounters as might come with hungry four-footed things? It would but relieve him were some of the beasts to try to gain his life and eat his body? His being seemed valueless, and as for the wild beasts? And here came out the splendid death-facing quality of the caveman. Well, it would be odd if there were not more deaths than one. But all this was vague, and only a minor part of thought. Sometimes, as if to invite death, he yelled as he ran. He yelled whenever in his fleeting visions he saw oak lying dead again. So ran the man who had killed another. There was a growl ahead of him, a sudden breaking away of the bushes, and then he was thrown back, stunned and bleeding, because a great paw had smitten him. Whatever the beast might be, it was hungry, and had found what seemed easy prey. There was a difference, though, which the animal, it was doubtless a bear. Unfortunately for him, did not comprehend between the quality of the being he proposed to eat just now and of other animals included in his ordinary menu. But the bear did not reason. He but plunged forward to crush out the remaining life of the runner. His great paw had driven back and down, and then to enjoy his meal. The man was little hurt. His skin-coat had somewhat protected him, and his sinewy body had such toughness that the hurling of it backward for a few feet was not anything involving a fatality. Very surely and suddenly had been thrust upon him now the practical lesson of being or dying, and it was good for the half-crazed runner, for it cleared his mind. But it made him no less desperate or careless. With strength almost maniacal, he leaped at what he would have fled from it any other time, and swinging his axe with a quickness of light struck tremendously at the great lowering head. He yelled again as he felt stone cut and crash into bone, though himself swept aside once more as the great paw side-struck hurled him into the bushes. He bounded to his feet and saw something huge and dark and gasping, floundering in the pathway. He thought not but ran on panting. By some strange freak of forest fortune, a betting might, the man wandering of mind had driven his axe nearly to the heft into the skull of his huge assailant. It may be that never before had a caveman thus armed done so well. The slayer ran on wildly and now weaponless. Soon to the runner the scene changed. The trees crowded each other less closely, and there was less of dend pathway. There came something of an ascent, and he breasted it though less swiftly. For despite the impelling force, nature had claims, and muscles were wearying of their work. Fewer and fewer grew the trees. He knew that he was where there was now a sweep of rocky highlands and that he was not far from the fire country of which old Mock had so often told him. He burst into the open, and as he came out under the stars which he could see again, he heard an ominous whine too near and a distant howl behind him. A wolf-pack wanted him. He shuddered as he ran. The life instinct was fully awakened in him now as the dread from which he had run became more distant. Had he heard that close whine and distant howl before he fairly reached the open, he would have sought a treetop for refuge. Now it was too late. He must run ahead blindly across the treeless space for such harborage as might come. Far ahead of him you could see light, the light of fire reaching out toward him through the darkness. He was panting and wearied, but the sounds behind him were spur enough to bring them nearly dead to life. He bowed his head and ran with such effort as he had never made before in all his wild and daring existence. The wolves of the time, greater, swifter and fiercer than the gaunt gray wolves of northern latitudes and historic times, ran well. But so did contemporaneous man run well, and the chase was hard. With his life to save, Ab swept panting over the rocky ground with a swiftness begotten of the grand last effort of remaining strength running straight toward the light while the wolf pack now gathered hurl itself from the wood behind and followed swiftly and relentlessly ever before the man shone the light more brightly ever behind him became more distinct the sound made by the following pack. It was a dire straight for the running man. He was no longer thinking of what he had lately done. He ran. The light he had seen extended as he neared it into what looked like a great fence of flame lying across his way. There were gaps in the fence where the flame, still continuous, was not so high as elsewhere. He did not hesitate. He ran straight ahead, closer and closer behind him he routed the pursuing wolves, and straight at the flame he ran. There was one chance in many he thought and he took it without hesitation. Close before him now loomed the wall of flame. Close behind him, slavering jaws were working in anticipation and there was a strain for the last rush. There was no alternative. Straight at the firewall where it was lowest rushed Ab and with a great leap he went at and threw the curling crest of the yellow flame. The man had found safety. There was a moment of heat and then he knew himself to be sprawling upon green turf. A little of the strength of desperation was still with him and he bounded to his feet and looked about. There were no wolves. Beside him was a great flat rock and he clambered upon this and then over the crest of the flames could see easily enough the glaring eyes of his late pursuers. They were running up and down, raging for their prey but kept from him beyond all per-adventure by the fire they could not face. Ab started upright on the rock, panting in defiant. A splendid creature erect there in the firelight. Soon there came to the man a more perfect sense of his safety. He shouted aloud to the flitting snarling creatures which could not harm him now. He stooped and found jagged stones which he sent whirling among them. There was a savage satisfaction in it. Suddenly the man fell to the ground fairly groaning with exhaustion. Nature had become indignant and the time for recuperation had been reached. The wearied runner lay breathing heavily and was soon asleep. The flames which had afforded safety gave also a grateful warmth in the chill night and so it was that scarcely had his body touched the ground when he became oblivious to all about him. Only the heaving of the broad chest showing that the man lying fairly exposed in the light was a living thing. The varying wind sometimes carried the sheet of flame to its utmost extent toward him so that the heat must have been intense and again would carry it in an opposite direction while the cold air swept down upon the sleeping man. Nothing disturbed him. Ineer to like to heat and cold slept on, slept for hours the sleep which follows vast strain and endurance and a healthy human being. Then the form lying on the ground moved restlessly and muttered exclamations came from the lips. The man was dreaming. For as the sleeper lay there he remembered it when he awoke and wandered over it many times and after years oak sprang through the flames as he himself had done and soon lay panting by his side. The lapping of the fire, the snapping and snarling of the wolves beyond and the familiar sound of oak's voice all mingled confusedly in his ears and then he and oak raced together over the rough ground and wrestled and fought and played as they had wrestled and fought and played together for years and the hours passed and the wind changed and the flames almost scorched him and Ab started up looking about him into the wild aspect of the fire country. For the night had passed and the sun had risen and set again since the exhausted man had fallen upon the ground and become unconscious. Ab rolled instinctively a little away from the smoky sheets of flame and sitting up looked for oak. He could not see him. He ran wildly around among the rocks looking for him and despairingly called aloud his name. The moment his voice had been hoarsely lifted oak, the memory of all that had happened rushed upon him. He stood there in the red firelight as statue of despair. Oak was dead. He had killed oak and buried him with his own hands and yet he had seen oak but a minute ago he had bounded through the flames and struggled and run races with Ab and they had talked together and yet oak must be lying in the ground back there in the forest by the little hill. Oak was dead. How could he get out of the ground? Fear clutched at Ab's heart. His limbs trembled under him. He whimpered like a lost and friendless hound and crouched close to the hospitable fire. His brain wavered under the stress of strange new impressions. He recalled some mutterings of old mock about the dead that they had been seen after it was known that they were deep in the ground but he knew it was not good to speak or think of such things. Again Ab sprang to his feet. It would not do to shut his eyes for then he saw plainly oak in his shallow hole in the dark earth and the face Ab had hurried to cover first when he was burying his friend there under the trees and so the night wore away sleep coming fitfully from time to time. Ab could not explore his retreat in the strange firelight nor run the risks of another night journey across the wild beasts chosen country. He began to be hungry with the fierce hunger of brute strength sharpened by terrific labors but he must wait for the morning. The night seemed endless. There was no relief from the thoughts that tortured him but at last morning broke and in action Ab found the escape he had longed for. It was light now and the sun shone fairly on Ab's place of refuge as his senses brought to him full appreciation he wandered at the scene about him. He was in a glade so depressed as to be a valley. About it to the east and north and west in a wavering tossing wall rose the uplifting line of fire through which he had leaped though there were spaces where the height was insignificant. From the south and extended till it circled a trifle to the east rose a wall of rock evidently the end of a forest covered premontery. For trees grew thickly to its very edge and their green branches overhung its sheer descent. Coming from some crevice off the rocks on the east and tumbling downward through the valley was a righteous brook which disappeared through some opening at the west. Within this area thus hemmed in by fire and rock he had no living things save the birds which sang upon the bushes beside the small streams banks and the butterflies which hung above the flowers and all the insect world which joined in the soft humming chorus off the morning. It was something that Ab looked upon with delighted wonder but without understanding. What he saw was not a marvel it was but the result of one of many upheavals at a time when the earth's cooled shell was somewhat thinner than now and when earthquakes though there were no cities to overthrow at least made havoc sometimes by changing the face of nature. There had come a great semicircular crack in the earth near and extending to the line of the sheer rock range. The natural gas the product of the vegetation of thousands of centuries before had found a chance to escape and had poured forth into the outer world. Something perhaps a lightning stroke and a flaming tree perhaps some caveman making fire and consumed on the instant when he succeeded had ignited the sheet of rising gas and the result was the wall of flame. It was all natural and commonplace for the time. There were other up leaping flame sheets in the surrounding region forever burning as there are in northern Asia today but Ab knew of these fires only from old mox tails. He stood wonder struck at what he saw about him but this man in the valley was young and very strong with tissues to be renewed and the physical man within him climbered and demanded. He must eat. He ran forward and around anxiously observant and soon learned that at the western end of the valley where the little creek tumbled through a rocky cut into a lower level there was easy exit from the fire encompassed and protected area. He clambered along the creek's rough descending side. He emerged upon an easier slope and then found it possible to climb the hillside to the plain of the great wood. There must he thought be food of some sort even for a man with only oak's knife in his possession. There was the forest and there were nuts. He was in the forest soon among the grey trunk black mottled beaches and rough brown oaks. He found something of what he sought the nuts lying under shed leaves though the supply was scant but nuts to the caveman made moderately good food supplying a part of the sustenance he required an abate of what he could find and arose from the devouring search and looked about him. He was weaponless, safe for the knife and a flint knife was but a thing for closer struggle. He longed now for his axe and spear and a strong bow which could hurt so at a distance but there was one sort of weapon to be had there was the club. He wandered about among the tops of fallen trees and wrenched at their dried limbs and finally tore one away and broke off later with the prying leverage what made a rough but available club for a caveman's purposes it was much better than nothing. Then began a steady trot toward what should be a fair life again there were vague paths through the forest made by wild beasts as he moved the man thought deeply. He thought of the firewall and could not with all his reasoning determine upon the course of its existence and so abandoned the subject as a thing the nub of which was unreachable. That was the freshest object in his mind and the first to be mentally disposed of but there were other subjects which came in swift succession. As he went along with a dog's gate he was not in much terror practically weaponless as he was his eyes was good and he was going through the forest in the daylight he was strong enough club in hand to meet the minor beasts as for the others if any of them appeared there were the trees and he could climb so as he trotted he could afford to think and he thought much that day this perplexed man our grandfather with so many greats before the word he had nothing to divert him even in the selection of the course towards his cave he noted not where the sun stood nor in what direction the tiny headwaters of the rivulets took their course nor how the moss grew on the trees nor how they were instinct for some almost unexplainable gift which comes to the thing of the woods the wolf has it the indian has it sometimes the white man of today has it as he went ab engaged in deeper and more sustained thought than ever before in all his life he was alone new and strange scenes had enlarged his knowledge and swift happenings had made keener his perceptions for days his entire being had been powerfully his meeting with lightfoot at the feast of the mammoth and the events which had followed that meeting in such swift succession the tragedy of oak's death had quickened his sensibilities besides what had ensured latest had been what was required to make him in a condition for the divination of things the wise agree that much stimulant or much deprivation enables the brain convulsions to do their work well though deprivation gets the cleaner end the asceticism of Marcus Eurelius was productive of greater results than the deep drinking of any gallant young roman man of letters of whom he was a patron the literature of fasting thinkers is something fine ab after exerting his strength to the utmost for days had not eaten a flesh and the strong influences to which he was subjected were exerted upon a man still practically fasting for a time the rude and earth-born child of the cave was lifted into a region of comparative sentiment and imagination it was an experience which affected materially all his later life ever to the trotting man came the feeling which must follow fierce love and deadly action and vaguer remorse and fear of something indefinable he saw the face and form of life-foot he saw again the struggle death-ending with a friend of youth and of mutual growing into manhood he remembered dimly the half-insane flight the leaps across the dead and more distinctly the chase by the wolves the aspect of the fire-country and of all that followed his awakening was, of course, yet fresh in his mind he was burdened ever uprising and oppressing above all else was the memory of the man he had killed and buried covering the face first so that it might not look at him was Oak really dead? he asked himself again had not he ab as soon as he slept again seen alive and well the close friend of his he clung to the vision he reasoned as deeply as it was in him to reason as he struggled in his mind to obtain light there came to him the fancy of other things dimly related to the death mystery which had perplexed him in all his kind there must be someone who made the rivers rise and fall or the nut-bearing there must be either fruitful or the hard reverse who and what could it be what should he do? what should all his friends do in the matter of relation to this unknown thing with this day and hour did not come really the beginning of ab's thought upon the subject of what was to him and those he knew the supernatural he had thought in the past he could not help it of the shadow and the echo had talked about the echo and how they had tried to get rid of the thing which had more than once called back to them insolently across the valley every word they shouted this hidden creature would mockingly repeat and there was no recourse for them they had ones fully armed themselves and in a burst of desperate bravery had resolved to find who and what the owner of this voice was and have at least a fight they had crossed the valley ranged about the woodland when the voice seemed to have come but they never found what they sought the shadow which pursued them on sunny afternoons had puzzled them in another way very persistent had been the flat black earth clinging and distorted thing which followed them so everywhere what was this black following thing anyhow this thing which swung its unsubstantial body around as one moved but whichever kept its own feet at the feet of the pursued wherever there was no shade and which lay there beside one so persistently but the echoes and the shadows were nothing as compared with the things which came to one at night what were those creatures which came when a man was sleeping why did they escape with the dawn and appear again only when he was asleep and helpless at least until he woke fairly and seized his axe the sun rose high and drooped slowly down toward the west where the far ocean was and the shadows somewhat lengthened but it was still light along the forest pathways and the untiring man still hurried on he was now close to his country and becoming careless and at ease but his imagination was still busy he could not free himself of memory there came to him still the vision of the friend he had buried hiding his face first of all the frenzy of his wish for knowing rushed again upon him where was oak now and of all nature where is oak he yelled to the familiar trees beside his path but the trees even to the caveman so close to them in the economy of wildlife so like them in his naturalness could give no answer so the caveman struggled in his demon certain way with the eternal question if a man die shall he live again so the human mind still struggles after thousands of centuries have contributed to its development a war more impassable than the wall of flame abhad so lately looked upon still rises between us and those who no longer live we reach out for some knowledge of those who have died and go almost into madness because we can grasp nothing silence unbroken darkness impenetrable ever guard the mystery of death in the long ages since the caveman ran that day and hope have in faith erected beyond the grim barriers of blackness and despair fair pavilions of promise and consolation but to the stern examiners of physical fact and reality there has come no news from beyond the walls of silent sense we clamour tearfully for some word from those who are dead but no answer comes so abgrieved and strove alone in the forest in his youth and ignorance and in the youth and ignorance of our race upon the pathway along the river's bank ab emerged at last all was familiar to him now there by the clump of trees in the flat below was the place where he and oak had dug the pit when they were but mere boys and had learned their first important lessons in stern a woodcraft soon came in sight as he ran the entrance to the cave of his own family he was home again but he was not the one who had left the cave in the ocean three days before he had gone away a youth he had come back one who had suffered and thought he came back a man end of chapter 20 chapter 21 of the story of ab this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Magdalena Cook the story of ab by Stanley Waterloo chapter 21 the wooing of Lightfoot Lightfoot, when ab seized oak had fled away from the two infuriated men as the hair runs and had sped into the forest she had the impetus of new fear now and ran swiftly as became her name never looking behind her nor did she slacken her pace though panting and exhausted until she found herself approaching the cave where lived her playmate Moonface not more than an hour's run from her own home the fleeing girl was fortunate in stumbling upon her friend as soon as she came into the open space about the cave Moonface was enjoying herself lazily that afternoon she was leaning back idly in a swing of vines to which she had braided a flexible back and was blinking somnolently in the sunshine as the visitor leaped from the wood Moonface recognised her friend gave a quaver in cry of delight and came slipping and rolling recklessly to the ground to meet her Lightfoot uttered no word she stood breathless and was rather carried than led by Moonface to an easy seat moss padded upon twisted tree roots which was that young lady's ordinary resting place upon this seat the two sank one overcame with past fear and present fatigue and the other with an all-absorbing and demanding curiosity it was beyond the ordinary scope of the self-restraining forces in Moonface to await with calm the recovery of Lightfoot's breath and powers of conversation she pinched and shook her friend and demanded half crying but impatiently some explanation it was a great hour for Moonface the greatest in her life here was her friend and dictator panting and terrified like some weak hunted down thing of the wood it was a marvel at last Lightfoot spoke they are fighting at the foot of the hill she said and Moonface at once for she was not blind this wide-mouth creature why did you run away she asked I ran because I was scared one of them must be dead before this time I am glad I am alive myself Lightfoot gasped then the girl covered her face with her hands as she recalled Abbe's face distorted by passion and murderous hate an oaks equally maddened look as before the onrush he had grasped her so firmly that the marks with his fingers remained blue upon her arms and slender waist and neck then Lightfoot slow to regain her composure told tremblingly the story of all that had occurred finding comfort in the unafrighted look upon the face as well as in the reassuring talk of her easygoing unimaginative and cheerful and faithful companion she remained as a guest at the cave overnight and the next forenoon when she took her way for home she was accompanied by Moonface gradually as the hours passed Lightfoot regained something of her usual frame of mind and a little of her ordinary manner of careless light-hardiness but when home had been reached and the girls had rested and eaten she heard Moonface telling a new for her story of the flight in the wood while her father Hilltop and her two strapping brothers listened with interest but with no degree of excitement she felt again the wild alarm and horror and uncertainty which had affected her when first she fled from what was to her so dreadful she crept away from the cave door near which the others sat and joined the barmy mid-summer afternoon beckoning to one of her brothers to follow her as the big fellow did unquestioningly for Lightfoot had been almost from young girlhood the dominant force in the family even the strong father though it was contrary to the spirit of the time admiring and yielding to his one daughter without much comment the great hulking youth well-armed and ready for any adventure joined her nothing both and the two disappeared like shadows in the depths of the forest Lightfoot had been the housekeeper in the cave of Hilltop the cave of the greatest hunter of the region young despite the years which had encompassed him and father of two boys who were fine specimens of the better men of the time they were splendid welts and this slim thing whom they had cared for as she grew and dominated them easily though the age was not one of vast family affection while chivalry of course did not exist Hilltop's wife had died two years before and Lightfoot with unconscious force had taken her mother's place there was none other with the woman's ways to help the men in the rock guarded home on the windy hill Hilltop had not been altogether unthinking all this time he had often looked upon his daughter's friend the jolly swat and well-fed moon face much approved of her but today as he listened to her story he did not pay such attention as was demanded by the interest of the theme an occasional death though it were the killing of one caveman by another was not a matter of huge importance he was not inflamed in any way by what he heard but as he looked and listened to the comfortable young person who was speaking the idea hastened it may be by some loving and domestic instinct grew slowly in his brain that she might make for him as excellent a mate as any of the other good matches to be found in that immediately surrounding country he was the most directly reasoning person this hilltop best of hunters and generally respected on the forest ridges after the thought once dawned upon him it grew and grew and an idea fairly developed in Hilltop's mind meant action his 55 years of age had hardly cooled and had certainly not nearly approached to freezing the blood in his outstanding veins he had a suit to make and make it once that he might have no interruption he bade stone arm his remaining son who sat on a rock nearby and who had listened open mouth to the recital of moon face to seek his brother and lightfoot in the forest path there might be beasts abroad and two men were better than one said his crafty father hunter lover the boy clever tracker as a red Indian or Australian trailer soon found the path his brother and light foot had taken and joined them as he listened to what they were saying he was glad he had been sent to follow them they were hastening toward the valley the trees were beginning to cast long shadows when the three came to where the more abrupt hillside reached the slope and where the torn ground broken limbs and twigs and deep indented footprints in the soil gave glaring evidence to the eye of yesterday's struggle but aside from all this there was something else there was a carpet of yellowish brown leaves at the edge of the circle of fray where a man had fallen on the clean stretch of evenly rain packed leaves there were spots from which the scarlet had but lately faded into crimson there was a place where the surface was disturbed and sunk in a little all three knew that a man had died there the two young men and their sister stood together uttering no word the men were amazed the woman half comprehended all she did not hesitate a moment guided by sure instinct light foot reached without a thought or conscious search the spot of unnatural earth which read itself so near to them the spot where fresh stone covered soil and where a man was buried the pile of stones newly heaped upon the moist earth told their story someone was buried there but whom was it oak or ab shall I dig said stone arm making ready for the task the branch his elder brother prepared for work as well no no cried light foot he is buried deep and the stones are over him it will be night soon and the wolves and hyenas would be here before we could get away let it be someone is there but the one who killed him has buried him he will come back the two boys were silent and light foot led the way toward home when the three reached the cave of hilltop the sun was setting it happen at the cave but there are rises at this point no stern demand for going into details hilltop brave man was no laggard in wooing and moon face was not a nervous young person when the other members of the household reached the cave moon face was already installed as mistress there would be no reprisals from an injured family the girl had lived with her ancient father whom she had half supported and who would possibly be transplanted to hilltop's cave for such pottering life as he was still capable of during the rest of his existence the new regime was fairly established the arrangement suited light foot well enough this astounding step mother had been her humble but faithful friend light foot was a ruling woman spirit wherever she was and she knew it though she bowed at all times to the rule of strength as the only law nevertheless she knew how to get her own way with moon face everything was easy for her and she found it rather pleasant than otherwise to find the other young woman made suddenly a permanent resident of the cave in which she had been born and had lived all her life as the two girls met and the situation was curtly announced by hilltop their faces were worth seeing there was alarm and hopefulness upon the countenance of moon face sudden astonishment and indignation and then reflection upon the face of light foot after a few moments of thought both girls laughed cheerfully the story of the newly found grave made but little impression upon the group and light foot the only one of the household who thought much about it though silently to her single question was who lay there there was nothing strange to the others of the family in the thought that one man should have killed another and no one attached blame to or proposed punishment of the slayer after such a happening the caveman who had slain another might have a rock roll suddenly upon him from a height or in passing a thicket have the flint head of a spear driven through him but this was only the deed perhaps often enraged father or brother not in any sense a matter of course in the way of justice and even such attempt at reprisal was not the rule but in the bosom of light foot was the weight like a stone it was heavy she thought it was like a stone on the bare ground over the body of the man who lay there in the dark earth because he had run after her who was it it might be ab and all through the night the girl tossed uneasily on her bed of leaves as she did for nights to come as for moon face who shall say what the row town and here a young person thought when the family had settled down to the change order of things and she had adjusted herself to the duties of a matron in her new home she was not less broadly buoyant and beaming but who can tell that when she noticed light foot's burning look and thoughtful mean moon face did not sometimes think of the two young men who, but yesterday had rejoiced in such strength and vigor and charm of power and who were so good to look upon she was a wife now but to another sort of man even the feminine among writers of verotic novels have not yet revealed what the young moon thinks when she saw the old moon in her arms anyhow hilltop was a defence and a great provider of food he was a fine figure of a man too light foot was not much in the cave now she lingered about the open spaces or wandered in the near wood a woman's instinct told her to be outdoors all the time she could a man would seek her but with a thought came an awful dread which man one afternoon she saw something there was an open space in the forest near the cave and in a moment the girl was in a treetop what followed was the unexpected close behind the grey things came a man fully armed, straight eager and alert and silent in his wood surroundings with eyes roving over and searching all the open space about the cave of the hilltop the man was ab the girl gave a shriek of delight then alarmed at the sound she had made of the refuge of leaves and branches she was happy beyond all her experience before the question which had been in all her thoughts was answered it was oak, not ab, who lay in the ground on the hillside and even as she realised this fully there was a swift upward scramble and the young caveman was beside her on the limb there was no running away this time the girl's face told its story well enough so well the ab still lately doubting though resolved knew that his fitting mate belonged to him there came to them the happiness which ever comes to lovers be they man or bird or beast and then came swift conclusion he told her she must go with him at once told her of the new cave and of all he had done but the girl well aware of the dangers of the beast haunted region where the new home had been selected was thoroughly alarmed then ab told her of the little flying spears that old Mock had made for him and about the wonderful bow which sent them to their mark and the girl was reassured and soon began to feel exceedingly brave and proud of her lover and his prowess no need of carrying off a girl by force or craft on this occasion for hilltop had fully recognised ab's strength and quality the two went to the cave together and there was eating and then later two skin-clad human beings a man and a woman went away through the forest their journey was a long one and a careful look out was necessary as they hurried along a pathway of the strange country but the cave was reached at last just as the sun burned red and gave a rosy glow to everything silently the two came into the open space in front of what was to be their fortress and abode solid was the rock about the entrance and narrowed the blocked opening smoke curled in a pretty spiral and where smoldered the fire ab had made the day before Lightfoot looked upon it all and laughed joyously though tremblingly for she had now given herself to a man and he had brought her to his place of living as for the man he looked down upon the girl delightedly his poles beat fast he put his arm about her and together they entered the cave there was a marriage but no ceremony just as robins mate when they have met or as the buck and doe so faithful man and wife become these two darkness fell the fire of the cave entrance flashed up fiercely and ab and lightfoot were at home End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 of the story of ab this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Magdalena Cook The Story of Ab by Stanley Waterloo Chapter 22 The Honeymoon The sun shone brilliantly birds were singing and the bowls and furs gave forth their morning incense as ab and lightfoot issued from their cave they had eaten heartily and came out buoyant and delighted with the world which was theirs the chattering of the water fell along the river reached their ears faintly the leaves were moved by a gentle breeze insects in the air and the very pulse of living could be felt ab carried his new weapon proudly hungering for the love and admiration of this girl of his and eager to show her its powers and to exhibit his own skill at his back hung his quiver of mammoth bone his bow unstrung was in his hand in front of the cave was a bare area of many yards in extent then came a few scattering trees and at a distance of perhaps 200 yards the forest began across the open space of ground with its great massive branches crushed together not far from the cave's mouth had fallen one of the gigantic conifers of the time and was there gradually decaying its huge limbs and bowl disintegrating and dry as punk affording close at hand a vast fuel supply the exceptional value of which ab had recognised when making his selection of a home little clearing made by nature abseeded himself upon a log and drawing Lightfoot down to a seat beside him began enthusiastically to make clear the marvels of the weapon he had devised and which he and Old Mock had developed into something startling in its possibilities all details of the explanation made by the earnest young hunter it is probable Lightfoot did not comprehend she looked proudly at him fingering the flint pointed arrows curiously yet seemed rather intent upon the man than the wooden stone but when he pointed at a great knot in a tree near them and bent his bow and sent an arrow fairly into the target and when, even with her strength Lightfoot could not pull the arrow out she was wild with admiration and excitement she begged to be taught how to use herself this wonderful new weapon for she recognised as readily as could anyone its adaptation to the use of one of inferior strength the delighted lover was certainly as serious as she that she should someday become an expert he handed her the bow retaining slung over his shoulder fortunately as it developed the bone quiver full of Old Mock's best arrows he taught her first how to bend and string the bow there were failures and successes and there was much laughter from the merry-hearted Lightfoot finally it happened the ab was not just content with the quality of the particular arrow which he had selected for Lightfoot's use he had taken a slender one with a clean flint head but something about the notch had not quite suited him with the thin hard stone scraper carried in a pouch of his furry garb he began rasping and filing at this notch to make it better fit the string of tendons while Lightfoot with the bow still strung stood beside him at last tired of holding the thing in her hand she passed her over her head and one shoulder there jauntily with both hands free while the man scraped away with a one little flaker flint in his possession as he worked paused from time to time to note how well he was rounding the notch in the end of the slight hardwood shaft it was just as he was holding up to her eyes the arrow now made almost an ideal one according to his fancy when there came to the ears of the two a sound distinct, ominous and implying to them deadly peril a sound such as that though nerve spoken muscles acted they were very near the momentary paralysis which sometimes come from sudden fearful shock from close behind them came the half grunt and half growl of the great cave bear with the instinct born of generations each leaped independently toward the nearest tree and with the unconscious strength and celerity which comes to even wild animals with the dread of death at hand each clamber to a treetop before being spoken scarcely had either left the ground before there was a rush into the open glade of a huge brown hairy form and this was instantly followed by another as Aben Lightfoot climbed far amid the branches and looked down they saw up-read at the base of each tree the figure of one of the monsters whose hungry exclamations they knew so well they had been careless these two lovers especially the man he had known well but for the moment had forgotten how beast-infested was the immediate area about his new home and now had come the consequence of his thoughtlessness he and his wife had been driven to the treetops within a few yards of their own hearthstone leaving their weapons inside the cave alarm and panting after settling down to a firm seat far aloft each looked about to see what had become of the other each was at once reassured as to the present and each became much as to the future the cave bear like his weaker and degenerate descendant the grisly of today had the quality of persistence well developed and both Aben Lightfoot knew that the siege of their enemies would be something more than for the moment the trees in which they perched were very close to the wood but not so close that the forest could be reached by passing from branch to branch their two trees were not far from each other but their branches did not intermingle there was a distinct opening between them the tree at which Lightfoot had scrambled was a great fur towering high above the strong beach in which Ab had found his safety branches of the fur hung down until between their ends and Ab's less lofty covered there were but a few yards of space still one trying to reach the beach from the lofty fur would find an unpleasantly wide gap each of the creatures in the tree was unarmed Ab still a quiver full of admirable arrows and across the breast of Lightfoot still hung the strong bow which she had slung about her in such bliesome mood soon began an exceedingly earnest conversation Ab eager to reach again the fair creature who now belonged to him was half frantic with rage and Lightfoot was far from her usual mood of careless gaiety the two talked and considered though but to little purpose and finally after weary hours the night came on it was a trying situation man and woman were in equal danger the bears were hungry and the cave bear knew his quarry the beasts beneath were not disposed to leave the prey they had imprisoned the loft the night grew but either Ab or Lightfoot looking down could see the glare of small hungry eyes there was gentle talk between the two for this was a great straight and in straights souls be they prehistoric historic or off today always come closer together very much more loving lovers even than they were before became the two perched aloft that night it was a comfort for the wedded pair to call to each other through the darkness after a time however muscles grew lax with the continued strain we are in a cloud of the spirits of the couple and almost overcame them and only the thing which has always in great stress given the greater strength in this world the love of male and female sustained them they stood the test pretty well to sleep in a tree top was an easy thing for them with the precautions simple and natural off the time each plaited a wide of twigs with which to be tied to the tree or limb and resting in the hollow nest where some great limb joined the bowl slept to sleep tired children until the awakening of nature awoke these who were nature's own when aba woke he had more on his mind than light foot for he was the one who must care for the two he blinked and wondered where he was then he remembered all suddenly he looked across anxiously at the slender brown thing lying asleep coiled so close to the bowl of the tree to which she was bound that she seemed almost a part of it then he looked down and after what he saw thought very seriously the bears were there he looked up at the bright sky and all about him and inhaled all the fragrance of the forest and felt strong and that he knew what he should do he called aloud the girl awoke frightened she would have fallen had she not been bound to the tree gradually the full meaning of the situation dawned upon her and she began to cry she was hungry her limbs were stiffened by her bands and there was death below but there close to her was the man his voice he reassured her he was becoming angry now almost raging here he was the lord of a cave independent and master as much as any other man whom he knew perched in one tree while his bride of a day was in the top of another yet kept apart from her by the brutes below he had decided what to do and now he talked to lightfoot with all the frankness of the strong male who felt that he had another to care for and who realised his responsibility and authority together as the strength and decided personality of the young man came to her through his voice the young woman drew her scanty fur robe about her and checked her tears she became comparatively calm and reasonable the tree in which lightfoot had found refuge had many long slender branches lowering toward the giant beach into which the man had made his retreat ab argued that it was possible barely possible for lightfoot's compact agile slender body to be launched in just the right way from one of their branches of the taller tree and swinging in its descent across the space between the two lodge among the branches of the beach with him strong arms ready to clasp her as she came and to withstand the shock and to hold her safely he promised and to enforce his plea he pointed out that unless they thus took their fate in hand there was starvation awaiting them as they were while carrying out his plan if any accident befell there was only swift though dreadful death to reckon with there was one chance for their lives and that chance must be taken ab called to his young wife crawl out upon a branch above me swing down from it swing hard and throw yourself to me I will catch you and hold you I am strong the woman with all faith in the man still demurred it was a great test even for the times and the occasion but hunger was upon her and she was cold and was naturally very brave she lowered herself and climbed down and reached an out extending limb and there across the gap she saw ab with his strong legs twined about the up reaching branch along which he laid with giant brown arms stretched out confidently and with ice steadily regarding her ice which had love and longing and a lot of fight in them she walked out along the limb holding herself safely by a firm hand hold on the limb above until the one her bare feet rested upon swayed and tipped uncertainly then came her trial of nerve and trust suddenly she stooped caught the lower limb with her hands and then swung beneath it hanging by her hands alone and hand over hand passed herself along until she reached almost its end then she began swaying back and forth she was but a few yards above ab now dangling in midair while below her the two hungry bears had rushed together and were looking upward with red anticipating eyes the ooze coming from their mouths the moment was awful soon she must be a mangled thing devoured by frightful beasts or else a woman with a life renewed she looked at ab and with courage regained prepared for the great effort which must end all or gain a better lease of life she swung back and forth each drawing up an outreach and flexible motion of her arms giving more momentum to the sway and conserving force for the launch of herself she was about to make the desperation and strength of a woodwise creature so bravely combined alone enabled her to obey ab's horse command ab with his arms outstretching in their strength feeling the fierce eyes of the hungry bears below boring into his very heart lean forward and upward as the swing of the woman reached its climax with a cry of warning the woman launched herself and shot downward and forward like a bolt to its mark a very desirable lump of femininity as appearing in midair but one somewhat forcible in its alighting ab was strong but when that girl landed fairly in his brawny arms as she did beautifully it was touch and go for a fraction of a second whether both should fall to the ground together or both be saved he caught her deftly there was a great shock and swing and then with a vast effort there came recovery and the man drew himself shaking back to the support of the branch from which he had been almost wrenched away at the same time placing beside him the object he had just caught there was absolute silence for a moment or two between these unconventional lovers to whom had come escape from a hard situation they were drawing deep breaths and recovering an equilibrium they sat together on the strong branch each of them are secure and for the moment as perfectly at home as if lying on a couch in the cave each of them was panting and each of them rejoicing it was unlikely that upon their trained robust nerves the life endangering episode of a moment could have a more than passing effect they sat so together for some minutes with arms entwined still drawing deep breaths and a little later began to laugh chucklingly as both came to be spared for such exhibition if human feeling gradually the in-drawing and expelling of the glorious air shortened the two had regained their normal condition and abs face lengthened and the lines upon it became more distinct he was all himself again but in no dallying mood he gave a triumphant whoop which echoed through the forest shook his clenched hands savagely at the brutes below and reached toward light foot for the bow which hung on his shoulders. End of Chapter 22 Chapter 23 of the Story of Ab this is the LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Magdalena Cook The Story of Ab by Stanley Waterloo Chapter 23 More of the Honeymoon The brown downy woman knew for an instant what was her husband's mood and immediate intent when he thus shouted and took into his own keeping again the stiff bow which hung about her shoulders. She knew that her lord was not merely in a glad but that he was also in a vengeful frame of mind that he wanted from her what would enable him to kill things and that equipped again he was full of the spirit of fight. She knew that of the four animals grouped together the two huge creatures off the ground later once perched in a treetop the chances were that the condition of those below had suddenly become less preferable. The bow was about ab shoulders instantly and then this preposterous young gentleman of the period turned to the woman and laughed and caught her in one of his arms a little closer and drew her up against him and laid his cheek against her own for a moment and drew it away and laughed again. The kiss it is believed had not fully developed itself in the cave man's time but there were substitutes. Then releasing her he said gleefully and chuckingly follow me and they clamber down the bowl of the beach together until they reached the biggest and very lowest limber ball. It was perhaps 20 feet above the ground a little below their dangling feet the hungry bears heather two more patient now with their expected prey so close at hand becoming desperately excited ran about frothing and foaming and red-eyed and rearing themselves in awful nearness at times in their eagerness to reach the prey which they had so awaited and which to their intelligence seemed about falling into their jaws. They had so driven into trees before and finally consumed exhausted cavemen and women as bears went they were doubtless logical animals. They could not know that they had come into possession of this particular pair of creatures of the sort they had occasionally eating a trifling thing and seeing new string and flint point which was destined henceforth to make a decided change in the relative condition of the biped and quadruped hunters of the time. How could they know that something small and sharp would fly down and sting them more deeply than they had ever been stung before. That it would sting so deeply that their arteries might be cut or their hearts pierced and that then they must lie down and die. The well-thrown spear had been in other ages a vast surprise to the carnivora of the period but there was something yet to learn. When they had reached the huge branch so near the ground both ab and lightfoot were for a moment startled and lifted their feet instinctively but it was only for a moment in the case of the man. He knew that he was perfectly safe and that he had with him an engine of death. He selected his best and strongest arrow he fitted it carefully to the string and then as his mother had done years before above the hyena which sought her child he reached one foot down as far as he could and swung it back and forth tantalizingly just above the larger of the hungry beast below. The monster fierce with hunger and the desire for prey roared aloud and upreared himself by the tree trunk and tore the bark with his strong claws throwing back his great head as he looked upward at the quarry so near him and yet just beyond his reach. This was the man's opportunity. Ab drew back the arrow till the flint head rested close by his outstanding hand and the tough wood of the bow creaked under the thrust of his muscle-darm. Then he released the shaft. So close together were man and bear that the archer's skill of aim was not required. The brown target could not be missed. The arrow struck with a tear and the flint head drove through skin and tissue till its point protruded at the back of the great brute's neck. The bear fell backward, then rose again and reached blindly at its neck with its huge forepaws, while from where the arrow had entered the blood came out in spurts. Suddenly the bear ceased its appalling roar and started for the cave. There had come to it the instinct which makes such great beasts seek to die alone. It rushed at the narrow entrance but its course was scarcely noted by the couple in the tree. The other bear, the female, was seeking to reach them in no less savage mood and animated her stricken mate. Not often, when the caveman first learned the use of the bow, came to him such fortune with a first strong shot as that which had so come to ab. Again he selected a good arrow. Again shot his strongest and best, but the shaft only buried itself in the shoulder and served but to drive to absolute madness the raging creature thus sorely hurt. The forest echoed with a roaring of the infuriated animal and as she reared herself clamouring against the tree the tough fibre was rendered away in great slivers and the man and woman were glad that the trunk was thick and that they owned a natural citadel. Again and again did Ab discharge his arrows and still fail to reach a vital part of the terror below. She fairly bristled with the shafts. It was inevitable that she must die, but when the last shot had sped she was still infuriate and apparently as strong as ever. The archer looked down upon her with some measure of despondency in his face, but by no means with despair. He and his bride must wait. That was all. And this he told to Lightfoot. That intelligent and reliable young helpmate of a few hours who had looked upon what had occurred with an odd admiration did not exhibit any depression. Her husband, fortunate Benedict, had produced a great effect upon her by his feet. She felt herself something like a queen. Had she known enough and had the fancies of the Ruth of some thousands of decades later she would have told him how completely thenceforth his people were her people and his gods her gods. The she-bear became finally somewhat quieted. She tore less angrily at the tree and made less of the terrible clamour which had for the moment driven from the immediate region all the inmates of the wood. For none save the cave tiger, she had to be in the immediate neighbourhood of the cave bear. Her roars changed into roaring growls and she wandered staggeringly about. At last she started blindly and weakly toward the forest and just as she had passed beneath its shadow paused, weaved back and forth for a moment and then fell over heavily. She was dead. Not an action of the beast had escaped the eyes of Ab. Well he knew the ways of wounded things. As the bear toppled over he gave utterance to a whoop and, with a word to the girl beside him slid lightly to the ground. She followed him at once. It was very good to be upon the earth again. Ab stamped his feet and stretched his arms and the woman danced upon the grass and laughed gleefully. But this was only for a moment or so. Ab started toward the cave and as he reached the entrance gave a great cry of rage and dismay. Lightfoot ran to her side and even her ready laugh failed her when she looked upon his perplexed and stormy countenance and saw what had happened. The rump of the monster he bear was what she looked upon. The beast, in his instinctive effort to crawl into some dark place to die had fairly driven himself into the cave's entrance dislodging some of the stones Ab had placed there. Had wedged himself infirmly and had died before he could extricate his great carcass. The two human beings were homeless and with all the arrows gone weaponless in the midst of a region so dangerously infested that at any moment a foot was but inviting death. They were hungry too for many hours had passed since they had tasted food. It was not a matter of surprise that even the stout-hearted caveman stood aghast. The occasion for Ab's alarm was fully verified. From the spot where the cave bear lay at the forest edge came a sharp ring hyenas had found the food and a long inquiring howl from another direction told that the wolves had centered it and were gathering. For the instant Ab was himself almost helpless with fear. The woman was simply nervous. Then the man so accustomed to physical danger recovered himself. He sprang forward seized the stout fragment of limb which might serve as a sort of weapon and turning to the woman said only the one word fire. Lightfoot understood and life came to her again. None in all the region could make a fire more swiftly than she. Her quick eye detected just the base she wanted in a punkish fragment of wood and the harder and pointed bit of limb to be used in making the friction. In a time scarcely worth the noting the point was whirling about and burning into the wooden base twirling with a skill and velocity not comprehensible by us today. For the cave people had perfected wonderfully this greatest manual art of the time and lightfoot muscular and enduring was as already said in this thing the cleverest among the clever. Ab with ready club in hand advanced cautiously toward the point at the woods edge where lay the body of the bear. He paused as he came near enough to see what was happening. Four great hyenas were tearing eagerly at the flesh of the dead brood and behind them deeper in the wood were shining eyes and Ab knew that the wolf pack was gathering. The bear consumed the man and woman without defence would surely be devoured. It was a desperate straight but though he was weaponless there was the caveman's great resort the fire and there might be a chance for life. To seek the treetops would be dangerous even now and ones ensconced in such harbourage only starvation was awaiting. He moved back noiselessly with a little apparent motion as possible for he did not want to attract the attention of the gleaming eyes in the distance until he came near life foot again and then he abandoned caution of movement and began tearing frantically at the limbs and debris of the great dead conifer and to build a semi-circular fence in front of the cave entrance. He did the swift work of half a score of men in his desperation and anxiety his great strength serving him well in his compelling straight. Meanwhile the stick twirled and rasped in the hands of the brown woman seated on the ground and at last a tiny thread of smoke arose. The continued friction had done its work. Deft himself at fire-making abnew just what was wanted at this moment and ran to his wife's side with a punk from the dead tree rubbed to a powder in his hard hands. The powder poured gently down upon the point where the increasing heat had brought a gleam of fire burst almost at once into a little flame. What followed was simple and easy. Dry twigs made the slight flame a greater one and then at a dozen different points the wall which Abbe had built was fired. They were safe for the time at least. Behind them was the up-rearing rock in which was the cave and before them almost encircling them completely was the ring of fire which no wild beast would cross. At one end close to the rock a space had been left by Abbe that he and Lightfoot might through it reach the vast door of fuel which lay there ready to the hand and so close that there was no danger in visiting it. Hardly had the flame extended itself along the slight wooden barrier than the whole wood and clearing resounded with terrifying sounds. The wolf pack had increased until strong enough to battle with the hyenas for the remainder of the feast in the wood. And their fight was on. A feeling of terror had passed away from this young bride and groom with the assurance of present safety and Abbe felt the need of eating. There is meat, he said, as he pointed toward the haunches of the bear, half protruding from the rock and there is fire. The fire will cook the meat and besides we are safe. We will eat. The bridegroom of but a day or two said this somewhat grand eloquently but he was not disposed to be vain or grand eloquent a little later. He put his hand to the belt of his furry garb and found no sharp flint knife there. It had been lost in his late tree clamouring he put his hand into the pouch of his cloak and found only the flint skin scraper the scraper with which he had improved the arrow's notch though it was not originally intended for such use. It was all that remained to him of weapon or utensil but it would cut or tear though with infinite effort and the man to reassure the woman laughed and assailed the brown haunch before him. Even with his strength it was difficult for Abbe to penetrate the tough skin of the bear with an implement intended for scraping not for cutting and it was only after he had finally cut or rather dug away enough to enable him to get his fingers under the skin and tear away an area of it by sheer main strength that the flesh was made available. That end once attained there followed a hard transverse digging with a scraper a grasp about tissue of strong impressed fingers and a shred of flesh came away. It was tossed at once to a young person who long twig in hand stood eagerly waiting. She caught the shred as she caught the fine bit of mammoth when first she and Abbe had met and it was at once impaled and thrust into the flames. It was withdrawn it is to be feared a trifle underdone and then it disappeared as did other shreds of excellent bear's meat which came following. It was a sight for a disceptic to note the eating of this bell matron of the region on this somewhat exceptional occasion. Strip after strip did abtear away and toss to his wife until the expression on her face became a shade more peaceful and then it dawned upon him that she was eating and that he was not. There was clamour in his stomach. He sprang away from the bear gave lightfoot the scraper and commanded her to get food for him as he had done for her. The girl complied and did as well as had done the man in digging away the meat. He ate as she had done and at last partly gorged and content allowed her to take her place at the fire and again eat to his serving. He had shown what from the standard of time must be counted as most gallant and generous and courteous demeanour. He had thought a little of the woman. A tiny reel of cold water trickled down one side of the outer door of their cave. With this their thirst was slaked and they ate and ate. The shadows lengthened and ab replenished again and again the fire. In a semicircle of forests all about came the sound of footsteps rustling in the leaves but the two people inside the fire fence hungry no longer were content. Ab talked to his wife. The fire will keep the man eating things away he said. I ran not long ago with things behind me and I would have been eaten had I not come upon a ring of fire like the one we have made. I leaped it and the eaters could not reach me but for the fire I leaped there was no wood it came out of a crack in the ground. Someday we will go there and I will show you that thing which is so strange. The woman listened delighted but at last there was a nodding of the head. She lay back upon the grass a sleepy being. Ab looked at her and thought deeply. Where was safety? As they were one of them must be awake all the time to keep the fire replenished. Until he could enter the cave again he must be weaponless. Only the fire could protect the two. They had heat and food and nothing to fear for the moment but they must fairly eat the way into a safety which would be permanent. He kept the fire alight far into the darkness and then piling the fuel high all along the line of defence he aroused the sleeping woman and told her she must keep the flames bright while he slept in his turn. She was just the wife for such an emergency as this and rose uncomplainingly to do her part of the guarding work. From the forest all about came snarling sounds or threatening growls and eyes blazed in somber depths beneath the trees. There were hungry things out there and they wanted to eat a man and a woman but fire they feared. The woman was not afraid. After hours had passed the man awoke and took the woman's place and she slept in his stead. Morning came and the sounds from the forest died away partly and the man and woman knew of the fierce creatures still lurking there. They knew what was before them. They must delve and eat their way into the cave as soon as possible. Ab scraped at the bear's huge body with his inefficient bit of flint and dug away food in abundance which he heaped up in a little red mound inside the fire but the bear was a monstrous beast and it was a long way from tail to head. The days of the honeymoon passed with a degree of travail for there was no moment when one of the two must not be awake feeding the guarding fire or digging at the bear. They ate still heartily on the second day but it is simple, truthful history to admit that on the sixth day the bear's meat pulled somewhat on the happy couple. To have eaten 30 quails in 30 days or at a pinch 30 quails in two days would have been nothing to either of them but bear's meat eaten as part of what might be called the tunnelling exploit seized finally to possess an attractive flavour. There was a degree of shade cast by all these obtrusive circumstances across this honeymoon but there came a day and hour when the bear was largely eaten and fairly dug away as to much of the rest of him and then quite suddenly his head and forequarters toppled forward into the cave leaving the passage free and when Ab and Lightfoot followed one shouting and the other laughing again to his fortress and his weapons and his power and the other two her hearth and duties. End of Chapter 23 Chapter 24 of the Story of Ab this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Magdalena Cook The Story of Ab by Stanley Waterloo Chapter 24 The Sun rose brightly the next morning and when Ab armed and watchful rolled the big stone away and passed the smouldering fire and issued from the cave into the open the scene he looked upon was fair in every way. Of what had been left of the great bear not a trace remained even the bones had been dragged into the forest by the ravening creatures who had fed there during the night. There were birds singing and there were no enemies in sight. Ab called to Lightfoot and the two went forth together loving and brave but no longer careless in that too interesting region. And so began the home life of these two people. It was in its way and relatively as sweet and delicious as the first home life of any loving and appreciating man and woman of today. The two were very close as the conditions under which they lived demanded. They were the only human beings within a radius of miles. The family of the caveman of the time was serenely independent each having its own territory and depending upon itself for its existence. And the two troubled themselves about nothing. Who better than they could daily win the means of animal subsistence? Ab taught Lightfoot the art of cracking away the flakes of the flint nodules and of the finer chipping and rasping which made perfect the spear and arrowheads and never was the pupil swifter in the learning. He taught her too the use of his new weapon and in all his life he did no wiser thing. It was not long before she became easily his superior with the bow as far as her strength would allow and her strength was far from insignificant. Her arrows flew with greater accuracy than his. Though the buzzing shaft had not as yet and did not have for many centuries later the grey goose feather which made the doing of its mission far more certain. The foot brought to the cave the Cape of Calcy and willow grouse and other birds which were good things for the latter and Ab looked on admiringly even in their joint hunting when there was a half rivalry he was happy in her. Somehow the arrow sang more merrily when it flew from Lightfoot's bow. Better than Ab too could the young wife do rare climbing when in a nest far out upon some branch were eggs good for roasting and which could be reached only by a light weight and she learned the woods about them well and though ever-dreading when alone found where were the trees from which fell the greater store of nuts and where in the mud along the river side her long and highly educated toes could reach the clams which were excellent to feed upon but never did the hunter leave the cave without a fear. Ever even in the daytime was there too much rustling among the leaves of the near forest. Ever when the day had gone under padded feet on the sword above the cave's blocked entrance ever at night looking out through the narrow space between the heap rocks could the two inside the cave see fears and blazing eyes and there would come to them the sound of snails and growls as the beasts of different quality met one another. Yet the two cared little for these fearful surroundings of the darkness they were safe enough. In the morning there were no signs of the lurking beasts of prey and so Abyn Lightfoot had the strain of constant watchfulness upon them it may be that because of this ever present peril the two grew closer together. It could not well be otherwise with human beings thus bound and isolated and facing and living upon the rest of nature part of it seeking always their own lives. They became a wonderfully loving couple as love went in that rude time. Despite the two wearing outlook imposed upon them because they were in so dangerous a locality they were very happy. Yet one day came a difference and a hurt. Oak apparently forgotten by others was remembered by Ab though never spoken of. Sometimes the man had tossed upon his bed of leaves and had muttered in his sleep and the one word he had most often spoken in his troubled dreaming was the name of Oak. Early in their married life Lightfoot to whom the memory of the dead man so little had she known him was a far less haunting thing than to her husband had suddenly broken a silence saying where is Oak? There was no answer but the look of the man of whom she had asked the question was such that she was glad to creep from his sight unharmed. Yet once again months later she forgot herself and mocked Ab when he had been boastful over some exploit of strength and courage and when he had seemed to say that he knew no fear. To tease him sprang up with a face convulsed and agonised and with the staring eyes and hands opening and shutting had cried out, Oak! Oak! as she had seen Ab do at night. Her mimic terror was changed on the moment into reality. With the shutter and then with the glare in his eyes the man leaped toward her snatching his great axe from his belt and swinging it above her head. The woman shrieked and shrank to the ground. The man whirled the weapon aloft and his face twitching convulsively checked its descent. He may in that moment have thought of what followed the slaying of the other who had been close to him. There was no death done but then's force Lightfoot never uttered aloud the name of Oak. She became more sedate and grave of bearing. The episode was but a passing though not a forgotten one in the lives of the two. The months went by and there were tranquil hours in the cave as at night and Lightfoot boasted off the arrow heads she had learned to make so well. Sometimes Old Mock would be rode up the river to them by the sturdy and venturesome bark who had grown into a particularly fine youth and who now cared for nothing more than his big brother's admiration. Between Old Mock and Lightfoot to Ab's great delight grew up the warmest friendship. The old man taught the woman more of the details of good arrow making and all he knew of Woodcraft in all ways. And the Lord of the place soon found his wife giving opinions with an air of the utmost knowledge and authority. Whatever came to him from her and Old Mock pleased him. And when she told him of some of the finer points of arrow making he stretched out his brawny arms and laughed. But there came a time, a shade upon the face of the man, the incident of the talk of Oak may have brought to his mind again more freshly and keenly the memory of the fire country. There he had found safety and great comfort. Why should not he and Lightfoot seize upon this home and live there? It was a wonderful place and warm and there were forests at hand. He became so absorbed in his own thoughts on this great theme that the woman who was his could not understand his mood. But one day he told her of what he had been thinking and of what he had resolved upon. I am going to the fire country armed this time with spear and axe and bow and arrow and with food abundant in the pouch of his skin garb Ab left the cave in which Lightfoot was now to stay most of the time well barricaded for that she was to hunt a far alone in such a region was not even to be thought of. What thoughts came to the man as he traversed again the forest paths where he had so pondered as he once ran before can be but guessed at. Certainly he had learned no more of Oak. Lightfoot left alone in the cave became at once the most discreet and careful personage for one of her buoyant and daring temperament. She had often taken risks since her marriage but there was always a chance of finding within the sound of her voice her big mate Ab should danger overtake her. She remained close to the cave and when early dust came she lugged the stone barriers into place and built a night fire within the entrance. The fierce and hungry beasts of the wood came as usual lurking and sniffing harshly about the entrance and when she ventured there and peered outside she saw the wicked and leering eyes. Alone and a little alarmed she became more vengeful than she would have been with the big careless Ab beside her. She would have sport with her bow. The advantage of the bow is that it requires no swing of space for its works as is demanding of the flung spear. An arrow may be sent through a mere loophole with no probable demerit as to what it will accomplish. So the woman brought her strongest bow and far beyond the rough bow of Ab's first mate was the bow they now possessed and gathered together many of the arrows she could make so well and use so well and thus equipped went again to the cave's entrance and through the space between the heaped rocks of the doorway sent toward the eyes of the wolf or cave hyena shafts to which they were unaccustomed but which somehow pierced and could find mid-body quite as well as the caveman's spear. There was a certain comfort in the work though it could not affect her condition in one way or another. It was only something of a gain to drive the eyes away. Ab reached the fire valley again. He found it as comfortable and untenanted as when the leap through the ring of flame had saved his life. He clambered up the creek and wandered along its banks where the grass was green because of the warmth about and studied the qualities of the naturally defended valley. I will make my home here, he said. Lightfoot shall come with me. The man returned to his cave and his lonely mate again and told her of the fire country. He said that in the fire valley they would be safer and happier and told her how he had found an opening underneath the cliff which they could soon enlarge into a cave to meet all wants. Not that a cave was really needed in a fire valley but they might have one if they cared for what was glad of the departure. The pair gathered their belongings together and there was a long journey over again which Ab had just accomplished but it was far different from either journey that he had made. There with him was his wife and he was all equipped and was to begin a new sort of life which would, he felt, be good. Lightfoot bearing her load gallantly was not less jubilant as a matter of plain fact. Though Lightfoot had been happy in the cave she had always recognised certain of its disadvantages as had in the end her fearless husband. It is in a general way vexations to live in a locality where as soon as you leave your hearthstone you incur at least a chance of an exciting and uncomfortable episode and then lodgment in the moor of some imposing creature of the carnivora. Lightfoot was quite ready to seek with Ab the fire valley of which he had so often told her. She was a plucky young matron of her dreams. There were no adventures on the journey worth relating. The fire valley was reached at nightfall and the two struggled wearedly up the rugged path beside the creek which issued from the valley's western end. As they reached the level Ab threw down his burden as did Lightfoot and as the woman's eyes roved over the bright scene she gave a great gasp of delight. It is our home she cried. The eighton slept in the light rooms and when the day came they began the work of enlarging what was to be their cave. But though they worked earnestly they did not care so much for the prospective shelter as they might have done. What a cave had given was warmth and safety. Here they had both out of doors and under the clear sky. It was a new and glorious life. Sometimes though happy the woman worked a little wearily and not long after the settlement of the two in their new home a son, robust and sturdy who came afterward to be known as Little Mock. End of Chapter 24 Chapter 25 of The Story of Ab This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Roger Maline The Story of Ab by Stanley Waterloo Chapter 25 A Great Step Forward There came to Ab and Lightfoot that comfort which comes with laboring for something desired. In all that the two did amid their pleasant surroundings life became a greater thing because its dangers were so lessened and its burdens lightened. But they were not long the sole human beings in the Fire Valley. There was room for many and soon Old Mock took up his permanent abode with them for he was most contented when with Ab, who seemed so like a son to him. A cave of his own was dug for Mock where, with his carving and his making of arrows and spearheads he was happy in his old age. Soon followed a hajira which made, for the first time, a community. The whole family of Ab had one ear, red spot and bark and beechleaf and the later ones all came and another cave was made. And then Old Hilltop was persuaded to follow the example and come with moon face and branch and stone arm, his big sons and the group, thus established and naturally protected feared nothing which might happen. The effect of daily counsel together soon made itself distinctly felt under circumstances so different many of the old ways were departed from. Half a mile to the south the creek which made a bend down its course, tumbled into the river and upon the river were wild fowl and abundance and in its depths were fish. The forest abounded in game and there were great nut-bearing trees and the wild fruits in their season. Wild bees hovered over the flowers in the open places and there were hordes of wild honey to be found in the hollows of deaden trunks or in the high rock crevices. A great honey-gatherer, by the way was Lightfoot who could climb so well and who furthermore had her own fancy for sweet things. It was either bark or moon face who usually accompanied her on her expeditions and they brought back great store of this attractive spoil. The years passed and the community grew not merely in numbers but intelligence. Though always an advisor with old mock, Abbe's chief male companion in adventure was the staunch hill-top who was a man worth hunting with. Having two such men to lead and with a force so strong behind them the valley-people were able to cope with the more dangerous animals venturesomely and soon these was so decreased that even the children might venture a little way beyond the steep barriers which had been raised where the flame-circle had its gaps. The opening to the north was closed by a high stone wall and that along the creek defended as effectively in a different way. They were having good times in the valley. At first the home of all was in the caves dug in the soft rock of the ledge for those who came to the novel refuge there was for a season none who could sleep in the bright light from the never waning flames. There came a time though when in mid-summer Abbe grumbled at the heat within his cave and he and Lightfoot built for themselves an outside refuge made of a bark-covered lean-to of long branches propped against the rock. Thus was the first house made. The habitation proved so comfortable that others in the valley imitated it and soon there was a hive of similar huts along the foot of the overhanging precipice. When the short, sharp winter came all did not seek their caves again but the huts were made warmer by the addition to their walls of bark and skins and cave-dwelling in the valley was finally abandoned. There was one exception. Old Muck would not leave his warm retreat and as long as he lived his rock borough was his home. There came also as recruits young men friends of the young men of the valley and the band waxed and waned for nothing could at once change the roving and independent habits of the cavemen. But there came children to the mothers, the broad moon-face being especially to the fore in this regard, and a fine group of youngsters played and straggled up and down the creek and fought valiantly together as cave children should. The heads of families were friendly though independent. Usually they lived each without any reference to anyone else but when a great hunt was on or any emergency called the band came together and fought for the time under Abbe's tacitly admitted leadership and the young men brought from the country round. The area of improvement widened. Around the fire village the zones of safety spread. The roar of the great cave-tiger was less often heard within miles of the flaming torches of the valley so inhabited. There grew into existence something almost like a system of traffic for from distant parts hitherto unknown came other cavemen bringing skins or flints or tusks for carving which they were eager to exchange for the new weapon and for instruction in its uses. Abbe was the first chieftain the first to draw about him a clan of followers. The cavemen were taking their first lesson in a slight half-unconfessed obedience that first essential of community life were there is yet no law, not even the law of custom. Running in and out among the children sometimes pummeled by them were a score or two of gray, forefooted bone-awaiting creatures who, though as yet uncounted in such relation, were destined to furnish a factor in man's advancement. They were wolves and yet no longer wolves. They had learned to cling to man but were not yet intelligent or taught enough to aid him in his hunting. They were the dogs of the future. The forefooted things destined to become the closest friend of man of future ages the descendants of the four cubs Abbe and Oak had taken from the dens so many years before. It was humanizing for the children this association of such a number together, though they ran only a little more than those who had hitherto been born in the isolated caves. There came more of an average of intelligence among them, thus associated, though but little more attention was paid them than the cavemen had afforded offspring in the past. There had come to Abbe after little mock two strong sons, reindeer and sure-aim, very much like him and his youth, but of them until they reached the age of help and hunting he saw little. Lightfoot regarded them far more closely, for despite the many duties which had come upon her, there never disappeared the mother's tenderness and watchfulness. And so it was with moon-face, whose brood was so great and who was like a noisy hen with chickens. So existed the hovering mother instinct with all the women of nature's fished and hunted and had stirring events to distract them from domesticity and close affection almost as much as had the men. From this oddly formed community came a difference in certain ways of doing certain things which changed man's status, which made a revolution second only to that made by the bow and for which even men of thought have not accounted as they should have done with the more of them in our own times of what has followed so swiftly the use of steam and later of electricity. Men right of and wonder at the strange gap between what are called the paleolithic and the neolithic ages, that is, between the ages when the spearheads and axe and arrowheads were of stone chipped roughly into shape and the age of stone even edged and smoothly polished. There was really no gap worth speaking of. The paleolithic age changed as suddenly into the neolithic as the age of horsepower changed into that of steam and electricity, allowance being always made for the slower transmission of a new intelligence in the days when men lived alone and when a hundred years in the diffusion of knowledge was as a year today. One day Ab went into a cave grumbling I shot an arrow into a great deer, he said, and I was close and shot it with all my force, but the beast ran before it fell and we had far to carry the meat. I tore the arrow from him and the blood upon the shaft showed that it had not gone half way in. I looked at the arrow and there was a jagged point uprising from its side. How can a man drive deeply an arrow which is so rough? Are you getting too old to make good spears and arrows, Muck? And the man fumed a little. Old Muck made no reply, but he thought long and deeply after Ab had left the cave. Certainly Ab must have good arrows. Was there any way of bettering them? And the next day the crippled old man might have been seen looking for something beside the creek where it found its exit from the valley. There were stones ground into smoothness, tossed up along the shore, and the old man studied them most carefully. Many times he had bent over a stream, watching, thinking, but this time he acted. He noted a small sandstone block against which were rasping stones of harder texture this from the tumbling current and carried it to his cave. Then pouring a little water upon a depression in the stone's face, he selected his best big arrowhead and began rubbing it upon the wet sandstone. It was a weary work for flint and standstone or different things, and flint is much the harder, but there came a slow result. Smoother and smoother became the arrowhead, and two days later, for all the waking hours of two days were required in the weary grinding, old muck gave to Ab an arrow as smooth of surface and keen of edge as ever flew from bow while stone was used. And not many years passed, as years are counted in old history, before the smooth stone weaponhead became the common property of cavemen. The time of chip stone had ended, and that of smooth stone had begun. There was no space between them to be counted now. One swiftly became the other. It was a matter of necessity, this exhibition of enterprise and sense by the early man in the prompt general utilization of a new discovery. And not alone in the improvements in means which came when men of the hunting type gathered in a community were the bow and the smooth implements, though these were the greatest of the discoveries of the epoch. The fishermen who went to the river were not content with the raft-like devices of the aquatic shell people and learned in time that hollowed logs would float and that with the aid of fire and flint axes, a great log could be hollowed. And never a Phoenician ship or a Fulton of the steamer, never a modern designer of great yachts, stood higher in the estimation of his fellows than stood the expert in the making of the rude boats as uncouth in appearance as the river horse which sometimes upset them but from which men could at least let down their lines or dart their spears to secure the fish in the teeming waters. And the fishermen had better spears and hooks now for comparison was necessarily always made among devices and bone-barbs and hooks were whittled out from which the fish no longer often floundered. There came in time the making of rude nets plated simply from the tough marsh grasses but they served the purpose and lessened somewhat the gravity of the great food question. End of Chapter 25 Recording by Roger Maline