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As he watched her he saw a man ascending also, but several
ledges higher than the girl. The fellow came swiftly and
noiselessly to the very ledge where Tanar stood. Paying no
attention to the Sarian, he slunk cautiously along the ledge to the
mouth of the cave next to that of Scurv. Drawing his stone knife
from his loin cloth he crept within, and a moment later Tanar
heard the sounds of screams and curses and then two men
rolled from the mouth of the cave, locked in a deadly embrace.
One of them was the fellow whom Tanar had just seen enter the
cave. The other was a younger man and smaller and less
powerful than his antagonist. They were slashing desperately at
one another with their stone knives, but the duel seemed to be
resulting in more noise than damage.
At this juncture, a woman came running from the cave. She
was armed with the leg bone of a thag and with this she sought to
belabor the older man, striking vicious blows at his head and
body.
This attack seemed to infuriate the fellow to the point of
madness, and, rather than incapacitating him, urged him on to
redoubled efforts.
Presently he succeeded in grasping the knife hand of his
opponent and an instant later he had driven his own blade into
the heart of his opponent.
With a scream of anguish the woman struck again at the older
man's head, but she missed her target and her weapon was
splintered on the stone of the ledge. The victor leaped to his feet
and seizing the body of his opponent hurled it over the cliff, and
then grabbing the woman by the hair he dragged her about,
shrieking and cursing, as he sought for some missile wherewith
to belabor her.
As Tanar stood watching the disgusting spectacle he became
aware that someone was standing beside him and, fuming, he
saw that Gura had returned. She stood there straight as an
arrow, balancing the water vessel upon her head.
"It is terrible," said Tanar, nodding toward the battling
couple.
Gura shrugged indifferently. "It is nothing," she said. "Her
mate returned unexpectedly. That is all."
"You mean," asked Tanar, "that this fellow is her mate and
that the other was not?"
"Certainly," said Gura, "but they all do it. What can you expect
where there is nothing but hate," and walking to the entrance to
her father's cave she set the water vessel down within the
shadows just inside the entrance. Then she sat down and leaned
her back against the cliff, paying no more attention to the
matrimonial difficulties of her neighbor.
Tanar, for the first time, noticed the girl particularly. He saw
that she had neither the cunning expression that characterized
Jude and all of the other Himeans he had seen; nor were there
the lines of habitual irritation and malice upon her face; instead
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it reflected an innate sadness and he guessed that she looked
much like her mother might have when she was Gura's age.
Tanar crossed the ledge and sat down beside her. "Do your
people always quarrel thus?" he asked.
"Always, replied Gura.
"Why? "he asked.
"I do not know," she replied. "They take their mates for life
and are permitted but one and though both men and women
have a choice in the selection of their mates they never seem to
be satisfied with one another and are always quarreling, usually
because neither one nor the other is faithful. Do the men and
women quarrel thus in the land from which you come?"
' 'No,'' replied Tanar.' 'They do not. If they did they would be
thrown out of the tribe."
"But suppose that they find that they do not like one an-
other?" insisted the girl.
"Then they do not live together," replied Tanar. "They
separate and if they care to they find other mates.''
"That is wicked," said Gura. "We would kill any of our people
who did such a thing."
Tanar shrugged and laughed.
At least we are all a very happy people,'' he said,' 'which is
more than you can say for yourselves, and, after all, happiness,
it seems to me, is everything."
The girl thought for some time, seemingly studying an idea
that was new to her.
"Perhaps you arc right," she said, presently. "Nothing could
be worse than the life that we live. My mother tells me that it was
not thus in her country, but now she is as bad as the rest."
"Your mother is not a Himean?" asked Tanar.
"No, she is from Amiocap. My father captured her there when
she was young."
"That accounts for the difference," mused Tanar.
"What differcnce?" she asked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you are not like the others, Gura," he replied.
''You neither look like them nor act like them neither you nor
your brother, Balal.''
"Our mother is an Amiocapian," she replied. "Perhaps we
inherited something from her and then again, and most
important, we are young and, as yet, have no mates. When that
time comes we shall grow to be like the others, just as our
mother has grown to be like them.''
' 'Do many of your men take their mates from Amiocap?''
asked Tanar.
Many try to, but few succeed for as a rule they are driven
away or killed by the Amiocapian warriors. They have a landing
place upon the coast of Amiocap in a dark cave beneath a high
cliff and often Himean warriors who land there scarce one
returns, and he not always with an Amiocapian mate. There is a
tribe living along our coast that has grown rich by crossing to
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Amiocap and bringing back the canoes of the warriors, who have
crossed for mates and have died at the hands of the Amiocapian
warriors.''
For a few moments she was silent, absorbed in thought. "I
should like to go to Amiocap," she mused, presently.
"Why? "asked Tanar.
"Perhaps I should find there a mate with whom I might be
happy," she said.
Tanar shook his head sadly. "That is impossible, Gura," he
said.
"Why?" she demanded. "Am I not beautiful enough for the
Amiocapian warriors?"
"Yes," he replied, "you are very beautiful, but if you went to
Amiocap they would kill you."
"Why?" she demanded again.
"Because, although your mother is an Amiocapian, your
father is not," explained Tanar.
"That is their law?" asked Gura, sadly.
"Yes, "replied Tanar.
"Well," she said with a sigh, "then I suppose I must remain
here and seek a mate whom I shall learn to hate and bring
children into the world who will hate us both.
"It is not a pleasant outlook," said Tanar.
"No she said, and then after a pause, "unless
"Unless, what?" asked the Sarian.
"Nothing," said Gura.
For a time they sat in silence, each occupied with his own
thoughts, Tanar's being filled to the exclusion of all else by the
face and figure of Stellara.
Presently the girl looked up at him. "What are you going to do
after you find Jude?" she asked.
"I am going to kill him," replied Tanar.
"And then?" she queried.
I do not know,'' said the Sarian.' 'If I find the one whom I
believe to be with Jude we shall try to return to Amiocap."
Why do you not remain here?'' asked Gura. I wish that you
would."
Tanar shuddered. "I would rather die," he said.
"I do not blame you much," said the girl, "but I believe there
is a way in which you might be happy even in Hime."
"How?" asked Tanar.
Gura did not answer and he saw tears come to her eyes, Then
she arose hurriedly and entered the cave.
Tanar thought that Scurv would never be done with his sleep.
He wanted to talk to him and arrange for a guide to the village of
Jude, but it was Sloo who first emerged from the cave.
She eyed him sullenly. "You still here?" she demanded.
"I am waiting for Scurv to send a guide to direct me to the
village of Jude,'' replied the Sarian. I shall not remain here an
instant longer than is necessary."
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"That will be too long," growled Sloo, and turning on her
heels she reentered the cave.
Presently Balal emerged, rubbing his eyes. "When will Scurv
send me on my way?" demanded Tanar. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
