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cal… culated to do a hundred services for any ten the original pebble could have done； but still unhandled； small in force； imperfectnow tell me； which of your amiable ancestors first put a handle to the fashioned flint； and how he thought of it？〃
The workman had done his flake by now； and wrapping it in a bit of skin； put it carefully in his belt before turning to answer my question。
〃Who made the first handle for the first flint； you of the many questions？ She didshe； the Mother；〃 he suddenly cried； patting the earth with his brown hand； and working himself up as he spoke； 〃made it in her heart for us her first…born。 See； here is such as the first handled weapon that ever came out of darkness；〃 and he snatched from the ground； where it had lain hidden under his fox…skin cloak； a heavy club。 I saw in an instant how it was。 The club had been a sapling； and the sapling's roots had grown about and circled with a splendid grip a lump of native flint。 A woodman had pulled the sapling； found the flint； and fashioned the two in a moment of happy inspiration； the one to an axe…head and the other to a handle； as they lay Nature…welded！
〃This； I say； is the firstthe first！〃 screamed the old fellow as though I were contradicting him； thumping the ground with his weapon； and working himself up to a fury as its black magic entered his being。 〃This is the first： with this I slew Hetter and Gur； and those who plundered my hiding… places in the woods； with this I have killed a score of others； bursting their heads； and cracking their bones like dry sticks。 With thiswith this〃 but here his rage rendered him in… articulate； he stammered and stuttered for a minute； and then as the killing fury settled on him his yellow teeth shut with a sudden snap； while through them his breath rattled like wind through dead pine branches in December； the sinews sat up on his hands as his fingers tightened upon the axe…heft like the roots of the same pines from the ground when winter rain has washed the soil from beneath them； his small eyes gleamed like baleful planets； every hair upon his shaggy back grew stiff and erectanother minute and my span were ended。
With a leap from where I sat I flew at that hairy beast； and sinking my fists deep in his throttle； shook him till his eyes blazed with delirious fires。 We waltzed across the short green… sward； and in and about the tree…trunks； shaking； pulling； and hitting as we went； till at last I felt the man's vigour dy… ing within him； a little more shaking； a sudden twist； and he was lying on the ground before me； senseless and civil！ That is the worst of some orators； I thought to myself； as I gloomily gathered up the scattered fragments of my lunch； they never know when they have said enough； and are too apt to be carried away by their own arguments。
That inhospitable village was left behind in full belief the mountain looming in the south could be reached before nightfall； while the road to its left would serve as a sure guide to food and shelter for the evening。 But； as it turned out； the morning's haze developed a strong mist ere the afternoon was half gone； through which it was impossible to see more than twenty yards。 My hill loomed gigantic for a time with a tantalising appearance of being only a mile or two ahead； then wavered； became visionary； and finally disap… peared as completely as though the forest mist had drunk it up bodily。
There was still the road to guide me； a fairly well… beaten track twining through the glades； but even the best of highways are difficult in fog； and this one was compli… cated by various side paths； made probably by hunters or bark…cutters； and without compass or guide marks it was necessary to advance with extreme caution； or get helplessly mazed。
An hour's steady tramping brought me nowhere in particu… lar； and stopping for a minute to consider； I picked a few wild fruit； such as my wood…cutter friend had eaten； from an overhanging bush； and in so doing slipped； the soil having now become damp； and in falling broke a branch off。 The incident was only important from what follows。 Picking myself up； perhaps a little shaken by the jolt； I set off again upon what seemed the plain road； and being by this time displeased by my surroundings； determined to make a push for 〃civilization〃 before the rapidly gathering darkness set… tled down。
Hands in pockets and collar up； I marched forward at a good round pace for an hour； constantly straining eyes for a sight of the hill and ears for some indications of living beings in the deathly hush of the shrouded woods； and at the end of that time； feeling sure habitations must now be near； arrived at what looked like a little open space； some… how seeming rather familiar in its vague outlines。
Where had I seen such a place before？ Sauntering round the margin； a bush with a broken branch sud… denly attracted my attentiona broken bush with a long slide in the mud below it； and the stamp of Navy boots in the soft turf！ I glared at those signs for a moment； then with an exclamation of chagrin recognised them only too wellit was the bush whence I had picked the fruit； and the mark of my fall。 An hour's hard walking round some accursed woodland track had brought me exactly back to the point I had started fromI was lost！
It really seemed to get twenty per cent darker as I made that abominable discovery； and the position dawned in all its uncomfortable intensity。 There was nothing for it but to start off again； this time judging my direction only by a light breath of air drifting the mist tangles before it； and therein I made a great mistake； for the breeze had shifted several points from the quarter whence it blew in the morning。
Knowing nothing of this； I went forward with as much lightheartedness as could be managed； humming a song to myself； and carefully putting aside thoughts of warmth and supper； while the dusk increased and the great forest vegetation seemed to grow ranker and closer at every step
Another disconcerting thing was that the ground sloped gradually downwards； not upwards as it should have done； till it seemed the path lay across the flats of a forest…covered plain； which did not conform to my wish of striking a road on the foot…hills of the mountain。 However； I plodded on； drawing some small comfort from the fact that as darkness came the mist rose from the ground and appeared to con… dense in a ghostly curtain twenty feet overhead； where it hung between me and a clear night sky； presently illum… ined by starlight with the strangest effect。
Tired； footsore； and dejected； I struggled on a little further。 Oh for a cab； I laughed bitterly to myself。 Oh for even the humble necessary omnibus of civilisation。 Oh for the humblest tuck…shop where a mug of hot coffee and a snack could be had by a homeless wanderer； and as I thought and plodded savagely on； collar up； hands in pockets； through the black tangles of that endless wood； suddenly the sound of wailing children caught my ear！
It was the softest； saddest music ever mortal listened to。 It was as though scores of babes in pain were dropping to sleep on their mothers' breasts； and all hushing their sor… rows with one accord in a common melancholy chorus。 I stood spell…bound at that elfin wailing； the first sound to break the deathly stillness of the road for an hour or more； and my blood tingled as I listened to it。 Nevertheless； here was what I was looking for； where there were weeping children there must be habitations； and shelter； andsplendid thought！supper。 Poor little babes！ their crying was the deadliest； sweetest thing in sorrows I ever listened to。 If it was cholicwhy； I knew a little of medicine； and in gratitude for that prospective supper； I had a soul big enough to cure a thousand； and if they were in disgrace； and by some quaint Martian fashion had suffered simul… taneous punishment for baby offences； I would plead for them。
In fact； I fairly set off at the run towards the sobbing； in the black； wet； night air ahead； and； tripping as I ran； looked down and saw in the filtering starlight that the forest grass had given place to an ancient roadway； paved with moss…grown flag…stones； such as they still used in Seth。
Without stopping to think what that might mean I hur… ried on； the wailing now right ahead； a tremulous tumult of gentle grief rising and falling on the night air like the sound of a sea after a storm； and so； presently； in a minute or two； came upon a ruined archway spanning the lonely road； held together by great masses of black…fingered creep… ers； gaunt and ghostly in the shadows； an extraordinary and unexpected vision； and as I stopped with a jerk under that forbidding gateway and glared at its tumbled masonry and great portals hanging rotten at their hinges； suddenly the truth flashed upon me。 I had taken the forbidden road after all。 I was in the ancient； ghost…haunted city of Queen Yang！
CHAPTER XV
The dark forest seemed to shut behind as I entered the gateway of the deserted Hither town； against which my wood…cutter friend had warned me； while inside the soft mist hung in the starlight like grey drapery over endless vistas of ruins。 What was I to do？ Without all was black and