Things were as they had always been and would always
be as they were.
That these strange creatures have existed thus for incalculable
ages it can scarce be doubted, so marked are the indications of
antiquity about their dwellings--deep furrows worn by naked feet in
living rock; the hollow in the jamb of a stone doorway where many
arms have touched in passing; the endless carvings that cover,
ofttimes, the entire face of a great cliff and all the walls and
ceilings of every cave and each carving wrought by a different hand,
for each is the coat of arms, one might say, of the adult male who
traced it.
And so Pan-at-lee found this ancient cave homelike and familiar.
There was less litter within than she had found without and what
there was was mostly an accumulation of dust. Beside the doorway
was the niche in which wood and tinder were kept, but there remained
nothing now other than mere dust. She had however saved a little
pile of twigs from the debris on the porch. In a short time she had
made a light by firing a bundle of twigs and lighting others from
this fire she explored some of the inner rooms. Nor here did she
find aught that was new or strange nor any relic of the departed
owners other than a few broken stone dishes. She had been looking
for something soft to sleep upon, but was doomed to disappointment
as the former owners had evidently made a leisurely departure,
carrying all their belongings with them.
Pages:
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96