fore the birth of Christ and centered in Southern France and Spain of
today. At the time of the Cro-Magnards' arrival, perhaps 80,000 years
later, Neanderthal Man was nearly extinct, possibly because of climatic
changes due to the recession of the last Ice Age. Cro-Magnon Man, the
first of _Homo Sapiens_ (true men), regarded these ape-like subhumans as
little more than beasts and eventually exterminated them.--Ed.

* * * * *

Even as she told herself this for the hundredth time, she realized such
thoughts were probably empty. The chances were overwhelming that Tharn
had not survived the rigors of the Sepharian Games: battles between men
and between men and beasts for the entertainment of Sephar's populace
and held in honor of the God-Whose-Name-May-Not-Be-Spoken-Aloud. Jotan
and the others had told her many times that no man in all Sephar's
history had ever come through those Games alive.

And even if he should! Would he undertake to follow her across the
almost limitless stretch of plains, mountains and jungles to the country
of Ammad? Even if he should accomplish such a feat--how could he hope to
wrest her from the depths of a stronghold as impenetrable as she
understood Ammad to be?

No, it was unthinkable. She had best wait until the lions were driven
from the encampment below, then slip from her tree and go back to Jotan.
Since the day he had won her from Sephar's high priest he had treated
her with unfailing courtesy and kindness, declaring over and over his
love for her but not once attempting to force his attentions upon her.
After a little while she might allow herself to be won over into
accepting him as her mate. It would be an honored, sheltered life and in
time she might know complete happiness.

Dylara was shaking her head even as these last thoughts were crowding
in. No. Her place was with her own kind, with Majok and the others. It
was a long, long way back to them and in the attempt she might leave her
bones to bleach on some mountain top or disappear down the maw of one of
the great cats. But there was no other acceptable choice--and no time
like the present to get started.

Carefully she began to work her way into the jungle, moving cautiously
far out on a strong limb until she was able to clamber into the branches
of the next tree. The curtain of greenery was too thick for the light of
moon or stars to penetrate, leaving her to grope her way in utter
darkness. Eac