ot, where it held.

Interested, but with no hint of comprehension in her bright eyes, she
looked upon the first bow--the stupendous product of a child and a
woman playing.

The child, displeased at this new, useless thing, and wanting his whip
back, tried to snatch the bow from his mother's hands. But she pushed
him off. She liked this new toy. It looked, somehow, as if it invited
her to do something with it. Presently she pulled the cord, and let it
go again. Tightly strung, it made a pleasant little humming sound.
This she repeated many times, holding it up to her ear and laughing
with pleasure. The boy grew interested thereupon, and wanted to try
the new game for himself. But A-ya was too absorbed. She would not let
him touch it. "Go get another stick," she commanded impatiently; but
quite forgot to see her command obeyed.

As she was twanging the strange implement which had so happily
fashioned itself under her hands, Grom came up behind her. He stepped
carefully over the sprawling brown baby. He was about to pull her
heavy hair affectionately; but his eyes fell upon the thing in her
hands, and he checked himself.

For minute after minute he stood there motionless, watching and
studying the new toy. His eyes narrowed, his brows drew themselves
down broodingly. The thing seemed to him to suggest dim, cloudy, vast
possibilities; and he groped in his brain for some hint of the nature
of these possibilities. Yet as far as he could see it was good for
nothing but to make a faintly pleasant twang for the amusement of
women and children. At last he could keep his hands off it no longer.
"Give it to me," said he suddenly, laying hold of A-ya's wrist.

But A-ya was not yet done with it. She held it away from him, and
twanged it with redoubled vigor. Without further argument, and without
violence, Grom reached out a long arm, and found the bow in his grasp.
A-ya was surprised that such a trifle should seem of such importance
in her lord's eyes; but her faith was great. She shook the wild mane
of hair back from her face, silenced the boy's importunings with an
imperative gesture, and gathered herself with her arms about both
knees to watch what Grom would do with the plaything.

First he examined it minutely, and then he fastened the thong more
securely at either end. He twanged it as A-ya had done. He bent it to
its limit and eased it slowly back again, studying the new force
imprisoned in the changing curve. At last h