ke you Chief and to
lead you from this trap that Uglik had brought you into, but you have
sealed your doom and hers. I go to prepare a curse."

She turned to depart, but Anak grasped her by the arm.

"Listen, woman," he said sternly as he raised his spear, "it is in my
mind to kill you and make an end of your evil plottings."

"Spare me! Spare me, noble Anak!" shrieked the hag, dropping to her
knees as the flint point of Anak's spear hovered over her. "I will not
harm her nor you, either. I will soften Uglik's heart toward you and
make him give you the maiden. I will declare it is the will of the God."

Anak lowered the spear.

"As long as Una is safe, your life is spared," he said grimly; "but pray
to Degar Astok to keep her safe. Should any harm befall her, your life
will answer for it."

"I will weave spells to guard her from harm, Anak," she cried eagerly.
"Only let me live, brave hunter!"

Anak spurned her contemptuously from him. The hag scuttled away and took
the path into the woods which Uglik had taken earlier. Later in the day
she returned with the Father. Uglik announced briefly that it was the
will of Degar Astok that they remain at their present camping place.

* * * * *

Then began a time of horror for the children of the tribe. If one of
them strayed for even a short distance from the circle of the camp fire
at night, there came a scream from the darkness and the tribe would
mourn another lost member. The tales of man-eating giants and ogres
which even yet haunt the dreams of childhood have descended to us
through the ages from those grim times when the race of men learned the
lesson of fear of the dark that they are now slowly and painfully
unlearning.

Anak did not renew his request for Una. He knew from her smiles that the
maiden was more than willing to become his property, but in the face of
their daily peril, he was not willing to precipitate a crisis which
might easily cost the tribe most or all of their few remaining warriors.
He kept a sharp watch on Esle and on Uglik, but neither the High
Priestess nor the Father seemed to notice the girl.

As time went on, the Neanderthalers lost their fear of the fire and grew
bolder. Their gray shapes could be seen prowling around at night, just
outside the protecting circle of light. The climax came at last. There
was a scream in the night. A howl of triumph came from the darkness. The
quickly aroused hunters could