of that ancient man-race--the Alus of a forgotten period--the

speechless man of antiquity.

"Kazor!" cried the girl, and at the same moment the Alus came

jabbering toward us. They made strange growling, barking noises,

as with much baring of fangs they advanced upon us. They were

armed only with nature's weapons--powerful muscles and giant fangs;

yet I knew that these were quite sufficient to overcome us had we

nothing better to offer in defense, and so I drew my pistol and

fired at the leader. He dropped like a stone, and the others turned

and fled. Once again the girl smiled her slow smile and stepping

closer, caressed the barrel of my automatic. As she did so, her

fingers came in contact with mine, and a sudden thrill ran through

me, which I attributed to the fact that it had been so long since

I had seen a woman of any sort or kind.

She said something to me in her low, liquid tones; but I could not

understand her, and then she pointed toward the north and started

away. I followed her, for my way was north too; but had it been

south I still should have followed, so hungry was I for human

companionship in this world of beasts and reptiles and half-men.

We walked along, the girl talking a great deal and seeming mystified

that I could not understand her. Her silvery laugh rang merrily

when I in turn essayed to speak to her, as though my language was

the quaintest thing she ever had heard. Often after fruitless

attempts to make me understand she would hold her palm toward me,

saying, "Galu!" and then touch my breast or arm and cry, "Alu, alu!"

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