It was a red light, and he glowed in itas glows a thing that is rotten. ![]() I saw a lightperchance,Umslopogaas, it was the light of the moon, shining upon him that sataloft at of the cave. But I know this, thatof a sudden I seemed to look up and see. I come to seek thy bones and bear them to thymother for burial.'ĭid I sleep or did I wake? Nay, I cannot tell. 'Hail, Dead One, who sittest like a vulture on a rock I do this onthe Ghost Mountain. Loosing his grip, he looked up,this father of wolves then, making no sound, he sprang straight at mythroat. But he heard my footsteps,or perhaps my shadow fell upon him. So Ilifted the Watcher and sprang into the cave, having it in my mind toslay the wolf before he lifted up his head. Then I saw that now was the time tosmite him, lest when he had killed her he should kill me also. The shewolf grew faint, for the fangs of hermate were buried in her throat. Now allthe place was filled with groans and choking howls, as the wolvesrolled over and over beneath him who sat above, and in the bloodredlight of the dying sun the sight and sounds were so horrid that Itrembled like a child. The wolf saw also: he drew near, sniffed at her, then, knowingthat she was hurt, seized her by the throat and worried her. She fell back, and then Isaw that the leap was her last for that time, for she had oversprungherself, and lay there howling, the black blood flowing from hermouth. Now as I watched, filled with fear and wonder, the shewolf, hertongue lolling from her jaws, made so mighty a bound that she almostreached the hanging foot, and yet not quite. The blowfell on her neck and broke it, so that she rolled over and at once wasdead. ![]() I saw, and crept softly behind her, then,lifting the Watcher, I dashed him down with all my strength. ![]() They may be killed by man alone, and that hardly.There she stood, and yet she did not look at me or on her dead mate,but at him who sat above. Then I looked at mywounds they were not deep, for the leather bag had saved me, yet Ifeel them to this hour, for there is poison in the mouth of a wolf.Presently I glanced up, and saw that the shewolf had found her feetagain, and stood as though unhurt for this is the nature of theseghosts, Umslopogaas, that, though they fight continually, they cannotdestroy each other. Presently I sat up on the ground, and, placingthe handle of the Watcher between his jaws, I forced them open,freeing my flesh from the grip of his teeth. Then I yelled with pain and rage,and lifting the Watcher endways, drove it down with both hands, as aman drives a stake into the earth, and that with so great a strokethat the skull of the wolf was shattered like a pot, and he fell dead,dragging me with him. Yet he ran atme on three feet, and, though the club fell on his side, he seized mewith his teeth, biting through that leather bag, which was wound aboutmy middle, into the flesh behind. Thistime I leaped aside and struck downwards, and the blow fell upon hisright leg and broke it, so that he could spring no more. But there he would not say, for,rising before I could smite again, once more he sprang at me. The blow met him in midair it fell full on his chest andstruck him backwards to the earth. I saw him, and whirling the Watcher aloft, I smote with all mystrength. And when the sun was down Galazi took up his tale. ![]() In the evening he returned, bearing a buck upon hisshoulders, and they skinned the buck and ate of it as they sat by thefire. Still, all that day he rested in the cave, while Galazi wentout to hunt. On the morrow Umslopogaas awoke, and knew that strength was growing onhim fast.
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