Chapter IX

           Red-Eyewasanatavism.Hewasthegreatdiscordantelementinourhorde.Hewasmoreprimitivethananyofus.Hedidnotbelongwithus,yetwewerestillsoprimitiveourselvesthatwewereincapableofacooperativeeffortstrongenoughtokillhimorcasthimout.Rudeaswasoursocialorganization,hewas,nevertheless,toorudetoliveinit.Hetendedalwaystodestroythehordebyhisunsocialacts.Hewasreallyareversiontoanearliertype,andhisplacewaswiththeTreePeopleratherthanwithuswhowereintheprocessofbecomingmen.

           Hewasamonsterofcruelty,whichissayingagreatdealinthatday.Hebeathiswives—notthatheeverhadmorethanonewifeatatime,butthathewasmarriedmanytimes.Itwasimpossibleforanywomantolivewithhim,andyettheydidlivewithhim,outofcompulsion.Therewasnogainsayinghim.

           Nomanwasstrongenoughtostandagainsthim.

           OftendoIhavevisionsofthequiethourbeforethetwilight.Fromdrinking-placeandcarrotpatchandberryswamptheFolkaretroopingintotheopenspacebeforethecaves.Theydarelingernolaterthanthis,forthedreadfuldarknessisapproaching,inwhichtheworldisgivenovertothecarnageofthehuntinganimals,whilethefore-runnersofmanhidetremblinglyintheirholes.

           Thereyetremaintousafewminutesbeforeweclimbtoourcaves.Wearetiredfromtheplayoftheday,andthesoundswemakearesubdued.Eventhecubs,stillgreedyforfunandantics,playwithrestraint.Thewindfromtheseahasdieddown,andtheshadowsarelengtheningwiththelastofthesun’sdescent.