Ed Earl Repp

“ Perhaps man had struggled up from the bottom of evolution's ladder again; perhaps a tribe of high-type apes had been left after the catastrophe, and were now Rog's people, developed by a few thousand years. At any rate, the world was again stumbling through the dark shadows of the Stone Age. And from that murky period civilization was slowly crawling back to its former golden age.
And Rog knew who would take the lead in the advance. He himself, under the guidance of Johann Adam, would be the Old Man of all Old Men! ”

“ Luk-no was a great, stubby trunk of a man who resented Lo's interest in Rog and took every chance to get in his way. His greatest delight was to carry tales of his laziness to Sarak, who would promptly beat his son with a club. Such treatment rankled under Rog's skin.
Then he forgot his hatred of the black-browed one in contemplation of other things. "I do not like the way we live," he said simply. "Our caves are cold and sometimes wet. Our weapons are scarcely able to kill the animals we need before they kill us. ”

“ Mankind had worked itself up to the point where it had too much leisure, and turned its energy to the destruction of others. The inevitable result was self-destruction. But the ten he had seen in the pictures stole away and created this museum of history and science, to aid mankind when it must again struggle upward.
Under Luk-no's subtle whispering the tribe grew incensed against Rog and watched him constantly, seeking to learn where he went on the days he was absent. They resented the things he "invented" with such regularity. ”

“ There was only one other in the tribe who seemed to be of the same physical cast as Rog, and that was Lo, a young woman who dwelt with her family in Sarak's cave.
Though the stalwart, blond young man took an active part in all the work of the tribe—hunting, skinning, tool-making—there were times when he would detach himself from the rest as though he were a creature of a higher world viewing a savage orgy. ”

“ I will not kill you because I do not deign to dirty my club with your blood. But if ever you interfere with me or my mate or the old one, it will go hard with you."
Luk-no crept away, while amazement gripped the tribe. And in the eyes of the men and women Rog read complete victory.
Johann Adam shook his wise old head, realizing what had happened. "I have known men far more cultured than you to seize the opportunity you spurned," he murmured. "Perhaps with such a start, civilization will come to a better end, this time!" ”

“ Terrible wars were shown to him. Violent death stalked the streets of the beautiful cities. War after war piled on top of struggling civilization until at last a conflict that seemed to embrace every shred of man's life took place. ”

“ The old man spread his hands. "I have slept long, if you represent man of today. But follow me." And he gestured to the boy, passing on into the sphere.
Then there followed an hour of the most thrilling, most baffling, conversation he had ever known. Johann Adam took a big pad and a writing-stick and made picture after picture, while Rog crouched near him, fearing to stay, and yet hating the thought of missing anything by leaving. The first time Adam extended the pad to him to see what he had written, he shrank back and almost ran away. ”

“ The scenes showed them killing great animals somewhat similar to the ones on whose meat they lived, portrayed them chipping flint holes, and doing the other dozens of things life demanded of them.
But as he went on the life changed.
From cave-houses the migration was to peculiar dwellings of poles and boughs, making box-like affairs in which men and women lived. The tribe-folk, even, changed. They grew more upright and less hairy, and their faces looked something like the reflection that stared back at Rog from quiet forest pools. ”

“ He would be instrumental in leading his people away from the paths that would deter their progress. All this he would do, with Lo at his side!
He took the drawing-stick himself, then, and made what crude signs he could to tell of the strained conditions at the caves. Adam frowned and nodded slowly. Clearly he was worried. The death of this man, whom he knew was hundreds of years ahead of his time, might nullify all his chances of aiding the world. ”

“ The message of the pictures did not by any means unfold fully to Rog, but from the chain of scenes he began to grasp something. Life steadily became more and more complex, as though it were working toward something—with a purpose. Men grew taller, their dwellings bigger, their weapons stranger and apparently more efficient. ”

“ But as Rog neared the end of the exhibit, he realized that the story, if story it was, did not satisfy him.
In his crude, barbaric way, he had great visions of improving life so that death was not such a stern, everpresent reality, and men would have time for things other than eating and sleeping and mating. He was a philosopher, if such a thing were conceivable of a man who lived on raw meat. ”

“ Before his startled gaze caves gave way to great dwelling-places so large that men looked like ants beside them. He had to smile at the fanciful picturization of a man flying through the air in a fantastic machine. ”

“ I do not like the way the Old Man rules us, telling us what we can do and what we cannot do. Why shouldn't I make better things for myself if I want, instead of being beaten for not working? Some day.... ”

“ By pictures he showed Rog what to do. He was to bring Lo with him and stay here in the globe until he had learned enough to be able to convince the tribe of his superiority. Until the day when he must be recognized as the leader of them all!
He was reluctant to leave Adam, and yet eager to carry out his instructions. Trembling with anticipation, he took his clumsy club over his shoulder and ran back through the trees towards the river....
He came back to the caves to find an angry group awaiting him. Sarak stood at the entrance to the cave, leaning on his club. ”