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The men might be away, but there were fewer women and children. He gave
the shout of home-coming. His quarrel had been with Uya and Wau--not
with the others. "Children of Uya!" he cried. They answered with his
name, a little fearfully because of the strange way he had come.
For a space they spoke together. Then an old woman lifted a shrill
voice and answered him. "Our Lord is a Lion."
Ugh-lomi did not understand that saying. They answered him again several
together, "Uya comes again. He comes as a Lion. Our Lord is a Lion. He
comes at night. He slays whom he will. But none other may slay us,
Ugh-lomi, none other may slay us."
Still Ugh-lomi did not understand.
"Our Lord is a Lion. He speaks no more to men."
Ugh-lomi stood regarding them. He had had dreams--he knew that though he
had killed Uya, Uya still existed. And now they told him Uya was a Lion.
The shrivelled old woman, the mistress of the fire-minders, suddenly
turned and spoke softly to those next to her. She was a very old woman
indeed, she had been the first of Uya's wives, and he had let her live
beyond the age to which it is seemly a woman should be permitted to
live. She had been cunning from the first, cunning to please Uya and to
get food. And now she was great in counsel. She spoke softly, and
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