But as the room was without light at all, she had entered it with a lighted stick in her hand; and just as she had begun her search the flame had died out.

So after a vain attempt by groping in darkness, she crawled back to the exterior apartment and knelt down in front of the hearth to fan the coals with her breath and thus obtain another torch for her explorations.

At that moment the deerskin robe closing the entrance to her grotto was timidly lifted, and a feeble voice called the usual greeting.

"Opona," replied Shotaye, turning toward the doorway.

A lithe figure crept into the cave.