By and by, an upright object, apparently the work of man, attracted Maskull's notice. It was a slender tree stem, with the bark still on, imbedded in the stony ground. From the upper end three branches sprang out, pointing aloft at a sharp angle. They were stripped to twigs and leaves and, getting closer, he saw that they had been artificially fastened on, at equal distances from each other.
As he stared at the object, a strange, sudden flush of confident vanity and self - sufficiency seemed to pass through him, but it was so momentary that he could be sure of nothing.
"What may that be, Tydomin?"
"It is Hator's Trifork."
"And what is its purpose?"
"It's a guide to Sant."
"But who or what is Hator?"
"Hator was the founder of Sant - many thousands of years ago. He laid down the principles they all live by, and that trifork is his symbol. When I was a little child my father told me the legends, but I've forgotten most of them."Maskull regarded it attentively.
"Does it affect you in any way?"
"And why should it do that?" she said, dropping her lip scornfully.
"I am only a woman, and these are masculine mysteries.""A sort of gladness came over me," said Maskull, "but perhaps I am mistaken."They passed on. The scenery gradually changed in character. The solid parts of the land grew more continuous, the fissures became narrower and more infrequent. There were now no more subsidences or upheavals. The peculiar nature of the Ifdawn Marest appeared to be giving place to a different order of things.