The Washington times., 1912-04-06

ance. with one quick gesture lie swept
away the shrouding tangle or webs,
spiders and dead flies tnnt obscured the
window. Out he peered;
Good heavens" cried he, ana started
back a pace.
She ran to him.
What is it?" she breathlessly ex-
Why, don't know-yet. But this is
something big! Something universal!
It's-it's--no, no, you'd better not look
out-not just yet"
II must know everything. Let me
see."
Now she was at his side, and. like
him, staring out into the clear sun
shine, over the vast expanse OF the
city. ,..
A moments utter silence fell. quite
clearly hummed the protest OF an I'M
prtsoned fly in web at the top oil the
window. The breathing Of the man
and woman sounded quick and loud:
"All-wrecked! cried Beatrice. But
wrecked? It looks that way" the
engineer made answer, with strong
effort holding his emotion In control;
why not be frank about thisF rou
better make up your mind at once TO
accept the very worst. / see no signs
of anything else"
The worst? You mean"
Il mean just what we see out there'
You can Interpret 1t as well as l.
Again the silence while they looked
with emotions that could find no voic-
ing in words. InstinctiVely the engineer
passed an arm about the frightened
And the last thing l remember,
whispered she, was just-Just after
you'd finished debating those Taunton
bridge specifications. ! suddenly teHI
oh, so sleepy! Only for a minute
| then-then--"
She nodded. A.,
Same here" said he. What ny
deuce can have svvtSsnrP struck Is' raIk obou1 @
your problems! Lucky I'm sane ano
He did not finish. but fell once more
to studying the incomprchensible pros
pect. .-..,
Their view was toward the east. Out
over the river and the reaches of whal
had once upon time been Long lslanc
| City and Brooklyn. AS familiar scent seem
| in the other days as could be possibly
imagined. But now how altered an as
pect greeted them!
ats surely all wiped out. all gone
gone into ruins" said stern siowli
and carefully weighing each word
I"No hallucination about that. H.
sWept the skyline with his eyes tina
now peered keenly out from benea u
those bushy brows. lnstinctively n
| brought his hand up to his breast
He started with surprise.
"What's this?" he cried. why. i
I've got a full yard of whiskers. NJ!
good Lord! Whiskers on me? And
| used to say
He burst out laughing. At his bear'
he plucked with merriment that jan
gled horribly on the girls tens
For the frst time he seemed to TAX
clear notice OF his companions dis
Why, what a time it must hav
been!" cried he Here's some calcula
tion all cut out for me, all right. But
YOU can't go that way, Miss Kendricl
it-it won't do. you know. Got 20 hav
something to put on. Great Heavens
what a situation"
He tried to peel of his remnant Of
coat, but at the merest touch IT tor
to shreds and fell away. The girl re
strained him.
Never mind" said she with que
very well for the present. II you and
are all that's left of all the people !
the world, this is no time for trifiCs."
A moment he studied her. Then h
nodded and grew very pale.
Forgive me-" he whispered. laying
hand on her shoulder. Once more h
turned to the window and looked out.
speaking as to himself, "Only a sky
scraper standing here and there2 An
the bridges and the islands-all changed
mot a sign OF life anywhere; not
sound; the forests growing thick anon
the ruins. A dead world if-If all tn
world is like this part of it! All deaC
J save you and me-"
In silence they stood there, strivin
to realize the full import of the catas
trophe. And Stern. deep down in h
heart, caught some gllmmering insigf
} OF the future and was glad.