Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-09
CHAPTER III
Settling DOpn

TOGETHER, In the comradeshlp OF love
i and trust and mutual understanding.
they reached the somewhat open space be-
fore the bungalow. where once the road had
ended In a stone paved drive. Allan's
wounded arm. had he but sensed II. was
beginning TO pain more than a little But
no was oblivious. His love, the fire OF
spring that burned In his blood. the lure
OF this great adyenturing. banished all con-
sciousness of Ill.
And for n while they stood there hand
In hand. silent and thrilled with vast.
strange thoughts. dreaming OF what must
be. In their eyes lay mrrored the future
OF the human race. The light that glowed
in them evoked the glories of the dawn OF
life again. after ten centuries OF black
oblivion.
"our home now !" he told her very
gently, and again he kissed her, but this
time on the forehead ours when We shall
have reclaimed II and made IL ours. See
the yellow roses, dear? They symbolic
our golden future The red red roses?
Our passion and our pain."
The girl made no answer. but tears
gathered In her eyes-tears from the deep
est wells Of the soul She brought HIS hand
to her lips
"ours r. she whispered tremblingiy.
They stood there together for a little
SPACE silent and glad. From an oak that
shaded the porch a squirrel ehlppered at
them A sparrow-larger now than the
sparrows they remembered In the time
that was-peered out at them. wondering
but unafraid from the nest under the caves
at them, the first humans II had ever seen,
'sWeye got tenant already haven't
WEI" smiled Allan, HWell, l guess we
shant have 10 disturb her, unless perhaps
for a while when / cut away this poison
Iyy here" He pointed at the glossy triple
leaf "No poisonous thing. whether plant.
anake spider or insect Is going to stay
IN this Edenl" he concluded, with a laugh.
Together, with strange sense OF Violat-
ing the spirit OF the past they went up
tho concrete steps untrodden now by human
feet for ten centuries.
The massive blocks were still intact for
the most part. for old Van Amburg had
bullded with endless care and with no re-
motest regard for cost. Here vine there
a sapling had managed 10 insinuate tap
root in some crack made by the frost,
but the damage was trining. Except for
the falling OF a part OF corniee. the build
ing was complete. But II was hidden IN
vines and mold Moss, llehens and weeds
grew on the steps, hourishing IN the detritus
that had accumulated.
Ailan aug the toe OK his sandal into the
loose drift Of dead leaves and pine-spills
mat Uttered the broad piazza.
.Itll need more than vacuum cleaner
10 nut this IN shape'" said he. We'll,
ne sooner We get at H. the better. Wed
A. ,ysll Ia take a look al the inside"
The front door. one-tlne built OF oaken
nlanks studded with hand-worked nails and
hsnded with huge wrousht-iron hinges, now
hung there a mere shell qf ITSELF. worm
eaten. crumbling. disintegrated
win no tools but his naked hands Stern
tore ana battered Il away thick, punE-
~ baze Of dust arose, yellow IN the morn
- sunlight that presently, for the nrst
.ty,a in a thousand years, fell warm and
bright across the eoo@eonea Trent hall
~ = through the aperture
t5eom by room Allan and Beatrice ex-
.,-rsd The bungalow vas virtually
.ioniv noth and rust sighed the girl
..,,'s 's.ms story everywhere We 80. But
Iii never mlnd. Wen soon have Il look
w w. ,,cn,slike. Make me a broons dear
lns , mi sweep out tbs worst Of Il az
sr.tttne nov lp terms Of practical detail,
II. -rranes for the holr Displaced by
sl-s,f reaiitr they examined the entire
.., ~. ans magnificent Furnishings oniy
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