Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-28
CHAPTER TX
At Settlement Cliffs

TNEN days later the two lovers-now man
l. and wife--were back again at the eastern
lip OF the Abyss. With them on the bipan ne
they had brought the phonograph and rec
ords, all securely wrapped In oiled canvas
the same which had enveloped the precious
objects in the leaden chest.
They made camp. which was to serve
them FOR while as headquarters In their
tremendous undertaking of bringing the
Merucaans to the surface, and here care
fully stored their treasure in deep cleft
or rock, secure from rain and weather.
They had not revisited the bungalow on
the return trip The sight of their little
home and garden, now totally devastated,
they knew would only sadden them unneces-
sarily.
Let II pass, dearest. as a happy memory
that was and is no more" Stern cheered the
girl as he held her In his arms the first night
or their stay in the new camp, and as to-
sunset beyond the chasm. Some day, per-
haps, we may go back and once more re-
store Hope Villa and live there again, but
for the present many other and far more
weighty matters press. 1t will be wisest
for a while to leave the East alone Too
many OF the Horde are still left there Here,
west of the Ohio River Valley, they don't
seem to have penetrated-rand what's more
they never shall Just now we must ignore
them-though the day of reckoning will
surely come We've got our hands full for
a while with the gigantic task ahead OF ms.
ITS the biggest and the hardest that
one man and one woman ever tackled
since the beginning of time!"
She drew his head down and kissed him.
and for little while they kept the silence
of perfect comradeship' But at last she
questioned:
Allan? You know Just the step to take I?
One false move"
There shall be no false moves Rea-
| son, deliberation, care will solve this
problem like all the others. Given some
1900 people. at depth Of 500 miles, and
given an aeroplane and plenty of time"
"Yes. Of course, they can be brought TO
the surface. But after that, what? The
dangers are tremendous The patriarch
died at the first touch of sunlight. We
can't afford to take chances with the
rest !"
i've planned on all that. Our first
move must be to locate a rocky ledge, a
cave or something Of the sort, where the
| trarsplanting process can be carried out,
| There mustn't be any exposure to the actual
| daylight for a long time after they're on
| the surface. The details OF food ana wa
ter have all got to be arranged. too. 1t
| means work, work, work God, what
work! But--it's our task. Beta, all our
own. And glory insit. thank heaven
for it-a man's-size labor And IL we're
strong and brave enough. patient and wise
| enough. we're bound to win"
"Win7 OF course we'll win :" she an
| swered. her faith In him touching the
| sublime. I'VE must The life Of the
| whole worlds at stske."
| Night came, and redder glowed the fire.
| light In the gloom. They spoke of life OF
| love. Of destiny and over them seemed
| to brood the mystery Of all that was 10 be.
The very purpose of the universe an.
wrapped itself about their passion and
the untroubled stars kept vigis till the
dawn.
Daylight called them TO begin the enIc
campaign they had mapped out--the res.
| cue Of q race.
After a visit TO the patriarch's grave.
which they decked anew with blossoms ana
fresh leaves. they prepared for the to,,r-
ney in search Of suitable temporary
| home for the Folk.
Nine o'clock found them once mora an
the wing Stern laid southerly course
! along the edge Of the abyss. He and Re-
atrics had dehnitely decided that the new