Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-26

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shade that foiled the eye far UP amops p,s Pc
hanging miracles of the roof WV
At the transept- crossing thev ,,...
amazed for here the fiutngs ran up Az
hundred feet inside the stupendous cen,r.,
spire, among marvellous filigree Of win
dows which diminished toward thsptop-a
lacework as of frost-patterns etched int
the solid substance of the fieche. INV
Higher than that, more massIv. nm.
more beautiful the buildings Of the futurs
shall arise" said Allan slowly after a
pause. But they shall not serve cresd
or faction. They shall be for all mankind
for the great race still to come. Besm,y
shall be its heritage. its right.
And loveiiness shall crown the waiting wo,,.
As with a garland OF immortal joyi "'''a
But come, come, Beatrice-there's vorr
to do. The records. girl We mustn't
stand here admring architecture ana
dreaming dreams while those records ars
still undiscovered. Down into the cry,t ws
go, TO dig among the relics Of a vanished
age!"
THE crypt Allan? Where Is it?"
"If I remember rlghtly-and at the tim.
this cathedral was built I followed ths
plans with some care-the entrance ia bacs
of the main southern cluster Of pillars over
there at the transept-crossing Come on
Beta. In minute we can see wbstbs,
thousand-year-old memories are any rood
| or not!
Quickly he led the way. ak and torch In
| hand, and as they rounded the group of
| massive buttresses whence sprang the nil
lars for the groin-vaults aloft. a cry Of
| satisfaction escaped him. followed by 4
word of quick astonishment
What Is It. Allan?" exclaimed the sr,
| Anything wrong? Or"
The manssto peering with wide ewes.
then suddenly he knelt and began paving
over the little heap of vegetable drift that
had accumulated along the wall.
IT'S here. all right" said he. "Theres
/ the door. right in front of us-but what
| don't understand is-this !"
What Alan7 Is there anything
wrong?"
Not wrong. perhaps, but devilish pecul.
iar!"
Speaking. he raised his hand to her. The
fingers held an arrowhead of flint
There's been battle mere, that's sure
said he Look, spear points-shattered !"
He had already uncovered three obsidian
blades. The broken tips proved how forci-
bly, they had been driven against the stone
in the long ago.
What? A"
His fingers closed on a small, hollow shell
of gold.
"A molar, so help. me. All that's left
| of some forgotten white man who fell here,
at the door, a thousand years ago."
Speeches., the girl took the shell from
| him and examined It.
You're right, Allan" she answered
This certainly Is a hollow gold crown. ANY
one can see that, in spite of the patina
that's formed over the metal. why-what
can it all mean?'
Search me! The patriarch's record gave
the impression that this eastern expedition
set out within thirty years or so of the
| catastrophe. Well, in that short time II
veloped savages fighting with fints and so
on. But that there certainly was a battle
here at this door, and that the cathedral
was used as fort against some kind Of in
vasion is positively certain,
why. look at the chips of concrete
knocked off the jamb of the door here
Must have been some tall mace-work where
you're standing, Beta II we could know
the complete story of this expedition, its
probable failure to reach New York, Its
entrapment here, the siege and the newt.
able tragedy Of its end-starvation sorties
gates, in the nave. here at the crypt door
perhaps on the stairs and in the vaults be.
low-then defeat and slaughter and extinc.
tion-what a tremendous drama we could
formulate" !"
Beatrice nodded. Plain to see, tn.
thought depressed her.
Death everywhere-" she began, bu
Allan laughed
Life, you mean!" he rallied. Come
now, this does no good, polSing in the rub
bish of a distant tragedy. Real work await
u.s. Come"
He picked up the torch, and with hi
primitive but serviceable matches Lighted
it. The smoke rose through the silent ali
, of the cathedral up into broad sunli
zone from tall window in the transept
} where 1t writhed blue and luminous.
| A eli oP A me A.
last few shreds of oaken plank that still
hung from the eroded hinges of tho dooI
, In front Of the explorers a flight Of con
crete steps descended, winding darkly 4
3 the crypt beneath.
Allan went first holding the torch hig
Q to light the way.
l "The records!" he exclaimed. sSoor
Y soon We shall know the secrets Of tn
past"
CHApTER