Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-27
CHAPTER VII
The Ieadpn Chest

The Leaden Chest
MOT at any time since the girl and he
lNhad Weakened in the tower, more than a
year ago, had Allan felt so compelling
a fear as overswept him then. The siege
of the Horde at Madison Forest, the plunge
down the cataract, the fall into the Abyss
and the battle with the Lanskaarn had all
taxed his courage to the utmost, but he had
met these perils with more calm than he
now faced the blank menace of that metal
door.
For now no sky overhung him, no human
agency opposed him, no counterplay Of
stress and strife thrilled his blood.
No; the girl and he now were far un-
derground in crypt. n tomb, walled round
with incalculable tons of concrete, barred
from the upper world, alone--and for the
first time in his life the man knew some
thing of the anguish of unreasoning fear.
Yet he was not bereft OF powers of ac-
tion. Only an instant he stood there mo-
tionless and staring; then with cry, word
less and harsh, he ran toward the barrier.
Beneath his spurnng feet the frable
skeletons crumbled and vanished he dashed
himself against the door with a curse that
was half a prayer; he strove with it-and
staggered back, livid and shaken, for it
held
Now Beatrice had reached 1t, too. In
her hand the torch trembled and shook.
She tried to speak, but could not. And
as he faced her, there in the tomblike vault,
their eyes met silently.
A deathly stiffness fell, with but their
heart-beats and the sputtering of the torch
to deepen 1t,
"Oh!" she gasped, stretching out a hand.
"You-we-cant-"
He licked his lips and tried to smile, but
failed.
"Don't~dont he afraid, little girl" he
stammered. This can't hold u.s. possibly
The chain--I broke it -
YES, but the bar, Allan-the bar! How
did you leave the bar?"
Raised"
The one word seemed to seal their doom,
shudder passed through Beatrice .
80 then" she choked, some air current
swung the door shut-and the bar-fell-"
A sudden rage possessed the engineer.
Damn that Internal staple" :" he gritted,
and as he spoke the AK swung into air.
Crash
on the metal plates it doomed and
echoed thunderously. ringing cangor
vibrated the crypt.
Crash
Did the door start? No; but In the long
eroded plates a jagged dent took form.
Again the ak swung high, Cold though
the vault was, sweat globuled his forehead
where the veins had swelled to twisting
knots
Crash
With a wild verberation, a scream of
sundered metal and a clatter of flying frag-
ments, the staple gave way. A crack
showed round the edge of the iron barrier
Stern flung his shoulder against the door
Creaking, II swung He staggered through
One hand groped out to steady him, against
the wall. From the other the AK dropped
crashing to the floor.
Only a second he stood thus. swaying :;
then he turned and gathered Beta in his
nd M har 70
from which the roses all had faded quite
He felt her fighting back the tears, and
raised her head and kissed her.
There, there" !" he soothed ut wasn't
anything after ALL you see. Buff we
hadn't brought the AK with US"
"oh, Allan, let's go now This crypt
l can't"
1--WE will go very soon. But there's no
danger now. darling. We're not children,
you know. We've still got work to do
Wen go soon but first, those records!"
"oh. how can you,, after-after what
might have been?"
He found the strength to smile.
Il know" he answered, but ii didn't
happen. after all. A miss is worth a mil
lion miles, dear. That's what life seems
to mean to u.s. and has meant ever since
we woke in the tower, peril and risk, labor
and toil-and victory! Come, come, let's
get to work again, for there's SO endlessly
much to do"
Calmer grown, the girl found new cour
age in his eyes and in his strong embrace
You're right Allan was a little fool
to-"
He stopped her self-reproach with kisses.
then picked up the torch from the floor
where It had fallen from her nerveless
hand
''If you prefer" he offered. "I'n take
YOU back into the sunlight. and you can
sit under the trees and watch the river.
while T."
.'Where you are, there am I Come ON.
Allan let's ,.t sss = .S,nT Sysr with on what
7 think you'r4 : woTlon. m ~ hveveak