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"That, for one thing!"

He gestured at the Abyss

"It's a good six or seven hundred miles wide, and we already kno deep it is I don't think ant to risk trying to cross it again and running out of fuel en route! Volplaning down to the village is quite a different proposition froht across!"

She sat pensive a moment

"There must be some way around," said she at last "Otherwise a party of survivors couldn't have set out for Stor on the Hudson to deposit a set of records there!"

"That's so, too But--reure it this way: A party of the survivors probably started for New York, exploring The big, concrete cathedral on Stor--it was new in 1916, you remember--was known the country over as the most massive piece of architecture this side of the pyramids They must have planned to leave one set of records there, in case the east, too, was devastated Well--"

"Do you suppose they succeeded?"

"No telling At any rate, there's a chance of it And as for this Rocky Mountain cache, that's manifestly out of the question, for now"

"So then?" she queried eagerly

"So then our job is to strike for Storalow on the banks of the Hudson It's been a year since we left it, almost--ten months, at any rate Gad! What marvels and miracles have happened since then, Beta--what perils, what escapes! Wouldn't you like to see our little nest again? We could rest up and plan and strengthen ourselves for the greater tasks ahead And then--"

He paused, a change upon his face, his eyes lighting with a sudden glow She saw and understood; and her breast rose with sudden keen emotion

"You mean," whispered she, "in our own ho beside her, he flung a powerful ar heavily

"Don't! Don't!" she forbade "No, no, Allan--there's so much work to do--yousons and daughters yet unborn Their eyes see on hers Cloudlike, yet very real, they beckoned her, and in her stirred the call of s echoed to that harh a tiny head, downy--soft, was nestling in her bosoer lips quested, quested

"No, Allan! No!"

Al him back and stood up

"Co reo--home!"