The Afterglow

Book Excerpteal, they beckoned her, and in her stirred the call of motherhood--of life to be. Her heart-strings echoed to that harmony; it seemed already as though a tiny head, downy--soft, was nestling in her bosom, while eager lips quested, quested."No, Allan! No!"Almost fiercely she flung him back and stood up."Come!" said she. "Let us start at once. Nothing remains for us to do here. Let us go--home!"An hour later the Pauillac spiralled far aloft, above the edge of the Abyss, then swept into its eastward tangent, and in swift, droning flight rushed toward the longed-for place of dreams, of rest, of love. Before them stretched infinities of labor and tremendous struggle; but for a little space they knew they now were free for this, the consummation of their dreams, of all their hopes, their happiness, their joy. CHAPTER IIICATASTROPHE!Toward five o'clock next afternoon, from the swooping back of the air-dragon they sighte