world had crumbled into ruin, yet _he_ would find a way to smooth her
path, to be a strength and refuge for her.

But Stern had no time for any but matters of intensest practicality.
From the floor he arose, holding the flambeau in one hand, the bottle
of alcohol in the other.

"Come now," bade he, and raised the torch on high to light her way,
"You're still determined to go?"

For an answer she nodded. Her eyes gleamed by the uncanny light.

And so, together, he leading out of the room and along the wrecked
hall, they started on their trip of exploration out into the unknown.



CHAPTER VI

TREASURE-TROVE


Never before had either of them realized just what the meaning
of forty-eight stories might be. For all their memories of this height
were associated with smooth-sliding elevators that had whisked them up
as though the tremendous height had been the merest trifle.

This night, however, what with the broken stairs, the debris-cumbered
hallways, the lurking darkness which the torch could hardly hold back
from swallowing them, they came to a clear understanding of the