The Last New Yorkers | Page 9

fatal micro-organism, propagating with such marvelous rapidity
that it swept the world clean in a day--doing its work before any
resistance could be organized or thought of.
"Again, some poisonous gas may have developed, either from a fissure
in the earth's crust, or otherwise. Other hypotheses are possible, but of
what practical value are they now?
"We only know that here, in this uppermost office of the Tower, you
and I have somehow escaped with only a long period of completely
suspended animation. How long? God alone knows! That's a query I
can't even guess the answer to as yet."
"Well, to judge by all the changes," Beatrice suggested thoughtfully, "it
can't have been less than a hundred years. Great Heavens!" and she
burst into a little satiric laugh. "Am I a hundred and twenty-four years
old? Think of that!"
"You underestimate," Stern answered. "But no matter about the time
question for the present; we can't solve it now.
"Neither can we solve the other problem about Europe and Asia and all
the rest of the world. Whether London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, and every
other city, every other land, all have shared this fate, we simply don't
know.

"All we can have is a feeling of strong probability that life, human life I
mean, is everywhere extinct--save right here in this room!
"Otherwise, don't you see, men would have made their way back here
again, back to New York, where all these incalculable treasures seem to
have perished, and--"
He broke short off. Again, far off, they heard a faint re-echoing roar.
For a moment they both sat speechless. What could it be? Some distant
wall toppling down? A hungry beast scenting its prey? They could not
tell. But Stern smiled.
"I guess," said he, "guns will be about the first thing I'll look for, after
food. There ought to be good hunting down in the jungles of Fifth
Avenue and Broadway!
"You shoot, of course? No? Well, I'll soon teach you. Lots of things
both of us have got to learn now. No end of them!"
He rose from his place on the floor, went over to the window and stood
for a minute peering out into the gloom. Then suddenly he turned.
"What's the matter with me, anyhow?" he exclaimed with irritation.
"What right have I to be staying here, theorizing, when there's work to
do? I ought to be busy this very minute!
"In some way or other I've got to find food, clothing, tools, arms--a
thousand things. And above all, water! And here I've been speculating
about the past, fool that I am!"
"You--you aren't going to leave me--not to-night?" faltered the girl.
Stern seemed not to have heard her, so strong the imperative of action
lay upon him now. He began to pace the floor, sliding and stumbling
through the rubbish, a singular figure in his tatters and with his
patriarchal hair and beard, a figure dimly seen by the faint light that
still gloomed through the window:

"In all that wreckage down below," said he, as though half to himself,
"in all that vast congeries of ruin which once was called New York,
surely enough must still remain intact for our small needs. Enough till
we can reach the land, the country, and raise food of our own!"
"Don't go now!" pleaded Beatrice. She, too, stood up, and out she
stretched her hands to him. "Don't, please! We can get along some way
or other till morning. At least, I can!"
"No, no, it isn't right! Down in the shops and stores, who knows but we
might find--"
"But you're unarmed! And in the streets--in the forest, rather--"
"Listen!" he commanded rather abruptly. "This is no time for hesitating
or for weakness. I know you'll stand your share of all that we must
suffer, dare and do together.
"Some way or other I've got to make you comfortable. I've got to locate
food and drink immediately. Got to get my bearings. Why, do you
think I'm going to let you, even for one night, go fasting and thirsty,
sleep on bare cement, and all that sort of thing?
"If so, you're mistaken! No, you must spare me for an hour or two.
Inside of that time I ought to make a beginning!"
"A whole hour?"
"Two would probably be nearer it. I promise to be back inside of that
time."
"But," and her voice quivered just a trifle, "but suppose some wolf or
bear--"
"Oh, I'm not quite so foolhardy as all that!" he retorted. "I'm not going
to venture outside till to-morrow. My idea is that I can find at least a
few essentials right here in this building.
"It's a city in itself--or was. Offices, stores, shops, everything right here

together in a lump. It