Book One The Vacant World Chapter 20 The Curiosity of Eve

At him the girl peered eagerly, a second, as though to make quite sure he was not hurt in any way, to satisfy herself that he was safe and sound.

Then with a little gasp of relief, she ran to him. Her sandaled feet lightly disturbed the rubbish on the floor; dust rose. Stern checked her with an upraised hand.

"Back! Back! Go back, quick!" he formed the words of command on his trembling lips. The idea of this girl's close proximity to the beast-horde terrified him, for the moment. "Back! What on earth are you here for?"

"I--I woke up. I found you gone!" she whispered.

"Yes, but didn't you read my letter? This is no place for you!"

"I had to come! How could I stay up there, alone, when you--were--oh! maybe in danger--maybe in need of me?"

"Come!" he commanded, in his perturbation heedless of the look she gave him. He took her hand. "Come, we must get out of this! It's too--too near the--"

"The what? What is it, Allan? Tell me, have you seen them? Do you know?"

Even excited as the engineer was, he realized that for the first time the girl had called him by his Christian name. Not even the perilous situation could stifle the thrill that ran through him at the sound of it. But all he answered was: "No, I don't know what to call them. Have no idea, as yet. I've seen them, yes; but what they are, Heaven knows--maybe!"