It might have occupied one of several black, foul areas on the green grass, where the searching Death Ray had made the very soil putrefy, and the rocks crumble into shocking dust. Northwood snatched Athalia to him, too full of despair to speak. A sudden terrific flurry of snow whirled around them, and they were almost blown from their feet by the icy wind that tore over the unprotected field. "It won't be long," said Athalia faintly. "Freezing doesn't hurt, John, dear." "It isn't fair, Athalia! There never would have been such a marriage as ours. Dr. Mundson searched the world to bring us together." "For scientific experiment!" she sobbed. "I'd rather die, John. I want an old-fashioned home, a Black Age family. I want to grow old with you and leave the earth to my children. Or else I want to die here now under the kind, white blanket the snow is already spreading over us." She drooped in his arms. Clinging together, they stood in the howling wind, looking at each other hungrily, as though they would snatch from death this one last picture of the other. Northwood's freezing lips translated some of the futile words that crowded against them. "I love you because you are not perfect. I hate perfection!" "Yes. Perfection is the only hopeless state, John. That is why Adam wanted to destroy, so that he might build again." They were sitting in the snow now, for they were very tired. The storm began whistling louder, as though it were only a few feet above their heads. "That sounds almost like the sun-ship," said Athalia drowsily. "It's only the wind. Hold your face down so it won't strike your flesh so cruelly." "I'm not suffering. I'm getting warm again." She smiled at him sleepily. * * * * * Little icicles began to form on their clothing, and the powdery snow frosted their uncovered hair. Suddenly came a familiar voice: "_Ach Gott!_" Dr. Mundson stood before them, covered with snow until he looked like a polar bear. "Get up!" he shouted. "Quick! To the sun-ship!" He seized Athalia and jerked her to her feet. She looked at him sleepily for a moment, and then threw herself at him and hugged him frantically. "You're not dead?" Taking each by the arm, he half dragged them to the sun-ship, which had landed only a few feet away. In a few minutes he had hot brandy for them. While they sipped greedily, he talked, between working the sun-ship's controls.