Edgar Wallace

“ Jimmy bought a copy on the street and gazed at it with interest. In billions of years' time perhaps a new civilization would reach its zenith. Would there be brains that could understand, supposing their owners discovered a newspaper which had escaped the world's destruction and the passage of ages, just what all these little figures in black upon white signified to a bygone age? ”

“ Joe came out, buttoned to the neck in a heavy overcoat, for the morning was chilly, and then Delia came, and Jimmy took both her hands in his and smiled into her face.
“You look lovely, Delia,” said Jimmy, “Did you sleep well?”
She nodded.
“It was absurd to sleep, wasn't it?” she laughed. “But one cannot break the habit of a lifetime, even though——”
She looked at Jones and cut her words short. Joe climbed into the back of the car, lit his pipe, and pulled a rug over his legs.
“Good-by, Jones,” said Jimmy.
“Good morning, sir,” said Jones, walking by the side of the slowly moving car. ”

“ Jimmy peered at his watch. It was a quarter after five! They looked at one another, and it was Joe Sennett who made the first move. He rose, opened the door of the car, and stepped out. The rain had ceased. Far away to the northward they saw the black bulk of the storm sweeping on its way, but above, the patches of blue between the cloud rack were growing bigger and the sun, showing under the western edge of the cloud line, flooded the plains with golden splendor. ”