Forever and forever they had said good-by to that life. Already
the sunset was losing its glory.
Then, with one last look, they turned about and set their faces
from it to the new life, to the East, where lay the Nation. Out
beyond the purple bulwarks of the Sierras, far off, the great,
grim world went clashing through its grooves--the world that now
they were to know, the world that called to them, and woke them,
and roused them. Their little gayeties were done; the life of
little things was all behind. Now for the future. The sterner
note had struck--work was to be done; that, too, the New Year had
brought to them--work for each of them, work and the world of men.
For a moment they shrank from it, loth to take the first step
beyond the confines of the garden wherein they had lived so
joyously and learned to love each other; and as they stood there,
facing the gray and darkening Eastern sky, their backs forever
turned to the sunset, Blix drew closer to him, putting her hand in
his, looking a little timidly into his eyes. But his arm was
around her, and the strong young force that looked into her eyes
from his gave her courage.
"A happy New Year, dear," she said.
"A very, very happy New Year, Blix," he answered.
[The End]
End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Blix, by Frank Norris
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