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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40992 ***
+
+                             The Martian
+
+based upon the Third Prize ($15.00) Winning Plot of the Interplanetary
+Plot Contest won by Allen Glasser, 1610 University Ave., New York
+
+                  By A. R. Hilliard and Allen Glasser
+
+[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Wonder Stories
+Quarterly Winter 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence
+that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
+
+[Illustration: The water was evaporated by the ever-shining sun until
+there was none left for the thirsty plants. Every year more workers died
+in misery.]
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+     [Illustration: ALLEN GLASSER who furnished the plot]
+
+     [Illustration:A. ROWLEY HILLIARD who wrote the story]
+
+     Many writers of science fiction, who have not given the matter much
+     thought, assume that a man of intelligence from one planet would
+     meet a cordial and sympathetic welcome on another world. It is
+     assumed that people are everywhere educated, curious about other
+     worlds and other cultures, and eager to help a visitor from an
+     alien race.
+
+     Unfortunately there is no assurance that such is the case. Even
+     were the members of another race, on another world possessed of
+     education, there would be bound to be among them low and brutish
+     elements. And if a stranger from another world, dazed by new
+     conditions and unable to make his wants known, were to fall into
+     their hands his fate might not be happy.
+
+     We have read no story that pictures with such clarity and insight
+     the experiences of a man on another world than his own, than does
+     this present story. With the basis of a splendid plot Mr. Hilliard
+     has worked up a simply marvelous story.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The rolling, yellow sand reflected the heat of the sun in little,
+shimmering waves. It reflected the sun's light blindingly throughout all
+its visible expanse, with the exception of one spot where lay a circular
+shadow. In the great steely-blue dome of the sky there were no clouds.
+
+The shadow, although not large, was very dark and distinct. The curved,
+even line of its circumference was precisely drawn.
+
+In the air was a persistent rattle of sound--a series of closely spaced
+explosions, ever rising in intensity.
+
+Suddenly a small, uneven shadow detached itself from the circular one;
+and floated swiftly across the sand. The rattling sound increased to a
+tremendous booming roar, and the large shadow began to fade. At the same
+time, the smaller one grew steadily darker.
+
+High above the sand, a man was falling--much too swiftly.
+
+The surface of the sand had been shaped into hills by the prevailing
+winds. These long, ridge-like hills, or dunes, were convex and gradual
+in slope on their windward sides, but on their lee sides they were
+concave, and very steep.
+
+It was near the top of one of these steep slopes that the man landed.
+His frail legs and body crumpled under the weight of his head; he
+pitched forward, and half rolled, half slid to the bottom where he came
+to rest more gently, the target of a small avalanche of sand.
+
+Immediately, he began to struggle; and, failing in his attempts to
+rise, stretched his slim arms skyward and uttered a sharp, squealing
+cry, painfully prolonged. Far above him a spherical object rapidly
+diminished in size. Fixedly he watched the sunlight glinting on its
+polished grey sides; watched it shrink to a tiny ball, a point, and
+then--nothing. He was alone.
+
+The pressure was horrible. He buried his head in the hot sand, and
+clapped his ears in a vain attempt to ease the throbbing pain. They must
+have underestimated the weight of the Toonian atmosphere if they had
+expected him to live long here! It did not hurt his body, but his head
+was being crushed. He knew that he would soon die--and was glad. This
+wild, senseless punishment would be at an end.
+
+He opened his eyes again, and stared in growing fascination and wonder
+at the great arched blue dome above him. Gradually the spectacle of this
+weirdly beautiful canopy occupied his whole attention. It was like a
+soft curtain of light blue material hiding the blackness of the sky and
+the gleaming stars;--yet the sun shone through. For a moment he forgot
+his loneliness, his pain, in rapt contemplation of the immense
+perfection above him--but only for a moment. Then the explanation came
+to him. That beautiful blue was the heavy atmosphere of Toon, which was
+slowly crushing him to death! He closed his eyes.
+
+The heat was terrific, but not as intense as he had expected. Toon was
+nearer the Sun than was his own world--millions of miles nearer; yet he
+was not badly burnt, and this puzzled him. The explanation must again
+lie in the heavy atmosphere--serving as insulation, he finally
+decided.... He didn't care.
+
+He felt strangely detached. What signifies life--or death--to a tiny
+being separated by fifty million miles from any of its kind? Deposited
+on this strange planet, he had no hopes of survival; his only emotion
+was astonishment that he had lived a moment.
+
+He struggled to remove the parachute that had been so inadequate in
+easing his fall. Movement--even the raising of an arm was serious
+effort. He was glued to the ground by the tremendous gravitational pull
+of a planet so much greater in size than his own. He relaxed.
+
+Why struggle? With the passing of hope, all incentive to effort passes
+also. He felt no distress at the thought of death. Life, not death,
+would be freakish in this great wasteland.
+
+And he was past anger now. What they had done to him they had done
+through hate and fear. Only hate and fear could conceive of so fantastic
+a torture for a fellow being. There was no satisfaction now in the
+knowledge that they had feared him; nor did he care about their hate....
+They had won. They would have their way, and all the people of the Loten
+would suffer in consequence....
+
+Loten! A wave of sick loneliness swept over him.... A point in the sky,
+obscured by a weird curtain of blue--his home!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Certainly, no man had ever suffered thus! A surge of self-pity welled up
+within him. Certainly no being had ever been forced to long for the
+world--the globe which gave it birth! This horror was reserved for him
+alone....
+
+He clenched his fists. Reason returned to rescue him from emotion. Loten
+did not exist for him. He was outside of the world--a tiny flame of
+consciousness in space. And what did that amount to, after all, he asked
+himself.... What, but Death?...
+
+For a long time he lay there in the sand, quite motionless.
+
+The sun was sinking. Its blazing heat was abating somewhat; its face was
+large, and red. For miles, across the surface of the sand, the shadows
+of the dunes were stretching out.... And out of the sunset a tiny speck
+of black appeared.
+
+Where he lay the man heard the sound of it--a steady drone, or buzz. At
+first it did not catch his attention, its inception was so gradual; but
+soon it became a roar, and he opened his eyes with a start. He had heard
+no sound since the departure of the space ship--had expected none. An
+uneasy excitement gripped him. He strained his eyes upward....
+
+Suddenly, over the dune against which he lay, there shot a something,
+roaring thunderously. He cowered down, stunned by the terrific sound of
+it; but he watched it with wide eyes, as it moved across the sky.
+
+It was T-shaped; with the cross-piece going before. Beneath it hung two
+wheels. It gleamed metallically.
+
+Without attempting to rise, he howled shrilly, time after time, catching
+his breath in gasps--while the thing moved steadily away.
+
+Following an undeviating line, it left him far behind, diminished to a
+speck, and disappeared. The sound of it lingered when he could see it no
+longer.
+
+His breath came quickly, spasmodically, through parted lips; his throat
+was tight, and his heart pounded. The staggering surprise of what he had
+seen and heard left him incapable of thought. His mind was a racing
+turmoil of questions. His contentment, his resignation were
+gone--destroyed in a moment; and in their place rose a great uneasiness.
+
+The return of Hope, to a man who has definitely put it away from him, is
+a joy closely akin to pain in its intensity. His whole body shook as he
+struggled with the sand, attempting to rise.
+
+He had seen a machine, he knew. It could not have been an animal. It was
+not alive, and it was made of metal.... A machine meant reasoning
+beings. There must be reasoning beings on Toon--where Loten's scientists
+had argued that they could not be! And machines that travelled through
+space! Perhaps....
+
+As the new possibilities of his situation burst upon him, his
+homesickness returned a thousandfold; and he knew that he could rest no
+longer--could not wait in the sand for death. He must struggle--he must
+strive, until the end came--because there was a chance!
+
+Immediately, his mind became purposeful, and he took stock of his
+position. He knew that the whole of Toon was not like this great stretch
+of sand. Thousands of years of observation of the bright planet had
+convinced the scientists of the Loten that it bore vegetation--and
+probably animal life of some sort....
+
+But rational beings! His astonishment re-asserted itself. Five thousand
+years of systematic signalling had brought no response, and the project
+had lately been abandoned. Yet....
+
+He shook his head, and returned to his problem. He must not waste time
+now.
+
+He had food enough in his stomach to last three days at least, and he
+would not need water for even longer. He suddenly realized, with
+enormous satisfaction, that the pain in his head was considerably less
+than at first. Perhaps his system would be able to adjust itself to the
+atmospheric pressure....
+
+The great question was where--and how--to go. He must go somewhere. Only
+motion would satisfy his craving for accomplishment of some sort. He
+would get no help on this great, sterile plain. He had no guarantee that
+another of the flying machines would come near him, and even if it did
+there was not much hope of attracting its attention. No, he must
+move....
+
+He decided to follow in the direction the machine had taken. Its
+destination might be near-by--or it might be thousands of miles away.
+The probability seemed to be in favor of the former hypothesis, because
+the machine had been moving so very slowly.... Anyway, it was a chance!
+
+Pulling his legs up under him, he made another determined attempt to
+rise; and finally succeeded in standing erect. But it made his legs ache
+terribly; and when he tried a step he slipped, falling back with a
+jarring thud.
+
+He would have to crawl.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Ridding himself of the parachute, and with no further hesitation, he set
+out, crawling slowly and laboriously, keeping the sun at his back.
+
+The heat was less oppressive now. The sun had sunk to a point where its
+rays were no hotter than at midday on his Loten; and he marvelled at the
+similarity of the two climates. He had seen none of the water vapors
+that astronomers described as almost constantly enveloping Toon.
+Toon--what he had seen of it--seemed to be as dry as the Loten, if not
+more so.
+
+He climbed the long, gradual slope of a dune; and, after surveying the
+endless stretch of sand which met his view at the top, slid down the
+steep side, and crawled doggedly on.
+
+Night was falling. The blue dome above him steadily darkened until it
+began to take on the appearance of his own native sky.
+
+He was dead tired within an hour. He lay still for a time, breathing
+deeply--marshalling his strength. He was in excellent physical
+condition, but here his body was so heavy that the slightest motion was
+a strain. Soon, however, his eager spirit drove him onward.
+
+At the end of another hour, happening to raise his head, he uttered an
+involuntary cry. Points of light glimmered in the sky.... So he was to
+see the stars after all!--though only at night, it seemed. He was
+relieved. In the back of his mind had been the ever-growing certainty
+that he would not be able to keep a direct course. He rested again, and
+picked out certain designs that would be helpful as guides.
+
+He wondered if one of them were Loten. They were very dim and they
+blinked strangely; and their arrangement was meaningless to him. He
+fixed upon one of them--the brightest--and imagined that it might be
+_his_ world--where his friends were, and his enemies; where his wives
+grieved for him perhaps; where his children laughed and played; where he
+might one day return....
+
+He crawled along through the sand.
+
+It was not really dark--only twilight. He wondered if this were night on
+Toon. It must be. Almost directly ahead of him--just a little to the
+right--was a radiance close to the horizon. It puzzled him. Soon it was
+spreading over the sky--a pale, ghostly light. Then a bright point
+appeared--a line; it grew. He stared in abject wonder while a great,
+white disk mounted into the sky, illuminating the scene around.
+
+He rested a while, and watched it. It was Toon's satellite. It could be
+nothing else. But beside it the two luminaries of his own world were as
+pygmies. He was still watching it, fascinated, when he resumed his
+journey.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+Signs of Life
+
+
+All through the night he travelled; and into the rising sun. The noonday
+heat forced him to take a prolonged rest, but he fought on as soon as
+possible; and sunset found him crawling weakly onward. The cool of night
+revived him somewhat. He knew that the strain under which he labored
+would hasten his time of sleep, and that worried him. Even now, he was
+often in a semi-conscious state. Still, he could not stop.
+
+When the sun rose again, it shone through trees; and far across the
+yellow sand his tired eyes saw green hills. The sight invigorated
+him--spurred him on to stronger efforts. Soon after midday he lay
+panting in the shade of trees.
+
+The trees astonished him. They towered above him, fully five times as
+high as any he had ever seen. Their stems were of enormous girth--rough
+and hard to the touch. There seemed to be something moving in their
+heavy foliage, far above him, and he heard faint, sharp whistling
+sounds. He looked around uneasily.
+
+The size of the trees worried him. If there were animal life, it might
+be proportionately large. He shuddered. The desert, although
+uncomfortable, had had one advantage: he had been alone there.
+
+Still, it was not loneliness that he was seeking, he thought grimly.
+Obviously, he....
+
+He stiffened. He had been staring abstractedly at the coarse grass which
+grew thickly around him. Now his eyes became focussed upon a movement
+there--not three feet away. The grass was waving strangely, in a
+peculiar, uneven line; and he caught sight of something slim and green,
+that was not the grass. His throat contracted painfully. The thing did
+not seem to move, yet it was coming nearer. Whenever he caught sight of
+a part of its body, it appeared stationary; yet the waving of the grass
+was closer, and ever closer. It was very close now....
+
+Suddenly his power of locomotion returned. He rolled over backward, and
+scrambled along the ground to a tree. Grasping the rough trunk, he
+pulled himself erect; and held himself in that position, panting.
+
+He could see the thing more plainly now. It was like a long, green whip
+in the grass. Its forepart was raised in the air, and terminated in a
+triangular head, with two bright eyes whose steady, unwinking stare made
+him tremble weakly. With an effort he took his eyes from the creature;
+and, pushing himself away from the tree, ran desperately, as far as his
+legs would carry him. When he fell, he continued to crawl--farther, and
+ever farther into the green woods.
+
+He wondered if all creatures crawled in this world of Toon. Perhaps the
+great gravitational pull made erect postures impossible.
+
+For a long time he climbed steadily, threading his way through the
+underbrush, skirting fallen trees. He felt increasingly drowsy. His
+sleep period would come soon, he knew. He could not stave it off much
+longer. And when he had slept, he must eat....
+
+He came to level ground. Ahead was an opening in the trees, where a wide
+ledge of stone was revealed. Out upon this he crawled, and gazed at the
+scene that opened out below. Miles of waving tree tops met his view; but
+what held his attention was a strip of silver cutting the green.
+
+He felt a warm glow of satisfaction. Water, in his mind, was closely
+associated with organization, transportation facilities, reasoning
+beings....
+
+Yet he must be wary. He had no idea what sort of beings they might be.
+This might be a canal, but it was strangely irregular in its course. At
+least he was making progress....
+
+A peculiar, ringing sound came from the trees below. It was utterly
+unfamiliar to him. Nerving himself, he determined to discover what it
+was. He climbed down from the stone, and began the journey down the
+hill.
+
+As he progressed the sound became louder, and others were added. He was
+puzzled by a low, intermittent muttering. It made him vaguely uneasy,
+and with every moment his agitation increased. The muttering was now
+very definitely spaced into irregular but continuous tones.
+
+And he knew that he was listening to a conversation.
+
+He was frightened. Now that he was so near to what he had been seeking,
+his courage left him; and he lay trembling, flat on the ground, awed by
+the booming voices of the creatures.
+
+They must be very large, he thought, to utter such deep tones.
+
+He had lain there for perhaps five minutes, when, suddenly, there came a
+rending crash; and, peering ahead, he saw the green top of a tree sway
+violently, sink, and disappear from sight. At the same time there came a
+louder cry, followed by the blending of two thunderous voices, speaking
+simultaneously.... Then a heavy thud, and another cry....
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+He crawled cautiously forward. He reached the fallen tree. Its trunk was
+suspended above the ground by the projection of a number of its large
+branches. He peered beneath it.
+
+Directly before him, in a small clearing, two creatures were struggling
+together. They stood erect upon their huge legs, using their crudely
+bulky arms and hands to strike and tug at each other. They were
+tremendous in size--fully three times human stature; yet their heads
+were smaller than men's. Their erect posture gave them a weirdly
+half-human look, which was belied by the brutal savagery of their
+aspects. Their brows were low; their heads were covered with long hair;
+and in their gaping mouths he saw rows of sharp, white fangs. Their
+skin, instead of being golden, was a dirty grey in color, and was
+covered with short curling hair or fur.
+
+But he could see very little of their bodies, because--and this sight
+seemed to him the strangest of all--they were almost entirely covered
+with cloth. This woven material was brown in color, and shaped to hang
+close to their bodies, even over the arms and legs. He lay very still,
+watching the titanic struggle with ever growing wonder.
+
+They appeared to be evenly matched. Once, one of them was hurled heavily
+to the ground, but he leaped effortlessly to his feet. Both of them
+grunted and uttered sharp exclamations at intervals. They tramped back
+and forth, tearing up the grass, crushing down the small bushes.
+
+They must greatly hate each other, he thought--or perhaps it was natural
+for them to fight like this. Now one of them was tiring--the smaller.
+Its movements were slower, and it stepped almost constantly backward.
+Suddenly from its bulbous nose spurted a red stream. He shuddered. The
+sight of these two strangely man-like creatures beating and tearing at
+one another sickened him.
+
+The larger creature was pressing its advantage, advancing upon the other
+with cruel, flailing blows. Suddenly the smaller one crumpled to the
+ground, and lay still. The other turned away. It seemed satisfied. It
+grasped an object which was leaning against a tree--a cutting tool
+apparently, consisting of an edged block of metal attached to a long
+handle of wood; and without a backward glance at its fallen foe, made
+off through the trees.
+
+The creature on the ground was alive. He could see the rise and fall of
+its breathing under the cloth covering of its breast. But the bright,
+red blood was still running out of the nose. It had lost an astonishing
+amount; and he feared that, unassisted, it would soon die. He must try
+to help.
+
+With wildly beating heart, he crawled under the tree trunk and out into
+the clearing.
+
+As he moved through the grass, he made a slight rustling sound, which
+the creature heard. It turned its head, and stared directly at him. He
+stopped fearfully....
+
+The creature uttered a loud cry, and scrambled to its feet. He raised
+one hand, attempting a friendly gesture; but the creature, after
+watching him for a moment with wide eyes, bounded swiftly away into the
+woods. He heard the thumping and crashing of its passage through the
+underbrush long after it had disappeared from sight.
+
+His first sensation was one of immense relief. He had been desperately
+afraid.
+
+Evidently the thing had been afraid of him, too. And that was
+surprising.... Clearly, these could not be the reasoning things that had
+built the flying machine he had seen. His relief was quickly followed by
+disappointment. For a moment he had imagined that his first objective
+had been reached. Now he realized that he might be as far from it as
+ever. Toon was immense. Probably, now, he was in a country inhabited by
+inferior beings--beings that would be constantly hostile and dangerous
+to him. If that were so, his quest would end here, he knew. Sleep could
+not be warded off any longer. He could not protect himself. Soon he
+must eat--and there was no food.
+
+He crawled into the bushes; and lay down, lonely and sick. He would stay
+here. This was failure--and the end. But he was not sorry for having
+tried....
+
+Above him the sky was not blue, now; but a strange, dead grey. Nowhere
+could he see the sun. The wind sighed mournfully in the trees.
+
+He slept.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+In Confinement
+
+
+He awakened in shivering terror. His entire body was wet. Water was
+falling on him. It was falling on the ground all around and on the
+trees--thousands, millions of drops. He choked, as he tried to breathe
+the damp, saturated air. Desperately he looked around for some
+protection, but there was none. He covered his face as best he could
+with his folded arms, and cried out in fear.
+
+There came a shout; and he heard something moving toward him, but he did
+not care. Horror of the falling water crowded all other emotions from
+his mind.
+
+One of the creatures was standing over him. He heard others approaching.
+They were shouting loudly back and forth to one another. In a moment,
+there was a circle of them, all around him.
+
+He was too distressed to pay them any attention. After a time one of
+them bent down and grasped him under the armpits. He felt himself lifted
+into the air. He did not struggle, even when their faces were all around
+him--very close.
+
+Now they were walking through the trees, one of them carrying him in its
+huge arms, quite gently. He was scarcely conscious of his surroundings.
+It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe.
+
+Then he felt himself laid down on something soft and dry. The water was
+not falling on him now. He opened his eyes.
+
+They had placed him under a shelter. He could hear the water on the
+black covering above him. There was one of them on each side of him,
+where he lay on what seemed to be a cushioned seat....
+
+Suddenly there came a rumble, and the seat beneath him quivered and
+shook. He struggled to sit up. One of the creatures aided him, and
+wrapped a dry cloth about his body. He was grateful.
+
+The seat was bumping up and down violently. On each side, he could see
+the trees moving slowly backward. He realized that he was in a vehicle.
+It jolted constantly, and he imagined that it must run directly on the
+rough ground. It made a continuous and tremendous noise. But it was a
+machine of transportation, however crude; and he quickly forgot his
+bodily discomfort, as the implications of this fact crowded through his
+mind.
+
+He looked with a new interest at his captors. They were talking
+together excitedly--evidently about him, for they never removed their
+eyes from him. In spite of their strangeness and savagery, they must
+have reasoning minds. He could be pretty sure of that, now....
+
+The vehicle came to rest, and to either side he saw structures, made,
+evidently, of cut trees. Then his heart leaped again, as he saw that
+they had glass. So they knew how to make that! There were only a few
+pieces of it let into the walls--but it was certainly glass, and his
+hopes rose a bit higher.
+
+They carried him into one of the houses. It was quite dark. They set him
+down upon a large table. They were increasing rapidly in numbers,
+jostling in through the door and crowding around the table.
+
+In the wall near him there was one of the pieces of glass. Abashed by
+the dozens of staring eyes, he looked through this, and saw a broad
+field, its soil turned up in long, straight rows--evidently for
+planting. Near the center of the field were two creatures, which
+immediately commanded his attention.
+
+They were not alike. One was similar to those he had already seen, but
+the other was even larger and of a different shape. Four legs carried
+the great, bulky body, which rested in a horizontal position, as did the
+thick neck and long, tapering head. It was dragging the tool which
+turned up the furrows of soil, while the other followed behind,
+governing its directions.
+
+Clearly, he thought, there were many types of creatures on Toon. He
+would have to try to understand their relations to one another....
+
+Inside the room there was much noise, and the air was hot, damp, and
+very unpleasant to breathe. He was not afraid of the creatures now; and
+instinctively he realized that it was curiosity that brought them here,
+and that they meant him no harm. A few were trying to speak to him,
+looking directly into his eyes and making monosyllabic sounds. This
+amused him at first. They would not be quite so hopeful if they
+understood from where he had come.
+
+But in another moment his amusement had vanished. One of the creatures,
+standing near, placed a finger close to where he sat, at the same time
+uttering a short disyllabic sound:
+
+"Table!"
+
+A thrill shot through him. He had expected no such intelligence on the
+part of his captors. A new wave of hope surged up within him....
+Carefully, he repeated the gesture and the word.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+His action was followed by a burst of excited conversation in the room.
+Several made sharp, guttural noises which he guessed meant gratification
+or amusement.
+
+Immediately a number of them took up the game; and he eagerly did his
+part, repeating the sounds they made and identifying them with objects.
+With every possible gesture he tried to indicate to them his pleasure
+and gratification.
+
+He was sorry when they began to go away.
+
+It had been getting steadily darker for some time, when, suddenly, the
+room was brilliantly illuminated; and, looking quickly around, he saw a
+number of bright globes. This event brought him to a high pitch of
+elation. The character of the vehicle in which he had ridden had made
+him fear that they knew nothing of electricity, but here was tangible
+evidence that they did. His dream of a return to Loten seemed less like
+a wild imagining at every moment.
+
+He was beginning to think of these creatures as people, almost human
+beings.
+
+Now, only two of them remained. From their glances he knew that they
+were talking about him. Finally, one of them lifted him from the table;
+and, walking swiftly, carried him through the door, across a short
+stretch of open ground, and into a smaller and darker structure, there
+laying him down upon a bed of cloths and cushions in one corner of the
+single room. The other followed them in, carrying a china dish and cup.
+Setting these beside him, they both pointed with their fingers to their
+open mouths. He understood immediately, and was glad. He needed
+nourishment badly.
+
+But when he looked into the dish his pleasure abated. It contained an
+assortment of what appeared to be parts of plants and--he tried to
+conceal his horror--animal flesh.
+
+Looking up, he nodded--a gesture that he had quickly learned; and to his
+great relief they turned and left the room, closing the door. He heard a
+sharp click.
+
+The flesh he immediately put aside. He did not like to think what its
+origin might be. He studied the plants. They had evidently been
+subjected to a heat process, but had not been chemically refined in any
+way. The percentage of nourishment in them must be very low, and it
+would be necessary for him to eat great quantities to sustain his
+strength. He wondered how long his stomach could stand it.
+
+These people must eat almost daily to sustain themselves on such fare,
+he reasoned, marvelling.
+
+With a pronged implement that they had given him, he set to work to mash
+the food into as soft a mass as possible. This process they accomplished
+easily with their fangs, he knew.
+
+The taste was anything but pleasing, and he had great difficulty in
+swallowing; but he finally managed to assuage his hunger, and felt
+better. He drank a little water from the cup, which contained enough to
+supply him for at least five days.
+
+This done, he stretched himself out upon the bed, and gave himself over
+to pleasant reflection. A far cry, he thought, from the man lying
+helpless in the desert, devoid of all hope, to the one who had
+established contact with a race of intelligent beings who would
+doubtless be willing to help him return to his own native world. He
+reflected that if the flying ship had hot happened to come near him, he
+would most certainly have perished by now--perished in a foreign world,
+far away from those he loved, never knowing there was a chance for his
+salvation. But now he had taken the first step.... Anything was possible
+now.
+
+His attention returned to his surroundings. The bare room was lighted by
+a bulb hanging from wires in the center. From it dangled a cord, the
+purpose of which he quickly guessed. The walls and floor were bare wood,
+and rough. Along the whole length of one wall extended a low, narrow
+table, or bench, strewn with a miscellaneous collection of objects which
+aroused his curiosity.
+
+He crawled to the bench, and pulled himself erect by grasping its edge.
+He was just tall enough to see along its surface. Near him rested a
+large roll of what he first thought was cord; but on closer examination
+he decided that it was metal wire covered with a fibre insulation.
+Obviously it was for the conduction of electricity. Scattered around it
+were a number of cylinders of varying sizes, which he saw were wound
+closely with very fine wires. Clearly, these people did more with
+electricity than make light, he thought, encouraged.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There was nothing else in the room except a pile of rusty metal in one
+corner. The whole place was depressingly dirty and dreary. He thought
+that he would feel better without the light. He made his way to the
+center of the room, and stretched upwards. Finding that he could just
+reach the cord, he jerked it; and returned in the darkness to his cot.
+
+He lay there quietly, trying to calm his nerves. He wondered what they
+would do with him....
+
+He was still wondering the same thing at the end of four days. They did
+not move him. They did nothing except come and look at him--a great many
+of them at first, but less and less as time went on. They came in the
+daytime--never at night. They fed him; and a few still tried to talk to
+him. This pleased him, and he strove eagerly to understand and imitate;
+but they soon got tired and stopped.
+
+He learned to distinguish the males and females among the people that
+came, by differences in stature, length of hair, and clothing. He
+observed, with complete bewilderment, that the males often carried in
+their hands burning cylinders which they raised regularly to their
+mouths, blowing out smoke into the air. He guessed, finally, that this
+must be some sort of sanitary precaution.
+
+Now, however, he was left alone most of the time. They brought him food,
+and then went away. He was uneasy. Physically, he felt far from well.
+The damp air made his throat and chest ache; and he feared that the long
+deprivation of sunlight was hurting him. He could not understand.
+
+Gathering his courage one day, he attempted to open the door. He reached
+up and turned the knob the way he had seen the people do. But it would
+not move when he pushed. He remembered the clicking sound he had heard
+every time after they went out.
+
+He became frightened. He did not understand this confinement. Why would
+they not let him out?
+
+There passed another day, of mental torture. Would they let him die in
+this dark, dreary place? Had all his efforts merely led to a lonely,
+purposeless death?
+
+He wondered what they would do if he went out of his own accord; and
+finally decided that he must do it, even at the risk of offending them.
+Further inactivity he could not bear.
+
+Within five minutes he had formed a plan of action. It was night--the
+best time to work; for he must work undisturbed for a time.
+
+He made his way to the bench, and collected three of the wound wire
+coils, which he dropped to the floor. With a cutting tool that he found
+he managed to get a length of wire from the large roll. The tool was
+very heavy.
+
+Next, he crawled to the corner, and selected a number of small pieces of
+metal. He rested for a while, studying the light bulb which hung in the
+center of the room. From the light it gave and the size of the filament,
+he roughly estimated the power of the current.
+
+Then, with a graphite writing instrument that he had found, he drew a
+diagram on the floor. He took a very long time doing this, and labeled
+it carefully. When he had finished, the little window at the end of the
+room showed that dawn was breaking outside.
+
+Hurriedly then, he set to work with the metal, the coils, and the
+wire,--twisting, winding, connecting and cross-connecting--constantly
+glancing at his diagram and at the window. Finally, when it was broad
+daylight outside, he gave a sigh of satisfaction.
+
+He had achieved an ugly, jumbled apparatus, vaguely cylindrical in shape
+with a point of metal at one end. He laid it on the floor; and making
+his way to the bench, secured two more lengths of wire. He crawled under
+the bench to where the power line for the light ran down the wall, and
+there connected them. Then, securing his cup of water, he dipped into it
+the ends of his two wires, and observed them for a moment. Satisfied, he
+carried them to his cylindrical apparatus, and connected one of them at
+the end opposite the metal point. The other he did not immediately
+connect.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+The Circus
+
+
+He was breathing hard now, and his face was flushed. For a long time he
+sat very still and listened, but he heard no sound. At last, moving very
+slowly, he carried his cylinder to the door. He raised it, and placed
+the point against the metal lock, under the knob. He pressed his lips
+tightly together, and set his jaw.... With the end of the wire which he
+had not connected he touched a point on the cylinder.
+
+There was no sound. There was no movement of the cylinder. Yet the metal
+lock dissolved, and daylight shot through the place where it had been. A
+cloud of light grey dust drifted lazily to the floor.
+
+He disconnected the wires. Carefully he hid the thing under the cushions
+of his bed. Then he pushed open the door, and crawled out into the
+sunlight. The sun felt warm and pleasant on his back.
+
+He heard a cry, and looked up fearfully. One of the men of Toon was
+running towards him carrying a dish. It was the man that brought his
+food.
+
+His throat was tight, and he was trembling. He knew that this was the
+supreme moment. He nodded his head and smiled. He raised one hand, palm
+upward.
+
+The man stopped directly in front of him, and growled--then raised an
+arm, pointing at the door of his prison.
+
+He made a little murmuring sound to the man; and raising his face to the
+sun, smiled and nodded once more. The man pushed him backwards with one
+foot, always pointing at the door.
+
+He turned, and crawled back into the shed. Dully he watched the man; who
+stood for a long time staring at the door where the lock had been--then
+strode to the pile of metal and picked up a chain.
+
+He did not move when he felt the chain around his body. He closed his
+eyes, and did not open them until he heard the door shut. He did not
+move all that day. He only watched the little window. When, finally, the
+little window grew black, he drew his machine from under the cushions,
+and connected it again at the wall. The chain was fastened to a leg of
+the bench, and allowed him to do this. He destroyed a portion of the
+chain, and loosened it from his body. He crawled to the wall farthest
+from the house where the people lived. Moving the machine in a slow arc,
+he cut a hole in the wall. Disconnecting the wires, he used them to
+fasten the machine around his waist. Then he went out into the night.
+
+He did not know where he was going--except that he was going away from
+these beings that held him prisoner without a reason. At first they had
+seemed kind--but they were kind no longer. Something had changed them,
+he thought; but he could not guess what....
+
+He had progressed less than a hundred yards when a sudden tumult of
+sound froze him with terror. It was coming at him through the dark, a
+hoarse, senseless, animal cry. And bounding toward him he saw the dark
+shadow of a beast. He knew instinctively that here was an unreasoning
+creature--and all the strength went out of him. He lay flat and limp on
+his face. Now he heard its panting breath, and felt the heat of it on
+his body....
+
+At the same time, but only semi-consciously, he heard the loud shouts of
+men. As in a dream, he felt himself grasped roughly and lifted from the
+ground. Soon he knew that he was back in the shed again. He saw a man
+standing above him holding his machine.
+
+He felt strangely detached--as if he were not there at all. He saw the
+man look at the machine; look at the door; look at the chain; look at
+the hole in the wall; look at the light cord. He saw the man connecting
+his machine to the light cord; he felt powerless to warn the man that he
+might be connecting it wrong--that there were two ways: one right, one
+wrong....
+
+An explosion threw the man heavily against the wall. He could see the
+man struggling slowly up--coming towards him--kicking him. But he could
+hardly feel the kick at all--and everything got dark....
+
+When light came back it was just a small square above him. That puzzled
+him, until he reached out and found wooden walls all around him--very
+close. He was in a box. He became suddenly fully conscious of the fact.
+Looking down at him from above he saw the faces of two of the men of
+Toon.
+
+He cried out involuntarily, struggling to escape. One of the creatures
+shook a heavy piece of metal threateningly over his head. He cowered
+down, shuddering, at sight of the merciless gleam in its eyes. The light
+was blotted out, as they placed a cover over him; and he was deafened by
+a long and thunderous pounding.
+
+Then began a time of horror in the darkness. His active mind had nothing
+to feed upon but fear. Only too clearly was it brought to him that he
+did not know the ways of these creatures of Toon. What was deadly fear
+to him might be commonplace to them. He had hoped to find them friendly,
+merciful--yet friendship and mercy were qualities of his own experience
+in a world different from theirs. Why had he thought to find them here?
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+He had no measure of time. For endless hours he lay there in the dark,
+bracing himself against the sides to protect his head and body as much
+as possible; for the box seemed almost constantly in motion--jolting,
+tilting, and bumping until he was weak and breathless from the strain.
+
+His mind, worn out by its relentless self-torture, sank at last to
+semi-consciousness.
+
+Suddenly light returned, and he was dragged roughly from his prison. He
+was in a large room where the combination of odor, heat, and noise was
+overpowering. Great numbers of the men of Toon were there, hurrying in
+all directions, seemingly very busy. He noted immediately that their
+clothing was different from that which he had seen, and wondered what
+the significance of that might be.... He felt strangely calm, now.
+
+Before him was an immense, bulky man, who stood with legs apart and arms
+folded, staring at him with wide, unwinking eyes. This man had a face
+that was light red in color and rounded, almost swollen-looking in
+shape. He nodded, and his cheeks shook loosely. He nodded several times,
+and seemed very pleased. He spoke sharply; and others, standing around,
+sprang into action.
+
+They brought a red cloth, and tied it around the captive's loins. They
+forced him to crawl back and forth on the floor, while the big man
+looked on, nodding and chuckling. Then the big man ran hot, cushion-like
+hands over his head and body; pried open his mouth; grasped his hand and
+shook it vigorously up and down; and, with a final nod, turned and
+walked away.
+
+He understood none of this, and was very unhappy.
+
+They placed him upon a high, draped platform, where there was a small
+chair and nothing else. There were a number of similar platforms in the
+room.
+
+It was impossible for him to maintain his previous indifference to his
+surroundings. Around the walls of the room were long rows of barred
+enclosures, containing creatures of every conceivable size, shape, and
+color. Some were hideous; some were strangely beautiful; all were
+absorbingly interesting. For a time, he forgot everything else while he
+watched them and listened to the sounds that they made. Certainly, he
+thought, a scientist of the Loten would give twenty years of his life
+for the opportunity to see these creatures! Some of them were amazingly
+like reconstructions that had been made from fossilized bones found on
+the Loten.
+
+They brought him food, which he judged must be the cooked seeds of
+grain. It was soft, and he forced himself to eat a little, although he
+was not hungry. He feared that he would have to learn to eat daily, for
+food concentrates seemed to be unknown here.
+
+His mind was occupied trying to understand the meaning of this place.
+Great numbers of people were crowding into the room, now. Rows of them
+stood around his platform.
+
+The other platforms were now occupied also. On them were beings
+resembling the people around them, but each one differing in some
+strange way from the normal. Some were enormously large, some small. And
+he saw one which was shaped like the men of Toon, yet was no taller than
+himself.
+
+An endless stream of people surged through the room, circulating around
+the platforms and cages--gazing fixedly at their occupants.
+
+He began to understand. These were exhibits--creatures strange to the
+crowds who came to look at them. Toon was very large; and transportation
+methods were poorly developed. Perhaps, therefore, these people had
+never seen many of the parts of their own globe.
+
+Their staring eyes made him uncomfortable. Wherever he looked they
+were--staring eyes and gaping mouths. He felt suddenly ashamed. He
+wanted to hide himself--but they would not let him do that, he knew. How
+long would they keep him here, he wondered? There seemed to be no limit
+to the crowds. This must be a great center of population....
+
+And in a flash he had forgotten the people, with their staring eyes,
+forgotten his shame, forgotten his bodily discomfort.... A center of
+population! Those words blazed in his mind. Once more, he knew the joy
+of hope.
+
+With a sudden clear perception he realized that they could not have
+helped him more if they had done it consciously. He had arrived at a
+goal, which, a few days ago, had seemed impossible of attainment. Here,
+if anywhere, he would find help....
+
+He must learn the language. That was imperative.... And again his good
+fortune amazed him. These people were constantly talking. His position
+was ideal for studying their speech. From what he already knew, it was
+quite simple; and it should not take long to learn enough to serve his
+purpose.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It took longer than he had expected, mainly because the people were not
+there all of the time. They came only at certain periods of the day; and
+he soon made a surprising discovery--that they slept during a great part
+of every night. In fact, almost one third of their time seemed to be
+spent in an unconscious state. The creatures in the cages slept even
+more. He could see no signs of intelligence in these caged creatures.
+They were dumb, and were completely dominated by the men.
+
+He missed the sun badly. These people, in their dark houses and their
+draped bodies, did not seem to need it. Often he felt quite ill, but
+tried not to worry about his health.
+
+At night, when alone, he practiced the sounds he had learned; and
+rehearsed the things he was going to say when his chance came.
+
+He passed through a sleep period; and then, on the ninth day, decided
+that he was ready. To the attendant who brought his food he said:
+
+"I talk."
+
+The man started violently, and gaped at him.
+
+"Talk?" he repeated blankly.
+
+"Yes!"
+
+The attendant looked at him uncertainly for a long time, and then walked
+slowly away.
+
+He was disappointed. But he was not kept waiting long. Soon the man
+returned, accompanied by another.
+
+"Blumberg wants to see you," they said. He did not understand that, and
+shook his head. However, they lifted him from his platform, and carried
+him out of the room. They took him up a long series of steps and through
+dark corridors, into a small room.
+
+Here it was cool and light. In the center was a desk, and behind it sat
+the large man he had seen once before.
+
+"Set him on the desk here," ordered the large man. "Now, little
+feller--they tell me you're talking!"
+
+"I talk."
+
+"Well, well, well!" said the large man jovially. "What'll we talk
+about?... I'm Blumberg, and I run this circus.... Who are you?"
+
+He understood only the last words, but they were what he was waiting
+for.
+
+"I am man of Loten," he said carefully. "Loten is world more far from
+heat star."
+
+"What? Say that again!"
+
+"I not live in your world--in this world...."
+
+"The hell you don't."
+
+Again he did not understand what the large man meant, and looked around
+helplessly. Then he saw a writing instrument on the desk, and picked it
+up. Blumberg pushed forward a piece of white paper. Quickly he drew, in
+its center, a large circle with lines extending from its circumference
+to indicate radiation. Outside it he drew four small circles at varying
+distances from the central one.
+
+"Hey, Edgar--come here!" called Blumberg.
+
+A pale young man who had been sitting in a corner approached the desk,
+saying, "Yes?"
+
+He looked pleadingly at the pale young man. He placed his fingertip on
+the large circle, and said, "Heat star!"
+
+"Sun," said the young man quickly.
+
+"Sun!" he repeated gratefully. Next he indicated the third little circle
+from the center.
+
+"This world?" he said.
+
+"Earth," said the young man.
+
+"Earth? This world is Earth?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+Blumberg grumbled: "What is this--a joke?"
+
+He could not understand Blumberg. Eagerly he looked into the face of the
+pale young man, and indicated the fourth little circle.
+
+"Mars," said Edgar.
+
+"Mars!" he cried jubilantly. He pointed his finger at himself. "I am man
+of Mars," he said.
+
+There was silence in the room, while they both stared at him. Then the
+big man began to laugh. His body shook, and his red cheeks jumped up and
+down.
+
+"So you are a Martian--eh?"
+
+"Yes--a Martian."
+
+Blumberg was still laughing. "That oughta go big in the show--huh,
+Edgar?" he said.
+
+"Yes, sir," said the young man.
+
+"If you live on Mars, what're you doing here?"
+
+The Martian had been expecting this question.
+
+"They send me away to Earth."
+
+"Why did they send you away to Earth?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+Blumberg Promises
+
+
+The Martian began to speak slowly, carefully. Through long days and
+nights he had rehearsed his story, knowing he would have to tell it. The
+pale young man helped him often, at points where he lacked words....
+
+He told of the scarcity of water on Mars--of how there was only a
+little, that had to be preserved carefully.
+
+Here Blumberg interrupted. "How much water has this chap been drinking?"
+
+"Less than a cup, sir--in almost ten days," said Edgar. "The attendant
+was telling me ..."
+
+Blumberg grunted. "Go on!" he said.
+
+He told of the social order of Mars--of the three great classes: the
+Aristocrats, the Scientists, and the Workers. The Aristocrats, he
+explained, were the rulers, who utilized the knowledge of the Scientists
+and the energy of the Workers to build up a State for themselves.
+
+He told how, once a year, the water rushed down the canals from the
+melting polar ice caps, spreading vegetation over the face of the
+planet, and of how quickly this precious water disappeared, evaporated
+by the ever-shining sun, until there was none left for the thirsty
+plants, and they died. Thus, every year the famine was worse on Mars,
+and more Workers died.
+
+He told how he, and other Scientists, had wanted to spread oil on the
+canals to stop evaporation, and of how the Aristocrats had forbidden
+them to do it.
+
+He told of the plan he had conceived to control the waters at the head
+of the canals when the ice melted in the spring, so as to force the
+Aristocrats to come to terms.
+
+And finally, he told of their premature discovery of his plan; of their
+great anger and fear; of their determination to punish him as no man had
+ever been punished before; of his banishment from the very world in
+which he lived.
+
+There was a long silence when he had finished. At last Blumberg coughed,
+and shook himself.
+
+"That's a fine story," he grumbled, "but you left somethin' out.... What
+I wanta know is: how did you get _here_?"
+
+"In a space traveller," said the Martian.
+
+"What's that?"
+
+Carefully, laboriously, he described the space ship. With the pencil he
+sketched diagram after diagram, while the pale young man helped him and
+labeled them as he directed. The young man was becoming visibly excited.
+When the Martian had finished, he burst out:
+
+"By god, it would--it _would_ do it!... Look--"
+
+"Shut up!" said Blumberg. The perspiration was standing out in large
+beads on his forehead.
+
+"Fellow," he said heavily, "if you're lying, you've got one hell of an
+imagination!"
+
+"You not have space travellers?" asked the Martian tensely.
+
+"No.... Just ships that travel in air," answered the pale young man. He
+heard the other's painful catch of breath, and continued quickly: "But
+with these diagrams it would be easy to--"
+
+"Shut up, Edgar.... Shut up--an' get outta here!" barked the big man.
+The other turned, and left the room without a word.
+
+"Now, look here, fellow," said Blumberg, "I'm goin' to take your word
+for it. I'm probably crazy to believe you; but I've seen most of the
+funny critters of this world in my time, an' I ain't ever seen one like
+you. So you may come from Mars, for all I know."
+
+The other looked at him eagerly, trying to understand his words. "You
+think I am man of Lo--of Mars?"
+
+"Yes--that's right."
+
+The Martian quivered with excitement. He held out his arms in a gesture
+of appeal.
+
+"You help me?..."
+
+"Yes."
+
+"You help me go to Mars?"
+
+Blumberg looked down at the desktop, and was silent.
+
+"Yes. I'll help you," said Blumberg suddenly. He stood up, and patted
+the other softly on the head.... "Sure ... you bet!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Martian lay upon his back on a leather couch in a small room where
+they had taken him. His eyes were wide and shining. His hands clenched
+and opened convulsively. It seemed to him that he had been waiting for
+days.
+
+The door opened, and Blumberg entered, followed by a smaller man. As the
+Martian struggled to his knees to greet him, he spoke heartily.
+
+"Hello there! Think I wasn't comin'? No use being in too much of a
+hurry, y'know.... Meet Dr. Smith. He's a scientist like you...."
+
+The Martian nodded and smiled at them happily. Dr. Smith looked at him
+long and curiously, meanwhile automatically seating himself in a chair
+close to the couch. Blumberg, who was pacing the room, cleared his
+throat.
+
+"Now, look here," he said, "I'm willing to help you, but you've got to
+help me do it ...--"
+
+The Martian understood him immediately.
+
+"Yes!" he replied quickly. "Yes."
+
+"Good!... Now, Dr. Smith is going to ask you questions about things we
+need to know. You tell him all you can."
+
+"Yes ... I tell him!"
+
+Dr. Smith had many questions to ask, on many and diverse subjects. At
+first, communication between the two was very difficult; but both were
+highly intelligent and understanding men, and before long they became
+fairly successful in exchanging ideas. Blumberg paced constantly about
+the room. Occasionally he went out, but always returned quickly.
+
+The catechism went on for hours; and ended only to be resumed early the
+next day.
+
+And so it continued on the following day, and on the day after. The
+Martian was puzzled. They seemed to want to know so many things! Dr.
+Smith had questioned him on every subject--mechanics, electricity,
+magnetism, chemistry, colloids, catalysts, transmutation of
+metals--everything. He feared that they were wasting time, but did not
+think it proper to object when they were going to so much trouble on his
+account. Nevertheless, he could not help worrying; and that night, when
+the pale young man brought him his food, he asked timidly:
+
+"Do they make the ship?..."
+
+The pale young man looked at the floor, biting his lips. Then he went to
+the door, opened it, and looked out into the hall. He closed the door
+softly, and came near the couch. He looked straight into the Martian's
+eyes.
+
+"There is no ship!"
+
+"No ship?"
+
+"No." The young man was flushed and angry. He spoke very fast: "That fat
+crook is not helping you.... But you are helping him--you bet!..."
+
+"Does--does he not think--think I am the Martian?..."
+
+"Oh, he thinks you're a Martian, all right! He knows you are. He's
+taking out patents already."
+
+The other shook his head uncomprehendingly.
+
+"Don't you see it? Where you come from they know things that they never
+even imagined here. You got knowledge in your head worth millions of
+dollars; I mean, you have facts which are of great value to Blumberg.
+Why, already you've told him to make gold out of lead--something very
+precious from something worthless. And a hundred other things besides.
+
+"He does not care about you; he cares about your knowledge.... Do you
+see?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+The young man's anger suddenly abated, and he glanced fearfully at the
+door.
+
+"I'm sorry," he said gruffly, "but somebody had to tell you. You won't
+get any help here!"
+
+He turned, and almost ran from the room.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Martian sat perfectly still for a long time. Then he climbed down
+from the couch, and crawled to the door. He reached up and grasped the
+knob. The young man had left it unlocked, and in a moment he was in the
+dim hallway. He crawled along, keeping close to the wall, until he came
+to the top of a stairway. He felt the cool night air on his face. Very
+slowly he lowered himself down the steps. He came to a wide door leading
+out into the open.
+
+Seated in a chair by this doorway was a man, whistling. The Martian
+waited patiently in the shadows until the man stood up, yawned, and
+strolled away.
+
+Outside, there were high, dark buildings all around him. He found
+himself in a narrow canyon running between them. He crawled down this
+canyon to the right, close against the buildings. The paving beneath him
+was hard, and hurt his knees. But he did not stop.
+
+Someone was walking towards him. He could not escape being seen. He was
+near a large light on a pole. He raised his hand in a gesture of
+greeting....
+
+It was a woman. Suddenly she saw him, and gasped. Then she
+screamed--piercingly. The sound echoed and re-echoed between the high
+walls of the buildings.
+
+Windows and doors banged. Footsteps pounded on the pavement. Soon there
+were many people around him. Some of them were holding the woman. She
+hung limply in their arms.
+
+A man strode into the group, swinging a club, and speaking
+authoritatively:
+
+"Here! What's the trouble? Move on there!" He glanced at the woman.
+"Fainted? Take her to a drug store, somebody. She'll be all right....
+What's this?" He grasped the Martian by the arm, and raised him to the
+light.... "Well, I'm damned!"
+
+Followed by the curious crowd, he half carried, half dragged his captive
+along the street, around a corner, and through a lighted doorway. He
+slammed the door shut.
+
+"Found a freak, Yer Honor.... Scared a woman half to death! It musta
+got outa the 'Garden'; I found it on Forty-ninth Street...."
+
+The man seated behind the high desk nodded, and picked up a telephone.
+Into this he spoke in a low voice, waited, and then spoke again. Finally
+he laid it down, and said, "He is coming over. Hold on to it." He
+resumed his writing.
+
+The Martian watched the man writing on the high desk. He thought that
+this man must be some person of authority--some ruler of the people,
+perhaps. After long and painful uncertainty, he nerved himself to speak:
+
+"Please help me...."
+
+The man behind the desk looked up and smiled. "Yes. That is what we are
+here for.... Only be patient," he said, and returned to his writing.
+
+The Martian remained quiet. He would not dare disturb the man again, but
+he kept watching him....
+
+"Good morning, Your Honor!"
+
+At the sound of the voice, he gave a start of surprise and fear.
+Blumberg walked towards him, smiling. He struggled, and averted his
+eyes. But his captor held him tightly. Blumberg patted him on the head
+with his large, soft hand. He trembled.
+
+"One of yours?" said the man behind the high desk. "What is the trouble
+with him? He seems distressed."
+
+Blumberg smiled at the other, and tapped his own head three times with
+his fingertip. The other raised his eyebrows.
+
+"Tell the Judge about yourself," said Blumberg softly. "He is a great
+man, and he can help you."
+
+The Martian was surprised that Blumberg would allow him to speak. He
+made a desperate effort:
+
+"I am a native of Mars. Please, I must return home. Please help me....
+I--"
+
+"See!" said Blumberg. He was laughing.
+
+The Judge nodded. "Can you handle him?" he asked.
+
+"Sure! They get along better with me than in--other places. I know how
+to treat 'em; and they make a good living."
+
+"All right," said the Judge. "Take him along. But don't let me catch him
+running around the streets again, or you might rate a fine."
+
+"Don't worry! We're going on the road in a couple of days now. You won't
+see him again.... Well, good morning to you!"
+
+"Good morning!" said the Judge.
+
+The Martian lay, face down, on the leather couch. Over him stood
+Blumberg, breathing hard. With a light cane that he carried he struck
+the Martian sharply on his frail back.
+
+"Don't try it again, or you'll get more of that!" he said softly.
+
+The Martian did not move or utter a sound until he heard the door slam.
+Then he made his way to the table; and, grasping the edge, pulled
+himself erect. There was something on the table that he wanted....
+
+The door opened softly, and the pale young man came in.
+
+"You should not have tried it," he whispered.
+
+The Martian pointed to the window. Over the top of a building lower than
+its neighbors a small, square patch of sky was visible, and in this
+patch a few stars twinkled faintly.
+
+"Is Mars there?" he asked.
+
+The young man was silent for a moment, looking at the floor and biting
+his lips. Then:
+
+"Yes," he said. "As it happens, it is. Mars is the brightest of those
+stars, and the topmost."
+
+"Thank you," said the Martian. "You have been very kind to me!"
+
+The pale young man looked at him, and at the table. Then he turned,
+without a word, and left the room.
+
+The Martian did not take his eyes from the little point of light. But
+one of his hands reached over the table, and grasped a knife which lay
+there. His eyes still on Loten--his home, he plunged the knife into his
+heart. And the little point of light, while he fixedly watched it,
+flickered--and died.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Martian, by 
+Allen Glasser and A. Rowley Hilliard
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40992 ***