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diff --git a/old/61028-0.txt b/old/61028-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9e632e9..0000000 --- a/old/61028-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11935 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Perfect World, by Ella M. Scrymsour - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Perfect World - A romance of strange people and strange places - -Author: Ella M. Scrymsour - -Release Date: December 27, 2019 [EBook #61028] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PERFECT WORLD *** - - - - -Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - THE PERFECT WORLD - A ROMANCE OF STRANGE PEOPLE AND STRANGE PLACES - - BY - ELLA SCRYMSOUR - - - LONDON - EVELEIGH NASH & GRAYSON LTD. - 148 STRAND - - - - - PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY - THE NORTHUMBERLAND PRESS LTD., THORNTON STREET, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE - - - - - To - MY TWO DEAR ONES - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - - BOOK I - - THE OLD WORLD - - (_Before the War_) - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. STRANGERS COME TO MARSHFIELDEN 11 - - II. THE CURSE 20 - - III. THE LIGHT 33 - - IV. THE OUTLET 42 - - - BOOK II - - THE UNDERWORLD - - I. A STRANGE MEETING 53 - - II. THE ORIGIN OF THE PEOPLE 65 - - III. RELATING TO HISTORY 79 - - IV. OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND 88 - - V. A FRIEND FROM THE ENEMY 95 - - VI. THE LAIR OF THE SERPENT 102 - - VII. ON THE WAY TO THE TOMB OF KORAH 109 - - VIII. THE TOMB OF KORAH 115 - - IX. THE PAPYRUS 122 - - X. THE ESCAPE 129 - - - BOOK III - - EXIT THE WORLD - - (_After the War_) - - I. AT WALLA BALLA 139 - - II. HOME AGAIN 154 - - III. THE AIRSHIP 166 - - IV. THE END OF THE WORLD 173 - - - BOOK IV - - THE PERFECT WORLD - - I. IN SPACE 187 - - II. ADRIFT IN THE SOLAR REGIONS 194 - - III. THE VISION OF A NEW WORLD 204 - - IV. JUPITER AND THE JOVIANS 211 - - V. DEATH IN JUPITER 223 - - VI. THE SACRAMENT OF SCHLERIK-ITATA 232 - - VII. HATRED ON KEEMAR 244 - - VIII. THE UNFORGIVEABLE KISS 256 - - IX. ALAN—THE KNIGHT ERRANT 265 - - X. THE CAVE OF WHISPERING MADNESS 270 - - XI. THE WRAITHS OF THE RORKAS 282 - - XII. THE FATE OF KULMERVAN 292 - - XIII. THE SENTENCE UPON ARRACK 296 - - XIV. THE HALL OF SORROWS 302 - - XV. THE TRIUMPH OF AK-ALAN 307 - - XVI. THE PERFECT WORLD 316 - - ENVOI 320 - - - - - BOOK I - THE OLD WORLD - (_Before the War_) - - - - - THE PERFECT WORLD - - - - - CHAPTER I - STRANGERS COME TO MARSHFIELDEN - - -An English summer! The birds sang merrily, and the trees bowed their -heads, keeping time with the melody. The breeze whispered its -accompaniment, and all the glades and woods were happy. - -Marshfielden was, perhaps, one of the prettiest villages in Derbyshire. -Nestling among the peaks of that lovely county, its surroundings were -most picturesque. Its straggling street, for it had but one, was -unspoiled by tripper or tourist, for its charms were unknown to the -outside world. The road was cobbled, and boasted of no pavement, and -long gardens, shining with marigolds and nasturtiums, reached down to -each side of it, forming frames to the pretty, irregular little cottages -with their gables and latticed windows. - -The little church at the top of the street finished the picture. It was -very tiny, holding only about one hundred and fifty people; but with its -ivy-covered towers, and picturesque little graveyard, the vicar was a -lucky man to have charge of such a place. Unmarried and friendless he -had come to Marshfielden forty years before, and had lodged with Mrs. -Skeet, the cobbler’s wife. Still he remained, having grown old in the -service of his people. - -It was a well-known fact, that “our vicar” as Mr. Winthrop was called, -had during all that time never left the precincts of the parish. -Children had grown up and gone away married; old people had died; but -still Mr. Winthrop went on in his kind, fatherly manner, advising those -who sought the benefit of his wisdom, helping those who needed his aid, -and still living in the little rooms he had rented when first he came to -Marshfielden, a stranger. - -Marshfielden was about seven miles off the main road. As they would have -to reach it by narrow lanes and rutted roads, motorists never came its -way, and it retained its old-world simplicity. - -Two miles to the south was a coal mine, in which most of the villagers -toiled. It was quite an unimportant one, and not very deep, but it gave -employment to all the natives who needed work. Strange as it seems, -however, by an unwritten law, not one of the villagers entered -Marshfielden in his collier dirt or collier garb. Every one of the men -changed his clothes at “Grimland” as the mine district was called, and -washed away the coal dust and dirt; so in the evening, when they made -their way in a body to their homes, they returned as fresh and clean as -they had left them in the morning. - -It was, therefore, an ideal place to live in and as old Mr. Winthrop -walked down the uneven street, his eyes dimmed and his thoughts were -tender as he acknowledged first one, then another of his flock. - -He stopped at the gate of a pretty, white cottage with a well kept -garden full of sweet-smelling flowers, and greeted the woman who stood -at the gate. - -She was quite young and pretty, and maternal love and pride glowed in -her face as she gently crooned over the sleeping babe at her breast. - -“And how’s Jimmy, Mrs. Slater?” he asked. - -“Very well indeed, sir, thank you.” - -“And you—how are you feeling?” - -“Quite all right again, now, sir.” - -“That’s right. And your husband?” - -“Yes, sir, he’s had a rise at the mine.” - -Mr. Winthrop smiled and was about to pass on, when he noticed an -underlying current of excitement in the woman’s manner. He looked at her -curiously. - -“What is the matter, Mrs. Slater?” he asked. - -“Have you heard the news, sir?” - -“No. What news?” - -“I be agoin’ to have lodgers.” - -“Really?” - -“Well I heard only last night, sir. Bill—he came home and said as ’ow -Mr. Dickson, the manager at the mine, had heard from Sir John Forsyth—” - -“The new owner of Grimland?” queried Mr. Winthrop. - -“Yes, sir. Well, he said as ’ow Sir John wanted both his nephews to go -to the mine and learn the practical working of it—and Mr. Dickson was to -find them rooms near by.” - -“Well?” - -“Well, Mr. Dickson knows as ’ow my ’ome is clean—” and Mrs. Slater -looked around her little cottage with an air of pride. - -“And ’e asks Bill if I would take them.” - -“And so you are going to?” - -The woman looked round her fearfully. “I’ve a spare bedroom, sir, which -I’ve cleaned up, and they can have my parlour. But fancy, sir, two -strangers in Marshfielden!” - -“It will liven things up,” remarked the vicar “we’ve never had strangers -to live here since I came—now over forty years ago.” - -“No, sir, nor before that,” went on the woman in a low tone. “My -grandmother used to speak of two ladies who came to Marshfielden when -she was a little girl. Artists they were, and strangers. The clergyman’s -wife put them up—and—and—” - -“Yes?” urged Mr. Winthrop gently. - -“Well, sir, they were both found dead one day, stiff and cold, sir, -outside the ruins of the Priory. They had been painting, and their -easels were left standing—but they were dead.” - -“What has that to do with the case?” asked the vicar with a little -smile. - -“Don’t you see, sir,” she went on quickly, the same half-scared look -coming into her eyes, “that was the ‘Curse’ that caused those mishaps, -and I am afraid the ‘Curse’ will be on the two young gentlemen, too.” - -“Nonsense,” laughed Mr. Winthrop, “You don’t really believe that the -‘Marshfielden Curse’ as you people call it, had anything to do with the -deaths of those two lady artists that occurred over fifty years ago?” - -“Indeed I do, sir,” averred the woman. “Why ever since the Priory was -dismantled by Henry the Eighth, the ‘Curse’ has been on this place. That -wasn’t the only case, sir. There are records of many others—but that was -the last.” - -“Let me see,” began the vicar, “It’s so long since I even heard it -mentioned, that I’ve forgotten what it was.” - -The woman’s face contracted as if she was afraid of something, she knew -not what, but of something mystic, intangible, uncanny—and she repeated -slowly: - - _When the eighth Henry fair Marshfielden’s monastery took, - Its priory as a palace, its vast income to his privy purse,— - The outcast prior solemnly, by candle, bell and book - Upon this place for ever laid this interdict and curse_: - - _From now until the end of time, - Whene’er a stranger come - Unto Marshfielden’s pleasaunces, - To make therein his home, - Troubles—disease—misfortunes—death— - Upon the spot shall fall. - So—an’ Marshfielden folks ye’d swell - With fair prosperity, and safely dwell, - All strangers from your gates expel, - And live cut off from all._ - -The vicar laughed. “Yes, it’s a pretty legend, Mrs. Slater, but remember -this is the twentieth century, and nothing is likely to happen to -Marshfielden, its inhabitants or its visitors, because of that. Why, I -was a stranger when I came, yet nothing very terrible has happened to me -during these last forty years.” - -“Ah, sir, you don’t count. I mean, sir, you belong to the Priory; you -are our priest. You wouldn’t come under the ‘Curse’ sir.” - -“And neither will any one else, Mrs. Slater. It’s a stupid legend.—Have -no fear.” - -“But,” began Mrs. Slater. “How do you account for the case of—” But Mr. -Winthrop lifted up a deprecatory hand. - -“I cannot listen to any more, Mrs. Slater.” And a note of authority came -into his voice. “Why, all this is against the religion I preach to -you—never listen to tales of superstition. Have no fear, do the best you -can for the two young gentlemen, and I think I can promise you that no -harm will come to them or you.” - -The woman shook her head, and disbelief shone in her eyes. The vicar saw -it, and smiled again. - -“Well, well! It remains to be proved that I am right,” said he. - -“It remains to be proved, _which_ of us is right, sir.” - -“Very well, we’ll leave it at that. When do they arrive?” - -“About six this evening, sir; the usual time when the men come home.” - -“I will call in this evening then, and welcome them. Good-bye, Mrs. -Slater, and don’t go listening to or spreading idle gossip!” And the -kindly old man went away down the street. - -That evening, when the bell rang to denote the return of the men-folk, -every door was occupied by an eager face, anxious not only to catch -sight of the two strangers, but also to take another look at the woman -who had dared to defy the “Marshfielden Curse.” - -For in this little village the “Curse” was a real, poignant fact, and -was spoken of in the twilight with hushed tones and furtive glances. -Children were quieted and terrified by it, and the fear imbibed by them -in their childhood grew with them till their death. Not one of them but -Mary Slater would have risked its anger by allowing a stranger to sleep -beneath her roof; and even Mary, although outwardly calm, was inwardly -terrified lest her action might be the means of bringing disaster and -misery, not only on her two lodgers, but on the whole little community. - -Dan Murlock, the husband of the little woman at the corner house, was -the first to arrive. He came along at a swinging pace, and waved his cap -jauntily as he saw his wife’s trim little figure at the doorway. - -“Hullo, Moll,” he cried, when he was within speaking distance “an’ how’s -yersel’?” - -“I’m all right,” she replied, while their three year old, curly haired -boy and only child peeped from behind his mother’s skirts and cried -“Boo” to his dad. The man looked at them both, with awe as well as pride -in his glance. Even now he was often heard to remark, that he could not -make out why a clumsy brute like him should be allowed to own such an -angelic wife and child. - -“Where’s the strangers?” asked Moll eagerly. - -“Comin’ along, lass. Why?” - -“Oh, the ‘Curse,’ Dan!” - -“Never mind the ‘Curse,’ lass; that’s done with long ago! Is supper -ready yet?” - -“Yes, Dan. It’s ready.” But his wife made no effort to re-enter their -little home, and serve the meal her husband wanted. - -“Woman, what are you staring at?” he cried. “Why do’ant ’ee come in? I’m -hungry.” - -“In a moment, Dan. I—I—” - -“What’s thee lookin’ at, lass?” - -“The strangers, Dan. Think the ‘Curse’—” But Dan only laughed -good-humouredly. “Thou’rt a fule, lass. Come in and do’ant bother yer -head about it,” and he good-naturedly put his arm through hers, and -dragged the unwilling woman into the house. - -Most of the women outside, however, were still waiting, waiting for the -strangers. Then suddenly came a buzz of excitement as the news was -passed from mouth to mouth. “They’re coming! They’re coming!” - -The two young men, Alan and Desmond Forsyth, were entirely unconscious -of all the attention and interest showered on them. Of the “Curse” they -knew nothing, and had they done so, would have cared less. - -They were cousins, and on very affectionate and intimate terms, and one -day would share equally in the Grimland Colliery, of which their uncle -was now owner. Alan, moreover, would succeed to his uncle’s title. The -future looked very rosy for these two young men. - -Sir John was determined that when they left Cambridge, they should -thoroughly learn the workings of the mine. The instructions he gave -Dickson, his manager, were that he was to “make them work like ordinary -colliers until they were competent to take charge.” - -They had travelled on the Continent for six months after coming down -from the ’Varsity, and this was their first day of real, hard work. It -had left them both eager to begin another day, for they were anxious to -learn more of the wonderful workings of the mine below the surface of -the earth. They had walked cheerily toward Marshfielden, eager to reach -their apartments and have a good meal. They liked Slater, and felt that -they would be comfortable and happy in his home. - -“How do you feel, young gentlemen?” he asked them. - -“I’m dead tired,” answered Alan, the elder, a man of some twenty-five -years, while his cousin, Desmond, a year younger, yawned lustily, as he -asked, “How much further is that adorable little home of yours, Slater?” - -“We’re nigh there, sir. There’s my Mary at the gate.” - -“What, the little cottage at the bend?” asked Alan. - -“Yes, sir. She’s a good lass, is my missus. She’ll treat you well, and -make you comfortable and happy.” - -The rest of the short way was trodden in silence, and at length the two -young men stepped across the threshold of Sweet William Cottage, as the -Slaters’ home was called. - -The room they were ushered into was old-world and sweet. The lattice -windows were open wide, letting in the soft, fresh air of summer. The -ceiling was low and beamed, and the furniture was of old dark oak; while -the bright chintz hangings took away all hint of sombreness. The table -was laid, and within a few minutes of their arrival they were sitting -down to an appetizing repast. - -Neither of them spoke for some time, and then Desmond laid down his -knife and fork with a sigh. - -“I’m done” said he. - -“I should just think you were” laughed his cousin “You’ve been stuffing -incessantly for over half an hour” Alan rang the bell for the table to -be cleared and then they lit their pipes. - -“How do you feel?” asked Desmond. - -“Very tired—very sore—and very bruised” - -“So am I. I think I shall like the life of a miner, though” - -“Rather! What a ripping set of chaps they are!” - -So they chattered on until it was time for them to retire. At peace with -each other, at peace with the world, they slept until a knock at their -bedroom door awakened them. - -“Yes” sleepily answered Desmond. - -“It’s four o’clock, young gentlemen, you’d better get up” - -Alan woke up lazily to hear Desmond cry out in amazement. - -“Surely not yet, Slater?” - -“Yes, sir. You must be at the mine by five fifteen. Early shift to-day, -you know” - -“All right, Slater” cried Alan, who was now wide awake “we’ll be down in -twenty minutes” - -In a very short space of time they had had their breakfast, and were -walking across the Grimland fields to the mine, to begin once more a -day’s arduous duty. - -It passed quickly enough, but they were thankful when the bell sounded -for them to knock off work, and they were taken up to daylight again by -the cage. - -When they reached Sweet William Cottage, they found Mr. Winthrop -awaiting them, with profuse apologies for his absence the night before. - -“I’m afraid Mrs. Slater omitted to give us any message from you” said -Alan “In fact we didn’t even know you had called” - -“I am the vicar of Marshfielden” said the kindly old man “and I should -have liked to give you a personal welcome. You see the ‘Curse’ has made -your position here somewhat strained” - -The two boys stared at each other in perplexity. The vicar laughed. -“None of the women have been frightening you with their child’s stories -yet?” - -“No!” said both boys together, “what is it?” - -“Oh, there’s a legend connected with this place, that any strangers in -Marshfielden will bring disaster on themselves and perhaps on the place, -if they take up their abode here” - -“Why?” - -“A curse was laid on the place by a monk in Henry the Eighth’s time, -when the Priory here was dismantled” - -“Oh, is that all?” said Alan lightly “We are not afraid of old wives’ -tales like that!” - -But Molly Murlock, who was in the kitchen with Mary Slater, heard the -words, and her brow clouded. Drawing her child closer, she muttered as -she said good night to Mary— - -“‘Curse’ or no ‘Curse,’ I’d rather be dead, than live to see strangers -come here” - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE CURSE - - -The two men had now been working for three months at the mine, and the -villagers had become used to the sight of strangers in Marshfielden. -Indeed, as the weeks sped by, and nothing uncanny happened, they began -gradually to forget the “Curse” in connection with the two young -Forsyths. - -Summer was now waning. Leaves were beginning to fall and folks were -making preparations for a hard winter. Mr. Winthrop was still going -round on his kindly errands and had become sincerely attached to the two -youths who had taken up their residence so near him. - -Indeed, there was no one else in the village to whom they could go for -social intercourse, and nearly every evening Mrs. Skeet’s little parlour -was full of the smoke and chatter of the vicar and his two young -friends. It was now the first Tuesday in October, and the evenings were -growing chilly. Mrs. Skeet had lighted a nice fire, and they all sat -round it enjoying the warmth of its glow. - -People outside, passing by, heard the sound of merry laughter, and Mr. -Winthrop’s characteristic chuckle, and smiled with him. But Moll Murlock -passed the cottage hurriedly and drew her shawl closer round her -shoulders, while a slight moan came from between her tightly compressed -lips. - -Of all the inhabitants of Marshfielden, there was one still who had -_not_ forgotten the “Curse.” - -“Well, boys,” said Mr. Winthrop, “I suppose you feel used to your life -among us now?” - -“Yes,” answered Alan. “It seems almost like home to us.” - -“We’ve never had a proper home,” broke in Desmond. - -“Ours is rather a romantic story,” said Alan. “Our mothers were twin -sisters—they married on the same day and went to the same place for -their honeymoon. A year later my mother died in giving me birth, and -Desmond’s mother died when he was only a few months old, so we were both -left babies to get on the best way we could without a woman’s care.” - -“Poor lads! Poor lads!” sighed the vicar. - -“When I was five my father died,” said Desmond, “and four years later -Alan’s father was drowned. Uncle John then took us to live with him—but -as he was a bachelor we were brought up in the care of nurses and -tutors, and had no real home life.” - -“You are fond of your uncle?” queried the vicar. - -“Rather!” answered Alan. “Uncle John is the dearest old boy imaginable. -He’s a bit of a crank though. He has been working for years on what he -calls his ‘Petradtheolin’ airship.” - -“His what?” laughed Mr. Winthrop. - -“His ‘Petradtheolin’ airship. It’s his own invention, you know, but up -to now he has been unsuccessful. He has built a wonderful aluminium -airship—most beautifully fitted and upholstered—in fact it is absolutely -ready to fly, but up to now it won’t budge an inch.” - -“What?” - -“He is under the impression,” went on Alan “that in the near future -flying will be an every day occurrence, and it is his greatest ambition -to own the most comfortable, most speedy, and lightest airship of the -day.” - -Mr. Winthrop smiled. “There is a great deal of talk about flying now,” -said he, “but do you honestly think it will ever come to anything?” - -“I don’t know,” said Alan thoughtfully, “we have conquered the sea—‘Iron -on the water shall float, like any wooden boat’,” he quoted. “We have -built ships that can submerge and remain under water and navigate for -certain periods of time. I see no reason why the modern man should not -also conquer the air.” - -Mr. Winthrop shook his head. “I may be old-fashioned, but it seems -impossible to believe that navigable ships could be built for flying, -that were _safe_. I don’t doubt that airships will be built that up to a -certain point will be successful—say for a few hours’ flight, but it -seems inconceivable to me that man could so conquer the air, that -commerce and travel would benefit.” - -“Well, Uncle John thinks he will conquer it with his ‘Argenta’,” went on -Alan. - -“Surely that was not what you called it just now?” asked the vicar. - -Alan laughed. “The ‘Argenta’ is the name of the ship itself, but -‘Petradtheolin’ is the name of the power he is experimenting on, that he -is desirous of using to propel it.” - -“The machine itself is complete,” went on Desmond enthusiastically, “the -balance is perfect, and its engines are supposed to be of wonderful -velocity, but no known power will raise it even an inch from the ground. -So he is still experimenting on this spirit. It is a formula which -embraces petrol, radium and theolin; these chemicals are blended in some -way or other—concentrated and solidified. The engines are made so as to -generate electricity in the bonnet part. The current acts on the -solidified cubes, which as they melt are sent through metal retorts drop -by drop, and then being conveyed to the engines should make the machine -fly.” - -“Well?” - -“I know it all sounds very fantastic, but my uncle firmly believes in -the ultimate success of his experiments. His ambition is to be able to -fly for about one hundred hours with about a cupful of this powerful -matter. He expects each drop of the vaporized spirit, as it issues from -the retort, to keep the engines going about fifty minutes.” - -“It all sounds very interesting,” said Mr. Winthrop “but is extremely -puzzling. I am afraid I would rather trust myself to Mother Earth than -to your uncle’s very ingenious ‘Argenta’.” - -“So would I,” laughed Desmond. “But the dear old boy is so keen on his -work, we don’t like to discourage him” - -“And” finished Alan “there in a most wonderful shed, rests the -‘Argenta’; its body of glistening aluminium—its interior richly -upholstered and wonderfully arranged from engine room to kitchen, but -absolutely lifeless. And there I expect it will remain, for he will -never destroy it. It is his biggest hobby after us—sometimes I think it -even comes before us. He has the money, he has the brains, he may -perfect this power, and if he does, he will have conferred a great -benefit upon humanity” - -“You stayed with him until you came here, I suppose?” - -“Yes” answered Alan “We went to Eton—Cambridge—” - -“Cambridge?” Mr. Winthrop’s face lighted up “Dear me! Dear me! What -College, may I ask?” - -“Queens” said Desmond. - -“Queens? That was my College” - -“Indeed” cried the two boys together. - -“Yes, I’ve not been there for over forty-five years. I expect the dear -old place has changed a great deal?” - -“Yes. We had rooms opposite each other on the same staircase in the New -Buildings” said Desmond. - -“That was since my time” said Mr. Winthrop rather sadly “I’ve never even -seen the New Buildings. I was in the Walnut-Tree Court” Then he stopped, -and gazed into the fire, his eyes sparkling and a colour coming into his -old, worn cheeks, as he thought of the days of his youth. Reminiscences -came quickly. “Do you remember this?” “I remember when so-and-so -happened” So the conversation went on until they were rudely interrupted -by a sharp knock on the door, startling in its unexpectedness. All three -rose hurriedly. - -“Come in” cried the vicar and Mrs. Skeet appeared breathing heavily, -with a look of horror in her eyes. - -“Whatever is the matter?” asked Mr. Winthrop in dismay, startled out of -his usual placidity by her frightened mien. - -“Dan—Dan Murlock’s baby—it’s gone, sir” - -“Gone? Gone where?” - -“No one knows, sir. He was playing in the garden, safe and sound, only -five minutes before, and when Moll went to call him in to put him to -bed, he had vanished.” - -“It’s impossible for the child to have gone far,” said the vicar. “Why, -he is only a baby!” - -“Three last month, sir.” - -“Has any one looked for him? What have they done?” - -“The child can’t be spirited away,” said Alan. “Why, there’s no traffic -in the village that could possibly hurt him.” - -Mrs. Skeet looked scared. “If you please, sir,” she half whispered, “the -people do say, as ’ow it’s the ‘Curse’ and that he has been spirited -away.” - -The vicar blinked his eyes. “Nonsense, Mrs. Skeet! I’m ashamed of you. -Never let me hear such words from you again. Spirited away indeed! I -expect he has strayed away into the woods at the back of the Murlocks’ -cottage. Come, lads, we’ll go down and see Dan and his wife, and do our -best to help them.” Taking up their hats the three made their way down -the street, usually so quiet and still, but now buzzing with excitement. - -As they reached the Murlocks’ cottage, they saw the front door was open -wide, leaving the kitchen and garden beyond exposed to view. Curious -neighbours, sympathetic friends, open-mouthed children were surrounding -the stricken mother, who was rocking herself to and fro in her -abandonment and grief. - -“Let us go through,” said the vicar, and the two boys followed him. - -The woman heard the approaching footsteps, and lifted up her -tear-stained face to the intruders. She held out her hands pathetically -to the vicar, and the tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked. He took -hold of the toil-worn hands, and was about to speak when she caught -sight of the two boys behind him. Her eyes dilated and her body -stiffened. Suddenly she uttered a piercing scream, and pointing a -shaking hand at them, “Go, go!” she cried. “You came to Marshfielden -unbidden—you defied the ‘Curse’—now you have taken my baby—my darling, -darling baby!” - -Dan put his arm about her tenderly. “Do’ant ’ee tak’ on so, lass,” said -he gently. “Sure, we’ll find the babby. Already John Skinner and Matt -Harding have gone with search parties to find the wee lad. We’ll get him -back, wife mine.” But she only looked fiercely at the strangers. -“Go—go—the ‘Curse’ is on us all!” - -Mr. Winthrop silently motioned to the two lads and they quickly left the -stricken house, and made their way back to their rooms in silence. - -The next morning on their way to work, they missed Dan Murlock. Some of -the miners eyed them suspiciously as they asked where he was, and -Slater, their landlord, was the only one to satisfy their curiosity. -“With his wife,” said he curtly. “The wee laddie has not been found.” - -“Wherever can he be?” said Desmond in bewilderment. Slater shook his -head. - -“Search parties were out all night, but could find no trace or tidings -of him.” - -“Have you any idea what has happened?” asked Alan. Slater gave a quick -look at each in turn, and then muttered something unintelligible under -his breath, and the boys had to be content with that. - -It was a terrible day at the mine for the two boys; they had to partake -of their midday meal in silence, for not one of the colliers addressed a -word to them if he could possibly avoid it. They were regarded with -suspicion mingled with fear, and the “Curse” seemed to be on every one’s -lips. - -Two days passed—a week, a fortnight; still Dan Murlock’s baby was not -found, and at last the broken-hearted parents appeared at church in -mourning, thus acknowledging to the world that they had given up all -hope of ever seeing their little one again. - -Murlock was silent about it all, but every one who knew him realized -that he was a changed man. He had idolized his wife and child, and at -one blow had lost both, for his baby was without doubt dead; and his -wife had turned from him in the throes of her grief. - -The weeks passed on, Christmas was nigh upon them, and the child was -spoken of in hushed tones as one speaks of the dead. The two boys were -treated as aliens by the men, and they were beginning to chafe under -their treatment. Although nothing had been said openly, they knew -instinctively that they were blamed by the superstitious inhabitants for -the disappearance of the baby. - -“Alan,” said Desmond one day, as they were sitting apart from the rest -eating their dinner, “I can’t stand this. I am going to speak to the -men.” - -“Stand what?” asked Alan wearily. - -“Why the whispers and sneers that are showered on us whenever we are -near them. They all shrink away from us—treat us as if we were lepers; -even Slater avoids us, and the ‘Curse’ is whispered from lip to lip as -we pass.” - -“You’ll do no good, Desmond.” - -“We had nothing to do with the child’s going away, yet they treat us as -if we had murdered him.” - -“Leave it alone,” said Alan, “I don’t know what it is, but this place -seems uncanny. I think I am almost beginning to believe in the ‘Curse’ -myself.” - -Desmond made no reply, but squaring his shoulders, began to walk toward -the miners. - -“Look here, you fellows,” he began. “What’s wrong with you all? Why are -you treating my cousin and me as if we were murderers? We aren’t -responsible for Murlock’s little child vanishing away.” - -The miners moved restlessly and muttered together, each waiting for a -spokesman to assert himself, who would teach them the line of action -they should take. Desmond continued, “You talk about the ‘Curse’! We -knew nothing about it when we came here, and to us it seems ridiculous -to imagine there is anything supernatural about the whole affair. The -river is only a quarter of a mile from their garden gate; I know it has -been dragged, but after all it is full of whirlpools and weeds, and if -the little chap did fall into it, ten to one his little body will never -be found.” - -Suddenly a leader was found among the men, and Matt Harding stood up. - -“Look ’ere mates,” said he. “We do’ant suppose these young gentlemen -actually hurt Dan Murlock’s baby, or that they know where he went to, -but after all, the ‘Curse’ tells us _not_ to have strangers in -Marshfielden, or evil will befall. It may befall _them_, it may befall -_us_, but some one will reap ill. Now it’s really Slater’s fault for -giving them lodgings. Let Slater turn them out, and that may break the -‘Curse.’” - -“Aye, aye!” cried the men in unison. - -“Where is Slater?” asked one burly fellow. - -“With the shift above,” came the reply in another voice. Then came -groans from the rest. “Turn them out! Turn them out!” - -“There is no need to turn us out,” said Alan with quiet dignity. “We -will find rooms outside Marshfielden, and leave at the end of the week.” - -“Leave now! Leave now!” cried a hoarse voice, which they recognized as -belonging to Toby Skinner. - -That was the one word needed to make the miners obstreperous. “Yes, go -now, go now,” they cried. “By the end of the week all our babes may be -gone.” - -In vain the signal was given for the men to resume work; but they were -free of their pent up feelings, and refused to listen to the strident -tones of the bell that called them back to their duties. - -Suddenly the manager’s voice was heard above the din and babel. - -“Get to your work at once,” he thundered, “or take my word for it, there -will be a general lockout to-morrow.” - -Gradually the men quieted, relieved of the strain of the past few weeks, -and slunk back to work. - -“What’s the trouble?” asked Mr. Dickson, coming to the boys. - -“They think we are the cause of the disappearance of Dan Murlock’s -baby,” explained Alan to the manager with some bitterness. - -“Yes,” continued Desmond, “and now they demand that we leave -Marshfielden. That damned ‘Curse’ is driving us mad. These people are -like a set of uncivilized savages, who believe in witchcraft and omens -of the twelfth century.” - -Mr. Dickson smiled as he answered them. “Our Marshfielden folk are -unique. They are almost a race in themselves. As Cornishmen consider -themselves ‘Cornish’ and not ‘English’ so Marshfielden men call -themselves ‘Marshfieldens.’ It is true they are very superstitious for -they believe implicitly in the folk lore that has been handed down to -them from all time.” - -“What would you advise us to do?” asked Alan somewhat impatiently. - -Mr. Dickson thought a moment, and then said quickly, “The widow of one -of our men lives in a little cottage not a quarter of a mile from here; -it stands on Corlot ground—not Marshfielden. She has a hard struggle to -make both ends meet. I will send round at once and see if she is willing -to take you two as lodgers. If she will—then go to her, for she is -clean, respectable, and will look after you well. Meanwhile, neither of -you has had a day off yet, so go and arrange about your luggage, and -I’ll see you are fixed up somewhere with rooms.” - -“Thanks,” said Alan. “I shall be very sorry to leave Marshfielden -though. It is such a quaint, old-world place.” - -“Far too old-world for strangers,” said Mr. Dickson significantly. The -little village street was buzzing with excitement when they reached -Marshfielden. Women were rushing to and fro across the cobbled stones, -and the whole place showed signs of some great disturbance. - -As the boys approached, a sudden hush seemed to pervade the place, and -the women huddled together and whispered “The ‘Curse’! The ‘Curse’!” - -Alan shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll see to the things,” said he. “You go -along to Mr. Winthrop, and tell him of the change in our plans.” - -“Right, old boy,” and Desmond went towards Mr. Winthrop’s rooms, -whistling and doing his best to ignore the hostile looks that were -directed at him. - -Alan went into the little room that had become so dear to them both. The -cottage was deserted, Mrs. Slater was absent, and as he made his way up -to the little bedroom, he sighed as he thought of leaving the dear -little place. - -In a very short space of time the drawers were emptied and the trunks -packed; everything was done except the putting together of the hundred -and one odds and ends that invariably remain about. - -“That’s good!” said he to himself, as he rose from his knees, having -finished strapping up the trunks, and he surveyed his handiwork with -pride, as he realized the short time it had taken him to complete it -all. - -“Alan!”—He turned round suddenly—it was Desmond’s voice. - -“Coming, old chap,” but Desmond was in the room, with a white, set face, -trembling limbs and a look of horror in his eyes. - -“Good God! Whatever is the matter?” he asked. - -“John Meal—Matt Harding—” gasped Desmond. - -“Have found Dan’s boy?” eagerly. - -“No. Their children have disappeared too!” - -“_What?_” - -“It’s true! Mr. Winthrop told me. That’s what caused the commotion when -we arrived here this morning. This news had only just become known.” - -Alan seemed struck dumb. He looked at Desmond with unseeing eyes; his -tongue swelled, and his mouth grew parched, but his lips would not form -words. Then suddenly sounds came. “I wonder—is it the ‘Curse’ after -all?” - -“I wondered that too.” - -“When were they missed?” - -“The children were all in school safe and sound. Lunch time came and -they were seen to enter the playground with the other little ones. Ten -minutes later the bell was rung for them all to reassemble. - -“When the children did so, it was found that there were five children -missing. Harding’s three little girls and Meal’s two had disappeared. - -“The Head Mistress was furious, thinking they had all gone off together, -and were playing truant. She sent a message round to the parents, so -John Meal left his work in the fields, and insisted on a search being -made. He swore it was the ‘Curse’ and that if he found his children he -would find them in company with Harding’s, and Dan’s boy.” - -“Do you think it is a band of gypsies at work?” suggested Alan. - -“There have been no gypsies near Marshfielden for over five years, they -say. Besides that, the extraordinary thing is, the children disappeared -from the playground.” - -“Well?” - -“There is a ten foot wall all round it, so it is impossible for them to -have climbed over. The only way out is past the Head Mistress’ desk. She -was sitting there the whole of the break, and declares that for the -whole ten minutes of the luncheon time, the hall was entirely deserted -and no one passed her. It seems impossible for them to have left the -playground that way, and equally impossible by the front entrance.” - -“Why it sounds like witchcraft,” said Alan. - -A voice startled them. It was Mrs. Slater; her eyes red from weeping. “I -beg of you two young gentlemen to go,” she sobbed. “The ‘Curse’ is upon -us.” - -“We are going,” said Alan gently, “but we will do our utmost to discover -the children. Now let us have our account.” But the woman threw out her -hands before her with a cry. - -“No-No-Not a penny, sir.” - -“Oh, come, Mrs. Slater, don’t be foolish. Let us have our bill,” urged -Alan. - -But Mrs. Slater was obdurate. “It’s only two days you owe me, sir, and I -wouldn’t touch a penny. You are quite welcome to what you’ve had, only -go—go!” It was useless to argue and they left the house with heavy -hearts, and went toward the blacksmith’s in order to ask some one to -take their luggage away for them. - -“Good morning, Jim,” said Alan pleasantly as they reached the forge. The -man looked up and greeted them carefully, and as he saw Alan about to -step across the threshold he gave a cry. - -“Do’ant ’ee put your foot inside, gentlemen, do’ant ’ee please! Oh, the -‘Curse’ be upon us all!” - -The boys shrugged their shoulders helplessly, and Alan spoke quickly. - -“Send your boy up to Mrs. Slater’s, will you, Jim? We want our luggage -taken from there to Mrs. Warren’s cottage at Corlot.” - -“You be agoin’ away?” asked the man eagerly. - -“Yes.” - -“I be mighty glad, sirs. I do’ant mean to be rude, sirs, of course we -shall miss you sorely, but the ‘Curse’ has hit us sore hard since you -came.” - -“Then you’ll send your boy, Jim?” - -Jim scratched his head. “Couldn’t you manage it yourselves?” - -“Surely it won’t harm you to help us out of Marshfielden?” said Alan -bitterly. - -“I do’ant rightly know, sir, but—” - -“Well?” - -“I’d rather lend you my trolley, sir, than my boy. I do be mighty feared -of the ‘Curse’.” - -“All right, Jim, give us the trolley. We’ll do it ourselves.” The -blacksmith wheeled it out, and gave it with half an apology to Alan. - -“Don’t apologize, Jim. I understand.” - -But the blacksmith had one more thing to say. “Do’ant ’ee trouble to -bring it back to Marshfielden, sirs, leave it with Ezra Meakin. He’ll -bring it back for ’ee.” - -“Oh, don’t fear, Jim, we won’t return to Marshfielden once we’ve left. -Ezra shall return it safely. We’ll pay you now.” - -Jim was not too frightened to refuse payment, and the liberal amount of -silver they showered on him touched him. - -“I do’ant mean to be rude, sir,” he began—but the boys had started on -their way and were already wheeling the lumbering trolley down the -uneven street. - -Jim went back into his forge with a shaking hand. Had he helped the -“Curse” by lending his trolley—doubly so, indeed, by accepting payment? -And as he beat the hammer on the anvil, sparks flew out all around him -like little red devils thirsting for prey! - -When the miners came home that night they were unaware of the double -tragedy that had come into their midst. The strangers were gone! They -rejoiced, and Matt Harding was among the merriest. Mr. Winthrop and John -Meal were away still searching for the missing ones, and no one had -dared go to the mine to tell Matt of his loss. - -He received the news with a set face, and strong self control. No word -of comfort was given him by his comrades; he needed none. Blindly he -staggered home, his loving, grief-stricken wife comforting and consoling -him, bearing up herself in order to help the man she loved. - -Silently the miners prepared for another fruitless search. - -“The two young gentlemen are going to help,” volunteered a woman in the -crowd. - -“We do’ant want no help,” cried a man baring his brawny arm. “We’ll find -the chillun ourselves.” But the search proved futile, as they almost -expected, for as Murlock’s boy had vanished completely, so had these -other five children. But still stranger things were happening! - -Mrs. Skeet possessed a dun cow of which she was very proud. Two days -after the disappearance of the children, she tied it up in its stall in -the byre, as it was suffering from an inflamed heel. Next morning when -she entered the byre the cow had gone, and the whole of the thatched -roof had been burnt away. Rushing into the cottage she called Mr. -Winthrop, but there was no reply. She knocked at his bedroom door. The -room sounded empty. Again she knocked, and fear made her open it. In a -second she was out, and shrieking in her terror, for the window was open -wide, and the vicar too had disappeared. - - - - - CHAPTER III - THE LIGHT - - -The London papers were burning with excitement. Marshfielden had at last -become known to the vast, outside world, for the disappearance of so -many of its inhabitants could no longer be hidden under a veil. After -the vicar was found to be missing, Mr. Dickson at the mine made Slater -promise to report the matter to the Kiltown police—the nearest -constabulary to Marshfielden. - -The detective officer and his men came over and pompously took notes and -asked voluminous questions, but after a fortnight’s search came no -nearer solving the mystery. Then one of the constables disappeared too, -and Sergeant Alken thought it was high time to report the matter to -Scotland Yard. - -Detective Inspector Vardon, the shrewdest, cleverest man at the Yard, -came down immediately, and at once sent for Alan and Desmond Forsyth. He -had been working out a theory coming down in the train and these two -young men were very closely connected with it. - -But after his first interview with them, he realized that his suspicions -were entirely wrong, and knew he must look elsewhere for a clue. Alan -told the full story without any hesitation whatsoever and explained how -they themselves had suffered over the “Curse.” - -“Pooh Pooh!” laughed Vardon “We will leave the ‘Curse’ out of the -question. These mysteries are caused by no witchcraft, but by a clever, -cunning brain.” - -“Do you really think so?” asked Desmond. - -“Of course,” and Alan gave a sigh of relief as he murmured, “you don’t -know how that has relieved me. I was beginning to get quite a horror of -the unknown.” - -“Of course it’s an uncanny case,” went on the Inspector, “but we’ll -solve the problem yet.” Then he added laughingly, “I came down here -prepared to suspect you two young gentlemen.” - -“Us? Why?” - -“Well, all these mysteries occurred after you arrived here, and I found -you were none too popular with the natives.” - -Desmond was indignant, but Vardon soon cooled him down. “See here, my -dear sir. It’s my business to suspect everybody until I convince myself -of his innocence. I know now I was mistaken—therefore I have been candid -with you.” - -The inquiries lasted some time, and every day brought some fresh -disaster in its wake, filling the little village with misery and -consternation, and the London editors’ pockets with gold. Sightseers and -tourists came galore to the stricken place, and the carrier between -Marshfielden and Kiltown reaped a small fortune from the curious. Every -day the papers recounted some fresh loss—perhaps a cow or a pig, but -often a human life. Women kept inside their homes, and even the men folk -walked about in pairs, so that they could help each other should the -“unknown” fall upon them. - -The two boys still worked in the mine, and the men, realizing at last -that they were not the instigators of all the trouble, admitted them, -charily enough at first, into their lives again. - -Alan and Desmond were quite happy with Mrs. Warren, but missed Mr. -Winthrop’s kindly advice and friendship greatly. No trace of him had -ever been found, and a younger man now took his parochial duties. -Amateur detectives swarmed about the place, but the villagers in a body -refused shelter to every one. Even the police officials themselves had -to pitch tents in fields near by for their own use, as no bribe was high -enough to obtain accommodation for them. Inspector Vardon was beginning -to get disheartened; he had formed many theories during his stay, but -upon minute investigation they all fell to pieces. - -Walking away from the village one day, his hands behind his back and his -head sunk upon his breast, deep in thought, he was suddenly awakened -from his reverie by the sound of groans. Hedges were on either side of -him, but he vaulted over the one from whence the sounds came. - -There lay a sheep, its wool burnt away and its body scorched. He -examined the helpless creature in pity, and the poor beast breathed his -last. He was distinctly puzzled. There was no sign of fire anywhere at -all—the poor animal alone had been hurt. - -He pondered for a moment, and the thought came into his mind that -perhaps this was a sequel to the strange disappearances and mysteries he -had been trying to unravel—but after a moment, he cast the thought aside -as being impossible, and decided that the accident must have been caused -by a passer-by throwing away a match or a lighted cigarette, so he -hurried across the fields to tell the farmer of his loss. That night, -however, he had cause to think more deeply over the mishap to the sheep. - -About six in the evening Ezra Meakin and a companion set out for -Kiltown. They intended to stay the night there and come back by the -carrier in the morning. At eight a shrieking, demented man came flying -into Marshfielden, and fell in a heap across the steps that led up to -the church. - -Matt Harding was near and ran to his aid. - -“Good God, it’s Ezra!” he cried. - -It was indeed, but a very different Ezra from the one who had left -Marshfielden only two hours before. His clothes were scorched and his -hair singed, while great blisters, that could have been caused only by -excessive heat, marred his face. - -“What has come over ye, lad?” asked Matt in concern. - -“The fire! The fire!” cried Ezra hysterically. “It’s taken Luke—he’s -gone,” and with the words he lapsed into unconsciousness. - -Matt lifted him up in his strong arms, and bore him to the nearest -cottage. “Fetch the Inspector,” said he curtly as he busied himself in -trying to restore life to the inanimate form on the bed. At length he -succeeded—a tremor passed through the body; the hands unclasped; the -eyelids fluttered slightly. Then the lids slowly moved, and Matt stared -down in horror at the wide open eyes. Blindly he stumbled out of the -room, and fell into the arms of the Inspector. - -“What’s the matter?” asked Vardon. - -Matt looked at him stupidly for a moment, and then gave a harsh, -mirthless laugh. “Ezra—he’s—he’s—” - -“Yes?” - -“He’s blind.” - -“Blind?” - -Matt Harding could say no more, but sank down on to a chair and buried -his head in his hands. - -For a week Ezra lay delirious, and it was even longer than that before -any one could get his story from him. When it came, it was disjointed -and almost incoherent. After he and Luke Wilden had walked about a mile, -he told them, they suddenly saw in the distance something that looked -like a red hot wire on the horizon. Dancing and swaying it drew nearer -to them, and fascinated they watched to see what it could possibly be. - -Then suddenly, before they realized, it was upon them. It swooped down -and coiled around Luke’s body, and carried him off into mid-air. As he -tried to drag Luke from its clutches, the end of it, in curling around -Luke still more firmly, struck him, and burnt and blinded him. He -remembered no more; everything grew dim, and he fled down the long, -straight road towards the village, instinct guiding him in place of his -sight. - -Every one heard the story incredulously, and it duly appeared in the -London newspapers, and tended to make the “Marshfielden Mystery” as it -was called, still more complicated and unfathomable. - -Ezra recovered from the shock, but his eyesight was gone forever. - -“Destroyed by fire,” was the verdict of the eminent specialist who was -called in to diagnose his case. - -The story of the “Light” grew daily more terrifying. School children -declared they saw it from the windows of their class-rooms, and when -closely questioned about it, declared it was “a golden streak of fire, -as thin as wire, that came rushing through the sky like lightning.” - -Then men began to watch for it, but somehow it seemed to evade most of -them, and for some time, solitary statements were all that could be -obtained with reference to it. - -“What do you make of it, Alan?” asked Desmond one day, after it had been -seen by three different witnesses at the same time and in the same -direction. - -“I don’t know. Every one is not a liar, and at the same time every one -cannot suffer from a like optical delusion. Every one who has seen this -phenomenon agrees in every detail about its appearance.” - -“Yes, even the children,” supplemented Desmond. - -“Let’s go for a walk,” yawned his cousin. “I feel very tired to-day.” - -Mrs. Warren watched them going toward the gate with apprehension in her -eyes, and just as they were about to pass through, she rushed to the -door. “Be you agoin’ out? Oh, do’ant ’ee go—do’ant ’ee—not to-night! I -be afeared—mortal afeared.” - -“Oh, we’ll take care of ourselves,” laughed Desmond. “Don’t you worry.” - -“But I’m afeared.” She shivered as she spoke—but the boys laughed as -they walked toward the Corlot Woods, a favourite spot of theirs. - -As they crossed the stile leading to the path across the fields, they -heard a dog crying pitifully. Alan, always tender-hearted towards dumb -animals, stopped and looked round. Again came the mournful cry. “I think -it must be across the way,” said Desmond. Alan crossed the road, and -then called out to his cousin. - -“It’s Slater’s pup”—he bent over it closely—“Why its leg is broken and -its fur is singed,” he added in an awe-struck tone. - -A rustling sounded behind him—an intense heat that nearly stifled him; -he heard a sudden shriek—a groan. - -Once more the “Light” had found its prey. Alan was alone! - - * * * * * - - “_Come at once. Something terrible has happened to Dez. Don’t delay. - Alan._” - -Such was the telegram that Sir John Forsyth received upon arriving at -his office the day after Desmond’s disappearance. The two boys had kept -him fully posted with all the news at Marshfielden. But as he always -prided himself upon his strong common sense, he laughed with the boys at -the suggestion that the “Curse” was responsible for the strange -happenings in the little Derbyshire village. - -His face blanched as he read the message, and instinctively he thought -of the “Curse,” yet put the thought aside as quickly as it came. - -Masters, his confidential secretary, almost friend, looked at him -pityingly. - -“I am going to Marshfielden,” announced Sir John. - -“Shall I come with you?” asked Masters. - -“Yes, Masters, I shall need you.” - -“An express leaves for Derby in half an hour,” went on Masters. “If we -book there, I can ’phone through for a car to meet us and motor us -direct to Grimland.” - -“Yes! Yes! You arrange,” and Sir John, who had grown as many years old -as minutes had passed since he had had the news, sat with his teeth -chattering and his limbs trembling. - -“A motor car will be waiting for us at Derby,” announced Masters as they -took their seats in the train. - -At last the whistle sounded, the flag waved, and the great engine -snorted violently as it left the station. - -Sir John, in his anguish of mind, was unable to sit still; up and down -the corridor he walked until the passengers began to pity his white, -strained face, and wondered what his trouble could be. Derby at last! -Then followed a mad ride to Grimland. Alan was awaiting his Uncle at the -pit head; he had not attempted to go to bed since the “Light” had taken -Desmond from his side. Silently they gripped hands, and Sir John entered -the little office and heard the whole story. - -Alan wound up by saying, “Even as I tell the story, it seems almost -incredible. As I turned round I saw Desmond in mid-air, with, it seemed, -a fiery wire about him—and as I looked he vanished from sight.” - -Sir John was determined not to look upon it as witchcraft. - -“It’s man’s devilry, I’ll be bound,” said he. “I’ll swear it’s not -supernatural. Get all the scientists down—let them make investigations. -I’ll pay handsomely, but discover the secret I will.” - -The men, when they realized that Desmond had disappeared, were -shamefaced, and came to Mrs. Warren’s cottage to offer their sympathy. -They tried to atone for their past conduct, by inviting both Alan and -his Uncle to stay in Marshfielden. But Alan refused. “No, we’ll stay -here,” said he. “Mrs. Warren has made me very comfortable. But perhaps -we’ll come and visit Marshfielden, if we may, and do our utmost to -discover the perpetrator of this diabolical plot.” - -“Aye, do ’ee sur, do ’ee,” said the men, and Alan felt strangely cheered -by their friendship. - -Sir John stayed with Alan for a fortnight, but as others had -disappeared, so had Desmond, and no trace of him could be found. It was -necessary for Sir John to return to town, in order that he might keep -his business appointments and he asked Alan to accompany him. - -“I curse the day I ever sent you to Grimland,” said he over and over -again. - -“Don’t upset yourself so, Uncle John! How could anyone have foreseen -such a calamity. No, I’ll stay here, and perhaps I may be the means of -unravelling the mystery.” - -Police from the Continent, detectives from America, Asiatic wizards and -sorcerers all came to Marshfielden—but none solved the mystery. For days -no one stirred out of doors, and when at length they did so, it was with -faltering steps and bated breath. No one knew who would be the next -victim of the strange power that pervaded the place. Summer came again! -A year had passed and left its mark on the once peaceful English -village. Many white crosses adorned the little churchyard, but of all -the new ones, few really marked the last resting place of those whose -names they bore. A tiny tombstone in the far corner, under a weeping -ash, named the spot consecrated to the memory of little Jimmie Murlock, -the first victim of the “Light”. - -Moll Murlock had gone out of her mind. The shock had turned her -brain,—and when, one after another, she learned of the tragedies that -were daily coming on the little village, her senses left her entirely, -and she was taken to the Kiltown asylum. Dan lived alone, in the little -cottage, his hair snow white, and his features old and wrinkled; and -none of his comrades dared recall the past to his mind. The new vicar -who had taken Mr. Winthrop’s place was very unpopular, and on Sundays -the church was nearly half empty. Fear had turned their thoughts from -Heaven, and while men openly cursed their God, the women whispered their -curses in their hearts. - -Inspector Vardon was still investigating, but his reports to the Yard -were all the same. “Nothing further to hand” and then came the day when -he added “Fear this is beyond me” and the chiefs looked at each other in -dismay, as they feared it would remain one of the unsolved mysteries of -the day. They had no shrewder or cleverer man in their employ than -Marcus Vardon. - -Then the “Light” suddenly disappeared. No more losses were reported, -things went on more calmly, and women began to go out of doors more -freely. Children returned to school, and Marshfielden had become almost -normal again. For two months there were no casualties, and people hoped -that the evil influence had departed for good, or burnt itself out. - -And the next Sunday the new clergyman addressed from his pulpit a full -church. The people had once more come to the house of God for comfort -and to return Him thanks for the cessation of the past horrors. And his -voice shook as he gave out his text, from the one hundred and -twenty-first psalm:— - - “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; the Lord shall preserve - thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth for ever - more.” - - - - - CHAPTER IV - THE OUTLET - - -For over six months Marshfielden was unvisited by the “Light”. The -inhabitants were settling down and work had begun again in earnest. Alan -had been promoted second overseer at the mine, and as he had a firm way -with the men, those under him worked diligently and well. Traces of -sorrow were left on every one’s face. It was impossible to eradicate -them in a few months; years would not wipe away the affliction that had -come into their lives. - -The little village was opened up now. Motors traversed its cobbled -streets, and the inhabitants so far allowed themselves to become -“modernized” that the sign “Teas provided here” could be seen in nearly -every cottage window down the street. - -The influx of so many strangers made them forget the “Curse” and as once -they believed in it, now they believed just as firmly that the disasters -that had come upon them were wrought by some human agency. These six -months of peace and quiet they hoped were precursors of the future. -Inspector Vardon left the place, and nothing remained outwardly to -remind them of the terrible past. - -Then suddenly they woke up once more to sorrow. Two horses were found to -be missing, and with them the little stable boy who tended them. The -“Light” had returned! - -Once more voices were hushed and heads were shaken gravely, as every one -talked of the tragedy. A week passed, then Mrs. Skeet disappeared, and a -few days later Mary Slater. The place swarmed again with detectives; the -papers were again alive with the renewal of the tragedies. - -The men in the mine worked silently; the only thing to break the -stillness was the sound of the picks on the coal seams, or the running -of the trolleys up and down the roads. Each feared to think of the -horror that might await him when he reached his home at the end of his -day’s work. - -The dinner hour came round, and each man sat silent and glum, eating his -bread and meat, and uttering only a monosyllable now and again to his -particular chum. - -Suddenly there came a dull roar; the men rose to their feet in haste. -They knew only too well that ominous sound—it was familiar to them all. - -Mr. Dickson appeared, his face ashen. “An explosion in the South Road,” -said he. “Rescue parties to work at once.” - -In an instant everything was forgotten but the one desire to help their -brothers in distress. With picks and ropes and lanterns they hurried -down the main road, just at the bend of which a sheet of flame flared -out suddenly, entirely enveloping the first man, and setting his -clothing on fire. - -In vain they played on the flames—it was useless. The fire had gained -too much power. The rescuers were forced back to the cage at the bottom -of the shaft, and all had to seek refuge above. Another sorrow had come -upon the people of Marshfielden—their cup was full to overflowing as it -was, yet Tragedy, the Humourist, was not yet content with his handiwork. - -For two days the fire raged, and the willing rescuers were helpless in -the face of such odds; on the third it quieted sufficiently to enable a -rescue party to descend. Gradually they fought the flames, but not a -trace remained of the men who had been caught like rats in a trap when -the first explosion came. So Marshfielden was again in mourning, and -broken-hearted widows and fatherless children went to the touching -little memorial service that was arranged for the lost ones. - -Alan was horror-stricken at the calamity that had befallen the mine. The -thought of the men who had been burnt to death preyed on his mind; it -was his first experience of such an accident, and it left upon him an -indelible mark. - -The mine was once more in working order, and he was doing some accounts -in the office below, when a voice startled him. It was the voice of Mr. -Dickson, and very grave. - -“Go at once to the third shaft, Forsyth,” said he. “The telephone has -failed, and Daniels has reported that there is something wrong with the -air pumps there.” - -“What? In the lower engine house?” - -“Yes. We can get no further information. Make a careful examination, and -if you suspect any danger, order the shift off and close the gates.” - -“Very good,” and Alan, glad to have something to do that would occupy -his mind, left the office, and jumped on to one of the empty trolleys -that was being run by the cable to the second shaft, and would take him -very near his destination. At the second shaft there were anxious faces. - -“Something wrong at number three shaft, sir,” said one of the men. -“Daniels ’phoned us, but before he could tell us anything definite, the -connections broke down.” - -“Thanks,” said Alan shortly. “How many men are working there?” - -“None, sir. They’ve not been working it to-day. Daniels and two other -men have been inspecting a bulge that has appeared in the roof, and were -arranging to have it fixed up with supports.” Mechanically Alan walked -down the low road that led to the third shaft. He pushed aside the heavy -tarpaulins that hung across the roadways, and kept the current of air -from flowing in the wrong direction, and as he passed through each one, -he sniffed the air eagerly. - -At last! The sickly, choking smell came up from the distance. It was one -he knew and feared—a noxious gas. The roof became very low, and Alan had -almost to crawl on his hands and knees, for there was no room for him to -stand upright. Cramped, aching, he made his way along the narrow -roadway. Suddenly he gave a sigh of relief; the roof rose to perhaps ten -feet, and the road widened out into a vault-like chamber, perhaps twenty -feet square. He heard a cry in the distance. “Help! Help!” It was -Daniels—Daniels who came stumbling in and fell on the ground before him. - -“Mr. Forsyth,” he muttered, “run—save yourself—Rutter is dead—The gas is -terrible. There’s danger,” and even as he spoke there came a dull roar -and a flash, a terrible sound of falling—and Alan realized that the -little chamber had indeed become a vault, for the force of the explosion -had made the walls on either side cave in, and the entrance at each end -was blocked up completely. - -“Too late,” murmured Daniels weakly. “I couldn’t get here before.” He -fumbled at his belt, and Alan bent over him gently. “Water—water,” he -cried, and Alan unfastened the basket that was slung across his -shoulders, and took from it a bottle of cold tea. - -But even as he put it to the lips of the sick man, there came another -roar in the distance, and Daniels fell back—dead. - -Once more the dreaded sound was heard—once more an explosion had -occurred in the mine. This time there was little fire—only water—water -everywhere. - -“Where is Mr. Alan?” asked the manager hoarsely. “Has he returned from -the third shaft?” - -“No, sir.” - -“Then he is in the midst of the danger. Rescue parties at once.” But all -these efforts were in vain. It was water this time—water that drove the -men back to the mouth of the pit. - -Pumps were put in order, and for hours the men worked to clear the mine, -but when at last they were able to get near the spot where the accident -took place—they, as they feared, found no trace of Alan. - -From the second shaft the mine was in such a complete state of wreckage -and ruin, that it would take weeks before it was even possible to get -near the third shaft and the original scene of the disaster. So once -more a casualty list was sent out, and this time was headed by the name - - “_Alan Forsyth_”. - -Sir John heard the news with a set face. First Desmond, now Alan had -been taken from him. - -“Don’t take it so to heart, Mr. Dickson,” said he kindly. “The boy was -doing his duty when death overtook him.” - -“I am broken-hearted, Sir John,” said Mr. Dickson. “I feel that it was I -who drove him to his doom. If I hadn’t sent him to the third shaft that -day, he would be with us still.” - -“It is fate,” said Sir John simply. - -But when he reached his office next day, he told Masters to get him his -will from the safe. With trembling fingers he tore it across, threw the -pieces in the fire and watched it burn. Then he said quietly, “I must -make a new will, Masters. But to whom shall I leave my money? There is -no one to follow me now.” Suddenly he took up pen and paper and wrote -hurriedly. “Fetch a clerk, Masters,” said he, and when a clerk appeared -he added quietly, “I want you both to witness my signature to my will,” -and with firm fingers wrote his name, and passed the paper over to -Masters, making no effort to hide what he had written. - -And Masters’ eyes grew dim as he read— - - “Everything I possess to the ‘Miners’ Fund’ for widows and orphans, - rendered such by accidents in the mine.” - - * * * * * - -When Alan recovered from the shock of the explosion, he found his lamp -was still burning dimly, and felt that he had a dull ache in his legs. -He was covered with débris from head to foot and stifling from the dust -and powdered coal that was all about. With difficulty he extricated -himself, and realized that Daniels was completely buried. - -Alone in the little chamber, a feeling akin to superstition came over -him, and he moved away from the silent form, now shrouded in coal. -Scarcely realizing the hopeless position he was in, he leant back, and -closing his eyes, his worn out nerves gave way, and he fell asleep. He -woke up with a start some hours later; his watch had stopped and he had -no idea of the time. Madness seemed to be coming over him; his face was -flushed, his head throbbed. He was ravenously hungry, and crossed to the -dead man’s side and searched about until he found the basket that -contained Daniel’s untouched dinner, and the bottle of cold tea. There -was not a great deal of food—half a loaf, several thick slices of beef, -a piece of cheese and some homemade apple tart. - -Alan ate sparingly, for although his stomach clamoured for more, he -realized that not yet was his greatest hour of need, and that later on -he would need the food still more. - -When he had finished, he took up a pick and wildly struck at the blocked -exit, but only the echoes replied, laughing at his impotence. Flinging -his tool down he buried his head in his hands and sobbed in bitter -despair. His convulsive outburst left him calmer, and he began for the -first time to think out a plan of escape. He knew that rescue parties -would be working hard for his release—but could they reach him in time? - -There was around him a death-like stillness, and he realized that the -buried cavern was far from the bottom of the shaft. Then he suddenly -wondered where the air came from. There must be an inlet somewhere, he -thought, for the air he was breathing, although stuffy, was quite pure. -He walked round the walled up chamber—round and round—but there was -nowhere a weak spot. He sat down and tried to think coherently, and -laughed aloud in his agony, as he wondered whether he would go mad. He -looked up suddenly, and in his weakness imagined that the roof was -trying to dance with the floor. He tottered round the place, hardly able -to keep his feet in his wild fancy that the floor was moving, and -laughed hysterically as he knocked against a jutting piece of coal, and -thought the roof had got him at last. Then he quieted a little, and in -the semi-darkness the dead figure of Daniels seemed to rise from the -place where it lay, and point at him a menacing finger. - -In terror, Alan backed to the further side of the little chamber, his -eyes distorted, his limbs trembling. He watched the figure come -nearer—nearer—its long claw-like fingers were almost on his flesh—“Ah!” -he shrieked—the fingers were touching him with a cold, slimy touch. He -felt impelled to move forward—with the forefinger of the dead man -pressed to his forehead. He walked fearfully onward—then his overwrought -brain gave way entirely, and with another wild shriek, he fell to the -floor in merciful unconsciousness. - -When he recovered, his dimmed senses hid from him much of the past. His -fever had abated, but he longed for water. His mouth was parched. He -crawled feebly to the basket where the dead Daniels had kept his food, -and drew out the bottle of tea. There was very little left, but enough -to take away the first keen edge of his thirst. A torn newspaper that -had been used to wrap up some of the food rustled slightly. It startled -him and he looked round nervously. Again it moved, and seemed to be -lifted up by some unseen hand. - -He watched it fascinated, then suddenly his face lighted up. “A -draught,” he cried triumphantly. “Then it is from that direction I must -try and secure my release!” With renewed energy he began to pick at the -coal, in the fast dimming light of his lantern. Tirelessly he worked, -until success met his efforts and he had made a hole big enough to crawl -through, whence came the sound of rushing waters. - -He lifted his lantern above his head in his endeavour to discover where -he was, and its feeble rays shone upon a swiftly flowing, subterranean -river that disappeared through a tunnel on either side. The place he was -in was very small and had no outlet except by way of the water. - -The river was narrow, perhaps four feet wide at the most, but with a -current so strong that Alan, good swimmer though he was, would not have -dared trust himself to its cruel-looking depths. Mechanically he dropped -into the water a lump of coal. There was a slight splash—but no sound -came to tell him that it had reached the bottom. He felt in his pockets, -and found half a ball of string. Tying a piece of coal to one end he -dropped it into the rapids, but his arm was up to his shoulder in the -river, and yet the coal had not touched the bottom. - -He looked at the water curiously, and dabbled his fingers in the -brackish fluid. Suddenly a pain in his hand made him draw it out -quickly, and by the light of the lantern he saw it was covered with -blood. As he wiped it clean he saw the impression of two teeth on his -first and third fingers. Slowly his lips moved and he murmured—“There is -animal life in this river then—I wonder whither it leads—can there be -humanity near too?” - -His lantern was nearly out, and by its dying rays he tried frantically -to fashion himself a raft, upon which he could trust himself to the -waters. A trolley, smashed by the force of the explosion, lay near him. -The wheels had been wrenched off and it was all in pieces. He looked at -it carefully. The bottom piece was intact with half of one end still in -position. He examined it critically. Would it float? Well he must risk -that. He thought it would, and the end piece would serve as a hold to -keep him on safely. - -He was feeling faint—he ate the remains of his food, and with a reverent -glance at the place where Daniels lay, he pushed the plank out on to the -seething waters. Lightly he jumped on it himself, and, with a tight grip -on the projecting pieces of wood, gave himself up to the mercy of the -torrent. - -His lantern went out; the darkness was intense; there was no sound but -the lashing of the waters and the drumming of the raft against the sides -of the tunnel. The current was swifter than anything he had ever known. -The water just tore along at a breakneck speed, lashed over the frail -raft and drenched Alan to the skin. He was faint. In a dim way he -thought of his life—how empty it had been. Where was Desmond—and Uncle -John? Cambridge came before his eyes, and he could almost see the serene -picture of the “backs” with their quaint bridges and fields beyond. - -He felt stiff. Mechanically he held on to the raft, even when his senses -left him; and the frail wood with its worn burden of humanity, rushed -on, down into the depths, carried by the river that was descending lower -and lower through the earth. - -Suddenly the raft gave a still more violent jerk, and Alan awoke to life -once more. The rapids were over at last, and he was drifting along in -waters that were as sluggish now as before they had been fast. - -The tunnel widened, and he was aware that the intense blackness had -gone, and in its place there was a purplish light that was soothing to -his aching eyes. As the tunnel began to widen out, a path branched off -at either side of the water. - -The raft drifted on and at last found a harbour in a little, natural bay -hollowed out in the bank. Alan stepped on land at last, his senses -reeling. He had no idea of the time that had passed since he first -started on that strange journey, and he felt hungry, weak and tired. - -Slowly he walked along the river bank, and the purple lights grew -stronger—then voices came upon his ear, and as he eagerly bent forward -toward the unknown that faced him, above in Marshfielden, the clergyman -was saying— - - “And for the soul of Alan Forsyth—lately dead.” - - - - - BOOK II - THE UNDERWORLD - - - - - CHAPTER I - A STRANGE MEETING - - -The ever present sense of “self-preservation” beats within the breasts -of men most strongly at some period or other of their lives. It showed -itself to Alan now. A fear of the supernatural came over him, and very -quietly he stepped into the shelter of a jutting piece of rock, from -which, all unseen, he could take a view of his surroundings. - -He realized at once that it was to no mine that he had come, for -strange, fantastic figures flitted about in the distance, figures that -did not belong to the upper world. - -Suddenly several of these figures leapt into the water and with a -peculiar roll came swimming towards him at a terrific pace, and with a -graceful movement vaulted out of the water and sat on the edge of the -bank. He counted five of them, and saw that they were quite naked, and -their skins were of a most peculiar purple shade, an almost exact match -to the purple that lighted the place. They were talking volubly in an -unknown tongue, and Alan leant forward from his hiding place to catch a -better view of these strange, underworld people he had come among in -such an extraordinary way. Short—he would judge them to be no more than -three feet six, at the most, but with muscles that stood out like iron -bands across their bodies. Their hair, in contrast to their skins, was -of an almost flaxen hue, and in the females hung perfectly straight to -their waists. The men wore theirs cropped close, except on the very top -of their heads, where it was allowed to grow long, and was plaited and -braided, and fixed with ornaments. - -Their features were extremely pointed, and their eyes were small, but of -a piercing brilliance. From the middle of the forehead, grew a tusk or -horn, about ten inches long. For some time Alan puzzled over the strange -horn, but its use was demonstrated to him only too soon. It was a weapon -of offence. One of the women suddenly rose, and began an unintelligible -tirade against her companion. The man did his best to pacify her, but it -was useless, and suddenly she bent down, and with a viciousness Alan -could hardly realize, thrust her tusk into the man’s face, and with a -wild shriek dived into the water and swam away. The man was left with a -gaping wound on his cheek, from which flowed a sickly, purply-white -fluid. With hoarse chuckles, the remaining three swam off, leaving the -man alone. Alan watched him intently. Diving to the bottom of the river, -the creature stayed there an incredibly long time, and then reappeared -with a bunch of purple water weeds in his hand. He laid a handful of -these weeds on his wound, to which they adhered by a secretion of their -own, and the man swam away also, leaving Alan more alone than before. - -His faintness grew still more unbearable and he came out of his hiding -place, caring for nothing but to get food; but his limbs were weak, and -he fell, and found that he could hardly drag himself along. As he lay on -the ground, a sweet smell assailed his nostrils, and looking round he -realized that on little low bushes all about him, hung a -luscious-looking, purple fruit. - -He picked one and examined it. It was like a grape in size and -appearance, but was velvet to the touch, like a peach. He tasted it—it -was sweet and wonderfully refreshing, so he ate his fill, with his last -ounce of strength pulled himself once more into the friendly arms of the -overhanging rocks, and fell asleep. When he awoke he made another meal -off the fruit that grew everywhere in such abundance—it was filling and -seemed nutritious, and the juice appeased his thirst. He looked -carefully around him. There was no one about, and keeping within the -shadow of the walls, he made his way down the path. It was not an easy -road, for the stones were sharp and the way rough, and the constant -effort to keep himself hidden tired him. At last he came to the end of -the passage, and saw that the river widened out into a large lake, about -two hundred yards across. Peculiar craft lay moored at either side, and -in the centre was an island on which grew purple vegetation—short, -stunted, purple trees, and a peculiar, purple moss, that covered the -ground like grass. - -It was a weirdly picturesque scene. Purple light shone from purple trees -that were planted at regular intervals everywhere. The light seemed to -evolve from nothing, as it showed under the large purple leaves that -acted as shades—yet Alan believed it was partly natural, and partly -controlled by the power of the purple people he had seen. - -A wide passage went to the right, and in front of him Alan saw a large -chamber, bounded on one side by the lake. Branching off in all -directions were other passages which seemed to open out into other -chambers and roadways, in fact the whole place seemed like a veritable -warren. - -Suddenly an awful crash sounded, followed by the beating of drums and -the clashing of cymbals and away in the distance he saw a procession of -purple folk passing rapidly, all in the same direction. Cloaks of the -same purple hue fell from their shoulders, and the women wore veils on -their heads. He watched them with interest. The figures passed in quick -succession, then they became less and less frequent, until only one or -two stragglers came hurrying up. The sound of singing rose on the air, -and Alan conjectured that it must be some religious service to which -they all were bent. After the last one had disappeared Alan waited some -minutes to see if any more would pass, but as no one else came he walked -slowly in the direction from which the multitude had appeared. - -In a very short space of time he found himself in a street. Peculiar -huts lined either side of it, huts with their doors open wide and no -sign of life. He looked about him carefully, and ventured inside one. He -found it was divided into three rooms—all on the ground floor. There was -a sleeping room, for mattresses of that same purple moss, dried, were on -the floor; there was also a living room and a kitchen. Warily he looked -about him, and then went out into the street. The main street merged -into smaller ones and at last, at the very end, a large building rose -upon the scene—larger and more impressive than any of the others he had -passed on his way. All this time he had seen no sign of life—the -inhabitants were content to rest secure in their belief of -inviolability. - -Cautiously Alan crept toward the building and as he came close to it, he -saw that a sentry had been left on guard—a sentry with an evil-looking -knife slung across his shoulders, and a scimitar-like instrument in his -hand. The man was looking away into the distance and did not hear Alan’s -approach. “Hullo,” said Alan pleasantly. The effect was magical. The -undersized creature swung round and faced the strange, white man. For an -instant he remained quite still, and then, with a sudden movement that -Alan was unprepared for, sprang at him, and commenced to beat his horn -in Alan’s face. In vain the white man tried to free himself from the -savage grip; he was no match for this strange creature of the -underworld. His adversary made no sound as he gradually weakened Alan, -and at length he swung him over his shoulder as if he had been a child, -and marched with him at a quick pace down the street. - -The shock, the strenuous time Alan had been through, took his senses -away, and when he came to, he found he was lying on a soft mattress and -there was a stabbing pain in his arm. A fantastic figure was bending -over him, a figure that licked its lips cruelly as it surveyed its -victim, and Alan realized at once that he was in an enemy’s hand. - -The figure spoke to him, but Alan was unable to understand the jargon it -uttered. Suddenly it issued a command, and four men, clad in a kind of -armour, came up to Alan, and lifting him up carried him once more out of -the place into the street. Outside they placed him on a litter, drawn by -four men, and at a fast trot dragged him through the streets. The air -grew hotter and hotter, until Alan felt choked; at last, however, they -came to their journey’s end, and Alan was rudely hauled out of the -litter, and found himself standing outside high gates. They were very -massive, of a gold colour, and heavily barred on the inner side. One of -his captors struck a gong affixed to the wall, and in answer to its -strident tones, two women, heavily veiled, came running toward them and -unfastened the locks. Alan was almost too weak to walk, but was pushed -along a passage until he found himself in a place so vast, so wonderful, -so awful, that it left him breathless and trembling. - -It was a huge temple into which he had been brought—so vast that he was -unable to see the further end of it. An enormous high altar stood near -him, and at intervals were smaller ones all round the walls. Statues and -images, both grotesque and beautiful, ornamented the place, and the -atmosphere reeked with a pungent incense that was sickly and -overpowering. But it was not only the vastness and weirdness that left -Alan breathless—it was a wonder more terrible, more awe-inspiring than -his mind had ever conceived. - -The whole of the centre of the temple was composed of a fire—a fire that -ran down the length of the elliptically shaped building, and disappeared -in the distance in a red glow. A glass-like wall rose to perhaps three -feet above the level of the flames, and through it Alan could see into -the heart of a bottomless pit of fire, whose flames of all hues danced -and swerved and shimmered in a wild ecstasy. The substance of the fire -he could not guess—but the fire possessed a terrifying appearance that -alone was enough to break the spirit of any mortal man. - -The heat was intense, yet the natives did not seem to notice it, and -they led Alan to a pillar that rose near the high altar, bound him to it -by a heavy chain, and then left him there, alone. He watched his captors -disappear one by one. His brain was reeling. He wondered whether all he -had seen was but the result of fever, and he would wake up presently to -find himself in Mrs. Slater’s pretty little cottage at Marshfielden. But -no, he knew he was awake and not dreaming,—and looked about him in -bewilderment. That there were people living in the centre of the earth -he would never have believed—yet here was the proof—for was he not a -captive in their clutches? - -He looked at the fire. Never before had he seen anything like it. It -seemed to go deep into fathomless depths, and its flames danced and sang -and crackled maliciously. He wondered whether he would be thrown into -its fiery bosom by the purple folk, and shivered to think of it, but -then a feeling of relief came over him. After all it would be a quick -death, for nothing could live long in those hungry flames. - -Immediately opposite him was the high altar. Six steps led up to it, and -he looked with interest at them and at the red stains they bore; and -with an uncanny laugh, asked himself whether these were blood. If so, -whose? Round the walls on pedestals were huge, grotesque figures; and -interposed here and there, an image of almost seraphic beauty, that -contrasted strangely with the insidious cruelty and hideousness of the -place. - -To the right of Alan was a still more grotesque figure. About twenty -feet high it stood, with cruel eyes looking out across the fire. Its -jaws were open wide, and attached to the under jaw was a peculiar slide -made of the same transparent glass-like substance that encircled the -flames. This slide reached from the idol’s mouth to the edge of the -furnace, and suddenly drops of perspiration stood out thick on Alan’s -brow. The meaning of the slide was only too clear. The victims of these -underground savages were forced inside the idol, disgorged by it on to -the slide, and thrown into the fire—a living sacrifice. Time passed, and -Alan wondered dimly whether he would ever be able to reckon it again. - -Suddenly upon his ear came wild yells and fanatical shrieks, the banging -of drums, the clashing of cymbals followed by discordant singing. Then -the din quieted a little, only to reassert itself once more as the -natives reached the door of their temple. Alan gasped in horror as a -horde of grinning purple men swarmed into the place, two of whom left -their places in the procession, and coming to him caught hold of him -roughly. - -Priests and acolytes took their place in the procession, which was -brought to an end by a high priest, who wore the most wonderful purple -robes and purple gems; slowly he walked to the high altar, his richly -embroidered vestments hanging to the ground, and two acolytes carried -the ends of his cloak, which they kissed reverently as they ascended the -bloody steps. When he reached the top step he turned his back on the -altar itself, and prostrated himself before the fire, the whole company -of worshippers following his example. Boys arrayed in vestments almost -the facsimile of the ones worn by the high priest, swung censers aloft, -which exuded their sickly perfume, and sent the faint, blue smoke -mingling with the smokeless flames of the big fire. - -Then they rose and the ceremony began, priests intoned; an invisible -choir sang; and the congregation chanted, while live pigs, oxen, horses -and goats were thrown alive into the flames. There was a wild shriek -from each animal as it felt the heat, a crackling—and it was reduced to -ashes. Alan wondered when his turn would come, and longed vainly for the -blessed relief of unconsciousness. - -Suddenly his captors lifted him high above their heads, and strapped him -to the altar. And then in front of him was placed a goat, and two -priests, disengaging themselves from the crowd, disembowelled the animal -alive, flung the still living and tortured creature to the flames, and -stood over Alan with their ugly knives, still dripping with blood, -suspended above him. Then the steel came flashing down and he wondered -that he felt no pain, but he realized that his clothes had been deftly -cut away from him, and he was left on the altar slab, naked. Incense was -wafted over him, and he was bathed from head to foot in sweet smelling -oils. Then he was released from the altar and had to submit to being -robed from head to foot in purple garments. Sandals were placed upon his -feet, and for a moment he wondered whether these people really meant him -well—but even as the thought passed through his mind, the back of the -great idol swung open on hinges, revealing a flight of steps within; and -Alan knew the hour of his torture had come. - -With incense rising to his nostrils and the noisy clangour of bells in -his ears, Alan was led, powerless, although resisting, to the open -doorway. The steps inside were heated until they blistered his feet, and -the pain caused him to mount higher where he hoped to get relief. When -he reached the topmost step, and stood in comfort, realizing that it was -cool, the door below swung to. He was alone, and saw that he was -standing in the head of the idol, looking through its gaping jaws into -the heart of the fire. Then suddenly he felt a jolt beneath him, and -realized that his ankles were encased in iron bands. Again the idol’s -body shook, and he was thrown on his belly. Slowly the slide was coming -into position; another convulsive move of the idol, and he was half way -down it, and smiled as he saw in imagination a tank of water below him -in place of the fire, and himself in a bathing suit, ready to descend -the water chute! - -Slowly, slowly he began to slip, and wondered why he did not go faster. -He tried to kick his feet and so enable himself to get over with -death—but the iron anklets were holding him fast, and he knew he would -reach the flames only when his torturers desired it. The heat was now -unbearable; the flames were leaping up toward him; he already felt upon -his cheek their fiery breath. His arms were stretched out before him, -and he was at too great an angle to draw them up. Then came a feeling of -excruciating agony, an agony almost unbearable. His fingers had reached -the fire! powerless to take them out, he writhed round and round in a -vain endeavour to obtain relief. No sound came from between his clenched -teeth to express the pain he was enduring. - -Suddenly above the uproar he heard a woman’s voice, commanding and -imperious. There was a sudden silence, and then, with a terrible jolting -of the idol, Alan once again found the slide rising and he was safe -inside the belly of the image. Tears trickled down his face, tears of -pain. Of course the mechanism had gone wrong. All that excruciating -torture would have to be borne again. He held his mutilated hands out in -front of him. Numbness had set in and intense cold. - -The door in the idol opened and a beautiful girl mounted the steps and -came toward him. She was small, like her companions around her, and of -the same colour, and the horn in her forehead, painted gold and hung -with gems, seemed in some weird way to enhance her beauty. Almost of -English mould, her features were small and pretty, and her wonderful -hair hung like a mantle of gold far past her knees. Upon her head she -wore a crown of gold, and Alan thought she must be queen of the -underworld people, for evidently her power was paramount. She placed her -cool, firm hands on Alan’s shoulder, and led him down the now cool -stairs; and once more he found himself in the temple. He was dazed, and -could hardly realize that this woman had saved him. From a basket an -attendant carried she took ointments and healing lotions, and bathed and -bound up his poor, maimed hands. The effect was almost magical. The -burning ceased, and a feeling of relief came over him. She then offered -him her arm, and led him to the outer gates of the temple. There a small -chariot was awaiting her, pulled by a hideous beast that was the beast -of burden in the underworld. Small, with an ungainly body and short -legs—its head small in proportion, it had immense tusks and a beard -covered the lower portions of its face. Indeed, the “Schloun” was a -mixture of rhinoceros and goat, and had the bulldog’s squareness of -build. It was a hideous animal, and Alan shuddered as he took his place -in the chariot. The equipage was extremely comfortable, the floor, upon -which they sat was laden with rugs and cushions, and side by side, the -man and his protector rode through the strange streets of this -underground world. - -At last they stopped in front of an imposing building, even larger than -the one where Alan had originally been captured. The woman led Alan into -it, and took him into an apartment that was evidently reserved for her -private use. A soft, purple carpet lined the floor, while purple -curtains hung across the door. The woman pointed to a cushion and sat -down, and Alan, understanding her meaning, sat down near her. She spoke -to him slowly and repeatedly, but he was unable to understand her -tongue. - -“Kaweeka” she repeated over and over again, and at last he understood. -It was her name! - -Then he rose and went to the door and called “Kaweeka” and the woman -smiled and nodded and tapped her heel on the ground to signify her -delight. - -Suddenly she rose and stood beside him, and putting her arms about him, -planted a very English kiss full upon his mouth. Alan who had never -flirted, never cared for any girl, when he was in England, felt his -pulses leap and a wild thrill pass through him at the touch of her lips. -Then a sense of shame came over him. What was she? Why, hardly human. If -he succeeded in getting to the upper world again, and took her with him, -scientists would want to cage her as a newly discovered animal! Could he -wed her?—marriage?—love?—passion?—he knew too well which sense she had -aroused when her lips touched his. - -He drew away from her in loathing, and a hard light came into her eyes -as she imperiously put her lips up to his. Her fascination was -undeniable, but there was something unholy, almost unclean, about her; -and although passion shook him from head to foot, he turned away and -walked to the other side of the apartment. - -But Kaweeka followed him. She twined her arms about his neck and drew -his head against her breast, and he felt the wild throbbing of a heart -next to his. “Kaweeka,” he cried, “Kaweeka.” And he drew her to him -still closer, forgetting all else but that a warm living thing was lying -in his arms, and that thing a woman. - -Suddenly Kaweeka disengaged herself, and with a low laugh intimated to -Alan that she wished him to follow her. She led the way through a long -corridor, up a flight of wide and softly carpeted stairs to a room on -the second floor. It was a wonderful apartment, unlike anything he had -ever seen, and even as he looked about him, he heard a low chuckle, and -Kaweeka disappeared through the door, fastening it behind her. - -Alan drew a breath of relief. The air seemed purer for her absence, and -he looked round him curiously. Low divans furnished the room, and on a -wonderful table of crystal was food and wine. He was hungry and faint -from his experience in the temple, and he fell to on the repast that had -been provided and felt the better for it. - -In one corner of the room stood a large jar of bright yellow porcelain, -and it was filled with blue, green, yellow and purple fungi—flowers they -could not be called—but as fungi they were almost beautiful. Their stems -were long and bare of leaf, and the flower bloomed at the very top. Some -of the “flowers” were almost like poppy heads, others like variegated -mushrooms—while one or two blooms at least reminded Alan most forcibly -of the pretty pink seaweed he had admired when on a holiday at Rozel in -Jersey. The vividness of colouring made a wonderful effect against the -purple background and if his position had not been so hopeless, he would -have thoroughly enjoyed his strange adventure. - -There were no windows in the room—at least not what the world above -would understand by the word—but there was an opening overlooking the -narrow causeway that served to let in light and air. There was no -shutter to it, only heavy purple draperies hung at either side, which -could be drawn across if privacy was desired. - -In two corners of the room were tall braziers, and Alan touched the -large switch that protruded from them. Instantly the room was flooded -with the soft, purple light that seemed to exude from the trees; and -Alan felt that his first conjecture was right—the trees possessed some -natural light which the natives had learnt to control, and which they -ran along the branches much in the same way that we run electricity -along cables. At any rate the result was very pleasing, and the light -possessed none of the glare that is characteristic of electricity. - -His investigations being finished he inspected a heavy curtain that was -draped across the wall nearest the “window” opening. He pulled it aside, -and behind it was revealed a door. It was made on the sliding principle, -and as it moved slightly he saw revealed before him a room that seemed -almost an exact replica of the apartment he was in. Carefully he stepped -inside—and there in the further corner, he saw a low mattress, and in -the semi darkness he thought he saw it move ever so slightly. He drew -back startled, but on his ears came the sound of deep breathing: some -one or something was sleeping there. He moved cautiously toward it, and -saw the figure of a man lying on the couch. Suddenly the sleeper turned -over, leaving his face exposed to view. Alan uttered an exclamation that -awoke the sleeping man. For a moment there was silence and then a great -cry rang on the air—“My God—it’s Alan.” - -“Dez, old boy!” cried his cousin, his sobs coming thick and fast. “Dez! -Thank God I’ve found you. Steady, boy, steady—it’s two against those -purple devils now,” and the strong man bent low and sobbed as if his -heart would break. - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE ORIGIN OF THE PEOPLE - - -For some time after the cousins met again so strangely, they could only -grasp each other’s hands—their hearts were too full for words. - -“I’m like a silly woman,” said Desmond at last “but oh! Alan, I seem to -have been in this Hell a lifetime.” - -“Poor old boy.” - -“No one to speak to but Kaweeka—no one to look at but Kaweeka—always -Kaweeka—until I felt I should go mad.” - -“How did you get here?” asked Alan at last. “We were never able to -discover the origin of the Light. Oh,” he shuddered, “I shall never -forget seeing you carried off—whirling through space—it was terrible.” - -Then Desmond began his story in a quick jerky way, as if eager to get it -done. “The Light came upon me so suddenly, I didn’t realize what had -happened. All I knew was—that I had a fearful burning sensation round my -waist—and that I was being carried through space. Then came a descent -through darkness which seemed to last a lifetime. I seemed to be going -on and on—and then suddenly I found myself in the presence of the high -priest in the temple here. I have no recollection of how I reached it—I -think I must have lost consciousness and then—” - -“Well?” - -“Well I felt so ill after the journey that the rest seems all hazy. I -know I participated in some of their vile religious ceremonies. I was -forced into the belly of Mzata—” - -“Is that the idol?” - -“Yes. I remember the heat was overpowering. Then before I realized -anything else, Kaweeka came and rescued me. She carried me here, -and—well, old chap, the rest isn’t pleasant. The woman is a fiend. Down -here there is no one for her to allure, and as I believe I was the first -white man to get here alive, she gave me the benefit of her powerful -wiles. She admitted me into a kind of harem, in which I am”—he laughed -bitterly—“her chief husband.” - -“My God,” said Alan hoarsely, “You have married her, Desmond?” - -Desmond nodded. “I suppose that’s what it is—but I don’t understand much -of what she says. At any rate I was taken to the temple and after a long -ceremony, she came forward and acknowledged me before the congregation. -Time after time I’ve been within an ace of killing myself, for the -situation is unbearable. But she has spies everywhere and every chance -has been taken from me.” - -“Can you understand her tongue?” - -“No, up to now I have only managed a very few words. I know her name. I -know that Mzata is the god of their temple,—but I cannot get further -than that.” - -“What do you do all day?” - -“Nothing! What is there to do? I go out and Kaweeka accompanies me, -caressing me the whole time. Should she not come—then I am followed by -her spies. The natives watch me with suspicion; they seem to lick their, -lips as I pass, and long to fall upon me and throw me to the flames. -I’ve seen sights since I’ve been here, and heard sounds that would make -the strongest man tremble. Alan,” solemnly, “I’ve seen human -beings—human beings that we knew in Marshfielden—people we respected and -loved—thrown to the fire through the medium of Mzata. I saw Mrs. Skeet -brought here—shrieking—sobbing—crying—and I saw her thrown into the -belly of the idol. I was in the temple and rushed forward to save her, -even if death had been my reward—but Kaweeka gave a signal and I was -seized and bound and forced to witness her tortures. She saw me and -recognized me, and as she was sent nearer and nearer the flames she -cried to me to aid her. ‘Mr. Desmond! Save me! Save me!’ she shrieked, -and do you know, Alan, as the flames closed over her body, I heard ‘Mr. -Desmond! Save me!’ come wailing up through the fire.” - -“Then that is the grave of all the lost ones from Marshfielden?” - -“I am afraid so.” - -“What exactly is the ‘Light’?” - -“I don’t know—I’ve tried to find out—but it is some power of their own -that they have learnt to control. I think it is some force—something to -do with the natural light that pervades this place. It is sent through -the earth itself by the aid of some infernal mechanism, and when it -reaches the world above, it attracts a victim which it strikes and -brings back—a living, sacrifice to this hell down here.” - -“It is a very terrible menace to our world.” - -“Indeed it is! Some of the victims arrive mutilated and burnt, and -welcome the fire to deliver them from their pains. In some miraculous -way I was unhurt by it—at least I was burnt very slightly, and soon -recovered. But, Alan! How did you get here? Did the Light bring you -too?” - -“No, Desmond!” And Alan told the story of the coal mine disaster and how -he found the river that brought him to his cousin. - -Suddenly their eyes met, and a quick flash passed through their brains -simultaneously. Alan was the first to dispel it. - -“It’s no good, Desmond, we couldn’t possibly escape the way I came. We -could not battle with the current that brought me here. The water is too -deep to attempt to wade, and there isn’t so much as a ledge on either -side to which we could cling.” - -“What are we going to do then?” - -“Of course we must try and escape—but how? As far as I can judge we must -be somewhere near the centre of the earth. How can we get implements to -cut our way back again—and even if we did, how long would it take us to -do it? No, we are in a tough position, and there isn’t even a telegraph -pole or telephone wire to aid us.” - -Their conversation was broken by the entrance of Kaweeka. Unannounced -and without deigning to knock she entered the room, and both men rose to -their feet hurriedly. - -Alan stood with folded arms and a stern expression upon his face. The -moment’s madness of the yesterday had passed. He knew the woman, siren, -devil, call her what you will, to be sensuous and foul—and his passion -had passed, leaving him firm in his strength and with power to resist -her. - -Like a serpent she glided up to them, and touched them playfully on -their cheeks, and then, ignoring Desmond entirely, she held out her arms -invitingly to Alan. Sickened he turned away, but she came up behind him, -and put her arms about his neck. Brutally he pulled them apart and flung -her from him with a very British “damn”—which, though the word might be -unintelligible to her, left the meaning clear and plain. A look of fury, -followed by one of malicious hatred, passed over her features, and she -turned abruptly from Alan to Desmond, and in a low monotonous tone -crooned in her own language to him. - -Desmond fought against her powerful wiles for some time, but he was -frail, and her all pervading power drew him nearer and nearer. Once more -her arms were open, and Desmond was drawn into them as a fish is drawn -into a net. - -Kaweeka gave a low chuckle, and turned in triumph to Alan. With a half -step forward he raised his hand as though he would strike her, then drew -back in time, turned quickly and left them alone. Up and down the outer -room he paced and watched from the opening the stream of purple people -walking up and down the street—men, women and children, all bent on work -or pleasure. In a way they seemed to be civilized, yet it was a -civilization unknown to the upper world. An oppression came over him and -he rushed to the door and tried it. It was unlocked. That was more than -he had hoped for, and he hurried down the stairs to the outer door. But -there his progress was impeded, for a sentry on guard drew a peculiar -kind of spear and prevented his passing. - -Alan cursed and swore at him, and then tried more pacific measures to -get his way; but the man was impervious to everything, and Alan retraced -his steps and took refuge in a little alcove not far from the main -entrance. Suddenly a hand on his shoulder startled him, and turning he -saw Desmond looking at him in a shamefaced manner. - -“We can go out, Kaweeka says,—at least that is what I understand her to -mean. Will you come now, Lanny?” - -As he used the old boyish name, Alan felt a sob rise in his throat and -he grasped Desmond’s hand. - -“Come on! old boy,” said he, “I want to talk to you.” - -Kaweeka was standing near the door as they reached it, and she waved to -them to intimate they were free to go out—but as they passed her they -heard her issue a command to the guard at the door who followed them, -and although they realized that he was for them a protection among the -wild people of the underworld, yet it stripped them of all hope of -ultimate escape. - -“Dez,” said Alan at last, “Do you love Kaweeka?” - -“No,” in a low voice. - -“Old chap, cut loose from her. When we get to the world again—don’t let -our stay down here have coarsened us. The life is sordid enough, God -knows, but don’t let _us_ be sordid.” - -“She has such power, Lanny.” - -“I know, Dez, but fight it down, boy, I’ll help you.” - -“Thanks, old chap.” Then suddenly, “Do you think we shall ever get away -from here?” - -“I mean to have a try, how, when, or where I don’t know yet, but there -are two of us now and we must fight hard for our freedom.” - -“I suppose we really ought to try and gain the confidence and trust of -some of the natives?” - -“That won’t be easy, but we must make the most of any opportunity that -may come our way.” - -Then they lapsed into silence as they looked about them in interest at -the quaint places they passed. The streets twisted and turned like a -veritable maze, and the boys wondered how the natives could ever -remember their way about. There were no shops to be seen—the whole -community seemed to live on roots that grew abundantly everywhere, -variegated fungi that grew in clusters on low bushes by the water’s -side, and fruits. Fish too was eaten at times, but it seemed as if it -was only allowed to be consumed during certain periods when religious -festivals were being kept. - -Every home seemed to possess all the necessaries for weaving the moss -into garments for wear. There was little difference in the men’s and -women’s dress—a tunic that was worn wide open at the breast and a -slightly shorter skirt on the male was all that distinguished them, -except of course, the training of the hair. - -The families seemed to live in intense domestic happiness, but jealousy -made them suspicious of their neighbours, and members of the bodyguard -of the high priest and Kaweeka were continually called in to check the -bickerings and quarrels that were always taking place. - -Alan and Desmond walked on heedless of time; suddenly their guard came -up behind them, and in no gentle manner intimated to them that it was -time they returned. - -Their life grew very monotonous, but they were together—that was their -only comfort. Kaweeka had grown sullen and silent. She seemed to realize -that her uncanny power was useless now that Alan had appeared on the -scene, and she brooded over the slight he had put upon her when he -scorned her. - -They still lived in her house, but seldom saw her. Food was brought them -at regular intervals. Sometimes days passed and they were not allowed to -go out. At other times Kaweeka would grow soft and gentle and would send -them out in her chariot, and they would take their food and be away all -day, wandering by the underground rivers and lakes, or gathering fruits -in the quaint dwarf copses, where the tallest tree was not more than -four feet high. - -Time hung very heavily on their hands, and there seemed no hope of their -ever being able to extricate themselves from their terrible position. - -They learnt to weave the moss into tunics for themselves, and they made -mats and rugs for their apartments. Grasses they plaited into belts—and -that constituted the whole of their amusement and work. - -Their personal guard, Wolta, was a particularly fierce individual, who -had never recovered from his violent dislike of the white strangers. -What services he did for them he did grudgingly, and their food was -often ill-served and spoiled through his spite. - -Then came the day when a new man appeared to wait on them. They could -not understand what he said, but Okwa intimated to them that they were -to follow him. He led them down to the lower floor and out into a -courtyard behind the house. - -There in a rude coffin, fashioned of cloth stretched on poles, lay -Wolta—dead. The boys watched in interest, for this was the first death -they had seen since they had been in the underworld. - -No cover was placed over the dead man, no religious ceremony was held -over the inanimate form. The coffin and its burden was carried down the -dark street by two bearers. On they went until they came to a dark lake -whose waters were black and evil-looking. Without any ceremony the body -was pitched out into the water. It floated eerily for a few minutes, the -eyes open wide and the mouth contorted into a grin. Then there was the -sound of a splash and a large head appeared, followed by another and -another. There was the snapping of teeth and the sound of closing -jaws—and an ominous purple stain floated on the top of the lake. - -The boys turned away sick at heart from the horrible sight—and when they -did look again—all trace of Wolta had vanished—there remained only the -same stain on the bosom of the water. The two bearers calmly folded up -the collapsible coffin and slung it across their shoulders;—it was quite -ready for the next victim that death might claim. - -“It’s horrible,” said Desmond with a shudder. “I wonder whether they -give all their dead to those filthy man-eating fish?” - -“I should think so,” answered Alan. “Their idea of burial seems worse -than some of the rites of the South Sea Islanders.” - -Their days passed in sickening monotony, and their lungs ached for fresh -air and salt breezes. They spoke to no one, saw no one but Okwa, and -they were getting into such a state of nerves, they could hardly -converse sanely one with the other. Okwa came in one day and intimated -that they could go out. Moodily they walked down the streets and made -their way to a river near by—a guard, as usual, following close behind. -They sat down on the steep mossy banks that led to the water’s edge; -depressed and wretched they remained moody and silent. Suddenly there -came the sound of a scuffle behind them—a startled cry and a splash. A -little girl had stumbled, and rolling down the slippery bank was -struggling in the water. The current was very strong, and the little -maid, swimmer though she was, was unable to battle with the rapids. -Twice her head had disappeared from sight. - -In a second Alan was in the river after her, and diving down, brought -her to the surface; but the whirlpools were strong and treacherous and -the water deep, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he -succeeded in reaching the bank, where Desmond was waiting, in whose arms -he placed the now unconscious child. But the strain he had undergone -proved almost too much for him, and even as he saw the child into -safety, he slipped back into the river and the boiling waters closed -over his head. He rose again to the surface and with an almost -superhuman effort clung to the bank, and Desmond and their guard pulled -him ashore. - -His first thought was for the child who was lying seemingly lifeless on -the ground. He knew the elements of first aid, and vigorously moved her -little arms above her head, and then pressed them well against her ribs. -Gradually the air was pumped into her lungs, she opened her eyes, -smiled, and in a very few moments afterwards was able to stand. - -“There, run along, little one,” said Alan, kindly—but the child put her -lips to his and clung to him, and he had perforce to hoist her to his -shoulder and march home with her, ensconced there happily like a little -queen. The guard prostrated himself before them, and bowed and kissed -the ground. - -“You’ve made a conquest,” laughed Desmond. “I wonder who she is.” As -they neared the precincts of the city they heard the clashing of cymbals -and the beating of drums. A religious procession was in progress. Alan -and Desmond stepped aside to allow it to pass. A long column of veiled -temple virgins led the way, followed by priests and acolytes and tiny -children, consecrated at birth to the temple, who scattered leaves on -the ground. Then an aged patriarch hove in sight, borne on a litter with -a canopy of gold. - -The little girl became excited. “Abbi! Abbi!” she shrieked, and wriggled -to get free from her throne on Alan’s shoulder. The priest’s face grew -livid. He uttered a cry of rage and gave a swift command to two -attendants by his side. Instantly the symmetry of the procession was -broken, and Alan and Desmond were bound with rope and dragged away. It -was all done so quickly that they had no time to resist. - -The little girl had watched the scene with wondering eyes, and when she -realized the whole purport, flung herself into Alan’s arms. The priest -issued another quick command, and with the little one holding fast to -her rescuer’s hand, she obviously told the story of her escape. - -When she had finished the priest kissed her tenderly, and then knelt low -before the two boys and kissed their feet. Then they were given places -in a litter behind the high priests and were taken to the temple—this -time as honoured guests. - -They were led to the altar, and very suspiciously and timidly seated -themselves on the steps, one on either side, which the high priest -indicated to them. The ceremonial service was very long and tedious, but -was unaccompanied by any sacrificial rites, much to the satisfaction of -the two boys. - -Then the priest stood facing the people, and held out a hand to each of -the boys who stood shamefaced and awkwardly beside him. There followed -an address, and the boys knew it was the story being told to the people -of the rescue by Alan. - -When the priest had finished speaking, he bent down and kissed their -hands, and wildly the congregation flocked to the altar rail to follow -his example. They were accepted by the whole community as friends. Their -lives were no longer in jeopardy. Then the boys resumed their seats and -the ceremony of the temple was concluded. - -During the service Alan’s eyes were riveted on some peculiar characters -that were inscribed on the walls, at intervals, as far as eye could -reach. It was a group of hieroglyphics repeated over and over again, and -there was something oddly familiar about them—yet he was unable to guess -exactly what it was. Then the people’s voice rose in song—he listened -intently. Again and again were the words repeated like a chorus and -almost unconsciously he committed the sounds to memory. - -Soon the service was ended and in triumph they were led back to -Kaweeka’s house. She met them with renewed wiles and charm, but the boys -were strong and she left them alone with rage in her heart. They ate the -food that was placed before them in silence, a silence which Alan broke -by saying abruptly, “Could you make out anything of the last hymn the -people kept singing over and over again in the temple, Dez?” - -“What do you mean?” - -“Well, could you understand it?” - -Desmond looked surprised. “Of course not,” he laughed. “Could you?” - -Alan did not answer the question, but asked another. - -“Well, they sung it over a good many times—didn’t you memorize the -sounds?” - -Desmond thought a minute, “I think I did,” he replied. “It sounded -something like: - - “_Har-Ju-Jar! Har-Ju-Jar! Kar-Tharn._” - “_Har-Ju-Jar! Har-Ju-Jar! Kar-Tharn._” - -Alan pulled a scrap of paper triumphantly out of his pocket and showed -it to his cousin. He had written down the exact phonetic spelling of the -words Desmond had said. - -“All the same, I don’t see what you are driving at,” he demurred, “you -look confoundedly pleased over something.” - -“I’ve been working out a theory, and I don’t think I am far wrong in the -decision I have arrived at. Now look at that,” and he handed him another -piece of paper on which were written the following signs: - -[Illustration] - -Desmond looked at it quizzically for a moment, and then said, “Why, -you’ve copied down the signs that are painted all around the walls of -the temple—in the great Fire Hall.” - -“Right. Now can you translate it?” - -Desmond laughed. “Of course not. Can you?” - -“I think so,” said Alan confidently. - -“What?” almost shouted Desmond in amazement. - -“Now,” went on Alan. “You got your first in Theology at -Cambridge—translate this”—and he passed Desmond a third slip of paper -with other signs on it: - -אבירם. דתן. - -Desmond looked at it carefully. “I’ve almost forgotten,” he commenced. -Then—“why it’s Hebrew—Hebrew for Abiram and Dathan!” - -“Now I want you to think carefully, Dez,” and Alan placed the two slips -of paper on which were written the characters, before him. “Now would -you not swear that _this_,” pointing to the characters copied from the -temple, “is a corruption of _that_?”—pointing to the Hebrew. - -“Well it certainly looks as if it might easily be so,” admitted Desmond. - -“Now think of the few words we picked up of that hymn to-day. Isn’t it -within the bounds of possibility that Har-ju-jar is a corruption of -Hallelujah, or Alleluia?” - -“Ye-e-es.” - -“And Har-Barim and Kar-Tharn a corruption of Abiram and Dathan?” - -“Ye-es.” - -“Well,” concluded Alan triumphantly, “this is the conclusion I have come -to. The language of these people is a corruption of Hebrew.” - -“What?” - -“I’m certain of it, and I am surprised we never thought of it before. Of -course it was our first visit to the temple to-day since I came here, -and I never noticed those signs before—but to-day as I looked at them -they seemed oddly familiar, and it suddenly dawned on me in a flash. Now -we ought to find it very easy to pick up the patois they speak—we both -used to know something of Hebrew in the old days at college.” - -They were almost too excited to say much more, when suddenly Alan -brought his hand down on the table with a bang that made Desmond start. - -“I’ve got it, Dez old boy,” said he. - -“Got what?” - -“Why think of your Bible. In the—let me see—oh never mind—somewhere in -Numbers, I think, we get the story of Korah, Abiram and Dathan.” - -“Oh my dear Alan, I am afraid I have forgotten it long ago.” - -“Never mind,” went on Alan excitedly. “It’s the sixteenth chapter, if I -remember rightly. I’ll remind you of it—Don’t you remember the Chosen -People rose up against Moses—” - -“Well?” - -“I can’t remember the exact verses but somewhere in the chapter it tells -you that the ‘earth was torn asunder, and swallowed up the three men -with their houses and everything that appertained unto them, and they -went down _alive_ into the pit, and the earth closed over them.’” - -Desmond looked bewildered and remained silent. - -“Don’t you see the connection, Dez?” - -“No! I do not.” - -“Well, here are people living in the bowels of the earth, and in their -temple they have inscribed in bad Hebrew, if I may so put it, the names -of Abiram and Dathan. What more likely than that these people are the -descendants of those poor unfortunates of the Old Testament who perished -some fourteen hundred and ninety years before Christ?” - -“Is it possible?” asked Desmond breathlessly. - -“Why not?” answered his cousin. “The Bible story ends there. We’re -simply told that they went into the pit _alive_—we are never told that -they died! Now we are convinced that they speak a corrupt Hebrew, we -ought to find it very easy to learn to speak to them, and then we will -bid for freedom.” - -“Alan,” said Desmond suddenly. “I wonder whether your theory is correct. -We’ve got Abiram and Dathan right enough, but what about Korah? He was -the chief offender and yet there is no trace of his name.” - -“I expect his name has been lost during the transit of time,” said Alan. -“At any rate I am tired now, and I shan’t bother any more about it for -the present. Let’s go to sleep,” and the two boys went into their inner -chamber and were soon fast asleep. - -There was no night in this terrible underworld; the purple lights never -went out; morning and evening were unknown. The place was never plunged -into entire darkness—true, the inhabitants went to sleep, but they -pleased themselves as to when they slept and for how long. The whole -world was never at rest at the same time—truly, indeed, it was an unholy -place of unrest! - -The two men were fast asleep, the purple light shining across their, -faces, and Alan moved restlessly, for his dreams were troubled ones. - -Suddenly the door opened gently and a figure appeared—it was Kaweeka. -Softly she crept across their room, and halted by the side of their -couches. A fierce light came into her eyes as she watched the rhythmic -rise and fall of Alan’s chest as he breathed heavily. She bent over him, -kissed his lips, and murmured savagely as she did so— - -“So desired—so desirable—yet I so undesired!” - - - - - CHAPTER III - RELATING TO HISTORY - - -“How long have we been down here, Lanny?” - -“Together do you mean?” - -“Yes.” - -“Oh months and months—I can’t count time.” - -“Neither can I. Days pass—we grow tired and we sleep, only to wake to -another day like the last, like every day here.” - -“How far have you got with the translation, Dez?” - -“Nearly to the end.” - -“Splendid. What do you make of it?” - -“Just what we expected—It is a very corrupted version of part of the -Pentateuch.” - -“How much of it?” - -“Nearly all Genesis—a minute portion of Exodus—and Leviticus.” - -Alan gave a satisfied sigh. “That’s splendid,” he remarked. Many months -had passed since they had made the discovery that the language of the -underworld was a patois Hebrew, and quickly and diligently they set to -work to learn it. They first spelt the sounds and wrote them down, and -then tried to translate them into Hebrew where it was at all possible. - -Very shortly after the rescue of the high priest’s daughter and only -child, as the maid proved to be, a house was placed at the boys’ -disposal, and they gladly left the protection of Kaweeka, and lived -together with a couple of servants, who looked after them. They were -free to go out among the people, and they began to feel almost happy. -With the aid of a few words they picked up they asked the high priest -for “reading” and he had given them copies of the “Kadetha” which proved -to be the Bible of these strange people. - -It was very difficult to read as it was written on parchment in a purple -ink that had faded considerably through time. The characters, too, -besides being different from the Hebrew they knew, were written from top -to bottom of the page instead of from right to left, as are most Asiatic -languages. - -From what they could gather the “Kadetha” was divided into two parts—the -Moiltee—which proved to be part of the first three books of Moses—and -“Jarcobbi,” five books written by one of the first priests of the people -after their descent into the bowels of the earth. That these strange -people were really descendants of the rebels against Moses, the boys had -not the slightest shadow of doubt—the proof in the “Kadetha” was only -too conclusive. They were now able to converse fairly freely with the -people, and were able to understand many of their strange beliefs. - -The true meaning of the Light they were so far unable to fathom, but -“Har-Barim” the high priest, told them there would be no more offerings -to the Fire from “Above” as he called the world. The people began to -take more kindly to them, but Kaweeka remained watchful and brooding, -and they realized that she was indeed a bitter enemy, and the person -most greatly to be feared in the underworld. Little Myruum, the high -priest’s daughter, spent many hours with them, and they learnt much of -the language from her baby prattle. - -They were admitted to all the services and religious rites in the -temple, and the boys noted with surprise that the fire seemed to be -daily losing its power. Its flames grew smaller and smaller, and they -noticed the difference in it when they had not seen it for several days. - -“Jovah,” they said to Har-Barim one day. “Tell us your history, now we -understand your language.” - -The old man smiled at them. “There is little to tell,” he said. “It is -true we were once of the earth above—once white people like yourselves; -but for over three thousand, three hundred and three years we have lived -in the darkness of the earth. Our skins are changed—they have taken the -hue of the land we are forced to dwell in. Our forefathers burrowed in -the earth to make streets and houses and shelter for their families, and -they left us the heritage of their labour.” He pointed as he spoke to -the short horn that protruded from his forehead. - -“What became of Korah?” they asked him. - -“Coorer?” he pronounced the word differently. “Korah,” he told them, was -their bad angel. It was Korah, with the devil in his soul who urged them -to stand up against Moses, and it was Korah they shut away from their -lives when the pit had closed in upon them, revealing to them no more -the light of the sun. - -“How do you mean?” asked Alan. “How did you shut him out of your lives, -my Jovah?” - -Jovah signified “Father” and was the term by which all the people -addressed Har-Barim. - -“Why, my sons, when the pit closed down upon our forefathers, all turned -upon Korah as the father of all their woes. He was stoned and left half -dead—then a wall was built up in front of him and all his family, -together with all his possessions, and there he was left to perish. One -of his daughters escaped, however, and her descendants have been -Princesses of Kalvar, as we call our country, ever since.” - -“Then Kaweeka—” began Alan. - -“Yes, my son. In Kaweeka you see the Princess of Kalvar, and direct -descendant in the female line of the unfortunate Korah himself.” - -“Where is Korah’s burial place?” asked Desmond. - -Har-Barim shook his head. “No one knows—in the generations of time that -have passed the secret has been lost, and the exact position forgotten. -No one knows—no one ever will know, until—but there, read from the -fourteenth line of the sixth part of our prophet, Zurishadeel,” and -taking a small parchment from his voluminous pocket he handed it to Alan -and left them to translate it for themselves. - -Laboriously they copied out the translation— - - “For the body of Korah the devil is hidden with those of his - household. Their flesh shall rot and their bones become powder, - and in a generation their last resting place shall be forgotten. - But on the day the secret is no more—for behold a virgin shall - in a dream learn the way—the fire shall consume quickly, strange - people shall enter the land of Kalvar, and desolation and - destruction shall come to all those that inhabit the earth. Yea, - the people that are in the belly of it, and they that have been - disgorged from it—when the Fire grows less—when the Tomb of - Korah is found then shall all in due time perish.” - -“Cheery old chap, isn’t he?” laughed Desmond. - -But Alan was thoughtful. “I wonder what the secret of the fire is. They -seem to worship it, although they pray to the ‘Lord of their Fathers.’ -It certainly is getting less—I can’t help feeling that something -terrible will happen if it does ever go out entirely.” - -For some time they gazed meditatively at the translations they had made -when a shadow crossing Desmond’s paper made him look up. It was -Kaweeka—Kaweeka who had not visited them for months it seemed, and whose -presence now seemed to denote some evil. Quietly she watched them for a -few minutes, and a curious light came into her eyes. They glittered and -shone with an almost fanatical glow—and in fact her whole being was one -of suppressed excitement and almost maniacal fervour. - -“Come,” said she at last, and held out a hand to each. They felt -impelled to obey her, and she led them straight to the temple which was -curiously deserted. The great fire was burning in fits and starts. -Suddenly a flaming tongue would leap out, blazing brightly as if -refusing to be killed, and a moment later it would lie dead and dormant -among the embers. Then suddenly the fire would emit a passion of sparks -which flew upward in a fury, only to fall back within its folds, dull -and lifeless. - -It was still enormous of course, but the boys realized that its life was -nearing the end, and that its power was nearly gone. - -Kaweeka suddenly turned on Desmond and in a whirl of passion addressed -him. - -“Desmond,” she cried, “I loved you—I would have made you happy, but -he”—pointing to Alan—“he came between us. He tore my heart from its -resting place within my breast—he made me love him also, and then -stamped on my love and spurned me.” - -“That is hardly fair, Kaweeka. I never made overtures to you—” - -“No,” said Desmond, doing his best to conciliate her. - -“Enough,” she cried and then began a frenzied tirade to which the boys -listened in horror, as they realized that almost a madness had come upon -Kaweeka—the seed of Korah. - -Falling to her knees she clung to Alan and begged him to marry her -according to the custom of his world and hers. She offered to make him -Prince of the land of Kalvar and possessor of a thousand fortunes if he -would but love her—be it ever so little. And when he gently lifted her -up and put her away from him, she looked him fully in the eyes, and for -a full minute there was silence. Then with a queer gesture of finality, -she outspread her hands and accepted the inevitable. Then in a -monotonous voice and with carefully chosen words she began to speak -again— - -“In the world you came from, O Men of the Sun, you saw strange sights -and heard strange things. A light appeared in the sky—a light that was -the forerunner of tragedy. I propose to show you the Light, O Strangers. -I will unfold the secret of its being before your wondering eyes. Know -you now, that this Fire is next in honour to the God of our Fathers. It -is the Fire that gives us air to breathe, and light by which we can see. -From the Fire we obtain our strength, and when it dies out our power -will be gone. But know you also, that when our Fire dies and we perish, -so will your world die also. You above are dependent for your very -existence on the Fire in the Earth’s belly—with our extinction will come -also the consummation of all mankind. See”—and she pointed to a coil of -metal that looked like a silver rope—“See—this is the Light—the Light -that brought sacrifices we could offer to our God of all, and that fed -our Fire.” - -Then she began a weird dance. Grovelling on the floor in apparent -worship of the Fire, she drew nearer and nearer to the shimmering metal, -and taking up one end of it, undid it until it lay in shimmering folds -outspread upon the floor. Still, with rhythmic grace, she continued, now -advancing, now retreating, until she had coiled part of the writhing -mass about her body, and the boys realized that one end was firmly -embedded in the heart of the Fire itself. And as they watched they -realized that Kaweeka was dancing away from the Fire—away down the -length of the great Fire Hall, to where a little door was half hidden -behind cherubim of gold. - -The boys felt impelled to follow the strange witch woman. Through the -little door, they went, down a dark passage which ended suddenly in a -small chamber that was bright with light. But the whole of the cave-like -place vibrated and shook with a force that was terrifying in its -magnitude. They looked around curiously and saw in one corner a large -clock-like instrument from which the sound came. - -With almost loving care Kaweeka freed herself from the shimmering metal -and placed the end of it in the machine. Instantly they saw it gain in -strength and brightness—it seemed to quicken and show signs of life. - -The two boys gave a cry—“The Light! The Light!” they cried, for this -indeed was the mysterious Light that had stricken Marshfielden, and now -they were seeing its wondrous power from below. - -Kaweeka leaned over the burning metal, and touched a lever on the -clock-like instrument’s face. Suddenly with a roar and a -flash, the Light soared upwards. Through the roof of the -cave—onwards—onwards—forcing an outlet for itself by its own power, -through rock and earth it tore,—until the watching eyes of the boys were -rewarded by a speck of blue. “The sky!” cried Desmond in amazement. The -Light had once more visited the outer world! This then was the horror of -Marshfielden! - -The boys watched the quivering metal in silence. In its deadly folds it -had embraced Dan Murlock’s baby. Mr. Winthrop had suffered from its -caress. Mrs. Skeet—Mrs. Slater—it was impossible to name all the victims -of its diabolical power. Some element, mightier even than electricity, -had been discovered by these purple savages, to be used by them only for -the purpose of destruction. - -Long the boys watched until their eyes ached from the intense -brightness. Their hearts were heavy within them as they thought of the -victim it might bring back. Kaweeka sat in one corner mumbling and -muttering to herself, and the boys seemed powerless to leave the place. - -Voices rose in song—cymbals clashed—drums rolled—the evening service was -being held in the temple. Still they waited! The sounds died away and -the temple emptied, yet the Light had not returned. - -They were growing cramped, their limbs ached, and then the Light -trembled more violently than before. The vision of the sky grew clearer -for an instant; they knew the Light was returning—but it was not -returning alone! Rigid in every muscle the boys waited as it travelled -through the bowels of the Earth. - -The heap of metal grew larger on the floor as it made its descent—then -the end appeared in sight—a sheep, burnt and dead, was within its grasp. -Silently Kaweeka came forward and touched a lever on the vibrating clock -in the corner. - -The noise ceased. The Light grew shadowed. The aperture leading to the -world above closed, leaving only a scar to mark where it had been! - -Kaweeka bent over the stricken sheep and unwound the Light from its -body, leaving exposed the singed wool and burnt flesh, and as if it had -been a child gathered it up in her arms and still holding to the end of -the Light danced back into the empty temple. - -Without an effort she tossed the dead sheep into the Fire, and the -flames devoured it savagely. Then she began again her wild dance and -gradually wound the Light up into its original coils until it lay in a -heap by the side of the Fire. “According to the prophecy of Zurishadele -I speak. Behold, he writes ‘Whosoever shall cause the seed of Korah to -die shall be hunted by the people of Kalvar—yea until their blood gushes -forth through their eyes and they are blind—until their limbs crumple up -beneath them and they fall—so shall they be hunted that the people of -Kalvar may deliver them up to the Fire.’” - -“Well?” asked Alan. - -Kaweeka smiled evilly. “It is true I am of the seed of Korah, and you, -my Alan, have scorned me. I have given you my love—I would give you -all—but you have laughed at me and mocked me. I would have given you my -body—but now I give you more—I will give you my life. The Fire is -burning low—more fuel is needed to keep it alive. I will give myself for -fuel—but in giving my life, I offer two more to the God of our Fathers. -For as you are the instrument of my destruction—so will the people fall -upon you, and through the mouth of Mzata the Great, will you be offered -a sacrifice to the Fire.” - -Lightly, gracefully, she stepped onto the transparent wall that -surrounded the Fire, and then with a piercing cry tore off her jewels -and her raiment and flung them into the flames, that were waiting -eagerly for the food that was offered them. - -Then, naked, her hair falling about her, her dark skin shimmering in the -light, she flung herself into the centre of the Fire. - -Alan rushed forward, but it was too late—the cruel tongues of fire had -wrapped round her, and all that was left of the seed of Korah was a -skull, stripped of its flesh, grinning at them for an instant through -the flames, before it disappeared. - -It was all so unexpected, so sudden, that the boys had not realized what -she purposed doing, and now, speechless and bewildered, they stared at -each other in horror. - -Suddenly a hoarse whisper broke through the silence. “Flee, flee,” it -said, and they recognized the voice of Har-Barim. “I cannot save you,” -he continued. “My people will fall upon you and slay you—for although -they loved not Kaweeka, yet the prophecy will have to be fulfilled. -To-day is the vigil of the feast of Meherut—to-morrow the great feast -itself. Till then and then only can I hide the manner of Kaweeka’s -death. As you saved my Myruum, so will I try to save you. This much can -I tell you. Make for the waters that are turbulent and wild, where they -narrow to the space of a foot and dash against a rocky wall. Look for -the stones that are red.—Now—go.” - -“But where shall we go?” cried Alan. - -“Take always the centre path, my son, and avoid the waters that are -tranquil and smooth. The way is rough—thy path must of a surety be rough -also, but with courage victory will come to you. Farewell!” - -And Har-Barim left them alone in the temple. - -Quickly they made their way to their house, there was no time to be -lost. Plans had to be made and made quickly. Once more they were in a -strange land, where through no fault of their own, hostility and enmity -would meet them once more. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - OUT INTO THE GREAT BEYOND - - -The boys had no packing to do. They possessed nothing but the clothes -they stood in, and a sailor’s clasp knife that belonged to Alan; but -they put together a store of dried elers, a fruit that was sustaining, -and that, down below, took the place of the bread of the upper world. - -There were very few of the purple people about; it was the vigil of -Meherut,—the most solemn feast day of their strange religion, and all -were shut up in their houses with their curtains drawn spending their -time in fasting and prayer. - -On, on the boys went, always choosing the middle path if a choice was -offered them, if not, then taking the path to the right. Gradually they -left all sign of habitation and entered a most desolate region where the -purple moss grew only in patches, and the purple lights were only few -and far between. They stumbled on blindly; they dared not wait for food; -every moment was precious to them. Suddenly Desmond stumbled and fell. -“I can’t go a step further,” he cried. “How long have we been walking, -Lanny?” - -“About ten hours I should think.” - -“Then for Heaven’s sake let us rest! We have a fair start of them—let us -rest and have some food.” The elers refreshed them, and they drank of -the water that rolled treacherously at their feet. It was not very wide, -perhaps three feet at the most, but the current was strong and the -whirlpools more torrential than ever. - -Stretching themselves out on the ground the boys slept, and woke some -five or six hours later feeling greatly refreshed. Then they continued -their march, now leaving the river behind them, now coming upon it again -and walking by its banks. - -They had no idea of where they were going. They had only one goal in -view—to put as big a distance as they could between themselves and the -purple people whom they knew would already be following them. Suddenly -the road ended. They had turned a sharp corner and the way had opened -out into a small cave, which was bounded on one side by a narrow strip -of bubbling, foaming water, that disappeared at either end in a dark -tunnel. “What shall we do?” asked Desmond. “Shall we go back?” - -“We can’t,” said Alan decisively. “The road that brought us here was at -least five miles long, without a turn in it. By the time we retraced our -steps, the purple devils would have caught up to us. No, old boy, I -think this is a tight fix we are in, and at the moment I can’t quite see -how we are to get out of it.” - -They walked round the little cave examining it carefully. It had only -the one exit—the path up which they had come. The tunnels at either end -through which flowed the waters were too low to admit the passage of a -body, and the walls on the other side of the little river rose sheer -from the water itself. “It looks pretty hopeless,” said Alan at last, -“but at all costs we must not go back.” - -“How red the walls are,” said Desmond suddenly. Alan started, for in his -mind he could hear a voice saying, “Look for the stones that are red.” -It had been Har-Barim’s advice to them, and he had said—“make for the -waters that are turbulent and wild—where in the space of a foot—” A -foot! why the water couldn’t be wider than that here. He looked round -hurriedly—was it his fancy or were the stones on the opposite side even -redder than those about him? - -To Alan’s strained nerves it seemed as if just opposite him a stone had -been worn away by the constant passage of feet. Slowly a thought came -into his mind—if that was a footprint then surely it must lead -somewhere. His eyes travelled up the rock eagerly—again his quickened -senses discovered another foothold a little higher up, and still another -and another. Four in all, at perhaps a stretch of a little over two -feet. Upward his glance wandered, and in the rugged rock he saw a flat -piece of red stone that looked as if it had been inserted there at some -time or other, for some specific purpose. He stretched across the raging -torrent and with a mighty effort clung to the jagged rock. “Don’t touch -me, Dez,” he commanded, “I think I can manage best alone.” - -With an almost superhuman effort he placed his foot in the first little -cleft, and gradually worked up to the little red stone that had so -aroused his curiosity. Desmond watched him in breathless horror. -Although the water was so narrow, Alan would stand little chance of -saving himself if he fell in, for it was dashing wildly against the -sides and sending its spray even higher than where Alan was clinging. He -touched the stone—it moved ever so slightly. “God! A secret way!” he -cried, and worked feverishly to open it. But although it trembled and -shook, it would not disclose its secret. - -Then, away in the distance, came the sound of fierce shouting and the -beating of drums. - -“The people know,” cried Desmond. “They are coming up the long passage.” -Already they could hear the name of Kaweeka used as a battle cry, and -they realized that they could expect little mercy if they were caught by -the purple savages. - -With beads of perspiration on his brow, Alan worked. His fingers were -torn and bleeding from his exertions. Still nearer came the cries of the -infuriated people, and Alan had not yet succeeded in moving the stone, -which he was convinced hid a secret way of escape. Desmond ran down the -passage a little way—in a second he was back. “I can see them,” he -cried. “There are hundreds of them! Oh, what shall we do?” - -“Ah!” Alan gave a cry of relief, for suddenly the stone had rolled back, -revealing a small cavity beyond, just big enough for the passage of a -man’s body. - -“Follow me in, Dez,” he cried, “no matter where it leads—it can’t be -worse than if we remain here.” - -Their pursuers were now in full view, and if seemed that only a few -yards separated them. Quickly Desmond climbed the steps and reached the -hole, and Alan drew him in, and even as he turned to make fast the -opening, a head with an evil-looking horn appeared. Alan doubled his -fist and gave a mighty blow, and like a log the man dropped into the -water, was sucked under and carried out of sight. - -They rolled the stone back into its place, and panting, leant against -it. The execrations and cries of the natives came faintly on their ears; -the great stone trembled, and they knew it was being forced from -without. One hurried glance round revealed to them great boulders of -rock lying on the ground. Feverishly they piled them up in front of the -stone, and they were strong enough to resist the furious onslaught that -the purple people kept up. After a time, the cries of the people grew -fainter, gradually they died away altogether, and the underworld folk -made their way back to the temple to pray that the white men might be -handed over to them, and that they might be allowed to punish the -slayers of the seed of Korah. - -Spent and tired the two boys sank to the ground, for many hours had -passed while they were defending their retreat from the underworld -people. A faint, natural, ground light shone around. It was like the -same purple light that lit the whole of the underworld, but here it was -in its natural condition, and was so faint that it scarcely showed them -each other’s face. - -“Go to sleep, Dez,” said Alan. “I will keep watch.” - -“But you are tired too,” demurred his cousin. - -Alan smiled. “Sleep first, old man,” said he, and even as he spoke, -Desmond dropped his head upon his breast, and his eyes closed in -slumber. - -It was a great strain for Alan to sit there in the darkness—in a weird -and unknown place—soundless except for Desmond’s heavy, regular -breathing. His own breath seemed to his quickened senses like the blast -of heavy artillery, and the slightest sound was magnified a hundredfold. -Nobly he fought against sleep—but he was worn out, and at last his eyes -closed—and he too, slept. - -Time meant nothing to these imprisoned men. Science they could laugh at, -for, from a scientific point of view, their very life was impossible. -How in the centre of the earth could mankind live? Yet it was true they -had lived, fed, and breathed for months and months in the very belly of -the earth. Science said the centre of the earth was impenetrable—that -the intense heat of its inner fire would prevent man even seeing that -fire. Yet they could prove that they had seen and they could tell the -scientists that the fire was waning. - -Still they slept. - -Fantastic dreams came into their minds, yet there was not so much as the -scuffling of a rat or the squeaking of a mouse to awaken them. All was -silent and still, with a stillness that cannot be expressed by words. - -Desmond woke first—the light did not seem so dim—or had they become used -to it? His eyes rested on Alan sleeping soundly by his side, and a tear -dropped on his cousin’s brow as he leant over him. It was a tear not to -be laughed at, nor to be ashamed of, but the tear of a strong man shed -in the bitterness of his oppression. - -He rose to his feet, stretched his limbs, and wandered round the place -where he found himself. It was a cavern, very similar to the numberless -others he had passed through on the further side of the rapid river. Its -floor was rugged, but was covered with the purple moss, and a few bushes -which bore fruit were growing there. Round and round he walked, but the -cave seemed to have no outlet at all. Alan woke and watched Desmond in -silence for a short while, and then said, “Don’t worry, Dez, I’m sure we -shall find a way out. This must lead somewhere.” But although he too, -examined the cave very carefully, there seemed to be no outlet. - -How long they stayed there they did not know—fortunately they found some -roots which were edible, and whose long bulb-like ends were filled with -a pleasant fluid which quenched their thirst. They played games with -each other, did everything in fact to prevent the madness they were -afraid would come over them. - -Nearer and nearer it crept like a beast of prey waiting to spring and -devour his victims. With their forced inactivity their limbs became -cramped and although the air was pure, their lips were dry and their -throats parched. They began to give up speaking aloud; they would sit -for hours in silence, only uttering occasionally a croaking whisper, one -to the other, as if they were afraid of being overheard. Then the -day—but no, it cannot be called that—the time came when Desmond lay -quiet and still, and Alan awoke to the consciousness that something was -radically wrong with his cousin. He bent over the inanimate figure, and -touched him gently with his hand. The eyes were closed and the fists -clenched and had he been able to see clearly, he would have noticed the -purple lines round the cold mouth, and a pinched look upon the face, -that boded nought but ill. - -“I must do something,” he muttered wearily, and then he burst out into a -paroxysm of weeping. That saved his life, for when he came to himself it -was as a fresh man. - -Plucking some of the purple foliage, he squeezed the stalks and let the -cool liquid pour gently on Desmond’s brow, then tenderly chiding and -imploring him, he managed to bring back a sign of life to his cousin’s -face. Nor did he stop then, but continued, until Desmond woke to reason -and called him by his name. - -When Desmond had fallen into a refreshed and tranquil sleep, Alan -wandered round and round the little cave, looking still for some weak -spot. - -Suddenly there came a sound in the distance—a thud that shook the very -ground upon which he was standing. With every nerve wound up to concert -pitch he waited—listening intently to see if he could hear again the -sudden sound that had broken the stillness. - -“It’s my fancy,” said he aloud, but even as he spoke the noise began -again with greater fury. The cavern shook—pieces of rock came hurtling -down, broken off from their parent wall by the vibrations. Then suddenly -came a sound almost like an explosion, and a piece of rock, larger than -the rest came tumbling down, and revealed behind it a small passage. - -“Dez.” cried Alan. “Dez, a way of escape has come.” - -Desmond opened his eyes and looked round vacantly, and indeed it was -some time before he realized the wonderful thing that had happened. - -The underworld folk had made one last mighty effort to reach them, and -the boys could have gone down on their knees to thank the purple people, -for their machinations had given them hope once more. - - - - - CHAPTER V - A FRIEND FROM THE ENEMY - - -Desmond, still weak, raised himself up, and looked about him; and even -as he did so, a huge boulder fell from the blocked secret entrance that -led to the city of the underworld. - -“They are bombarding the place,” said Alan looking startled, “let us go -through there,” and he pointed to the little passage that had been -revealed to them so strangely. - -“We can blockade it from the other side,” said Desmond, “and at least it -will give us more time.” - -A close examination revealed to them a hinged slab of stone that swung -easily to and fro, and the spring that fastened it in place was plain to -see on the inner side. They crept into the passage, closed the stone -after them, and piled rocks and stones in front of it as an extra -protection. Again came a weary time of waiting—a time when the cave was -filled with wild laughter and hideous ravings—when the furies of Hell -itself seemed let loose on the other side. The purple fiends had forced -an entrance, but too late. Their prey had escaped them. - -Alan and Desmond lay and listened to the babel of their voices, for -strangely enough the slightest sound from the other cave was magnified -in this inner one. Then a silence fell, and they realized that the -purple savages had once more gone. Hungrily they gathered roots and ate -them greedily—when a woman’s cry, clear and distinct, startled them. -Again and again it came—“Ar-lane! Jez-mun!” - -Their names were called in the quaint pronunciation of the underworld -folk. - -“Who is it?” asked Desmond. - -“I’ll see.”— - -“No don’t go—don’t go—it’s some trick—” but Alan had already pulled down -the stones in front of the hinged stone. - -“Ar-lane. Jez-mun.” Again the cry came. “Open—open I beg. I come to aid -you.” - -“I am going to speak to her,” said Alan grimly, and he put his lips -close against the stone. - -“Who are you and what do you want of us?” - -A glad cry was his answer, and then followed quickly—“Let me through, O -Ar-lane—I have come to seek thee.” - -“What do you want of us?” - -“Listen, O Ar-lane, I have fled from my home in the temple of Fire, and -have come to thee. Years ago when a tiny child, I found the cavern and -knew it well. But Am-rab the Wise, my tutor and priest, forbade me with -threats of torture to wander there again. Since then I have not set eyes -upon the place. Let me in, O Ar-lane, for the spring is broken on this -side, and I cannot find it.” - -Desmond was listening suspiciously. “What are you going to do?” he -asked. - -And again came the pleading voice. “Let me in, O Ar-lane. Oh, let me -in.” - -Alan looked questioningly at Desmond and he gave his cousin a quick nod. -“If it’s treachery we’re done,” he remarked, as he touched the spring -and the stone moved. - -As soon as it was wide open the woman entered. They did not know her, -but her eyes were swollen from weeping and her face drawn with emotion, -and they realized that she had suffered. - -“Waste no time,” she commanded imperiously. “My flight is already spoken -of in the temple. Should they seek me, it will need all our strength, -all our cunning to hide from them. Close the door, O Ar-lane, and build -up a wall of stones in front, that is strong, and then let us hasten -on.” So once more the place was barricaded, and only when the barrier -was complete did she deign to explain her presence. - -“You know me not, O Men of the Upper World, for you have never set eyes -upon me before; but I have seen you often. Behold, I am Jez-Riah, seed -of the house of Bin-Nab, and hereditary Keeper of the Hall of Fire. It -is the custom, know ye, in this land of ours, for the female seed of -Bin-Nab to keep veiled after they have reached the age of ten. I cast -aside my veil yester-eve, and immediately came to seek thee.” - -“Why?” asked Alan curtly. - -The woman was fair to look upon—her eyes were deep and luminous, and her -tear-stained cheeks filled them with pity. Yet to be hampered with a -woman seemed to take from them every chance of their ultimate escape. - -Jez-Riah seemed to read their thoughts. “No, harden not your hearts -against me, for I can help you,” said she earnestly. - -“Why have you sought us?” asked Alan, this time less curtly. - -“I know a road in here—a secret road, said to be a thousand and ten -miles long; a stream of unknown depths, races along by the side of it—a -stream that is swifter by far than the fastest of waters—there,” and she -pointed in the direction from which she had come. “It leads to the tomb -of Korah, so they say, but torture was threatened to all who would have -ventured in search of it. O Ar-lane, you know not what our tortures -are.” - -“I have seen some,” said Alan grimly. - -Jez-Riah laughed. “Nay, Ar-lane—you have never seen what I have seen. -You have never witnessed the Curse of Fire.” As she spoke her eyes grew -big and her expression distorted as she lived again the scenes she had -so often witnessed. “I have seen men roasted alive. I have seen acid -juices poured on the sufferers’ wounds. I have seen—” but Alan stopped -her. “Enough!” he cried. “It’s horrible.” - -She continued. “But tortures even worse were threatened for those who -would seek the tomb of Korah. So none tried. I knew you would be safe -for a while in these caves—but I knew too, that with some one to guide -you, you might go farther even than you dared hope. I am weary of my -life, I am an eighth child of a priestess of the direct line of Bin-Nab; -but I have the blood of the living in my veins. I want to live the life -of the People of the Sun—your people. That is the reason I cast my veil -from me, O Men of the Outer World, and sought you. Oh cast not Jez-Riah -from thee, but keep her as thy slave, for she will by of much use to -thee.” - -Jez-Riah had cast herself at the boys’ feet, and her tears and sobs were -coming fast. Desmond and Alan felt strangely moved at the sight of this -woman, so different from the women they were used to in the world above. - -“I don’t think it’s trickery, Alan, do you?” said Desmond. In his heart -Alan believed in the truth of the strange woman’s story, yet he knew -from past experience that it was impossible to believe the inhabitants -of the underworld. - -He looked Jez-Riah up and down. “Any weapons?” he asked suddenly. - -Jez-Riah held up her head proudly and her eyes flashed fire and she -stamped her foot. “I come ‘feula-ri!’ Is it likely I am traitor, O Men -who Doubt?” - -Now the boys knew enough of the customs of the strange world in which -they found themselves, that if the sacred word “feula-ri—” was spoken, -no treachery was contemplated; for that word meant more to them than -does the white man’s flag of truce. For in times of war, has not even -the white flag been violated? - -“I believe you, Jez-Riah,” said Alan suddenly. “Show us Korah’s tomb and -perhaps we in turn may find a way to show you the sun and moon and -stars. And green trees—and grass—and the sea—” He drew his breath -sharply. His imagination had run away with him, and for the moment he -could almost believe he heard the thunder of the waves as they came -dashing in on some rocky shore; he saw the foam and the sun-decked -beach. The birds seemed to be singing—and above it all came the -unmusical cry of the gulls. He sighed. - -“Don’t Lannie,” said Desmond affectionately. “I feel it too; shall we -ever see those things again—shall we ever feel the breeze on our faces -and the burning sun—” - -Jez-Riah stood looking at them hungrily. “You speak your own tongue,” -said she, “not mine. What say you each to the other that makes the lines -of sadness on your faces grow so deep?” - -“It’s nothing, Jez-Riah,” answered Alan. - -“You are sorry I am here?” - -“No, we are glad—and you must help us with your knowledge of the secret -ways.” - -“See, I will show you at once,” and she rose and crossed the cavern. She -pressed a stone in the wall in front of them, and a boulder revolved on -a hidden spring and showed a yawning cavity beyond. The noise of -troubled waters came upon their ears—loud and thunderous. - -“It is true,” she cried in triumph, “behold all I have said is true. The -waters are calling—come,” and she went through into the blackness -without a tremor of fear. And Alan and Desmond followed their strange -companion without any misgivings for the future. - -Providence had sent them an unlooked for guide. Hope, the star they had -almost lost in the clouds of darkness that had overshadowed them, came -back, shining in all the glory and radiance of renewed fervour. With a -muttered “Thank God” the two boys stepped forward, lighter of step and -gladder at heart than they had been for some time. - -“Ar-lane—Jez-mun,” came a voice from the darkness. “I am Jez-Riah—Child -of the future—Gate of Hope—Guide of Strangers. Fear nothing—the -blackness will pass and we shall find the way easy to tread.” - -And it was even as she had spoken. In a very little time they found -themselves in a maze of natural lighted pathways similar to the ones -from which they had come. The sound of the water grew louder. It -thundered in their ears; it shrieked and roared as if some evil spirit -was shaking the very earth itself. Jez-Riah was radiant. - -“The stream of Korah is not far. I have heard it told that whoever -braves that stream and finds the tomb of Korah, will live to see the -sun. The sun that our prophet Zurishadeel sings of, the sun that the God -of our forefathers created. The thought puts new life into me—Come.” - -On, on they went, the noise getting louder and louder every moment, -until, upon turning a corner, a wondrous sight met their eyes. Belching -forth from the rocks themselves, forcing itself out from regions unseen, -falling like a waterfall from some high precipice, the torrent rushed, -making a lake of considerable dimensions, which was overflowing its -banks—a wild, mad, boiling liquid. The spray rose a hundred feet in -height, and splashed all round and the whole place was fearsome and -ghostly. - -At one end of the turbulent lake was a tiny outlet, perhaps two feet -wide, through which the waters ran at breakneck speed. The fearsome -noise, the sight of the rushing waters, the intense weirdness of the -scene, kept both boys speechless with awe at their surroundings, but -Jez-Riah was on her knees, bathing her face in the water, letting it -trickle over her hair, drinking it from cups made of her two hands. And -above the din and clamour they heard her singing a weird hymn of praise -to the accompaniment of the music of the waters. The boys listened -eagerly, and again and again they heard the refrain— - - “Korah—Korah—father of our people—the waters will lead us to where thy - bones lie, - “Korah—Korah—thou hast not forsaken us—I am bathing in the waters of - faith and purity.” - -Then Jez-Riah flung off her draperies and plunged into the boiling -waters. The boys watched in breathless amazement as she battled with the -whirlpools, but she proved stronger than they, and swam on until she -reached the mighty waterfall. Round and round she was carried and -whirled but she reached her goal at last—a tiny slab of rock protruding -out of the waters and under the shadow of the mighty cascade itself. -Standing upon it she began a weird dance—a fanatical dance of joy. The -foaming waters almost hid her from their gaze, the spray rose in front -of her like a filmy gauze. At moments, however, her lithe body was -exposed to view, and the boys marvelled at her agility. She did not seem -to tire, but danced on, her voice raised in a strange hymn of praise. -Praise of the waters, praise of the light, praise to the God of the Sun. -Then came a mighty prayer that the secret ways might be opened to -her—and that she might lead the strangers to safety. And even as she -sang and prayed, her limbs were moving fast in dance and the waters were -dashing over her and chilling her. - -When she had finished her prayer she sank to her knees in an abandonment -of grief and asked pardon for her one great sin—the sin she committed in -leaving the temple, where she was Watcher to the Fire. - -There was a long silence—only broken by the voices of the torrent raised -in its ceaseless dirge. - -Alan moved. “Is she safe?” he asked “What will happen to her?”—but even -as he spoke the lithe body had dived once more into the waters and was -swimming almost with ease to the shore. Jez-Riah stood proudly before -them, her dripping hair a mantle that covered her. “Go—rest,” she -commanded. “I commune with Korah,” and fleet of foot, strong in purpose, -she darted down one of the passages near by, and was soon lost to sight. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE LAIR OF THE SERPENT - - -“Korah! Korah!” the words grew fainter and fainter, until at length, -worn out with religious fervour, Jez-Riah flung herself on the ground -and fell asleep. Alan and Desmond gazed after her for some time and then -Alan said “Let’s lie down, Dez. We are both worn out, and it is useless -to follow her. She will return to us only when the spirit moves her.” - -“Then for Heaven’s sake let us get away from this infernal din.” - -They walked down one of the widest passages until they came to a place -where the moss was thick and soft and the noise of the water rose faint -upon their ears. - -“Ar-lane—Jez-mun.” The cry came low and clear and Alan rose quickly to -his feet. He had been asleep and his limbs felt rested and his head was -clearer. - -“It is I, Jez-Riah,” came the soft tones again, and silhouetted against -the wall he saw the shadowy figure of the strange woman. - -“We must go on,” she urged “We have far to go and much to do.” - -“Where have you been?” he asked her. - -“I have been in communication with the Spirit of the Waters, O Ar-lane; -soon the mysteries of Korah will be unfolded before thine eyes. Come! -Come! Tarry not too long.” In a second Desmond was awake, and Jez-Riah -showed all impatience to start. - -“Have you been here before?” asked Desmond curiously of Jez-Riah. - -“No, O Jez-mun, but the water of Korah has given me the gift of sight. -Before I was blind—now I can see. Come bind up my eyes, O Ar-lane, that -clearness of vision may be mine.” - -“What do you mean?” - -“Bind up my eyes,” she commanded again. - -Alan tore a strip from his purple mantle, and tied it across her eyes. - -She gave an exclamation of joy. “O Ar-lane,” she cried. “Before I trod -in darkness; now my path is lighted brightly, and I can lead you to many -strange sights, and strange things.” As she spoke, she stretched out her -hands before her and started off at a quick pace. In silence the cousins -followed her. In their position as prisoners in the earth, buried so far -down that they had little hope of ever seeing the sun again, they had no -choice but to follow the strange, half mad creature who had constituted -herself their leader. - -The aspect of the road they were now traversing changed. The sides of -the passage were no longer smooth and earthy, but consisted of a hard, -rocky substance—the floor, too, was jagged and rough. The passage -narrowed until it left only room for them to walk in single file, and -the air was musty and stifling; indeed there was a pressure in the -atmosphere that made the boys from the upper, world stumble as they felt -the noxious gases going to their heads. - -They made brave efforts, however, and staggered blindly on, one after -the other, following Jez-Riah who never hesitated a moment in the course -she was taking. For perhaps five miles they walked until they entered a -large cavern, the replica of the many others they had been through. They -noticed the change in the air immediately. It was purer, fresher, even -cooler and the boys revived under its effect. - -Jez-Riah tore the bandage from her eyes. “The place of my dreams,” she -cried. - -“I feel faint,” said Desmond in a low tone, but not so low that Jez-Riah -could not hear. “He needs food?” she questioned “Here is plenty,” and -going to the furthermost corner of the cave she pulled up roots by the -handful—roots like the ones they had had in the lower world itself. - -All the time they had been walking they had been continually -ascending—at times the passages were almost like mountain passes, they -rose at such a gradient—at other times the ascent was not so noticeable, -but all the same they realized that they were mounting upward, and the -thought cheered the two white men. - -They sat and ate the roots and felt refreshed, when suddenly Desmond -rose with a cry. “My God—what’s that?” There on the opposite wall, high -above their heads, a light shone down upon them, a light that gleamed -baleful in the semi-darkness. - -“It is the sacred serpent of the Tomb,” cried Jez-Riah. “I have heard of -it often when I was a child. It has existed throughout the ages—it will -always exist.” - -“Nonsense,” said Alan. - -“You cannot kill it,” she wailed “It is the Guardian of the Tomb.” - -“What, are we there, at the Tomb of Korah, already?” asked Alan in -amazement. - -“No! No! But we must cross its path if we would reach the Tomb. In my -conceit I thought I was all powerful. I was over-confident, O Ar-lane! I -heeded not the snake that is large enough to slay an enormous army and -yet retain its power.” - -The gleaming eyes grew nearer, and already they could see the writhing -body as it moved along a rocky ledge. - -“How big is it?” asked Desmond. - -“I cannot see its length,” whispered Alan “but it seems as thick round -as a man’s body. Let us get out of this cursed place. Which is the way, -Jez-Riah?” - -“Through that narrow opening yonder,” said she. - -Flattening themselves against the wall they crept the way she directed, -and were but a few steps from it when there came the sound of a terrible -hissing, and a long evil-looking shape dropped in front of them, and -hung pendulum-wise blocking up the opening. - -“We can’t go that way now,” said Alan “I am afraid it’s too large to -tackle. Why it must be thirty feet long at least. We shall have to go -back.” Then came the most horrible experience the cousins had ever had. -The most awful. The most terrifying. - -“Run,” cried Alan. “If we can get into the passage beyond we may be able -to block up the way and prevent it coming through after us.” - -They reached the narrow opening, and all around were huge blocks of rock -and stone which they piled up one on top of the other. - -“Only one more is needed,” cried Alan triumphantly. But he spoke too -soon—a large, flat head, perhaps a foot and a half in length, with ugly -eyes glowing like live fire, shot through the opening, and watched them. -The mouth was open wide and the forked tongue shot rapidly in and out in -venomous fury. The smell was terrible, whether from its breath or -permeating through its skin from its body, they could not tell, but it -made them feel giddy, sick and ill. For perhaps ten minutes (if time -could be measured in that awful place) it remained there motionless, and -then gradually the stones came tumbling down as it forced its way -through the barricade. - -The boys watched their horrible foe. They were powerless. Escape was -impossible, for behind them was a narrow passage, perhaps a mile in -length, that offered no shelter. - -Would it never attack them? Why keep them in this awful suspense? - -“Knife,” came suddenly from between Alan’s tightly compressed lips. Then -after a moment, during which time he opened the well worn blade—“There -are plenty of stones behind?” - -“Plenty.” - -Swiftly followed the instructions. “Pick up the largest you can -handle—both of you—when I give the word dash them at the brute’s head. -It is our only chance—then rush past the head.” - -“But—” commenced Desmond. - -“Don’t argue—it’s our only hope. The thing is too big to turn round in -this small space. It _must_ go on. Once we get past it we may stand a -chance.” - -Alan never relaxed his watchful gaze. Suddenly the reptile lowered its -head and an ugly hiss came from its mouth. - -“Now,” cried Alan, and as he hurled the knife, harpoon-like into the -open mouth two heavy stones came crashing down on its skull. - -The sudden onslaught dazed the creature, and its head dropped to the -ground. Quickly they rushed past it, but they all realized that they -were not yet out of danger. The passage they were in was very narrow and -the serpent was so immense that it was impossible for them to stand -without feeling the clammy skin next to them. - -Jez-Riah shuddered. “What will become of us?” she moaned “It is too big -to kill.” And indeed, it seemed to be, for Alan had not exaggerated. The -length was quite thirty feet, and the girth of its middle was perhaps -ten feet, narrowing to two at the tail. - -“You can’t kill it,” cried Desmond. “Why we haven’t even the old clasp -knife now.” A sudden convulsive movement passed along the serpent’s -body, and it made them retch to see the tremor coming from its head in -undulating movements to its tail. Then it raised itself up, and Alan was -right—it was impossible for it to turn—it was far too big and -cumbersome. For some time, with its head raised perhaps six feet from -the ground, it writhed to and fro in growing anger that its prey should -so elude it. As its anger grew greater, its body rolled and moved in -convulsive heaps, and the trio sickened as the malodorous mass pressed -itself against them and pinioned them to the wall. - -“Lannie, what can we do?” asked Desmond. Jez-Riah was almost unconscious -with the awful pressure, and the strain was telling on the two boys. The -strength of the beast was enormous, and they realized that it had the -power, even when at a disadvantage itself, to press the very life out of -them against the wall. - -Then came a sudden sense of relief, as the serpent contracted itself, -but gave way to horror as they realized that it was backing through the -opening, and its filthy head would soon be on a line with them. - -“Stones,” urged Alan hoarsely. “Hurl them at the head. Jez-Riah, you -must help too.” - -Feverishly they worked throwing rocks and stones with force at the -monster’s head. It withstood the onslaught valiantly for a time—its -strength was enormous—but at last a well directed shot of Desmond’s -caught it full between the eyes, and the head dropped like a stone. - -“The serpent—it is dead?” asked Jez-Riah. “But alas, no. The body is -twitching all over—it has life still.” - -A sharp piece of stone jutted out above Alan’s head. “Help me,” he said -feverishly to his cousin. “This is our last hope—this is as sharp as a -knife. If we can but loosen it you must help me to imbed it in the -brute’s head. It is stunned now—we must try and overpower it while it is -in that condition.” All the time they were talking they were working -hard to loosen the stone and at last it fell into Alan’s hands. It was -not very large, but it had an edge like a bayonet, and was of intense -hardness. - -Cautiously they forced their way on either side of the twisting mass, -until they were on a level with its head. “There,” whispered Desmond. -“Just between the eyes.” - -The stone was raised; the huge beast was motionless—then, with almost -superhuman power, Alan brought the stone down and embedded it deeply in -the flesh, while as Alan let go, Desmond hurled a heavy piece of stone -hammer-wise on the top of the stone, and buried the sharp edge still -deeper in the gaping wound. The great snake woke to consciousness, and -the boys had only just time to get out of the way of its gaping jaws. -“Press yourself close to the wall, Dez,” commanded Alan, and they -reached Jez-Riah’s side in safety. Their eyes dilated with horror as -they watched the great reptile die, for the boys between them had given -it its death blow. - -How long the death struggle lasted they never knew. Alan thought an -hour, Desmond said two. Blood poured from the wound in its head and a -sickly smell rose from the liquid. For some time the stone remained -fixed in the flesh of the serpent, but its writhings at last loosened -it, and it fell to the ground with a horrible thud, while the blood -rushed out of the open wound like a miniature fountain. - -Fascinated the three watched its last movements. The body rolled from -side to side, dashing first against one then against the other of the -unlucky prisoners, but by flattening themselves against the walls, they -escaped any big injury—only bruises left their mark to show what they -had been through. - -The movements became more irregular. For a long time the mighty snake -remained quite still, only to wake up again after a rest with renewed -energy. At last its spasms became less frequent and less powerful. It -was dying. Its breath came like huge sobs that travelled down its body. -The stench was almost unendurable. “I think it’s safe now,” said Alan at -last. Slowly they moved from their cramped positions. Their hearts -throbbed and their limbs ached. Fearsomely they gave a last look at the -head of the dying, if not already dead, monster. A shudder ran through -them all. The strain through which they had passed had been terrible, -but for Alan, who had engineered the defeat, it had been terrific. His -limbs ached, his head swam, and he reeled as he walked on the free -ground, unpolluted by the serpent. He laughed a wild unnatural laugh; it -sounded strange even in his own ears, and he repeated it, as he wondered -whether he was indeed going mad. He felt suddenly unaccountably -frightened. Everything faded from him but the memory of the serpent -behind. With another peal of almost senseless laughter, he ran madly -away into the distance, until the darkness swallowed him up, and only -the sound of his wild laughter broke the stillness. Jez-Riah clutched at -her throat and spoke to Desmond. “Ar-lane—he is ill—come,” said she, and -the two followed Alan away into the blackness as he sped on, -laughing—laughing—laughing. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - ON THE WAY TO THE TOMB OF KORAH - - -Time passed—time that had no measure—time that seemed an eternity. They -had all recovered from their encounter with the Sacred Serpent, but the -adventure had left them nervous and irritable. There was food in plenty, -and the luscious roots gave them both meat and drink. Always upward they -mounted—and as they saw the mountainous paths rise before them, hope -held out her encouraging hand, and whispered that one day they might -even see the stars. Jez-Riah still led them on, through untold paths and -a labyrinthine maze. She always maintained that she knew the right path -to take. - -Sometimes they had to crawl on their hands and knees through narrow and -low passages that seemed to have no end. At other times they found -themselves in wide, airy byways with a height almost beyond computation, -for far above their heads they could just catch the faintest glimmer of -light on the purple growth that covered the roof. Now and again springs -bubbled up from the earth and ran along beside them, burying themselves -as suddenly as they had appeared. The atmosphere was very sultry and -fetid—very different from the air on the other side of the underground -river that separated the underworld people from the desolate region they -were now in. “How long, Jez-Riah?” they asked her over and over again. -“How long before we reach the Tomb of Korah?” And her answer was the -same each time. “Oh Men of the World Above, I do not tarry, I am leading -you to the Tomb as fast as I can. Be content with that.” So the days -passed—so the nights came round again. Days which had no night, nights -which had no day. Time was measured by sleep. When they were all weary -they lay down to rest and sleep. This they called night—when they awoke -they called it day. But they had lost count of the times they had slept -since Jez-Riah had come to them, they had lost count of everything. They -had only one object before them—to reach the Tomb of Korah. Their plans -ended there; they had no idea what their next move would be after they -reached it. They had grown accustomed to their strange, purple -companion—in fact she had become almost a necessity to them both. It was -she who passed many weary hours for them, by recounting stories of the -life of her people since they had lived below. It was she who told them -even more fully than Har-Barim had done, how her people’s forefathers -had risen up against Musereah, and Har-Raeon, and how they had -consequently suffered throughout the ages. And both the boys translated -Musereah as Moses, and Har-Raeon as Aaron, and were more than ever -convinced that strange as the story was, this new race was indeed -descended from the Israelites of the Old Testament and could claim -Korah, Abiram and Dathan as its progenitors. - -It was Jez-Riah who told them that behind a barred gate was built a -golden tomb wherein had been deposited the remains of their first -priests—“Har-Barim and Kartharn.” It was at their shrine that the -ceremonies attached to the feast of Meherut were performed. It was their -Holy of Holies, and it was over the bones of Har-Barim and Kartharn that -the priests made their vows. - -They asked Jez-Riah about the fire and she grew solemn as she answered -them—“Ah, Men from Above, Our Fire is sacred—it is Holy. It is the -symbol of our Jovah.—It is almost our God. The God of our forefathers -took on one occasion the form of fire, so fire is sacred to us.” - -“The Burning Bush,” said Alan in an undertone. - -“But,” she added sorrowfully, “the power of the Fire is waning. -According to one of our prophecies, when the Fire shall die, then, also -shall all the seed of Korah die too. In all the ages that have passed -since the earth closed against us, no fuel was needed for the Fire—it -burnt of itself and never grew less. Then one day noises were heard in -the earth—our land shook and trembled, and men fell on their faces in -fear. From that day we knew the Fire was growing less. Our priests knew -it—all our people knew it and terror was in all our hearts. Then our -high priest looked up all the old laws and in the fourth book of -Rabez-ka, Queebenhah the Seer writes— - - ‘When the Fire shall shrink, then is the time ripe for the - people of Kalvar to rise. Live sacrifices must be offered to - appease the God of Anger. Send forth a Light to the world above, - and let it bring back men and animals and birds to feed the - furnace of Light. Live sacrifices alone will keep the fire - quickened—live sacrifices alone will prevent calamities falling - on the Children of Kalvar.’ - -“So our wise men gathered together,” she continued, “and by the wisdom -of all, the Light was made. The wise men of the temple and Kaweeka alone -could handle it—for they were possessed of Holiness, and the Light was -made from the Fire itself. Chemicals were drawn from the recesses of the -earth, and in secret the Light was made.” - -“How did they use it, Jez-Riah?” - -“When it was sent out into the earth above, it was sensitive only to -life. When any warm living thing of the world was near, it swooped down, -and coiled round and carried its prey back to us.” - -“I understand better,” said Alan to his cousin. “The Light is some -magnetic electrical current with abnormal power. Ugh! It’s horrible.” - -“But why did they stop sending out the Light for fodder to feed the -flames?” asked Desmond. - -“Because we realized that our time is short. Nothing will keep the Fire -alive. The end is near.” - -So they travelled—and then depression overtook them as their journey -seemed endless and they got no nearer to their goal. Even Jez-Riah -herself seemed to lose hope, and with tears in her eyes she would say -pathetically “O Ar-lane, my senses seem dimmed—the way is dark. Surely -we must come there soon!” - -The monotony of the way drove the white men nearly mad. The monotony of -the food sickened them. They felt half dazed; they forgot the reason of -their march; they forgot, even, what the goal was toward which they were -going. They knew only that some power within them urged them to go on -and on and always on. - -At last Jez-Riah’s eyes grew bright and her step alert. “Don’t speak,” -she urged, “don’t speak!” So they went, until all the passages merged -into one long tunnel—darker than the others through which they had come. -The natural light shed from the earth itself, grew still more feeble, -and they found it difficult to walk for fear of hidden pitfalls. -Suddenly the passage ended and Jez-Riah gave a glad cry. “Behold, O Men -of the Sun, this is the entrance to the Tomb of Korah.” - -“Are you sure?” asked Alan. - -“Quite, O Ar-lane. The paths we have been traversing were made by our -forefathers long æons ago. After they had fastened Korah and all that -appertained to him fast within the bowels of the earth, they had to -fight their way through to make a place of habitation. They cut paths as -they marched along, and when they found the Fire—there they made their -home. I knew that when all paths merged into one, the way was near to -Korah’s tomb.” - -The place in which they found themselves was very disappointing. Their -way just ended—it did not widen out at all, and the end was piled with -stones and earth that had fallen through the ages. Their quest was over -at last, and they took their first untroubled rest. They slept long and -quietly, and it was Jez-Riah who awakened them and placed before them -the food they were so heartily sick of. “Nay, eat,” she commanded, “your -strength is needed more than before,” and feeling the truth of her -words, they ate until they were satisfied and felt all the better for -the food. - -“The earth has fallen,” said Jez-Riah. “If we are to find the entrance -to the tomb we must clear away all that rubble.” - -Feverishly they set to work tearing their hands to pieces on the jagged -stones until the passage behind them was nearly closed with the mass of -rock and earth that they had displaced. Twice they slept, and then -success came to them, for a solid slab of rock appeared in the wall—a -rock that had been made smooth and upon which were carven hieroglyphics. - -“I cannot read it,” said Jez-Riah, but Alan was already translating, for -it was the Hebrew he knew, and not the corruption that had come down -through the ages to the purple people. - -“Read it aloud,” said Desmond, and Alan spoke the words of the -inscription reverently. - - “BY THE WILL OF THE EXILED CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. - - “Korah, son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and - his wives and his children and all that appertains unto him and - to them, lie buried in this cave. For the wrath of Jehovah fell - on his people who sinned against the Lord, tempted by the Evil - one—Korah. This is his Tomb—cursed be the ones who open it - before the day appointed is at hand. - - “Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, the son of Peleth, son of - Reuben; Shedur, son of Helon, son of Abira, the son of Simeon. - Priests, chosen by the banished Children of Israel in their new - land of Kalvar—in the bowels of the earth.” - -The cousins did little else but talk about the discovery until the time -came for them to rest. Their labours had been rewarded; the Tomb of -Korah had been revealed to them. - -They worked hard when they awoke to move the massive block of stone. -There was no secret spring to assist them—the stone had been placed in -position some three thousand years before, and now seemed to defy all -the efforts they made to move it. With rocks and stones used lever-wise -they worked until after many “days” they succeeded in forcing the solid -block of stone to the ground, but behind it was a wall closely built of -stones and earth bound together with a rude cement. Their fingers were -torn and bleeding in their attempt to pull the stones apart. “At last,” -cried Alan in delight. For as he worked his hand had gone into space—the -tomb was laid open before him. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - THE TOMB OF KORAH - - -The Tomb of Korah! They had reached their goal at last! The boys stood -back awed at the thought of what might have passed in that selfsame -cavern thousands of years before. - -“You go first, Jez-Riah,” said Alan at last, and slowly, reverently the -two boys followed her in. The natural light had grown stronger and -allowed them to see quite plainly the mysteries the cave was to unfold. -They discovered it to be a cavern perhaps forty yards square. The roof -rose above them perhaps a hundred feet, and was marked by a deep, -zigzagged line running across it from one side to the other. It was like -a scar! - -“Dez,” said Alan suddenly, “is that where the earth originally opened, -when it deposited Korah and the other Israelites within its bowels?” - -“If so we ought to be somewhere in the neighbourhood of Palestine,” -replied Desmond. - -The cave had no outlet, and on the floor lay precious stones of every -kind and colour;—diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds, sapphires—as large -as Barcelona nuts—lay strewn about in fabulous quantities. In one corner -of the cave were the remains of furniture and household goods, mostly -rotted away and eaten by worms; and mingled with the precious stones -were human bones—human bones in such quantities that it was impossible -to avoid treading on them. Here was a thigh bone, there a skeleton hand -or a skull. Everywhere the bones of men and beasts mingled together in a -heterogeneous mass. - -Quietly, slowly they made a round of the place, There were skeletons of -horses, asses and camels lying together in a corner, and piled on top of -each other in such a way as proved it had been done by the human agency, -were the remains of little children. - -Skeletons of females with the remnants of clothing on their whitened -bones, adorned with anklets of gold and bracelets set with gems, were -everywhere, and the whole scene was like a ghastly wonder story of the -East. They picked their way through a bed of grinning skulls to where -they saw something shining. - -Alan picked it up. “A censer,” said he, “one of the most beautiful I -have ever seen,” And indeed it was of wonderful workmanship. Even their -little knowledge told them it was of pure gold; it was most wonderfully -fashioned to represent on the one side a cherub—a cherub so perfect that -even the finger nails were represented, and on the other, bunches of -grapes and vine leaves—symbols of the promised land. - -Precious stones gleamed cunningly everywhere, and the chains from which -the censer swung were studded with diamonds. They could scarcely bear to -put it down, but gazed at it entranced with its beauty. Every moment -they found in it some greater glory. - -“I have seen nothing modern even resembling this,” said Alan at last. -“Why, it is exquisite—think of its value!” - -“Its history alone would render it priceless,” said Desmond, “apart from -its precious metal and workmanship.” - -“Yes, but of what use is it to us down here?” questioned Alan. “And even -if we ever do get out, who will believe our story?” - -“I wonder where we shall find ourselves if we do discover a way out,” -said Desmond. “We have lost all sense of direction down here—of distance -and of time. Why, we haven’t even any idea of how far we have walked -since we left the purple people—how far do you think, Alan?” - -Alan shook his head. “It’s impossible to say, Dez. How many times have -we slept? We counted three hundred times and then forgot—three hundred -times is a long while, old boy. We must have walked at least fifteen -miles each ‘day’ we have been on the march—perhaps even more—so we have -done a considerable distance.” - -“Then where shall we find ourselves? Africa? America? Asia?” - -“Well, we shall not be penniless when we do get to the world again,” and -Alan pointed at the wealth of jewels at their feet. - -“It is those that make me feel we shall never get out,” said Desmond -despondently. - -“Why?” - -“Because it is only in books of romance that such an adventure as ours -would culminate successfully, and it would only be in a Romance of -Romances that adventurers would come back from the very centre of the -earth, laden with such untold wealth!” - -“Don’t be so depressing, Dez,” laughed Alan. - -“But it’s true, Lanny. With wealth like this in our hands we could -command the trades of the entire world. Why, with this we could corner -wheat—corner cotton—corner millionaires themselves—if we were permitted -to use it.” - -“Why permitted?” - -“Well, it depends on the government of the country we eventually land -in; they will want their share. If it’s France we may get one half—if -it’s Spain perhaps an eighth—Russia?—well, nothing at all and the salt -mines into the bargain.” - -“You are very cheerful,” laughed Alan, “but as a matter of fact, I’ve -been planning what I mean to do with my share if we do get out.” - -Jez-Riah had been listening to the two boys speaking and sighed deeply. -They were talking in their own language and had forgotten all about -their strange companion. - -“What will happen to her if we ever do reach the upper world?” said -Desmond suddenly. - -Alan looked soberly at the quaint little purple creature who had so -grown into their lives, who had been so useful to them, who had become -almost a friend. They treated her as they would some great, faithful -hound who was devoted to them alone. She was like a dumb animal in her -unwavering loyalty to them, and indeed would have laid down her very -life for her friends. - -“She’ll have no easy time, poor thing,” said Alan, “but I’ll use every -scrap of my energy to prevent an Earl’s Court Exhibition for her.” - -Again Jez-Riah sighed and a tear rolled down her cheek. - -“What ails thee?” asked Alan in her own language. - -“I am sad and sorrowful, O Ar-lane,” she replied. “The memory of a -prophecy has come to me. I shall see the stars of Heaven—the Sun in the -Sky—but with pain alone will such sights come to me.” - -“We’ll keep pain from you,” said Alan kindly. “If you are to see the -stars, then that means we shall all find a way out from here.” - -The boys set to work to try and find Korah’s remains and an outlet to -the world above. Many times they slept, and their last waking thought -was—“Shall we find a way out to-morrow?” They counted the skeletons and -piled them reverently in one corner. They counted the remains of -twenty-two women, forty-nine men and about thirty children, some of whom -appeared to be but newly born. - -They gathered the precious stones, and placed perhaps a gallon -measureful in a basket Jez-Riah had plaited out of the roots of the -mautzer—her fingers were busy the whole time they were exploring the -cavern and its contents. - -She had made a covering for the censer, and that had been put carefully -aside. The furniture and tenting was all valueless. It fell to pieces at -a touch and only small scraps of tinder-like material remained to prove -the glories of the silken coverings that had been buried with the -Israelites of old. Harness made of leather, and trappings bound with -gold lay on the ground mixed up with the bones of the animals they had -adorned; chariot wheels lay among the wreckage, and the whole scene was -one of utter desolation and carnage. - -“Do you know of a way out?” asked Alan of Jez-Riah over and over again, -and always she answered “I have brought you in safety to the tomb of -Korah, O my friends. Further the way is hidden from me. Now I trust to -you.” - -There was no apparent outlet from the cavern, and the boys hunted for -any written record that might have been left behind by Korah or his -company. “I want a proof of our statements,” said Alan. “When we get to -the upper world we shall be looked upon as madmen if we are unable to -substantiate our story.” - -But Jez-Riah would say, “Give up hunting for records of my forefathers, -I beg you, and turn your energies to find a way to the sun—” - -Alan was thinking deeply on the situation they were in, when his eyes -were caught by the scar on the roof. “I wonder,” said he suddenly, “I -wonder if there is a way out—there.” - -“Where?” asked Desmond. - -Alan jerked his head in the direction of the scar. “It would be madness -to try and find out,” said he. “The ledges of rock are not strong enough -to bear one—don’t think of risking your life in such a foolish -adventure.” - -And indeed it seemed almost impossible. The walls of the cavern were -jagged and rough, and in many places overhung in a dangerous manner. To -climb to the roof would have made even an experienced Alpine climber -think twice before he attempted it, and to one inexperienced in such -feats it seemed like courting death. - -“You wouldn’t try,” Desmond urged. He knew Alan of old, and feared for -him. - -Alan laughed. “Is it likely?” was all he said. But all the same the -thought remained in his mind, and his brain was working. - -It was time to go to sleep. They had supped off the roots of mautzer, -and had drunk the liquid from the stems of the elers, and felt -refreshed. Jez-Riah was already breathing softly, and Desmond was -talking in fitful gusts with drowsy interludes between. Of the three, -Alan alone was wide awake. He answered Desmond quietly, and he at last -dropped off to sleep too. For some time Alan remained quite quiet, -afraid lest a tiny movement of his might awaken either of his -companions. Then Jez-Riah’s breath came in deep, indrawn sighs, and -Desmond lay with one hand over his head and his lips slightly apart. -Alan looked at them both closely—they were fast asleep. - -Stealthily he rose and stepped past the sleepers through the low way -into the Tomb of Korah. He moved with purpose, for his plans were all -carefully thought out. High up in the roof, at the farthest right hand -corner, the scar seemed its widest. Quickly he walked toward it, and -without a backward glance began a long, dangerous and arduous climb. The -rocks were slippery, and the foothold almost nothing, yet with tenacious -pluck he kept on until his fingers were lacerated and his limbs ached. -Pulling himself up by the jagged pieces of rock, he came closer to the -roof. Once only he looked below, and his heart pumped and his head swam -as he saw the depths beneath. After that he kept his eyes bent upward, -and he did not stop until he could touch the roof itself. There was a -little ledge, three feet from the top, which was big enough for him to -sit on fairly comfortably, and his breath came in hard gasps as he -rested. - -Then, as his strength came back to him, he carefully put his hand inside -the fissure. A stone moved, and as he withdrew his hand, it dropped into -the cave beneath, and the sickening thud made him tremble. He heard the -sound of rushing waters. Gradually he wormed his way until he was seated -in the fissure itself, and looked down on a swiftly flowing river twenty -feet below him. It was very swift—he could not tell its depth, neither -could he get down to it—for the water had neither bank nor ledge to -stand upon. High walls reared on either side of the water as it raced on -its mad journey. He watched the swirling depths. The spray at times -reached his face, and cooled him. The water was of a different colour -from the rivers in Kalvar—it looked cleaner, fresher. “I wonder whither -it leads,” he muttered, and then he examined his position. - -He was inside the fissure on a ledge perhaps three feet wide. There was -a sheer drop into the waters below of twenty feet. There was no other -outlet at all. If they were to escape it would have to be by the water. -It was impossible to go back. Then a daring plan came to him. “If we had -the pluck,” said he to himself, “Well, it will be do or die.” and slowly -he turned his attention to the descent. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - THE PAPYRUS - - -Desmond had slept well; he woke lazily and looked round him. Alan had -already gone. He turned sleepily over, but raised himself quickly as -Alan hailed him from Korah’s tomb with an exultant shout. Even Jez-Riah -realized that something of import had happened as she watched Alan -enter, bubbling over with excitement, and his eyes bright and shining. - -“What is it?” asked Desmond eagerly. - -“I’ve found the remains of Korah.” Alan made the announcement quietly, -but his cousin saw the undercurrent of excitement that lay beneath his -words. - -“You’ve found Korah?” he repeated stupidly. - -“Listen,” went on Alan eagerly, and speaking in the quaint Hebraic -dialect, so that Jez-Riah might share his news, he told them of his -adventure to the roof of the cave, and of the river beyond. “Well,” he -concluded, “as I neared the bottom my foot slipped and I clutched at a -piece of jutting rock to save me, and I had to use all my strength to -keep from falling. My foothold gone, I had to worm my way round the rock -to find another place easy of descent. You know the wall is full of -cracks and crevices. I came upon a crevice larger than the others. It -was big enough to get through, and I wondered why we hadn’t noticed it -before. I realized, however, the tricks the lighting of this place plays -upon us, and I could see that the hole simply looked like a shadow on -the wall, so cunningly is it hidden. I scrambled easily through, and -found it to be a cave, quite small, in the middle of which is a deep -pond of water, and fastened on the wall by the aid of rude nails was -this—” and he held out a roll of parchment that crackled at his touch. - -Desmond examined it curiously. “Why it’s a papyrus,” he exclaimed. - -“Yes! and written by Korah himself, and placed there just before he -died.” - -“Have you read it?” - -“Yes, it’s quite easy in parts. Listen,” and Alan translated from the -old and faded Hebraic characters the following, - - “WRITING by KORAH, known henceforth to all generations as KORAH - THE ACCURSED - - Know, then, these four months, as far as it is possible to judge - time in this accursed spot, I and all my belongings have - remained in this cavern. Abiram and Dathan have sealed the doors - of stone against us. Escape is impossible. There is naught for - us to do but die. Be it known—I—Korah the Accursed—am sore at - heart for my sins of rebellion against Moses and Aaron. Jehovah - has inflicted upon us all a grievous punishment. His name be - praised. Food there is none except that which came down with us - into this pit of terror. Lord of Hosts, I tremble at what I see. - Mothers tearing their little ones, women in childbirth crying to - the God in Heaven that they may die before they are delivered. - I—Korah—alone have remained fasting. It is the only reparation I - can make for my sins, and for the unworthiness I have shown as - one of Jehovah’s chosen ones. I Korah—” - -Then came a space that was unintelligible. Time had worked its will and -the writing was indistinct, and in parts entirely erased. “How awful,” -said Desmond, shuddering. “Think—half these skeletons here were perhaps -murdered by their brothers for food. What agonies, what pangs they must -have suffered!” “Wait—there is more,” said Alan, and he went on -translating, - - “Forty days and forty nights fasting is as nothing to the - fasting here. It seems forty times forty since food passed my - parched and cracked lips. My people turn not upon me and slay - me. Oh that they would! Dead flesh is rotting all around me—the - air is heavy with the stench. There are none now left alive but - myself. I will fasten this to the wall of the inner cave, and - then lay me down to die. Of what use are gold and riches to us - here? Poorer am I than the most disease-laden beggar of the - world above. O God of Hosts forgive Korah, the son of Izhar, the - son of Kohath, the son of Levi.” - -For some time after Alan had finished reading the boys remained in -silence. The whole scene rose up in their minds like a picture, and the -horror of it nauseated them. The terrible hunger and thirst of the -captives-the scenes of cannibalism afterwards—the child murder—it was -revolting. “Now,” said Alan. “Come to the real tomb of Korah. This is -the tomb of his people—but he lies yonder.” So the three of them mounted -the rough steps in the rock, and ten feet above their heads was the -little opening. Just a little cleft through which they passed, and down -a short but steep path into the cave below. - -The centre of the cave was taken up by a deep pool of water, but a -narrow path ran all round. A huge block of stone lay immersed in the -water and round it the water bubbled and sang showing the place where -the pond had its birth. - -But Desmond saw no sign of the bones of Korah. He looked puzzled. “There -is no skeleton here,” said he. “Where is Korah?” Silently Alan pointed -to the grey rock over which the water was lapping. Desmond looked at it -intently-and then understood. In the course of time a spring had bubbled -up and the waters had covered the body of Korah. Some chemical property -in the water had preserved the dead body and turned it to stone, and in -the ages that had passed deposits of lime and other minerals had been -secreted on the body, until it was now of gargantuan size. Still plain, -however, were the features. A rather long nose, Semitic in shape, -protruded from a face that had possessed prominent cheek-bones and deep, -sunken eyes. The hair which had been long was now a mass of stone that -mingled with the shapeless body. They could just trace the semblance of -arms that were folded across the stone chest, and there was the -suspicion of feet protruding from a kilted tunic of cold grey stone. - -In all, just a shapeless boulder in which could be traced the likeness -of what had once been a living man. The waters of the centuries had -preserved Korah alone of the Israelites of old who had been imprisoned -in the pit. - -Jez-Riah had listened in silence. With one finger she had traced the -outlines of the once handsome face—now she spoke. - -“He killed himself—in the water?” she asked. - -“No,” said Alan, “I think the cave was dry in those days. He just came -here to die; and in the place where his dead body lay, before time could -rot the flesh, a spring broke through the floor of the cave and -preserved him—a memorial to all time of his sin.” - -“Praise be to Jovah,” said Jez-Riah in a hushed tone. - -“_Requiescat in pace_,” said Alan as they turned to leave the place. -“Amen,” whispered his cousin—and Korah was once more left alone. - -“Now,” said Alan some time later while they were having their meal, “now -we must make some arrangements about leaving this place. The only way is -by the river, yonder.” - -“Can we make a raft strong enough to bear us?” asked Desmond. Alan shook -his head. “I’ve already investigated,” he said. “There is absolutely -nothing. The wood in there is rotten with age. I doubt whether it would -even float. There is only one possible way,” and he looked at them -intently. “We can all swim pretty well. Our only hope is to throw -ourselves on the mercy of the waters. The knowledge we have of swimming -will enable us to keep our heads out of the water—we must trust the -current to do the rest. It may mean death—but are we not in a living -death already? At any rate are you willing to try?” They walked into the -big cave and Desmond looked fearfully at the terrible ascent which they -would have to make in order to reach the river, for it flowed on a much -higher level than that on which they were themselves. - -“Yes, it’s pretty stiff,” said Alan grimly. “But it’s that or nothing. -Are you ready to risk it?” For a moment only, Desmond hesitated, then -his mind was made up and his hand gripped that of his cousin. - -“Yes,” said he. “What about you, Jez-Riah?” And they were both surprised -at the calm way in which she took the suggestion. - -“It is very high,” said she. “How easy it would be to fall!” - -They rested and slept and ate before they attempted the ascent. Also -they had many preparations to make. There was certain of the jewels to -be taken with them—the papyrus and the censer. Jez-Riah plaited a -waterproof case for the parchment, and with a plaited rope fastened it -to Alan’s shoulders. The jewels were divided out between them and placed -in little bags that Jez-Riah wove from the root tendrils that grew -outside the large cave. The censer proved the greatest difficulty. It -was not only heavy, but exceedingly bulky and cumbersome. It was Alan -again who decided to carry it. “But it will drag you down,” objected his -cousin. “I’ll manage it,” he replied, and he had it fastened securely to -his back with the strong rope that Jez-Riah could make so quickly. - -So they began their arduous climb. Alan went first, followed by -Jez-Riah, and Desmond brought up the rear. “On no account look down,” -Alan kept urging. “It will be fatal if you do.” At last they reached the -tiny platform. Alan looked at it doubtfully. Would it hold three grown -persons? He shivered—it would be a tight squeeze. His hand went down and -met Jez-Riah’s. He pulled her on to their resting place in safety, and -then Desmond reached it, and for a while they sat in silence. The -rushing of the waters could be plainly heard. Time was passing—Alan -dared not move, for Jez-Riah, worn out with the climb, was leaning -heavily against him, and he knew that the slightest movement from one or -the other of them might send them to their death, for the seat was none -too safe. “I think the time has come for action,” said he quietly at -last. “It is useless to wait here any longer.” - -Jez-Riah moved restlessly. “What your will is, O Ar-lane, that will I -do,” said she. - -“I am going to plunge in the water,” announced Alan. “If you see my body -rise—follow me quickly. Do not struggle, let the current do its will -with you. Safety lies in submission.” - -“Why wait to see if you rise?” asked Desmond. - -“Because I do not know what whirlpools may be hidden there. If you do -not see me after I have plunged in, then you must do as you think best. -But surely death is preferable to a lifetime here?” - -“Then I shan’t—” - -“Don’t argue, old man. Do as I bid you. God bless you.” - -The cousins solemnly shook hands, lingering pathetically. It was like a -good-bye to the dying. - -“Ar-lane, O Ar-lane,” came from Jez-Riah. - -“Have courage, little sister, be brave and follow me.” And before they -could say another word, he had swung himself over the edge and had -dropped into the foaming water. - -The water hissed and roared with fury as it felt the presence of the -foreign body—then it quieted a little. Alan’s head appeared, his face -deathly pale, and before they realized it, he was out of sight, borne on -the swift current. - -Jez-Riah was trembling. “Be brave, little sister.” Almost unconsciously -Desmond repeated his cousin’s words. She clung to him for a second, and -then with a little frightened moan that went as soon as it was uttered, -she too dropped into the water below, and was carried out of sight. -Suddenly a great fear came over Desmond. He was alone. The cavern seemed -to ring with laughter—the laughter of dead men. He hovered at the edge -of the little cleft and looked deep into the boiling mass below, but he -dared not drop in. - -“I can’t, I can’t,” he moaned, and the awful loneliness came upon him -and enveloped him in a cloak of terror. - -He looked behind him at the yawning chasm below. If he lost his -foothold—he shuddered. And then with a mighty spring and a muttered “God -help me,” he followed in the wake of his cousin. The water closed over -him—he held his breath until his lungs felt as if they would burst with -the strain. Relief came at last, the waters had calmed a little, and he -was floating gently on the current. He was conscious of intense inky -blackness, of icy waters and a fetid air above; of a swiftly moving -stream, that, although not rough, was running fast; of strange shapes -that seemed to hover about him, and long, clammy hands that tried to -pull him out of the water. He knew it was death himself he was fighting, -and he fought to evade the fingers that were now so near, almost clasped -round his throat. Then his senses forsook him and he was only an atom, -tossed about on the bosom of the unknown river, a nothingness in a world -of mystery and wonder. - - - - - CHAPTER X - THE ESCAPE - - -And the seventh day was the Sabbath! The Lord rested on the Sabbath! -Sabbath! Seventh! Seventh! Sabbath! These words kept ringing in Alan’s -ears as he lay quiet and tranquil in the darkness. He wondered where he -was, but was too tired to make much effort to find out. His senses were -dulled and his whole body ached; he could see nothing, for total -darkness surrounded him. Then unconsciousness again overtook him, and he -dreamed again of the Marshfielden fields and the rippling brooks. - -When he awoke it was with a healthy feeling of hunger, and gradually his -senses returned and he wondered where his cousin and Jez-Riah were. He -called them by name, but there was no reply. He reached out on either -side of him, but could feel nothing—he seemed to be alone. The silence -was oppressive, the air heavy, and he found a great difficulty in -breathing. He tried to think of the mad plunge for freedom into the -swift underground river; he remembered feeling the cold waters close -over him, followed by an interminable time under water when he could not -breathe, when his lungs were bursting, longing to disgorge the used up -air within him. Then he remembered a feeling of relief as he drew in a -long breath of air, and afterwards—no more. He seemed to have fallen -into a never ending dream. Now at last he realized he was safe again, -and in his heart he thanked God for having watched over him and brought -him once more to safety. - -As the past events became clearer, Alan rose up cautiously, but his head -came in contact with the roof of the place he was in. He went on all -fours and groped his way round the place. It was very small, perhaps -twenty yards in circumference, and perfectly dark. Suddenly his hand -touched something, something warm. It was Jez-Riah, and, close beside -her lay Desmond. He spoke to them each in turn—shook them, but they -showed no sign of having heard him. He listened for their heart beats, -but neither showed any sign of life. - -The water that had carried them all to this new abode ran near, and Alan -dragged the two bodies to the water’s edge. He dipped his hand in the -cool liquid and found that it was only an inch or two deep at the most. -He made a cup with his hands and dashed the water into his companions’ -faces in turn, and at last was rewarded by a heavy sob from Jez-Riah and -a groan from Desmond. - -“Dez, old man, how are you feeling now? Jez-Riah, are you better?” - -So from one to the other he turned, his only thought to bring them back -to life and hope. - -Suddenly Desmond spoke. “That was a near shave, Lanny.” - -“How are you?” - -“I feel beastly.” - -“Where are we?” suddenly asked Jez-Riah. - -“I’ve no idea. The river has either disappeared underground or we’ve -been brought up a little side creek and left the main channel itself. -There is very little water here—only a few inches at the most and it is -running very sluggishly. There is a tunnel to the right up which we must -have come, but it is very low; I can hear the sound of swiftly running -waters, but I don’t feel strong enough to investigate in the dark.” - -“Of course not, Alan,” answered Desmond, and then Jez-Riah said -pathetically, “I am hungry, O Ar-lane.” - -Alan shook his head wearily. “There is no food here. The purple light -has gone. I am afraid we are far from the vegetation of the underworld.” - -They talked in low tones for some time—they all felt ill and weak. The -papyrus and all their treasures were so far safe, and the censer still -remained fast on Alan’s back. Their clothes were nearly dry, so they -realized they must have been thrown up by the water for some -considerable time. While they talked they suddenly heard the sound of -heavy blows from somewhere above their heads. Then the sounds increased -and they heard that which it was impossible for them to mistake—they -knew it too well—the dull roar of blasting operations in a mine! - -Alan’s eyes were shining. “Did you hear that?” he asked excitedly. “You -know that sound? Haven’t you heard that dull roar in the pit at -Grimland?” - -Desmond spoke huskily. “You mean that we are—” - -“We are immediately below a mine. White men are not far away, I am sure. -They may be Britishers like ourselves—oh, how can we get to them?” - -Wildly they hacked at the roof above them, but the sounds they made were -puny and little and made no impression in the distance. Tired and weary -they all fell asleep, and when they awoke there was silence everywhere. -They were suffering terribly from hunger; could they have seen -themselves they would have been shocked at their appearance. Pale, -emaciated, with hollowed eyes and deep furrowed cheeks, they looked -almost like old men, instead of youths still in the glory of their -manhood. - -They fell into a stupor, and hardly roused themselves, so weak and tired -were they, when all at once there came upon their ears a mighty -explosion which shook the place they were in and sent stones and rocks -hurtling all about them in the darkness. Then came a rumbling deep and -terrible. - -“It’s all right,” whispered Alan. “They are only blasting again.” But -neither Desmond nor Jez-Riah answered him. Weak and hungry they lay -inert and senseless upon the ground. The throbbing overhead began again, -and Alan alone in his agony beat at the roof with his hands, but -realizing his weakness fell on the ground beside his cousin and gave -vent to dry, hard sobs. - -He listened to his cousin babbling meaninglessly in the throes of fever, -and he heard the pitiful cry of the purple woman as she asked for water -to moisten her parched mouth. Then he too gave way. Strong and brave he -had been through all their privations, but he cried and chattered -insanely to the figures he conjured up in the darkness. Death was -hovering near them; the Black Angel was standing by them, and the Reaper -had his scythe in his hand only waiting for the opportunity that he -hoped would come, and that would enable him to cut down three more -sheaves for his well stocked granary. - - * * * * * - -“I can’t think where the water comes from, Mr. Vermont. There must be a -hidden spring somewhere. Can I have the pumps going and make -preparations for an excavation?” - -“Certainly, Mennell, when you like,” and William Mennell, foreman of the -Westpoint Gold Mines in Walla Balla, Australia, started his -preparations. - -The part of the mine he was working on at the moment was overrun with -water, which made the working very difficult, and was causing a great -deal of anxiety about the ultimate safety of the mine. The pumps were -made ready, a shaft was sunk, and they began to work. - -“The trouble is there, sir,” said he, indicating the ground under his -foot. “I’ll have it all up to-morrow.” By six the next morning the men -were hard at work, and merrily they shovelled the earth aside, cracking -jokes meanwhile. Suddenly one of the men lurched forward and gave a cry -as he threw himself backward on the ground behind him. - -“What’s up, Bill? Tea too strong this morning?” - -“Take care,” he shouted. “There’s a landslip or something. My spade went -right through. There’s a hole there.” - -Carefully they examined the place, and found that the ground was not -solid beneath, but below yawned a pitch dark cavern. - -“Where is Mr. Mennell? What had we better do?” - -Mennell came up. “Got a lantern, boys?” he asked. “Let’s see how deep it -is.” They tied a miner’s lantern on to the end of a red neckerchief and -let it down. “H’m, only about eight feet—during the blasting the land -must have slipped. My God,” he shouted. “Ropes! Ladders! I’m going -down.” - -“What’s wrong?” asked Ferrers, one of his pals. “You look as if you have -seen a ghost.” - -Mennell wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Look down there, Ferrers,” -said he hoarsely. “Can you see anything?” - -Ferrers took hold of the lantern and peered down into the blackness. -Then suddenly he stood up and looked closely into Mennell’s face. “There -is something there,” said he in an awe-struck voice. “Something that -looks like men.” - -“You saw too?” - -“Aye, William.” - -“Then it was no ghost.” - -Down the rope ladder went Mennell, followed by Ferrers. They bent over -the inanimate forms of Alan and Desmond Forsyth and gently carried them -up into the mine. - -“What’s that?” Ferrers pointed to a far corner of the cave. - -“It’s a woman.” - -Tenderly also was Jez-Riah carried up the swaying ladder. The miners -were all speechless. How was it possible for three human beings to have -got into such a position? - -Reverently they were carried to the office at the bottom of the shaft -where the manager was busy writing. Mennell told him what had happened, -and the boys were laid side by side upon the floor. But when they looked -at Jez-Riah they could not repress a shudder. She looked almost inhuman -with her purple skin and protruding horn. They overcame their -repugnance, however, and forced brandy between her parched lips. - -Desmond opened his eyes first. “Is this Marshfielden?” he asked. - -“It’s all right,” said Mr. Travers, the manager, kindly, and he offered -him some more of the stimulant. - -“Then I am alive?” He touched Mr. Travers’ hand. “God, I am among white -people at last,” and he fell back again unconscious. - -“The doc’s above,” said a man. “I’ve been on the ’phone. Beds are all -prepared for them.” - -So the two boys, wrapped in miners’ coats, were carried out into the -sunlight once again. Alan, however, did not recover consciousness at -all. He was worn out from hunger, fatigue and worry. Always the one to -have a comforting word to cheer his companions, this last experience had -been too much for him and he lay so still and quiet and cold, they -feared it would be impossible to save him. And Jez-Riah? She had come to -her senses and had called for Alan but the miners did not understand -her, and drew away from her in fear. - -“What shall we do with—it—her?” asked Mennell at last. - -“Take her above and put her in Dr. Mackintosh’s care,” said Mr. Travers -kindly. - -“Right, sir.” - -The day was perfect, the sun shining brightly, the sky was blue, a -transparent blue, and the birds were singing gaily. The warmth of the -sun’s rays came through the coat that was wrapped round Jez-Riah, and -she struggled to be free of it. The men put her on the ground, and she -stood, hands outstretched and gazed at the sun. - -“Jovah. Har-Barim,” she cried, and smiled at the brightness all around. - -Suddenly a change came over her features and she stepped out on to a -grassy patch. A crowd of men watched her, and their expressions showed -horror and intense fear. There was perfect silence for a moment, and -suddenly a voice cried out in tones so hoarse as to be unrecognizable, -“My God” and a man turned and fled. All the rest of the miners followed -him, their faces white and strained, and little work was done that day -at the mine. - -And in a little saloon near by, half the men were drinking deeply, -drinking to forget the horror they had just witnessed; and they laughed -brazenly and made coarse jests in their fear, but not one of them spoke -to the other of what he had seen. - - - - - BOOK III - EXIT THE WORLD - (_After the War_) - - - - - CHAPTER I - AT WALLA BALLA - - -Nurse Mavis Wylton looked after her patients cheerfully; she was glad of -something to do. Life had been very dull in the little township and -although the advent of the two Englishmen had made her unaccountably -homesick, it had done a great deal toward breaking the monotony. - -In the first year of the Great War she had taken up nursing, had tended -the suffering on the muddy battlefields of Flanders, had seen service -under the scorching sun of Salonica, had continued her labours in Malta, -Gibraltar and Egypt. She was in Cairo when the Armistice was signed, and -applied for a post in Australia at the conclusion of the War. - -An orphan, she had no ties in the dear old Mother Country; her only -brother was sleeping in the company of thousands of others in the -battle-scarred region of Ypres. She was interested in her two -patients—they had come from the mine in an unaccountable manner: she -heard the story of the strange woman who had accompanied them and only -half believed it—it sounded so very improbable. How could it be true? -What was it Mr. Travers had said? She remembered his exact words. - -“Nurse, it was horrible,” he told her. “As we watched, it—the woman’s -face—seemed to dry up and wrinkle until it looked like parchment. The -outstretched arms grew thin and bony; the body trembled violently and -crumpled up and fell to the ground,—and when I went closer all trace of -the woman had vanished and there was only a little patch of brown dust -on the ground and a little purple package that she had been wearing -fastened to her back.” The nurse could hardly believe anything so -horrible, so uncanny. Yes, poor Jez-Riah had had her wish. She had seen -the sun, had drunk in God’s pure air. But the atmosphere was too rare, -and she had died. Died? Nay, withered up, and returned to the dust from -which she had sprung, and nothing remained of the strange, underworld -creature, but a little powdery matter that was blown away to the four -winds of the heaven she had just existed to see. - -Both Alan and Desmond lay in a semi-comatose condition for many days. -Their hardships had been so great, their experiences so terrible, that -it was marvellous that they had returned sane to the upper world. As it -was, both suffered from brain fever, and were now being nursed back to -health and strength. The crisis over, both boys were on the high road to -convalescence. Side by side in little narrow beds they lay, and -gradually the knowledge of their adventures came back to them. - -Mavis had just entered the room one day when Alan broke the silence. -“Nurse, what day is it?” - -“Tuesday.” - -“What month, Nurse?” - -“It’s Tuesday the twenty-fourth of June.” - -“Midsummer day?” - -“Yes,” she smiled. “Now you mustn’t ask a lot of questions, but I’ll -tell you this—both you and your friend—” - -“My cousin,” corrected Alan. - -“Well, you and your cousin have been very ill. You were brought here -four weeks ago and at first we despaired of your lives. You are both -much better now, and we hope to have you up very soon. Now don’t talk -any more—” - -“Nurse,” he pleaded. “Just one more question.” He pondered a minute. “It -was June at Marshfielden when—Why it must be 1915!” he finished quickly, -Nurse Wylton frowned. Was this a new form of delirium? - -“Now don’t ask questions—” - -“Nurse, Nurse—I must know! We’ve been away a long time. If this is June, -then it _must_ be 1915.” - -“We are a long way past 1915,” said the nurse quietly. “This is June, -1920. You must have mistaken the date.” - -Alan looked at her in blank amazement. “1920,” he muttered. -“Desmond”—hoarsely—“did you hear that?” - -“Now don’t talk any more,” commanded the nurse—and she drew the green -blinds across the window, and shut out the brilliant sunlight. - -As soon as she had gone, Desmond spoke. “Six years in that Hell! I can’t -realize it. Over six years cut right out of our lives!” - -“I don’t know how we are to explain our presence in the mine,” said Alan -thoughtfully. “I don’t think it will be altogether wise to tell our -whole story. I’d rather Uncle John knew first. He would, perhaps, get -old Sir Christopher Somerville to organize an expedition to Kalvar.” - -“Yes,” said Desmond, “a properly equipped exploring party would find it -comparatively easy to prove the truth of our story. Why we have made one -of the biggest racial discoveries of the century. Historically and -scientifically we shall have benefited the whole world by our -experience.” - -“Poor Jez-Riah,” said Alan suddenly. “What an end!” - -The first day the boys were coherent, they had asked about their little -purple companion, and it was Nurse Wylton who had broken the news of her -“death.” The boys had taken it very quietly—and the nurse was unable to -form any ideas on the relation she bore to them. But they really felt -towards her as they would have done to a domestic animal. They scarcely -realized she was human. - -In fits and starts the cousins recounted their adventures to each -other—even yet they could scarcely realize they had come through safely. -Daily they both grew stronger, and the marks of privation and suffering -which had so disfigured their features were nearly wiped away. They were -afraid to cable old Sir John and tell him of their miraculous escape. -“We must break the news gently to him—for he has mourned us both, and it -may be too much of a shock for him to learn we are both alive and in -Australia,” said Alan. - -Desmond chuckled. “Australia! Fancy coming out at the other end of the -world! It’s almost like a fairy story, isn’t it? Do you remember we -wondered where we should eventually land?” - -Nurse Mavis entered—her arms full of flowers. “Now,” said she briskly. -“There’s too much talking going on. I am sure you will both overtax your -strength. Besides I have a visitor for you this afternoon.” - -“A visitor?” echoed both boys. - -“Yes, Mr. Travers, the Mine Manager, is very anxious to see you, and he -wants to return you your property.” - -“What property?” - -“Some packages you had when you—came—in Walla Balla.” - -The boys looked at each other blankly. They had entirely forgotten the -papyrus and censer and jewels they had brought from the Tomb of Korah. -They had been worrying about their financial position, and now, if the -jewels proved to be real, they could raise enough money and to spare for -their expenses and their fares back to England. - -“Mr. Travers will be here in about half an hour,” went on the nurse. “Do -you feel well enough to be wheeled out in chairs to the garden?” - -“Please,” said Desmond. “I’m sick of this room.” But they felt very weak -as they walked across the corridor to where the bath chairs were -awaiting them with many comfortable cushions and rugs. - -One of the under nurses wheeled Alan out first, and as Mavis tucked the -rugs round Desmond, he whispered “Wheel me once round the garden first, -Nurse.” - -The hazel eyes smiled down at the blue ones, and a touch of colour came -into the nurse’s pretty cheeks. Of the two strangers, Desmond was her -favourite. He reminded her of her brother—in many ways he was so -helpless, and she mothered him and cared for him, until love had -overtaken her unawares. - -She wheeled him along the grassy paths, and he asked her to stop and -pick him a rose, but when she offered it, he saw only the roses in her -cheeks—smelt only the perfume of her hair. - -“Mavis, Mavis,” he whispered, “will you come back to England with -us—with me—when we go? It seems too soon to speak—I’m an old crock—old -before my time—but you have brought me back to life and hope. I can’t -tell you what we have been through, Alan and I. Some day you shall know -the whole story. Meanwhile may I hope? I love you with my whole soul. -Come back to England with me as my wife!” - -The hazel eyes grew tender as Mavis bent over the chair and smoothed the -thin hand that lay on the coverlet. “I do care,” she whispered -tremulously. “I have grown to care a great deal—but are you sure? I know -so little of you both. I realize you have been through some terrible -experiences. I won’t question you, I will trust you, but isn’t it wiser -to wait? Wait until you are stronger. Perhaps in England there was a -girl once,” the pretty lips trembled, “a girl you once cared for. She -may be waiting still—but you have been ill, and have forgotten.” - -“No,” said Desmond firmly. “There has never been a woman in my life. I -swear it—never.” Suddenly, as he spoke, there came before his eyes the -picture of a purple woman leaping into the flames—Kaweeka. “My God!” he -cried, “listen, Mavis! I’m not worthy of you. One day I will tell you -everything. It is true there was a woman once—” Mavis stifled a cry. -“Listen. She wasn’t a woman of this world, but like Jez-Riah, the woman -who was with us when we came here. I did not love her—I think I loathed -her, but she was like a siren. She exercised an unholy power over me. -Mavis—she asked me to marry her.” - -“Did you?” in a whisper. - -A flush of shame came over the white face. “Yes, Mavis,” hoarsely. “For -weeks I lived in her house—until my cousin found me. When he appeared -she did her best to woo him also. She cast me aside, but he was strong -where I had been weak. No overture she made was strong enough to tempt -him. He it was who brought me to my senses and saved me from everlasting -shame.” - -“You loved her?” - -“No! A thousand times no! Mavis—it’s difficult to explain. Our whole -story is so improbable, so fantastic, that without certain undeniable -proofs which we hold, it would be considered as the phantasy of a -disordered brain. This woman was nothing to me really; when we were -together I loathed and hated her—almost feared her, but I was clay in -her hands. It was a difficult situation—at that time I did not -understand her language or the ways of her people. Oh, how can I make -you understand! She wanted me as a new kind of toy. She knew nothing of -morality or life as we know it. Her power was almost mesmeric.” - -“Is she living still?” - -“No. She died—oh, years ago,” passing his hand wearily across his brow. -“I am sorry, Mavis. I had forgotten. I had no right to speak to you, but -all recollection of Kaweeka had faded from my mind until you spoke of -another woman. Will you forget what I said? I beg of you, don’t despise -me too much.” - -“Dear—I hardly know what to say. I forgive you freely. I nursed you back -to life, Desmond. I devoted my whole time to you. While Matron and Nurse -Fanshaw attended to your cousin, I watched over you. You grew dear to -me. I wanted to see your eyes look at me with recognition in them. -I—I—wanted you to—to like me—a little. Then when you first became -convalescent I loved to talk to you. Dear, I can forget the past. Life -since 1914 has changed. Women have changed. We are no longer the narrow -minded stay-at-homes we were before the War.” - -“The War?” asked Desmond wonderingly. - -“Yes, the Great War. The war with Germany.” He looked puzzled, but asked -no questions, only lay back with his eyes closed, thinking. “We -understand the temptations of sex,” she went on, “and can forgive. You -asked me just now to marry you. I’ll marry you most gladly whenever you -like, and I’ll do my best to make you forget your terrible experiences. -Wait—” as Desmond would have spoken, “I’ll ask no questions. When the -time is ripe you can tell me all. Meanwhile I’ll be content to love and -trust.” There was no one in sight; a tall hedge on either side of the -garden walk gave them shelter. - -“Kiss me, Mavis,” said Desmond hoarsely. “Oh my darling, how I love -you.” And so the old, old story was told once more. - -“Nurse Wylton! Nurse Wylton!” Matron’s voice was calling and it was a -rosy cheeked nurse who answered. - -“Nurse, wherever have you been? Mr. Travers has been waiting over half -an hour to see the patients.” - -Half an hour! Mavis offered no excuse—indeed she had none, and she -wheeled her charge to Alan’s side. As she turned away to fetch Mr. -Travers, she heard Alan say petulantly, “Wherever have you been all this -time, Dez?” but she didn’t catch Desmond’s reply. If she had it would -have set her thinking, for he said in an awe-struck tone, “Lanny, old -boy, do you know there has been a war—a war with Germany? And we’ve -missed it, old chap, we’ve missed it.” - -Mr. Travers was a genial soul and loved by all the miners. He came -forward and greeted the boys cheerily. - -“Well, I’m glad to hear you are both better. A nice fright you gave -every one to be sure. We wondered at first how you had got into such a -position.” He laughed heartily at the recollection. - -“However, the explanation was quite simple after all, wasn’t it?” - -The cousins looked at one another with questioning eyes. In their -opinion the explanation could hardly be called simple! Mr. Travers, -however, went on. “After you had been rescued, Mennell, our foreman, -gave orders for the men to cease work at that point. He wanted -investigations to be made, after consulting me. The following day, -however, we found the cave had filled with water, and the pumps were -kept very busy, I can tell you. Then part of the flooring caved in, and -the walls gave way. Oh, it was a horrid mess! However, it was eventually -cleared away, and we discovered the subterranean passage. Very ingenious -indeed.” And he rubbed his hands together. The boys were frankly -puzzled. - -“When did you leave Karragua?” asked Mr. Travers suddenly. - -“Karragua?” asked Alan. - -“Yes, Karragua.” - -Desmond opened his mouth as if about to speak, but Alan was the first to -recover his wits. - -“Before we tell you our story, won’t you tell us what you discovered?” -he asked shrewdly. - -“Certainly, my friend. I suppose it was some bet you had on?” - -“Something of the sort,” agreed Alan, now wholly puzzled. - -“I thought so. I knew I was right. I shall take a bottle of rum off Old -Man Paterson now. I told him it was the result of some freakish wager—he -would have it you had discovered it by accident.” - -“Do go on,” urged Alan. The situation was becoming desperate. Neither of -the boys had the slightest idea of what Mr. Travers was talking about. - -“Well,” continued the cheery manager, “you may be sure it took some time -to clear away the débris after the cave-in. When it was clear we saw a -passage leading out of it, and followed it about a mile, when it became -choked up; and as we had made no preparations we returned and decided to -continue our investigations another day.” - -“Well?” from both boys. - -“It was a Thursday. John Cornlake, Bill Watson and one or two other -good, all round pick hands came with Mennell and me. It was a long -road—two and three quarter miles by our pedometer—pitch dark, as you -know. Suddenly we saw a speck of blue in the distance. We moved the -boulder aside—how cleverly it is hidden among the rocks and undergrowth! -and we realized at once it was the exit of ‘Red Mark’s Tunnel’.” - -Neither of the boys spoke—they saw the humour of the situation, but were -afraid lest by a word they might give themselves away. - -“It must be a hundred and twenty years since it was used. How did you -come to discover it?” - -“A fellow told us about it,” said Alan vaguely after the fraction of a -pause, and Mr. Travers was content. - -“Of course when the shaft of our mine was sunk, the workmen searched for -the entrance to the tunnel, but it was never discovered, and I don’t -suppose it ever would have been except by a lucky accident. I suppose -you were unable to find your way back to Karragua—was that it? You were -in a pretty bad condition when you were found. We have already informed -the government of the discovery,” he went on, “and agents have been sent -down to inspect it. We are not sure what the result will be. Every one -in Walla Balla wants to have it opened up as a sort of showplace. It -would certainly do the township an immense amount of good. Red Mark and -his fellow convicts who escaped through it have certainly left a -wonderful monument behind them.” - -So! It flashed on Alan’s mind at once. In some miraculous way the -entrance to the passage by which they had come from Korah’s tomb was -again blocked up. Their secret was still their own, but a subterranean -passage made by early eighteenth century convicts had been unearthed -instead. - -“Did Red Mark dig the passage himself?” asked Alan. - -“The story goes that Red Mark and a fellow convict escaped and commenced -a passage. Walla Balla was a large farm estate at that time, and was -employing nearly sixty convicts. Escape was almost impossible, the place -was so well guarded, and such brutal treatment was inflicted on those -that attempted to escape that few tried. Red Mark and his companion were -lucky, however, and they managed to elude the bloodhounds. Their friends -helped them with food. Feverishly they worked at the tunnel. It was -their plan to burrow to the sea. It took them several years to complete -it, but they accomplished their stupendous task at last. The night it -was finished fifty convicts vanished. They had ransacked the larders and -had taken plenty of food with them. Those that were left talked vaguely -about having heard of a subterranean passage, but it was never found—at -least not until now. Those convicts were never seen again. But at -Karragua Creek a small sailing craft disappeared, and on it doubtless -went Red Mark and his friends. But of course you’ve heard the story -before. How did you find the place—by accident? And then I suppose you -wagered you’d find your way through to the other end.” - -Alan smiled. Mr. Travers was extremely helpful. He talked so much -himself that he gave no one else the chance of speaking, and he -considerately answered all the questions that he put to the -boys—himself. - -“Yes,” said Desmond, who had taken his cue from his cousin. “We told a -friend about it, who wagered us one thousand pounds we would find our -way through. Unfortunately, our lanterns went out, we lost our way, we -had no food and—” - -“And I suppose you were a week or more in that cave—hungry and worn -out?” finished Mr. Travers helpfully. “Now I’ve brought you your -property back,” and he handed them the packages they had brought from -the Tomb of Korah. “Oh, you might give me an official receipt for them,” -and he handed the boys a paper for them to sign. “By the way,” he -continued, as he put the receipt away, “that woman.” His genial face -grew solemn. “What was it—? Was it some—some joke you had prepared, or -was it—” - -“I can’t explain yet,” said Alan shortly. “We are going home to England -where we have a very strange story to tell. I cannot explain the -phenomenon you saw, but I may have to call upon you to repeat the story -of her death. I suppose I may use your name?” - -“By all means. I shall be only too pleased to assist you young gentlemen -in every way I can, but I shall be glad to hear about that woman—it was -damned strange. By the way, I sealed your parcels with our office seal. -I should like you to examine them to see they are intact.” - -“We won’t bother now, Mr. Travers, thank you. We have absolute -confidence in you. By the way,” he added, as if in afterthought, “could -you put me in touch with any one who would buy one or two unset gems? I -have some with me, and am anxious to convert them into cash for our -immediate use.” - -“That’s easily done,” said Mr. Travers. “Our general manager is -connected with Messrs. Frimpton, Long and Beauchamp of Melbourne. They -are, I think, the biggest dealers in gold and precious stones in -Australia. I will get an introduction for you.” - -“Thanks very much.” - -“Don’t mention it. Now I think I have stayed quite long enough for a -first visit. Good-bye, Mr. Forsyth. Good-bye, Mr. Desmond. Take care of -yourselves, and don’t get over tired,” and the kindly man left them. - -“We got out of that pretty easily, thanks to you,” said Desmond as they -saw him disappear down a bend in the garden. “I couldn’t think what he -was driving at.” - -“It’s extremely lucky the way to Korah’s tomb has been hidden again. -That heavy fall of rock and earth did us a good turn.” Alan remained -silent a few minutes, and looked at his cousin quizzically. Then -quietly— - -“Haven’t you anything to tell me?” - -“What do you mean?” - -“Oh my dear chap—don’t think I am merely inquisitive, but we’ve been -like brothers all our lives. I’ve watched our pretty nurse; I’ve watched -you too. Have you spoken?” - -“Yes. My God, Alan! I’m not worthy. Think—Kaweeka—” - -“That is past. It’s no good worrying over what is done. You were not -responsible down there, alone, in that Hell. Have you told Mavis about -it?” - -“I’ve tried to make her understand about Kaweeka—but I’ve told her -nothing about our adventures and our discoveries.” - -“I’m glad of that. I should like Uncle John to be at the first telling -of our experiences. I’m glad about Mavis for your sake. I like her very -much—in fact I might say I’ve grown to be almost fond of her. All -happiness, old boy.” - -“I should like to be married before we start for England.” - -“Will she agree?” - -“I think so.” - -“Well I’ll be best man. Ah, Mavis”—as she appeared—“there is to be no -formality now, you know. You are going to marry one of the best, and -you’ve got to like me too.” - -Mavis bent down and kissed his cheek. “There! Alan, see how cousinly I -can be,” said she laughingly. “Now it’s time you both went to bed—you’ve -been up quite long enough for one day.” - -That night before the lights were extinguished she told them the story -of the Great War. “Where have you been?” she asked in bewilderment. “Why -every one in the world knows of it. It’s been horrible—terrible; white -fighting against white; white employing black to help them. Every nation -in the world suffered in one way or another.” - -“I know it sounds improbable, dear, but neither Alan nor I knew the long -talked of war with Germany had really come to pass until you spoke of it -to-day. Don’t ask any questions—just trust me.” - -“It’s all very mysterious and strange,” said she ruefully. “But I will -possess my soul in patience.” - -As soon as he was able, Alan sent one magnificent diamond and half a -dozen emeralds to Messrs. Frimpton, Long and Beauchamp and received in -return banknotes to the value of five thousand pounds. The boys had also -chosen some diamonds for Mavis, and had had them set into an engagement -ring for the woman Desmond loved. - -Already they were well enough to leave the hospital, but as Walla Balla -was only a very small mining township, there was no accommodation for -visitors, so the cousins remained at the hospital as paying guests. - -One day, late in July, a very pretty wedding took place. The bride was -dressed in her nurse’s uniform and the bridegroom and best man were -arrayed in unconventional white duck. The ceremony was performed by the -local clergyman, and there was a big spread afterwards at the hospital, -to which everybody in the township had been invited. - -Alan felt rather sad as he stood waiting on the platform for the train -to come in that would carry off the happy pair to their honeymoon. No -woman had ever entered his life. His great ideal was a dream still; and -he wondered if the time had passed for her ever to materialize. - -“You’ll arrange for everything, won’t you?” said Desmond. - -“Rather. Now don’t worry. The boat leaves Sydney at noon on the seventh -of next month—eleven days from now. It’s the Clan Ronald. I’ll book your -berths and await you there.” - -“Good-bye.” - -“Good-bye.” - -Their farewells were said, and Alan was left alone. He stayed a few days -longer at Walla Balla among the friends he had made, and then travelled -by easy stages to Sydney. The country was very beautiful but he longed -to get home. He longed to see the smoky chimneys of London, the bustling -streets, to hear again the noisy traffic, and at last to enjoy the truly -rural beauty of the English lanes and woods. He longed to see his uncle. -Was he still alive? he wondered. He was afraid to cable; he was afraid -to write. Suddenly an idea came into his head and he wondered why he had -not thought of it before. He would write to his uncle’s confidential -clerk and friend—Masters. He could trust him to break the news gently. - - “HOTEL MAJESTIC, - “SYDNEY. - - “DEAR MASTERS (_he wrote_) - - “_You’ll be surprised to hear from one whom you no doubt have - long mourned as dead. Don’t be afraid—it is no ghost who is - writing you, but a living man. I cannot explain everything in - this letter, but I am catching the next boat home, and I will - telegraph on reaching Plymouth the exact time we expect to - arrive in London. Yes—it’s ‘we,’ Masters, for I have found my - cousin Desmond. It all sounds wildly impossible I know, and I am - writing you that you may break the news to my uncle that we - still live. Tell him we are longing to see him. Tell him Desmond - has found a wife and is bringing her home. I can say no more—my - hand is trembling with excitement as I write. We have seen - strange things, been to many strange places since we left - Marshfielden, but impress upon Sir John, that had we been able - to communicate with him we should have done so._ - - “_With our renewed wishes to Sir John and yourself_, - - “_Yours very sincerely_, - - “ALAN FORSYTH.” - -“There! I think that will meet the case,” and Alan fastened up the -letter and posted it. - -The seventh at last! All the luggage was on board; Desmond and his wife -drove up radiantly happy to the quay and waved excitedly as they saw -Alan leaning over the bulwarks. The bell clanged, the sailors gave vent -to their sonorous cry, “All ashore! All ashore!” The siren sounded. -Gradually the great vessel glided away; the smoke belched out in volumes -from her funnels; the landing stage grew smaller and smaller until it -was out of sight altogether. The vessel had started on her journey to -England. - -That night after dinner, when Mavis had gone to her state-room, the two -cousins had a heart to heart talk in the moonlight. - -“It seems impossible we are really going home at last,” said Desmond. “I -feel like a child again. I have so much to learn. When we disappeared -aeroplanes were only beginning to be used—now they are almost perfect, -and are vehicles of every day use. The whole world seems to have -progressed a century in these last few years.” - -“There certainly is a great deal for us to learn,” agreed Alan, “but we -must leave it to Uncle John. He will put us right about everything.” - -“I wonder how he has progressed with his airship,” said Desmond after a -pause. “We used to laugh at the dear old chap; he has the laugh on us -now.” - -“He always said that the future of commerce was in the air.” - -“Have you the papyrus safe?” asked Desmond suddenly. - -Alan laughed. “Rather! Or at least the Purser has. I bought a strong -deed box in Sydney and packed everything in it; here’s the key. When -next we open it, please God, it will be in the presence of Uncle John.” - -Alan looked sadly at the scene in front of him. A brilliant moon had -risen and was sending its beams across the phosphorescent waters. The -air was sweet and balmy—the Southern Cross was discernible and the whole -scene was like a wonderful painting. The chud-chud of the engines and -the swish of the water was the only sound to be heard. Somehow, Alan -felt very much alone that night. Desmond, his childish playmate, his -boyhood’s chum, and later his companion in adventure, seemed lost to -him. He had married a wife. That was the trouble in a nut-shell. Things -would never be the same again. He was fond of Mavis—she was a dear girl, -and would be a splendid wife for his cousin— - -“Good night, old chap,” said he huskily. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed. -I’ve been keeping you too long from Mavis.” - -“Good night, Alan. I think I will turn in now. I shall tumble to sleep -as soon as my head touches the pillow,” he added boyishly. - -“Good night.” - -But it was early morning before Alan went to sleep. He wondered what the -future had in store for him. Would it prove as adventurous as the past? -Or would he remain a lonely old bachelor, a wanderer on the face of the -earth? No fixed home of his own—a favourite uncle, perhaps, to Desmond’s -sons. Yes, he was getting morbid. He was still young, barely thirty and -had his life before him. Somewhere, perhaps, a mate was waiting for him. -Somewhere, some time he would find his ideal,—and then— - -The clock struck five; he yawned, turned over and fell asleep. - - - - - CHAPTER II - HOME AGAIN - - -In a lovely part of Perthshire, deep in a valley among the mountains, -lonely and hard of access, stood a curious building. Any one with a -knowledge of aeronautics would have recognized it as a hangar for an -airship. A narrow track led from it to a tiny cottage in which lived -three men—Sir John Forsyth, Abel Masters and Hector Murdoch, the latter -a trusty and faithful mechanic. Shortly after Alan’s supposed death, Sir -John gave up everything to the last remaining object of his life—the -completion and success of his giant airship. He had grown very secretive -about it. He had it dismantled and taken to pieces, and in pieces it was -sent to Scotland to await further experiments. A hangar had been built, -the workmen had gone—and then the three men set to work to build up the -“Argenta” once again. Sir John had disposed of his interest in the -Marshfielden collieries, and his London offices had been taken over by -the new owners, hence he had no tie to keep him in the great metropolis. - -For over five years he had worked, and now success had come. The -powerful spirit he had perfected as a motive power was unexcelled and on -the morrow they were going for their first trial flight in the great -machine. - -Sir John rubbed his hand affectionately over the shimmering metal. It -meant everything to him since his nephews had gone. - -“It’s beautiful, Masters!” said he, and there was a note of triumph in -his voice. “It’s perfect.” - -“Yes, sir. Three hundred miles an hour we ought to do comfortably, that -is the minimum, and from four hundred and fifty to five hundred at -express speed.” - -“You’ve worked with me very faithfully, Masters. It was good of you to -pander to the whim of an old man, and bury yourself up here.” - -“I was only too glad to come, Sir John,” answered Masters. “For -forty-five years I worked in your office—your father’s it was then, sir. -I was the first to congratulate him after Victoria, God bless her, had -made him a baronet. For over twenty years I was your confidential -servant—” - -“Friend! Masters, friend!” gently corrected Sir John. - -“Well, friend, if I may say so. I was always interested in electricity -and mechanics, and when you started experimenting, it was me you asked -to help you. I have never forgotten that, Sir John, and now I am proud -to have been the one to see the work of years rewarded by such success.” - -“Where is Hector this morning?” - -“He has motored to Arroch Head for the letters.” - -“Is it the day?” - -“Yes, Sir John, it’s Friday.” - -“Ah, of course, so it is.” - -Since Sir John had been living at Dalmyrnie, no one had his address -except the Poste Restante at Arroch Head—the nearest village fourteen -miles away. No persuasion was strong enough to make him reveal his -hiding place. He seemed to live in dread of his secret being snatched -from him. No precaution was too great to take to prevent such a -catastrophe. - -“Lunch is ready, Sir John,” came a voice from behind him. It was Hector -who had returned. The three men all had meals together in the little -honeysuckle-covered cottage that had once been a gamekeeper’s. There was -no ceremony—they were all workers together. - -The leather Post Office bag was on the table, and Sir John unlocked it -with the key that hung so prominently on the wall. - -“What a budget,” said he testily. “Why do people bother me?” He began to -sort the letters. “One from Freemantle and Goddard—their account, I -suppose. That’s from Armstrong’s with their invoice for those aluminium -screws. A wire for you,” tossing the little orange envelope across to -Masters. - -Masters picked it up gingerly. “Who ever can it be from? Oh,” as he read -it. “I don’t understand it. I think it must be meant for you, sir.” - -Sir John looked up. “Why?” he asked. - -“It was handed in at noon yesterday at Plymouth. It was redirected on -from the old London offices. It says, ‘Landed quite safely. Leaving -Plymouth this morning. Arrive Paddington 5:20. Will come straight to -you. Forsyth.’” - -“Forsyth!” repeated Sir John. “Who on earth can it be? And if it’s for -me, why did they address it to you?” - -“I don’t understand it at all, sir,” said Masters. “Haven’t you a -cousin—Dr. Forsyth who went to Canada some years ago?” - -“Yes, yes! Malcolm Forsyth! Of course, of course. Well, I can’t see him. -I won’t see him. I don’t want to see anyone. But why did he wire you, -Masters? He didn’t even know your name.” - -“I can’t understand it at all, Sir John,” then his face brightened, -“unless the clerk who redirected it put my name on by mistake.” - -“Ah, perhaps that was it. Oh well, never mind,” said Sir John testily. -“You must write and say I can’t see him. Here’s a letter for you, too,” -he went on. - -“I expect it’s from the Stores,” said Masters. “I have been expecting -their list of concentrated foods with the highest caloric value. We want -them in our flights.” - -He opened the letter casually. “My God!” he cried and it dropped from -his nerveless fingers. - -“For Heaven’s sake control yourself,” said Sir John sharply. Now his -airship was complete, his nerves were all on edge waiting for the trial. -“What is it? What is it?” - -“I’m sorry,” said Masters penitently, “but I’ve had a shock. I’ve heard -from some one I thought was dead years ago.” - -Sir John showed little interest. “Well let us now get on with lunch,” -was all he said. - -“I don’t think I’ll have any if you don’t mind,” said Masters. “I must -go into Arroch Head at once and send a telegram. I may have the car I -suppose?” - -“Why, of course, but do have your meal first.” - -“No—no I can’t wait. I must go at once.” - -Masters had had a shock. He had received Alan’s letter from Sydney, and -the meaning of the telegram was clear. Alan and Desmond were safe and -had arrived in England. He must wire them at once, and give them Sir -John’s address. He scarcely knew how to break the news to him, and it -worried him as he went into the little village. - -“Have you wired your friend?” asked Sir John when he got back. - -“Yes.” - -“Do you want to see him—if so you had better take a short holiday after -the trial.” - -“Thank you all the same, Sir John, but I’ve wired them to come to Arroch -Head.” - -“The devil you have!” roared Sir John. “I suppose the next thing will be -that you want them to come over here and see the Argenta.” - -“I was going to suggest it to you,” answered Masters imperturbably. - -“Have you taken leave of your senses? Show my work—the child of my brain -to strangers? Never!” - -“They are not quite strangers, Sir John. The fact is—” he hesitated, “I -told you I had mourned them as dead—so have _you_, Sir John.” - -“What?” - -“I have given them your address and—” - -“You’ve given them my address?” spluttered the old gentleman in rage. - -“Yes, Sir John—don’t you understand now? I told you that _you too_ had -mourned them as dead.” - -Sir John looked sharply at Masters, and as he gazed deep into his eyes -he read there the truth. “Alan—Desmond,” he said hoarsely. Masters -nodded his head and Sir John sank back into his chair. - -“Alan!” he whispered. “Is it true?” - -“Yes.” - -“Don’t joke, man, for God’s sake! Don’t fool me! It can’t be true. It’s -six years since the accident. Why the mine has never been in use -since—not that part.” - -“Don’t you understand the telegram now, sir?” Masters held it out. “They -have been away, but now they are back in England.” - -“Was that the letter this morning?” - -“Yes! Read it.” - -Sir John was plainly overcome. “I’m sure it’s a joke,” he muttered over -and over again. “It can’t be true. The thing’s impossible.” - -All that day work was at a standstill. Hector alone saw to the bodily -requirements of the men, and meals as usual were served at their proper -times. - -“They will be here for the trial,” whispered Sir John excitedly. “Oh my -God!” and the old man burst into tears. His grief at the loss of his two -nephews had been so great, his affection for them so sincere that he -could scarcely realize that in some miraculous way they still lived. - -“Will you meet the train?” asked Masters as they retired for the night. - -“Yes! Yes! Of course! Take the large car. Are you sure everything is -ready for them? You see there will be a lady, too. Desmond’s wife—my -niece.” - -“Everything is quite all right. We have made the place quite -comfortable—we will occupy the two rooms there, and that will leave -three bedrooms in the cottage free. Yours, Mr. Alan’s, and the largest, -at the front, for Mr. Desmond and his wife.” - -“Splendid, Masters, splendid.” It was a glorious, late September morning -when the Scotch express steamed in. Alan was out of the train first. - -“Uncle,” said he, “dear old uncle.” - -“My boy—my boy! How are you? Oh, how you have changed! Desmond, my boy, -welcome home!” - -“This is Mavis, Uncle John.” - -Sir John held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. She could -see that suffering had left its mark on the old man’s face, so she -impetuously flung her arm round his neck and kissed him. “Uncle John,” -she whispered. “I’ve heard so much about you from Desmond and Alan. I’ve -been just longing to come home—to you!” - -It was a very merry party that drove home to Dalmyrnie. - -“Eat your breakfasts,” commanded Uncle John. “You shall tell me your -story afterwards. But have a good meal first.” After breakfast, they sat -in the old-world garden, among the trees—Sir John and Masters, the two -boys and Mavis, and their wonderful story was told. - -Desmond began by telling how he was caught by the Light, omitting -nothing, and Alan concluded the story. “Now here is the papyrus and here -are the jewels and the censer. These, I think, will prove the truth of -our strange story.” - -“And you mean to say there is a race of people living in the centre of -the Earth?” - -“Yes, indeed, where we have been actually living for the past few -years.” - -“They are actually descended from Korah, Abiram and Dathan?” - -“Yes, as I told you, they still speak a patois Hebrew—they possess a -copy of part of the Pentateuch—they worship the God of the old -Testament, Jehovah, the great ‘I am’.” - -“And yet you say they are savage?” - -“I don’t think my description can be good, if I left you with that -impression,” said Alan thoughtfully. “They are not like the black, -savage natives of the present day. I should say rather, that they still -possess the savage instincts of our forefathers. The sacrifice of living -creatures, even humanity, does not revolt them. They are impervious to -great pain themselves, and can watch it in others without flinching. The -living sacrifices they offered to the Fire must have suffered agonies -before life was finally extinct in them; but to their mind the pain they -were inflicting made the sacrifice still more acceptable to their -Almighty. They inflicted terrible tortures on their Virgin Watchers of -the Temple—they were cruel, cunning, vile—yet in other ways they were -too cultured to be called savages. Savage yes, but not savages.” - -“I see the difference you mean, my boy. But didn’t you say they -worshipped the Fire?” - -“Yes. It is itself a part of their religion. I don’t think I ever -understood it properly myself. They looked on the Fire almost as God -himself—not a different God, but just God. Yet at the same time they -believed that the God of their Fathers exists in the Heaven above the -Upper World. It sounds very complicated, I am afraid.” - -“No, no, my boy. I understand quite well what you mean.” - -“They believed they had to offer living sacrifices to the Fire to keep -it burning. The strangest part of their belief is, that when the Fire -does die out, then will come the consummation of the entire world—not -only theirs but ours too.” - -“Then they know of our world?” - -“Oh yes. Dathan and Abiram left written histories about the world they -had left—the world they had once inhabited.” - -“Going back to the Fire,” said Sir John. “Is it large?” - -“Enormous. We never saw it in its entirety. It seemed to stretch away -into the distance for miles. It was walled in with a glass-like -substance, and was absolutely unlike any fire we had ever seen before. -It seemed to have no real substance—was all leaping, brilliant -flames—yet the heart of it seemed solid and firm. During our stay we -could see that the Fire was really growing less and less. Imperceptibly -at first, but latterly by leaps and bounds.” - -“I wonder what _will_ happen when the Fire does go out,” said Desmond -thoughtfully. “It has existed on itself for these thousands of years. -The only fuel that was ever given it latterly was human or animal life. -Surely that could hardly feed a Fire.” - -“I think some world-wide catastrophe will come when the Fire dies out, -if ever it does,” said Alan. - -“And Jez-Riah just fell to dust,” went on Sir John slowly. - -“Yes.” - -Mavis was very excited. “Why our fortunes are made,” she cried. “Of -course you’ll write to the papers?” - -“We didn’t know what to do,” said Alan. “Desmond and I talked it over -and came to the conclusion we would tell Uncle John first and get his -advice.” - -“No one else knows at all?” - -“No one but us five.” - -Masters looked up and gave Alan a grateful look. “It was good of you to -include me,” said he. - -“Why, you are part and parcel of ourselves, Masters,” laughed Alan. -“Nothing would be complete without you,” and he shook hands heartily -with his uncle’s trusty friend. - -“We must go back to London,” said Sir John at last. “I will wire Sir -Christopher Somerville—he’s President of the Geographical Research -Society you know—and Professor Chard of the Geological Society to meet -us in town. I will put the whole matter before them and take their -advice. But, my dear boys, I can scarcely yet realize I have you back -with me again.” - -“Have you done any more with your Argenta?” asked Desmond suddenly. - -Sir John’s eyes shone. “Come with me,” said he and he took them to the -hangar. “She is complete and I think perfect,” said he simply. Very -beautiful indeed looked the Argenta. There was a perfect grassy incline -leading from the hangar to a large, flat field. - -“I shall run her down the slope,” he explained, “and the field in the -hollow is splendid for both ascending and descending.” - -“Have you tried her yet?” - -“No. We were going to try her yesterday, Mr. Alan,” said Masters, “but -Sir John postponed it until your arrival.” - -“And we must postpone it again, I am afraid,” said Sir John, rather -sadly. - -“Is it necessary, Uncle John?” asked Mavis. - -“I think so, my dear. Your story is too wonderful to keep back a moment -longer than is necessary. We will go to London to-morrow, and after all -formalities are done with, will come back, try the Argenta, and if she -is as I think she is, we will go for a long holiday in her.” - -“Shall I accompany you?” asked Masters. - -“Just as you like,” answered Sir John. “Come with us by all means, or -stay with Hector and watch over the Argenta.” - -“I would rather stay here, sir, if you have no objection. I’ve no ties -that take me back to town, and I would rather remain by the Argenta.” - -Forty-eight hours later Sir John, Alan, and Desmond and his wife arrived -in London. Sir John had let his town house, so they chose a quiet hotel -at the back of Berkeley Square for their domicile. - -Sir Christopher Somerville and Professor Chard kept the appointment -made, and once again the boys recounted their adventures. “Wonderful! -Marvellous! Miraculous!” the professors kept muttering to themselves, as -the improbable story was unfolded to them, piece by piece. - -“Now,” said Sir John, when it was at last told. “There are seven people -only that have heard this story. What do you advise us to do?” - -“I will see the Home Secretary,” said Sir Christopher at last. “This is -a Government affair, of course. England’s to the fore again; lucky they -found their way out on British territory. The question will be brought -up in the House—an expedition must be formed, and the two young -gentlemen would probably like to accompany us, and help us with their -knowledge of the place.” - -“Don’t go again,” cried Mavis, her face blanching. “Oh you wouldn’t take -him from me?” - -“Don’t be afraid,” said Alan kindly. “Nothing is done yet, and when it -is they will be probably quite contented with me alone.” - -“Would you go again?” eyes wide open in horror. - -“Of course, Mavis, but I’ll see that Desmond doesn’t go,” and he laughed -cheerily. - -The professors called a general meeting of their associations upon the -matter of “THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW AND HITHERTO UNSUSPECTED PEOPLE” and -the two boys came in for a great deal of congratulation and applause. -Everything was settled at last, however; matters were directed through -the right channel and a statement was brought up in the House of -Commons. The only point that was not made public was the exact place of -the entrance to Kalvar. That was kept entirely secret—the Home Secretary -having pledged his word that until the necessary arrangements had been -made between the two Governments, that of the Mother Country, together -with the Commonwealth of Australia, most stringent secrecy should be -kept, so that no one could possibly know that Walla Balla was the -favoured spot. - -All the papers were full of the new discovery. Reporters, ordinary -newspaper men, big newspaper correspondents, all found their way to the -little hotel. Alan and Desmond Forsyth had become famous! Kings and -princes,—commoners and dukes, all vied with one another to meet and -entertain the two men who had had such remarkable experiences. - -At last the expedition was complete and was due to sail in a fortnight’s -time. Meanwhile, Alan, who was to accompany it, was to take a -fortnight’s entire rest. Geologists, historians, geographers, all wanted -representatives sent. Mechanics, electricians and a small armed force -had to be provided. The Government had already made a large grant to the -Mining Company at Walla Balla, and had the entire rights for excavating -a mile each way from the Second Pit. - -The whole expedition was a voluntary one, and once again Britain and her -Colonies came to the fore as the greatest pioneers in the world. - -The golden censer had been offered to the British Museum, and had been -gratefully accepted. The papyrus had been placed in the hands of experts -who pronounced the document to be genuine. Antiquarians from all parts -of the world came to see the relics, and the newspapers had paragraphs -in them every day, relating to the “Kalvar Expedition.” - -“Phew!” said Alan one day as he leant back in a taxi. “That is the last -public speech I shall make for months, I hope.” He and Desmond had been -guests of honour at a luncheon given by the Society of Antiquarians. -“Thank goodness we leave to-night for Scotland. To-morrow we shall see -the Argenta. Nine months since we were there. What a lot we have crowded -into our lives these last few months.” - -“I think we’ve made up for our lost six years,” laughed Desmond. - -Masters met them at Arroch Head and was frankly glad to welcome them -back. - -“Nine months since we were here,” said Sir John. “You’ve seen the news -in the papers, of course?” - -“Of course, Sir John. The _Cavalier_ sails in a fortnight, I believe.” - -“Yes,” answered Alan, “and I am going to take fourteen days real rest, -and then—well, off to Kalvar again, only this time of my own free will.” - -The longed-for moment had come! Hector was in the mechanic’s seat, while -Masters navigated the great ship down the grassy slope. Gracefully she -slid out of the hangar, and down the incline and stopped on the level. -Sir John was very excited. “You are sure you want to test her?” he -asked. “Remember she has never been up before—you have only my word for -it that she’s safe. Desmond, don’t you think you had better stay with -Mavis, in case—” - -But Mavis interposed. “Nonsense, Uncle John. This is _the_ day of my -life. Now give me your hand,” and she gracefully swung herself up the -ladder and on to the lower deck. Sir John followed suit, and they stood -side by side, watching the cousins ascend the ladder. - -At last! They were all aboard and the six persons entrusted themselves -to the aluminium bird that shone brightly in the sunshine. They hauled -the grappling irons in, Masters touched a lever, and they started. -Slowly they ascended at first—but climbed higher and higher, faster and -faster until the hangar was lost to sight and they saw only broad -expanses of country below them. - -“Oh!” said Mavis breathlessly. “We’re off. Where are we going?” - -“I want to make a circuit of the British Isles, and then home to -Dalmyrnie.” - -“But shall we have time?” - -“At express speed we ought to do it in about four hours.” - -“Only four hours?” in amazement. - -“Well, we shall only go from Dalmyrnie—we shan’t touch further north -to-day.” - -“Now,” went on Mavis impatiently. “I want you to take me all over this -wonderful ship. I want to see everything. I want to know how it is -possible to navigate and propel such a tremendous vessel by the work of -only two men.” - -“Then we’ll start right now,” laughed Sir John. “Come, boys, we’ll -explore the Argenta, and then have some tea.” - - - - - CHAPTER III - THE AIRSHIP - - -“It’s wonderful, Uncle John! It’s almost beyond belief!” Mavis had -walked the whole length of the vessel on the under deck in silence. Her -husband’s arm was about her waist, her face was radiant, flushed with -excitement. Alan, too, was bereft of words; even his wildest dreams had -never imagined a vessel so perfect, so magnificent, so sensitive to -touch that two men could manage it with comfort and ease, and should -necessity arise, even one man could manipulate the tiny levers and -navigate it. - -With a torpedo body some nine hundred feet long, its nose narrowed to -three feet, giving it a grace unusual in such a monster aircraft. The -entire body was composed of an alloy of aluminium, the formula of which -was discovered by much hard work and research by Sir John and Masters. -An upper and lower deck ran round the entire ship, about six feet wide, -which was covered with a fibre, and had bulwarks of aluminium. - -At intervals round the deck, hatches were open, leading to the hold, -which contained the tank for the reserve propelling spirit, the -water-tank, larders and cold storage. Three ladders on each side and one -at either end led to the upper deck. The bow of the vessel was covered -with a kind of thick glass and formed a comfortable smoking room where -one could sit in comfort in wet or windy weather and gaze into space. -There was a dining room, a drawing room, and five bedrooms; all most -beautifully upholstered and furnished with the maximum of comfort. The -inside walls were polished like burnished silver, and the windows of the -same thick glass were hung with pale blue silk to match the upholstery. -There was everything for use and comfort; telephonic communication from -every room to every part of the ship—electric light—electric -fans—electric stoves—a pianola and there was even a gramophone on board. - -Sir John had also remembered a good library of books, novels and serious -works, and a wonderful supply of writing materials. - -“Why, you have forgotten nothing,” said Mavis. “Uncle John, I think you -have been wonderful.” - -Perhaps the kitchens furnished Mavis with most interest. They were so -well planned out. In one corner stood an electric cooking stove, and on -the wall hung everything necessary for the success of the culinary art. -A pipe led from the water tank to the kitchen and there was a very -ingenious arrangement by which all waste matter was emptied into an -electrically heated tank which reduced everything first to a pulp and -then to steam, which escaped through a pipe to the outer side of the -ship. - -“How much water can we carry?” asked Mavis. - -“Well, in cubic feet, my dear—” commenced Sir John. - -“No! no! Uncle John! I don’t understand cubic feet. Tell me how long our -water would last.” - -“With the utmost care we can carry enough water to last six people two -months.” - -“As long as that?” - -“Yes, and then, should any unforeseen circumstances arise, by which we -were unable to renew our water supply, I could fall back on a wonderful -discovery I have made. See, my dear.” and he opened a small press. -There, on shelves, were packed row upon row of transparent blocks, -perhaps an inch square. - -“What ever is it?” said Mavis, laughing. “Why, it’s camphor!” Alan -picked a piece up and examined it. It was certainly like camphor to look -at, but was odourless and of an intense coldness. “It’s done me. What is -it?” - -Sir John made no reply but took from a little stand a small electric -heater. Upon this he placed a quart metal bowl, into which he put the -little cube. “Very gentle heat at first, my dears,” said he. “Ah!” as it -began to melt. “Now I think it’s safe to put on full pressure.” - -Fascinated, they watched until the vessel became full of a sparkling, -bubbling liquid. Turning on another electric switch, he plunged a metal -needle into the fluid. It belched forth a cloud of steam, hissed -violently and then calmed down. - -“What ever is it?” asked Mavis. For answer, Sir John poured the liquid -into three glasses and handed one to each. - -“Try it,” he suggested. “It’s quite cold. That was an electric needle -which generates a coldness below freezing point.” - -“Another invention?” this from Desmond. - -“Yes.” - -“There’s no smell,” said Mavis, as she delicately wrinkled her pretty -nose. - -“And no taste,” averred Alan. - -“It reminds me of something,” said Desmond. “I’m sure I’ve tasted -something like it before.” - -“What is it, Uncle John? Do tell us,” pleaded Mavis. - -Sir John laughed. “Water, my dear, just plain water. Desmond is quite -right, he has tasted it before.” - -“Water,” said Alan in bewilderment, “but surely frozen water has a -greater bulk than when it is in a liquid form?” - -“So it has, my boy. But I call this ‘concentrated essence of water.’ -There is enough in that cupboard to last eighteen months. Of course we -should never want such a quantity, but the experiments pleased and -cheered an old man in his loneliness.” - -He then opened another press and showed that it was packed with -concentrated tea, concentrated essence of beef and chicken, concentrated -essence of milk; it had everything in it that had been devised for -reducing food bulk to the minimum with a maximum amount of caloric -value. - -“Eighteen months’ provisions,” he chuckled. “The Argenta could withstand -a siege.” The boat was sailing beautifully, ten thousand feet up; it was -a glorious day, cloudless and fine. - -“Now for the chef d’œuvre,” said Sir John. “Why, where is Masters? This -is his work.” He telephoned through: “All going well?” he asked. - -“Splendidly, Sir John.” - -“What speed?” - -“About three hundred an hour. We’ve just sighted Plymouth.” - -“Plymouth,” said Mavis in amazement. “Why, we have only just left -Scotland.” - -“Come along to us, Masters. I want you to demonstrate the working of the -atmospheric shutters.” - -“Will you come into the compressed air room?” said Masters as soon as he -arrived. - -They found it was quite a small room which held no furnishings of any -kind. Levers and switches and strange electrical contrivances were -everywhere, and on one side of the room were twelve levers, very like -those in a signal box on the railways. - -“My idea was this,” began Masters. “We have ten engines on board, of -which we use only one at a time; the others are reserve stock, as it -were, or would be useful if we came up against very nasty weather and -needed a stronger power to use against the elements. At the time I -worked out my theory, Sir John had no interest in life. You two young -gentlemen we believed were dead, and I have neither kith nor kin. It -struck us, that one day we might try and reach the outside of the -earth’s atmosphere for experimental purposes. I needn’t go into exact -figures now, it would not interest Mrs. Forsyth, but you all know after -a certain distance up life becomes impossible. Should we ever reach that -height, we should have recourse to these levers,” and as he spoke he -pulled them down one after the other. “Now we will put the electric -light on, and I would be glad if you would step out on to the upper -deck.” - -Mavis gave a cry of amazement. Gone was the view of the sky; gone the -heavens above and the earth beneath. The entire ship was covered in with -an awning of metal. - -“Do explain,” said Alan. - -“This covering works almost on the principle of a Venetian blind,” went -on Masters. “There are really two coverings, with a space of thirty -inches between. The levers release the metal and it unfolds and clips -into position by means of strong clasps. By means of another lever we -fill the cavity between with a mixture of gases—ether is the chief -component, and this makes our little home absolutely air proof and rain -proof; and above all it makes the inner vessel impervious to atmospheric -pressure or gravitation. We hope later on, by the aid of an electrical -device we are still working upon, to generate an atmosphere of our own, -outside the vessel, which will enable us to propel ourselves through -infinite space, and thus we should be independent of the atmospheric -peculiarities around us.” - -“But how can we breathe?” asked Mavis the practical. - -“Masters thought of that contingency also,” said Sir John. - -“In the little room we have just left are dynamos for generating our own -electricity; there is also another dynamo for generating an -inexhaustible supply of air.” - -“You have left nothing to chance,” said Alan. - -“Nothing, my boy. Remember this is the culmination of over thirty-five -years of study and experiment, and the last five years have seen us -progress by leaps and bounds.” - -“Our absence had its good side, after all,” said Alan. “Had we been -allowed to remain, you might never have got this machine to such -perfection.” - -“I’d rather not have had those years of sorrow, all the same,” said Sir -John softly. “I’d rather have destroyed the Argenta with my own hands, -and never built her up again, than you should both have left me for -those long years,” and the old man turned away with a sigh. “Now about -our air supply,” he went on, recovering himself. “As the used up air -sinks to the ground, it is attracted into pipes, and by the aid of tiny -electric fans is driven to a large cylinder. There it undergoes a kind -of filtering process. The purer portions go into circulation again, -while the carbonic acid gas is taken down pipes which run along the -whole side of the ship to an outlet where it can escape into space. To -guard against the extrance of any unknown noxious gases, this pipe has a -trap in every foot, which closes mechanically as the gas passes through. -The mechanism of these traps makes it impossible for any foreign air to -enter. No matter where we are, or through what poisonous air we may -pass, we are protected from its entrance by this device; while it is -impossible for the ship to collapse while it is protected by its -envelope of ether.” - -“Then you could live as long as your provisions lasted on the Argenta?” -asked Desmond. “You are not dependent on the outer world for anything?” - -“We are dependent only on ourselves,” replied Sir John. - -“Why, it’s like a fairy tale,” said Mavis. - -“Tea,” said a voice from behind them. “Tea, Mrs. Forsyth.” It was -Hector. Masters had unobtrusively left while they were all talking, and -Hector had turned cook. - -“Tea is served in the Bows,” said Hector again. - -Masters had drawn back the shutters, and once again the little room was -flooded with sunshine. The telephone bell tinkled. “Well, Masters?” - -“We are passing over Whitby, sir. Do you wish to cut across country -direct for Dalmyrnie, or will you go right round by the coast?” - -“Time is getting on. I think we had better make straight for home.” - -“Very good, sir.” - -“It’s been a wonderful success,” said Alan. “More wonderful than I could -have dreamed possible.” Sir John beamed at the praise. “But, Uncle John, -leave your atmospheric experiments until I come back from Kalvar. I’d -love to accompany you on your adventures.” - -“Would you really?” - -“Nothing would give me greater pleasure.” - -“Look,” said Mavis presently. “We are over Loch Tay. How beautiful it -looks from here. Why there is still a suspicion of snow on Ben Lawers.” - -“We are very near home, now,” said Desmond, looking at her fondly. - -Within a very few minutes the great vessel tilted ever so slightly, and -then with a graceful movement, slanted her nose to earth. There was only -the faintest suspicion of a jolt as she touched the ground, and then ran -smoothly along the field, coming to a standstill at almost the very spot -she had left a few hours before. - -The trial was over! The machine had proved her worth. - -Science had won yet another brilliant victory. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - THE END OF THE WORLD - - -Four days had passed, four days of glorious sunshine. Every day the -whole party had been for a trip in the Argenta. They never landed -anywhere, however, for Sir John was still jealous of his secret; he -wanted to test her in every kind of weather—he wanted to leave nothing -to chance, so that finally her worth could not be questioned. - -It was nothing for them to circle over the Outer Hebrides in the -morning, come home for lunch, and then run over as far as Paris before -dinner. Scarcely any motion was to be felt in the boat. - -Alan had made arrangements with Sir Christopher Somerville to accompany -the expedition to Kalvar. Desmond was to stay behind and look after -Mavis, who intended staying at Dalmyrnie until her baby was born. Her -fingers were busy fashioning tiny garments for the little newcomer, -whose arrival was expected very soon. - -“What shall we do to-day?” asked Sir John. “Mavis, my dear, would you -like to rest? You look very tired.” - -“No, nothing does me as much good as a sail in the Argenta, Uncle John. -Let us go up after lunch for a couple of hours.” There was a curious -stillness in the air, as the Argenta climbed up to six thousand -feet,—hardly a breeze, in fact. - -“Oh I’m stifling,” said Mavis. - -“My poor darling,” murmured Desmond lovingly. “Are you sure you are not -overtiring yourself? Your fingers never seem still. Always working at -something or other, aren’t you?” - -She blushed prettily. “I can’t let—him—come into the world and find -we’ve not prepared for him, can I?” and she hid her face on her -husband’s shoulder. - -“You’ve made up your mind it’s to be a—‘him’—?” he laughed. - -“Of course, Dez. I must have a son first.” He laughed at her naïve -remark. - -“Well if you feel tired be sure and tell me, darling, that’s all.” - -“I shouldn’t be surprised if we had a storm later,” remarked Masters. -“Although the sky is clear, there is the curious oppressiveness that -usually precedes a storm.” - -“Then let us get back,” said Mavis. “I am terrified at thunder.” - -Majestically the Argenta sailed, gracefully she skimmed along the sky. -Now above the level of the clouds, now close down above the waters of -the Atlantic. - -“How beautiful the islands look, dotted about in the water,” said Alan. -“It is indeed a pearl-studded sea.” - -Hector came up to Sir John with a puzzled frown. “I don’t quite like the -look of the weather,” said he. “The compass won’t work, and the -altimeter is frisking about in a most unaccountable manner. There’s a -bad storm brewing, and I think we shall be wise to turn her nose round -and go back.” - -“If you think it is best,” agreed Sir John, and as he spoke the sun -burst out in all its glory from behind a fleecy cloud. At the same -moment, away on the horizon, where angry blue-black clouds had gathered, -came a vivid flash of lightning. - -“Oh!” cried Mavis as she covered her eyes, “what a terrible flash.” In a -few minutes the sky was black and gloomy, the wind rose suddenly to a -hurricane, and the big craft was spinning and twisting in a most unsafe -manner. - -“We’ll go back, sir,” said Hector. “Now go inside, Mrs. Forsyth. Believe -me, there’s no danger.” - -Then followed a most awful experience. The lightning never ceased, but -lit up the ship from end to end, the thunder crashed and the Argenta -rocked violently. Gradually they steered her round, and to the -accompaniment of a most vivid flash of lightning and a deafening roar of -thunder, the ship started on her homeward journey. At last they came -safely to anchor outside the hangar and Mavis, always nervous in a -storm, was now in a state of semi-unconsciousness. Desmond lifted her -tenderly out of the ship and carried her to the cottage. Her nerve had -completely gone. - -That night a son was born to Desmond, and old Dr. Angus, who had been -fetched in haste by Alan, spoke very gravely of the chances of saving -both mother and child. The slightest shock would be fatal to her, he -announced, as he took his leave. - -“I’m glad you had a nurse in the house,” he added, “a very wise -precaution when so many miles separate doctor and patient.” - -“You’ll come again?” said Desmond hoarsely. - -“I will be round again in the morning.” - -Desmond, white faced, his hands twitching convulsively, stood on guard -outside his wife’s room. The ordeal was terrible, and the perspiration -stood in beads upon his forehead. Once he heard a tiny cry, then -stillness. He dared not knock—there was a nurse behind that closed door, -and he knew he could trust her. Still—. - -A hand touched him. “Go to bed, Desmond, and try to get a little sleep.” -It was Alan. “I’ll watch for you, and I’ll give you my word I’ll call -you if you’re wanted.” - -“No, no, Alan. I’ll stay here. If she wants me, I want to be near.” - -So the hours wore on, and no sound came from the sick-room. Dr. Angus -motored up, and without a word disappeared within. An hour later he came -out and saw Desmond’s haggard face. - -“You may go in for two minutes only,” said he. “Both your wife and son -will live.” - -It was a white-faced Mavis who greeted him. Her face was lined with -pain; her hazel eyes were sunk deep into her head. In her arms she held -a bundle, a little bundle that was everything to the man and woman -beside it. “Dear, he’s like you,” whispered Mavis weakly, and then, with -an almost roguish smile, “I said it would be a boy.” Her eyes closed, -and with her husband’s hand in hers, she gave a contented sigh and fell -asleep. - -“Whew!” said Sir John, a few days later. “I wouldn’t go through last -week again for a king’s ransom.” - -“Thank God she has pulled through,” said Alan fervently. The two men -were sitting at breakfast, the first square meal they had had for a -week. - -“Any news?” asked Sir John, as Alan was devouring the _Post_. - -“Not much, Uncle John. There was a new Housing Bill brought up in the -House last night. The Government seems very rocky. There are hints of a -General Election. H’m. H’m—A bad earthquake in South America, I see. -Five thousand people killed. Oh, and a landslip or something in New -Zealand. How shocking,” he went on, “ten thousand casualties there. Why, -it’s as bad as a war!” - -“No, it’s the States where the earthquake is,” said Sir John who had -unfolded the _Scotsman_. - -“No, South America,” contradicted Alan. “Listen— - - “A tremendous earthquake has been felt at Lima, Valparaiso, and Buenos - Aires. These three cities have suffered great damage. Over five - thousand people have been killed outright, while the casualty list is - considerably greater. The shock was felt in Bermuda, New Guinea and - even as far north as Kentucky.” - -“Then there has been one in the States as well,” said his Uncle. And he -read from his paper - - “The Meteorological office at Pimenta states that a serious earthquake - has occurred in New Jersey.” - -“Later. - - “News has now come through that Tennessee and Vermont have suffered - considerable damage also. The loss of life is comparatively small - considering the damage done to property. The tallest buildings have - toppled over, shaken from their foundations. The electrical supply is - cut off, and in many places severe fires are burning.” - -“It seems all over America,” said Alan lightly. “I am glad we don’t go -in for those merry little sideshows in this country.” - -“Your time is growing short,” said Sir John with a sigh. “I shall miss -you very much, my lad.” - -“I shall miss you too, sir. But of course I am rather looking forward to -the expedition.” - -The weather had been quite settled since the time when the Argenta had -encountered the terrible storm, on the day preceding the birth of -Desmond’s son. Slightly sultry, perhaps, but an occasional cool breeze -tempered the heat. - -The next day all the papers were full of the epidemic of earthquakes -that were occurring in different parts of the world. Work in many places -was disorganized, and a fear was expressed that influences were at work -round Southern Europe which might mean that the earthquakes would be -felt nearer home. - -Alan was due to sail in two days, arrangements had been made for him to -leave Scotland the following morning, when a wire came from Sir -Christopher Somerville. “Postponing departure of _Cavalier_ -indefinitely. Fear unsafe to sail south. Awaiting favourable report from -Greenwich. Will advise you at earliest of arrangements.” - -“Well, it gives us a little more of your society, my boy,” said Sir -John, and there was a pleased look in his eyes. - -Alan picked up the paper. “My God!” said he suddenly, and his face -blanched. - -“Following the news of the disastrous earthquakes that have been -scourging America and the islands of the South American coast,” he read, -“come accounts of further appalling phenomena. In all parts of America, -after violent cyclones, the land has in many places opened up, and -swallowed men, animals and buildings. The loss of life is abnormal—rough -estimates are given as high as 900,000 lives. Internal rumblings and -coastal waterspouts in Tasmania have caused a panic among the -population. The sea is too rough for even the largest boat to sail upon. -Natives are rushing hither and thither with no real idea of where to go -for safety. Volcanic eruptions are taking place in districts where for -thousands of years the volcanoes have been extinct. Scientists are at -present unable to account for this extraordinary outbreak of nature. As -we go to press, news has come through that Sydney has disappeared -entirely. San Francisco is in ruins. The whole of Cape Colony has sunk -below sea level—and the water has poured over the whole country, -sweeping everything before it. A later edition of this paper will be -issued at noon, and at intervals during the afternoon and evening with -news as it comes to hand.” - -“It is the worst scourge nature has ever given us,” said Sir John. - -“What I cannot understand,” said Alan, “is why it is in so many places -at once. Different latitudes seem to have suffered and different lands.” - -All that day a deep depression had taken hold of the occupants of the -little cottage, and they were all very quiet. “Masters, motor over to -Arroch Head,” said Sir John, about six in the evening, “and if you can -get no further news, ring up the offices of the _Scotsman_. Tell the -Editor you are speaking for me. He will give you the latest news, I am -sure.” Masters was back within the hour, his face blanched, his hands -trembling. - -“Well?” asked Sir John. “Is it as bad as all that?” - -“It’s terrible,” replied Masters. “It’s coming nearer home. Rome has -gone entirely—so have Naples and Athens. Spain and Portugal are under -water. Authentic news is hard to get, as telephonic and cable -communication in many places have failed. Some air scouts were sent to -investigate, and witnessed the destruction of Spain. The air -disturbances were so great that it was with the greatest difficulty they -managed to reach England in safety.” - -“Do they think this visitation will reach us?” asked Desmond, the -picture of his wife and child coming before his eyes. - -“The _Scotsman_ says that so far the Meteorological Office reports no -disturbances within eighty miles in all directions of our coast. They -hold out a hope, that being an island, we may escape,” said Masters -brokenly. - -There was no sleep for any one that night; but the morning came and -brought with it a blue sky and a gentle wind. There was not even a hint -of disaster in the clear atmosphere. Hector got the big Napier out, and -all but Desmond motored in to Arroch Head. He stayed behind with Mavis, -to keep all breath of disaster from her ears. The little village street -was full of white faced men, women and children, children frightened -because their parents were frightened, yet realizing nothing of the -danger ahead. - -“Any news?” asked Sir John, of old Weelum McGregor, the hotel keeper. - -“Aye, sir, an’ it’s no verra guid. Paris is on fire the noo. There was -an internal explosion in the neighbourhood of Versailles yestere’en, and -soon the roads were running with molten lava. Paris caught fire, and -every one is powerless to suppress it.” - -Three days passed. England and Scotland were isolated—entirely cut off -from the outer world. They had just to wait and pray that their time of -tribulation would not come. The night was extraordinarily dark, the wind -moaned and rose in mighty gusts. The rain came down in torrents. The -thunder rolled in the distance, and occasionally flashes of lightning -lit up the horizon. - -Mavis was very restless. “Is anything the matter, Dez?” she asked, as he -sat by her bedside. - -“Why, dear?” - -“You look worried. You make me feel anxious.” - -“I’ve been worried about you, my darling, that’s all,” and he lied -glibly to the sick woman. - -Then there suddenly rose on the air a terrific sound, worse than the -loudest peal of thunder, and the room was brilliantly lighted from -without as though by a mighty fire. Mavis rose up in bed; her limbs were -shaking and she drew the sleeping babe still closer to her breast. “What -is it, what is it, Dez? No, no, don’t leave me,” as Desmond was about to -leave the room. He put his arms about her and crooned to her as if she -had been a baby. The noise was terrible—one long, mighty roar. The room -shook with the vibration, and the light from without grew brighter and -brighter. - -Sir John entered. “Mavis, my dear, you mustn’t be frightened. Hector and -Masters are launching the Argenta—we are going to take you up in her.” - -“What is happening?” - -“I don’t quite know, my dear, but Ben Lawers has broken out in flames. -Schiehallion and Ben More in the distance are belching out heavy, dark -smoke—I think it’s volcanic action. Now, we’ve talked the whole matter -over, and we feel that the safest place is inside the airship.” - -“But listen to the wind—could it live in such a storm?” - -“It is the safest place,” said Sir John firmly. “We will carry you and -baby down in a hammock. Nurse has already packed you a goodly store of -clothes, and then we’ll all sail away to a more healthy spot.” - -“Are you sure there’s no danger?” - -“No, my dear! It’s a magnificent sight to see the grand old Ben belching -out smoke and flames. Lava is pouring down his sides into the Tay, and -Killin is lighted up so that you can see the houses as if it was day.” - -Gently Mavis was carried to the ship, and tenderly lifted aboard. There -was no time to waste. Sir John had only told half the truth to the -invalid. The lava from Ben Lawers was already spreading towards -Dalmyrnie. The hot ashes were being carried on the mighty wind, and the -men were scorched and burnt while they were launching the airship. - -Feverishly Masters hauled aboard packages, and bundles, hasty provisions -to supplement those on board. A crash sounded behind them—the pine woods -at the rear of the cottage had caught fire! It was an unearthly sight. -Ben Lawers roared and hissed and spluttered, the pine trees crackled—the -whole countryside was lit up with flames. In the distance the -surrounding peaks and Bens were beginning to show signs of fire, and the -whole scene was like a page of Dante come true. - -“Everything aboard?” asked Sir John hoarsely. - -“Yes,” said Alan. - -“Where’s Nurse? Isn’t she coming?” - -“No! I tried to persuade her, but she wanted to get to Arroch Head to -her mother. I told her to take the runabout—she’s a fairly good hand -with the car.” - -The flames drew nearer. Already their cruel tongues were licking round -the house. The hangar was smouldering. Suddenly there came on their ears -a deafening explosion—the reserve petrol had caught fire! The heat was -unbearable. “It’s no good,” panted Sir John. “Let’s leave the rest and -get off.” - -“Please God we shall soon be out of here, and shall be able to land in -safety,” said Alan. - -Scorched, blackened with smoke, Masters made one more superhuman effort. -He shipped his whole cargo in safety! He swarmed up the ladder, the -grappling iron was drawn in, and the great ship slowly moved, travelling -upward with her human freight. - -The Argenta pitched and tossed, but Masters and Hector worked steadily -at the delicate levers. Now they headed her right, now left; now she -climbed above the average ten thousand feet, now dropped low to avoid -the nasty air patches. Mavis was in her bed, her eyes wide open in -terror. Above the roaring of the engines, came claps of thunder, -deafening and awe inspiring. - -“I don’t understand,” she moaned. “What is happening?” - -“It is impossible to say,” said Desmond. “But I feel we are safer here -than we should be on earth to-night.” And the night of horror passed. - -Below, as they hovered to and fro, the whole country was blazing. Dawn -came, but an angry dawn. Dark clouds scudded across the sky; the thunder -grumbled in the distance, and occasional flashes of lightning -illuminated the angry heavens. - -“Where are we?” asked Sir John. - -“Over Edinburgh,” answered Masters from the other end of the ’phone, “we -have scarcely moved for the last four hours.” - -“What?” - -“The engines seem disinclined to work. I can’t make it out at all.” - -The ship suddenly swerved to one side—a terrific explosion filled the -air, and they saw the Castle Rock suddenly shiver, crumple up, and fall -a shapeless ruin on to the railway line beneath. In a few minutes, -Edinburgh, the Modern Athens, Edinburgh the Fair, was a mass of flames! -They watched the populace, mad with fear, running aimlessly along the -streets. “This is awful,” muttered Alan. “Make south if you can. Let us -get away from this desolation.” - -With a great amount of patience and skill, Masters at length managed to -get the engines to work. But they came upon havoc and destruction -whichever way they went,—indeed, the whole world seemed to have turned -upside down. They circled London, but the first metropolis of the world -had been the first English city to suffer from the terrible scourge. -Blackened, charred, lifeless, London was a city of the dead. - -As they swung in space over the dead London, they tried to pick out the -familiar landmarks, but in vain—The Houses of Parliament were but a mass -of bricks and dust; gone was the Abbey of Westminster, levelled to the -ground was the mighty Tower of St. Edward, belonging to the Catholic -Cathedral—gone was the Tower of London. There was not a sign of life in -the once great city. - -Aimlessly they flew in all directions. The whole of England was a -flaming mass. They headed for the Continent. It was true, Paris had -gone; Brussels was no more; there was not a city left. Denmark was wiped -out,—and the sea washed up noisily and angrily over a barren rock that -had once been Norway. At short intervals terrific explosions rent the -air, and the vibration caused the Argenta to perform many nerve-racking -aerial gymnastics. - -“Head for the Atlantic if you can,” cried Alan in despair. For ten days -they had hovered over dead cities, dying lands, and waste voids. -Navigation was almost impossible, the hurricanes drove the craft this -way and that; now forcing her high, now bringing her low. It was all -very fearsome, very terrifying. Mavis was up, and with her baby in her -arms she followed the men about, a forlorn pathetic figure. Landing was -impossible—there was no place where they could land. They had plenty of -water, plenty of provisions, but they ate mechanically, scarcely -realizing what it was that Hector placed before them with unvarying -regularity. - -They watched Europe sinking—the vast Atlantic was slowly but surely -washing over lands and countries that had once been great empires. - -The Argenta was wonderful; no matter what the atmospheric disturbances -were, she always righted herself. The heat, at times, was terrific, and -the Argenta was forced to climb out of the reach of the burning wastes -below. Then the water of the ocean seemed to rise like steam—the -Atlantic itself was boiling, and as it grew hotter and hotter, the ocean -seemed to grow less in size. - -The heat was so intense that the Argenta rose to a great height and -remained among the clouds. After some days she descended, but seemed to -be in a new world altogether. There was a large tract of barren land -stretched out before them—gone was the Atlantic in its vastness. Dead -bodies lay strewn about—the remains of great ships were embedded in the -earth. Animals, humanity, fish, lay mixed together in that arid waste. - -Suddenly Alan spoke, very reverently. “And the sea shall give up its -dead.” - -“The Atlantic?” whispered Sir John. - -“I think so,” answered Alan. - -And as they watched there came a mighty sound, greater than any they had -heard before. The whole world shook, and for one moment was a living -ball of fire. Then it shivered violently, split into a thousand pieces, -and from its gaping wounds belched forth smoke and flames. Once more -came the terrible sound, the sound of a world’s death cry; there was a -mighty crash, the flames went out and where the world had been—was -nothing. - -All was black, all was gone; the earth had returned to its original -state; the sea had disappeared entirely; shapeless, dark,—the earth was -dead! And in her last convulsive hold on life, she shook the very -heavens. The Argenta was whirled round and round in a maelstrom of -agony, and then was shot into space. - -With a mighty effort Masters released the shutters, and filled the -intervening cavity with the ether. It was his last conscious act. On, on -went the Argenta, at a terrific speed. The fury of the heavens seemed -let loose, and the atom in the firmament was like a wisp of wool in its -grasp. Turning, twisting, rolling, the Argenta was borne on the bosom of -the whirlwind, and carried with its seven souls of Terra; seven souls -that had escaped from, but had witnessed The End Of The World. - - - - - BOOK IV - THE PERFECT WORLD - - - - - CHAPTER I - IN SPACE - - -Space—infinite space! On, on, swept the Argenta through the heavens at -frightful speed. The engines were useless; the levers refused to work, -and the occupants of the airship sat within the shuttered vessel, -helpless. - -For days they had eaten nothing—they were unable to move; terror had -them fast within its grasp. - -“Sir John,” said Masters at last, “I’m going to make a cup of tea. Here -we are, and here we must remain until our food gives out. Mrs. -Desmond,—won’t you come and help me?” Mavis rose from an armchair, and -tenderly laid the sleeping babe on the cushions of a settee. - -“My baby,” she murmured, “to think I bore you for this.” - -“Come, Mrs. Desmond,” and Masters led the way to the tiny kitchen. - -All sense of direction had gone, and the occupants of the giant airship, -had simply to accept the extraordinary conditions that had been thrust -upon them, and remain helpless in the Argenta, carried they knew not -whither, adrift in the heavens. They had ceased to reckon time, minutes -had no meaning; hours and days passed as one long whole. They were just -atoms, existing in space, which is infinite—where time is infinite—where -life itself is infinite! - -Mavis entered with a tray laden with tea and biscuits—the exertion had -done her good, and already there was a slight colour in her cheeks. - -The airship was ploughing along at a terrific rate, but its motion was -steady, and they could walk about in comfort. When first the explosion -that had accompanied the end of the world sent them spinning into the -infinite unknown, the Argenta had behaved in a most erratic way. -Broadside she skimmed like an arrow, throwing them from side to side, -then she reared up on her tail, and climbed the heavens almost -perpendicularly; then she would roll over and over, porpoise-like, until -the frail mortals lost all sense of everything except that a great -calamity had come into their lives. - -“Where are we?” asked Mavis suddenly. - -“I intend to try and find out,” said Masters grimly. “Whatever happens -we can’t be in a worse position than we are at this moment. I intend to -move the shutters from the bows and then we may get some idea of where -we are.” - -“But is it safe?” objected Desmond, looking first at his wife and then -at his child. “So far we are safe. This mad journey must come to an end -some time or other. Why jeopardize all our lives for the sake of a -little curiosity?” - -“Must it come to an end?” said Sir John thoughtfully. - -“Of course,” answered Desmond. “We can’t go on forever.” - -“Why not?” continued his Uncle. “Space is infinite. Now time is -eternity. We, when in the world—” - -“How strange that sounds,” interrupted Alan. - -“As I was saying, when we were in the world, we often used the -expression, ‘For ever and ever.’ If we thought what it really meant, it -dazed our brains; we wanted to probe further, and find out what it was -that came after that ‘ever and ever.’ We puzzled our intellects by -pondering on the infinity of time. I realize now, what Eternity is! -Since we have been here, I have ceased to count the minutes; I have -ceased to think of days, or night, or weeks. Time is! That is enough for -me.” - -“Then you really think we may go on forever?” asked Desmond in horror. - -“I don’t know. I certainly think it is as likely as not.” - -“Oh God,” Desmond muttered between his clenched teeth. - -“Come, dear,” said Mavis bravely. “We ought to be thankful that the -promptitude of Uncle John and Masters saved us from an awful death -below.” - -“Are you sure it was ‘down below’?” asked Alan quizzically. - -“Why, of course,” Mavis began. Then she stopped. “Oh I don’t know. That -is all so strange and puzzling.” - -“Now, Masters,” said Sir John. “What were you going to do?” - -“I was going to release the shutters from the bow. I can close the -patent traps, and leave the ether protection all round the ship,” he -explained to the others. “But it is possible to leave a small portion of -the glass in the bows, exposed, through which we shall be able to see -the course we are taking.” - -“I think it’s worth making the experiment,” said Sir John, and they all -followed him into the comfortable front cabin. - -“Now if you see the slightest sign of danger, ’phone me,” said Masters, -who was going into the lever room. - -“How can you tell if danger is near?” asked Mavis with interest. - -“This way,” said Masters. He pointed to a portion of the glass wall, now -covered with the outer sheet of aluminium. - -“That portion of the glass is of extra thickness and strength. If the -outside air pressure is too great, or the gravitation or any unknown -element too powerful for it, that glass will bulge, either inwards, or -outwards. Only slightly at first, but it will get bigger and bigger -until it bursts asunder. Now, if you see the slightest suspicion of that -happening, ’phone through to me, and I will close the shutters again. At -any rate, we shall have done no harm, and at least we shall have tried -to do something to ease our position.” - -In breathless silence they waited, watchful in the dark. Suddenly a tiny -ray of light lit up the stygian gloom. Bigger and bigger it grew, until -the whole of Masters’ wonderfully planned “lookout” was exposed to view. -Breathlessly they watched. There was not the slightest sign of strain -upon the glass. It was certainly capable of protecting them for the -present at any rate. - -“All serene,” cried Alan through the ’phone. - -“Everything safe?” from Masters at the other end. - -“Quite safe.” - -“Oh-h-h-h.” It was Mavis. “How wonderful!” They were looking into -endless space at last! They had no sense of location—no ordinary sense -of North or South—East or West. They were in the heart of the Solar -system, with no horizon to act as a guiding line! The vastness of space -overwhelmed them; there was no landmark to direct them. There was no -comforting horizon, with mighty arms outstretched, embracing the world. -There was nothing to give them a feeling of security. Here space just -“went on” for ever and ever, beyond human comprehension. - -Wherever they looked, there was just—no end. - -But the scene was beautiful beyond comparison. Away to their right, in -the dark recesses of the firmament, was a wonderful brightness. - -“It’s the Milky Way,” said Mavis clapping her hands in ecstasy. - -“I don’t think so,” said Alan. “But all the same, I think that gives us -an idea in what direction we are flying. That brightness must be the -Greater Magellanic Clouds in the Southern Constellation.” - -“What, are they only clouds, then?” - -“No, just stars. Stars of all magnitudes, richly strewn in the heavens. -Even the faintest of the nebulæ are more abundant than in any other part -of the firmament.” - -“It’s wonderful,” said Sir John. “The illuminating brightness is almost -overpowering.” - -They were unable to take their eyes from the cloud-like condensation of -stars—one of the glories of space. - -“We don’t seem to be getting any nearer to it, although we are going at -such a pace,” said Mavis. - -“My dear,” answered her uncle. “We are too many miles away to see any -appreciable lessening of distance between us.” - -“What is that bright star there,” asked Mavis pointing. “Just a little -to this side of the Magellanic Clouds?” - -“I don’t know. It certainly is wonderfully bright,” answered Sir John. - -Alan was searching the heavens. “Isn’t that the Constellation of -Draco—the Dragon—?” he asked suddenly. “I think it must be. If so, that -star, as you call it, which lies between the Greater Magellanic Cloud -and Draco must be Jupiter.” - -“Jupiter?” - -“Yes. One of Jupiter’s poles lies in the heart of Draco, and the other -is close by the Greater Magellanic Clouds.” - -Mavis puckered her brows. “Jupiter,” she almost whispered, “the Prince -of all the Planets?” - -“Yes.” - -“We don’t seem to know much about him, do we?” she went on. - -“No,” said her husband. “The astronomers seem much more interested in -Saturn and Mars.” - -“I’ve often thought,” said Alan, “that such a magnificent orb could not -have been created just to have shown our old earth light. Its beauty, -its grandeur, its magnitude, suggests to us the noblest forms of life.” - -“You think it is inhabited?” asked Desmond. - -“Why not? Surely its beauty and magnitude alone are a convincing proof -of the insignificance of our earth. If Terra was inhabited, populated -with many fine races of human beings, possessed of glorious scenery, and -full of nature’s wonders, surely if such a puny world as ours was -peopled, why should a far finer planet be debarred from possessing and -nurturing higher forms of animal life?” - -“It sounds very interesting,” said Mavis laughing, “but I wonder whether -it’s true.” - -“If people are on Mars, or Saturn, or Jupiter, they would hardly be like -us,” announced Desmond, grandiloquently. “They would either be like the -Mechanical Martians that Wells wrote of, or just animal life of some -gelatinous matter as favoured by Wolfius.” - -“Oh you egotistical, egregious Englishman,” laughed Sir John. - -“Can you beat him?” said Alan. “No one but a Britisher _could_ have made -that remark!” - -There was a laugh at Desmond’s expense, and then Alan went on, -“Personally, I feel convinced that ours was not the only inhabited -planet. Even our feeble knowledge of the solar system, individually and -in bulk, has proved the wonder of Jupiter, the symmetry and perfection -of the system that circles round him, the glory of his own being, and he -should rank as the world of worlds. I should be inclined to believe that -Jupiter is not only capable of producing the highest forms of life, but -that his humanity surpasses in intelligence the most cultured, most -brilliant, most learned of our earth’s philosophers.” - -“No, no, I won’t have that,” said Desmond. “Look at the brilliant men of -letters Britain alone has given to the world. Think of her eminent -scholars, dauntless pioneers—why no other country or world could compete -with Britain.” - -“As I remarked before, the egregious Englishman!” said Sir John. “I -admire your courage, my boy, in sticking to your guns. I admire your -loyalty to the country that gave you birth. But we are not in the world -now, my boy. Our beautiful little planet has vanished, has disappeared -into the void from which it came; yet here, before our eyes, we see -Jupiter still existing, still a brilliant orb in the sky. Surely now, -Desmond, you are convinced of the minuteness of the planet upon which -you were bred and born?” Sir John put his hand on Desmond’s shoulder. -“While you were upon it, it was everything. Now it is nothing—gone—while -other planets still exist and shed their brightness over space.” - -“I think,” said Mavis thoughtfully, “that if our own little world -possessed such a high form of life, and we measure a planet by its bulk, -then surely the Jovians must be the most highly favoured race in the -Solar Kingdom?” - -A tiny cry came from the cabin behind. “Baby,” she cried. “Oh, I’d -forgotten him,” and she fled to her nursling who had missed his mother’s -care. - -“Such are the wonders of the heavens,” said Sir John, thoughtfully. -“It’s so grand, so massive, so unbelievable, that it makes even a mother -forget, in its contemplation, her first-born, her little son.” - -“Why he is not named yet,” said Desmond. “I had forgotten all about -that.” - -“Well, we have no parson here,” said Alan. “Now our world has gone, can -we call ourselves Christians? How do we rank with the Almighty? Have we -become atoms tossed about on an endless sea, or Christians to whom -eventual release will come?” - -“We are still in God’s Hands,” said Sir John reverently. “In the absence -of an ordained priest, a layman may administer the Sacrament of Baptism. -I am getting very old. I have one foot very near the grave. Shall I do -it?” - -“Please,” said Desmond. - -And whirling through the Solar system, belonging neither to earth nor -heaven, was performed surely the strangest rite ever known from time -immemorial. And it was in this strange place, in this strange manner -that Desmond and Mavis’ son—John Alan—was named. - - - - - CHAPTER II - ADRIFT IN THE SOLAR REGIONS - - -Life in the Argenta became very monotonous. After the first throes of -despair, the glimpse of the glorious expanse of the Heavens served to -cheer the prisoners within the ship. They had no clocks that were going. -During the terror of the first few days time had mattered so little to -them that they had let them run down. They now arranged to set all the -clocks, and judge the time accordingly, and plan out their days. Rise at -eight; lunch at one; tea at four; and dinner at seven and then to bed. -The “night” would pass and they would begin another “day.” - -They reckoned they had sufficient food to last the twelve earth months, -and they could exist in comfort for three hundred and sixty-five days. -And with the minutest care, perhaps even longer. “We can’t live in space -for more than twelve months, surely,” said Mavis, but Sir John did not -answer her. They had consumed perhaps an eighth of their water supply, -and had the supply of concentrated water essence untouched. Still, they -were afraid to waste any for washing purposes, and considered it a treat -to be allowed to dip their fingers in any fluid that was left over from -cooking; even a drop of cold tea proved a boon to them, and they -gratefully damped cloths in it and wiped their hot and dry faces. - -Alan fixed a piece of paper on the wall of the front cabin, and every -night before they retired, he would tick off the number of the day from -the time they had reset their clocks and begin to count again. Thirty, -forty, fifty, so the “days” passed, and little John Alan grew -enormously. The few garments that had been packed in their hurried -flight were now too small for him, and Mavis was forced to use some of -her own dresses, and cut them up for the growing child. He alone was -unconscious of the danger of their peculiar position, and he crowed and -gurgled and bit his toes, in complete babyish happiness and delight. If -anything, Mavis had grown more beautiful after the arrival of her child. -Her eyes glowed with maternal pride, and her cheeks were flushed with -joy as she watched her baby, born into such a strange life, grow day by -day fairer and more loving. - -The library aboard, which Sir John had had the foresight to install in -his giant Argenta, proved a godsend to the weary travellers. Every day -they read aloud some old literary favourite, and renewed their -acquaintance with Sam Weller, Pip, the Aged P, and Little Nell; laughed -over the experiences of the “Innocents Abroad” enjoyed again the story -of “Three Men in a Boat.” But even with these diversions, with chess, -dominoes, and draughts; with singing and playing, they grew tired of -their enforced inactivity, and chafed at their surroundings. - -Their air supply was excellent; the mechanism never failed in its work; -certainly the air grew hot and fetid at times but by the aid of electric -fans it was freshened and purified. Every day they looked out of the -little glass window, and drank in the glories of the heavens. - -One day, it was the ninety-eighth according to Alan’s chart, Mavis -startled them all by a sudden exclamation. - -“What is it, my dear?” asked Sir John, looking up from an interesting -game of chess he was enjoying with Alan. - -“Look at Jupiter! Isn’t he large to-night?” said she. “Why, yesterday he -looked like a big star, to-day he is like the moon at harvest time.” - -They all crowded round the little window. - -“By Jove, you’re right,” said Alan. “We must be sailing in a direct line -toward him.” - -“How plain the clouds are upon him,” said Desmond. “You can see them -plainly right across his face.” - -The belts across the face of Jupiter were certainly very plain; across -the surface of the planet they floated pearly white, like masses of -“snow-clouds” as seen in England on a hot summer’s day. From the -equatorial region they merged, both north and south from a glorious -coppery colour, becoming a deep, ruddy purplish tint at the poles. - -“Are they clouds like ours?” asked Mavis wonderingly. - -“I don’t think it has ever been proved what they really are,” answered -Alan. “I think the general theory is, that those clouds as you call them -are, in reality, a vapour-laden atmosphere that floats across the orb.” - -“I should love to go there,” said Mavis. - -“Well, it looks as though we were making for that part of the -firmament,” said her uncle. - -“It certainly does,” she retorted. “But when shall we reach there?” - -At that moment Masters and Hector came in, in great excitement. - -“The engines are working,” announced Hector enthusiastically. - -“What!” from all. - -“It’s true. Masters and I were tinkering at them this morning, when -suddenly the little starting cog flew round, there was a roar, a flash -of sparks, and they started properly.” - -This was indeed good news, for ever since the end of the world the -airship had been propelled through space by some unknown outside -influence; her engines not only refused to work but her steering -apparatus refused to act. - -“I intend navigating straight ahead,” announced Masters. “I’ll have -eight engines going, and then we ought to get up a speed of over four -hundred and fifty miles; that together with the pace we are already -travelling should help us considerably in reaching somewhere, if there -is anywhere for us to get.” - -Eagerly they all went into the engine room, and watched first one, then -another of the powerful engines set going. They were however surprised -to find that they felt no difference in their speed; yet the speedometer -registered four hundred and twenty miles, and all eight engines were -working merrily. - -They went back to the bows, and watched the universe stretched out -before them. They passed close to a star, whose name they did not know, -and its radiance lit up the little cabin for fourteen days, that were -marked off religiously on Alan’s calendar. Then came another terrible -time, when depression took hold of them all again, and they would sit, -silent, staring into space. Their eyes were dull and lustreless; their -limbs cramped from lack of exercise, and their brains torpid and -sluggish. - -Perhaps Alan felt the deprivation of air and exercise most, but he -continued to be the cheeriest of them all. - -“Oh, for some green vegetables,” sighed Mavis one day. John Alan had -been particularly restless, and she felt more than usually miserable. - -“And plenty of nice rabbit food,” went on Alan cheerfully. “Crisp, long -lettuces, the rosy radish, juicy tomatoes, and above all the cool, -refreshing slices of the unwholesome cucumber.” - -“Oh, Alan, I’m so miserable,” she sobbed. “Will this awful existence -never end? Shall we just die here, and this ship become the meteoric -tomb of seven unfortunates of the world? A tomb always spinning on, on, -through endless space, through endless time, like some lost soul.” - -“Lost world, you mean,” corrected Alan. “You are mixing your metaphors, -and when a lady does that, it’s a sure sign she wants a cup of tea!” - -“I don’t want a cup of tea, Alan. I just want to get a breath of air. -Alan, couldn’t you persuade Masters to open the shutters? Couldn’t we -just go on to the deck for five minutes—only five minutes?” she pleaded. - -“My dear,” said Alan gently. “It’s quite impossible. Now listen -carefully to what I am saying. Long, long ago, we were out of the -atmosphere and the gravitation of our earth. In some way or other, the -tornado that accompanied the end of our world drove us through space -where nothing is! Oh, I know it sounds complicated, dear, but by all the -knowledge of science, as taught by the most advanced astronomers, long -ago we should have been suspended in space, unable to move or be moved, -outside the gravitation of other worlds; just atoms, motionless, still. -That hasn’t happened. We have defied the great authorities, and are -being whirled through the heavens by some power unheard of by the -scientists of the earth. Still, dear, we do not know whether there is -air outside. Should we lift the shutters that protect us, we might find -we were unable to exist.” - -“That’s the word,” cried Mavis. “We aren’t living now. We are only -existing. We don’t know from hour to hour what terrible fate may await -us. If by lifting the shutters we kill ourselves, surely that is better -than this lingering death.” - -“Mavis, Mavis, don’t.” - -“Do you know we have only a month’s supply of food left?” - -Alan looked at her in horror. “You don’t mean that, Mavis?” said he -incredulously. - -“My dear Alan, you are just like all men. Sufficient for the day! That’s -your motto. You never enquired about the food. Since I took over the -culinary department, none of you have worried a bit, while day by day -I’ve seen our stock of provisions grow less and less. In a month’s time, -Alan, our food will be totally exhausted.” - -“What about the condensed foods?” - -“Oh we still have some of them—perhaps with extreme care they would last -another four weeks, and then—the end.” - -“Why didn’t you tell me before, Mavis?” - -“Oh I couldn’t,” hysterically. “You were all so contented. Besides I -didn’t realize the seriousness of it myself until to-day. Our flour is -nearly gone. You yourself said the bread wasn’t as good this morning. Of -course it wasn’t. It was just mixtures of every cereal I could think of -to try and make it last out.” - -This news was indeed serious, and Alan walked thoughtfully to his chart. -Yes, he ought to have known. It registered five hundred and fifty-five -days. Over eighteen earth months they had been flying through the -heavens. Their food had lasted magnificently. - -“Water?” he queried. - -“We finished the tank water long ago. I’m pretty well through with the -cubes.” - -“Let me come and see the food supply.” - -Carefully he went over every item. Even yet, there seemed to be enough -to feed an army, but he knew how little there was in reality. “I think -if we have one good meal a day, we ought to make it last longer,” said -he. “After all, one good meal is better than three small ones, and -incidentally, we save over the one transaction. We must sleep longer, -that’s all. We will get up at noon, and have a cup of tea and a biscuit. -At four we will have dinner, and if we retire at eight, a cup of cocoa -then should suffice us. The longer we remain in bed the less food we -shall require. Come, let us tell the others.” - -Sir John took the news very quietly. Not a muscle of his face -twitched—he might have been receiving a most ordinary announcement. -Masters shrugged his shoulders indifferently, and Murdoch went on with -his work as if he had not heard. Desmond took the news badly, however. -His face grew ashen. “Why should this have come upon us?” he cried. “We -had been through so much. Happiness came my way at last, and now—” He -drew Mavis fiercely to him. “I won’t lose you. There must be some way -out.” - -“There is none, my boy,” said Sir John, “so you had better make up your -mind to that at once. Here we are and here we must remain, till by some -merciful intervention, we die, or are given release.” - -“Where shall we ever find release?” from Desmond. - -“In some new world, perhaps.” - -“How big Jupiter is,” said Alan, looking out into the vastness. “He is -certainly a wonderful planet,” said Mavis. - -“Is it my fancy or are we slowing down?” asked Sir John. - -“I’ve wondered the same thing myself,” said Masters. “For the last few -days I have noticed an appreciable difference in our speed.” - -But although the difference was so slight as to be almost undiscernible, -the new topic of conversation gave the prisoners new life. - -The days passed—the quantity of the food they consumed grew daily less -and less, and they were growing weaker and weaker every day. At length -they gave up their cup of tea in the mornings—their tea had gone. Then -they halved their dinner portions making one day’s share of food last -two! But all the same the dreaded day came only too soon, and five -hundred and ninety-five days after Alan had put up his calendar, they -found they had only a few tins of concentrated food left. They were all -hungry. Little John Alan grew fretful, his mother feverish. There was -silence in the little front cabin, the silence of the grave. The little -party were all half asleep, when suddenly Alan rose. “What’s the -matter?” he asked quickly. - -“What is it?” asked his uncle. - -“Don’t you realize?—we’ve stopped! We’ve stopped!” It was true, the -Argenta was stationary at last! At the same moment Masters came rushing -in. - -“We’ve stopped!” he cried. “The engines have refused again to work.” - -They all crowded round the little “lookout,” but could see nothing. For -the first time for nearly two years their vision was limited. Gone was -the brightness of Jupiter, gone the glorious Magellanic Cloud—gone, too, -the many thousand points of light that enriched the heavens. All about -them was a moving vapour. It was unlike clouds, but surged and swirled -like heavy snow flakes. It was a whitish vapour that looked like -steam—that altered again and took on the hue of thick yellowish smoke. - -“Where are we?” asked Mavis. “Can’t we get out?” - -“We’ll see,” said Alan soothingly. - -But still Mavis went on pleadingly. “Oh surely our chance has come at -last. If we opened the shutters now, we might get free altogether.” - -The next morning, Murdoch was missing. His bed had not been slept in. -“Where’s Murdoch?” asked Alan of Masters. - -“I don’t know. I’ve been expecting him to relieve me in the engine room -every minute. Is he in the kitchen?” - -“No. I can’t find him anywhere.” - -“Good God! Then I know what he has done,” said Masters brokenly. “He was -very upset over Mrs. Desmond yesterday. She wanted me to open the -shutters. Come.” - -At the stern of the ship and on the lower deck was a little trap door in -the metal covering. “He’s gone through there,” said Masters hoarsely. -“He asked me a lot of questions about it last night. I told him about -the mechanism of this trap and he suggested we should go out on deck, -and see if it was possible to breathe out there. I laughed at him and -thought no more about the matter.” - -As he was speaking he deftly wound a scarf about his nose and mouth, and -stuffed his ears with cotton wool saturated with oil. He touched a -spring and a sheet of metal unfolded and when it rested at last in -position, it formed a tiny air tight closet outside the trap. “I shall -open the trap as quickly as I can,” said he quickly. “On the other side -the deck is opened up and there is a space left large enough to test -thoroughly the outer air. But by the aid of this “cubby-hole” we still -have our ether protection kept safe all round the ship. Now I am going -out to see if Murdoch is there. If I don’t come back, don’t search for -me. It will be too late.” - -“Masters, don’t go!” urged Alan. - -“I must go,” grimly, “but I beg of you, if I don’t return in ten -minutes, forget I ever existed.” - -Without another word he slipped into the little boxlike chamber, and the -door snapped to after him. They heard the sound of a click, rushing air, -and then, silence. - -Five minutes passed—six—seven—eight. Sir John, Desmond and Mavis had -come up in time to hear the trap close, and quickly Alan explained the -position. - -“Why did you let him go?” cried Mavis. - -“Murdoch went for you, my dear,” he answered sternly. “Masters went to -save him.” - -Mavis covered her face with her hands, and the tears trickled down her -face. - -“My dear, don’t take it to heart,” went on Alan kindly. “If anything -happens to Murdoch, he will have given his life for his friends.” - -Then a muffled cry came from within the little chamber. Quickly Alan -touched the lever, the folds of metal rolled back, and two figures fell -forward on their faces. - -“Water,” commanded Alan, and Mavis rushed to get some. - -“Have you any brandy left?” asked Sir John. - -“A very little.” - -“Bring some too,” he cried as Mavis disappeared into the kitchen. -Tenderly they wiped blood and sweat from the faces of the unconscious -men. - -Masters opened his eyes. “Out there,” said he hoarsely. “Terrible -smell—sulphuric—can’t breathe properly—whirling clouds—eyes smart—don’t -go again.” - -“He’ll do,” said Sir John. “How’s Murdoch?” - -“He’s so terribly cold,” said Mavis. - -Alan took his place by the still form. “Brandy,” said he. He looked at -the man on the floor. Thick veins like whipcords stood out upon his -forehead. Blood trickled from his nose, his ears, his mouth. His lips -were swollen, and were blue in colour and cracked. - -“He’s gone,” said Alan. - -“Dead?” cried Mavis in horror. - -“Quite dead.” Gently they carried the dead man, who had risked his life -for his friends, to his little sleeping cabin. Tenderly they laid him on -his bed, covered up his face, and closed the door softly behind them. -Then they went back to Mavis who was watching over Masters. - -“How is he?” asked Desmond. - -“Better, I think. He asked for water. I think he is sleeping now.” - -Alan bent over their old and valued friend. The look of pallor had -vanished, the veins subsided, he was breathing naturally. - -“Poor Murdoch,” sobbed Mavis. “I feel it was my fault. I was always -worrying you to open the shutters and let us go outside.” - -“Don’t worry, little one,” said Sir John. “He died like an English -gentleman.” - -“Oh how terrible everything is,” she sobbed hysterically. “There seems -no end to our torment. Oh this horrible place, this horrible ship of -doom!” - - - - - CHAPTER III - THE VISION OF A NEW WORLD - - -Perfect silence, perfect stillness, and the clouds whirled round and -round outside. - -In vain they tried to move the ship. The engines worked smoothly, and -with perfect rhythm, but were powerless to propel the Argenta. - -The death of Murdoch had a terribly depressing effect on every one—they -all missed his kindly brusqueness, his forethought and stolid help. - -When Masters was sufficiently recovered he told his story. “I got -through the ether all right,” said he. “I was through in a second and -was standing on the exposed deck at the mercy of the elements. The cold -was intense—I’ve never before experienced anything like it. In those few -seconds it just cut through me. I could hardly see—my eyes filled with -water, and smarted terribly as the gaseous vapour touched them. I -lowered my handkerchief for the tiniest fragment of a second, and drew a -very slight breath. The effect was terrible. My lungs felt as if they -would burst—my mouth felt as if it had been seared with hot irons—my -senses reeled; I felt as if I should fall. Then I became conscious of -Murdoch lying huddled at my feet. I pulled him into the cabin after me, -and well,—you know the rest. Poor Murdoch—I was too late.” - -The excitement following the loss of Murdoch and Masters’ adventure -after him, had made the hungry prisoners forget the emptiness of their -larder. They all sat down to a hearty meal, and it was only at the end -they realized it meant their being on still shorter rations in the -future. And only too soon the larders were indeed empty! Mavis grew too -weak to move, and lay helpless on her bed, her baby at her breast. -Masters was the last to give in, and as he walked unsteadily to his -cabin, he had visions of Sir John on one chair and Alan on another, each -vainly trying to whisper words of comfort to the other. - -Still the ship remained motionless—the stillness was of the grave. - -Suddenly a whitish beam of light shot out through the clouds, and Alan -saw a new moon rising. And as he watched he saw another skim the -heavens, and another, and yet another. He looked at them in -perplexity—four pink tipped crescents in the sky! - -“Four Moons! God!” he cried. “The four satellites of Jupiter! Or should -there be eight? Four—eight—eight—four.” His brain muddled. Four Moons -visible at once! Jupiter! He was witnessing the rise of four of the -planet’s moons! He was watching them through the misty clouds—then came -a blessed sense of oblivion, and he too, lost consciousness. When he -awoke again, it was with a feeling that the Argenta was again moving -through space—moving slowly, but with a speed that was gradually -quickening. He staggered to his feet, and bent over his uncle. Sir John -was still breathing, but there was a curious greyness in his face, and -Alan moistened his lips with a drop of brandy. The old man moved, and -opened his eyes. “Drink a little,” said Alan kindly. “It will do you -good.” - -Sir. John managed to swallow a little of the burning fluid, and sighing -naturally, closed his eyes in sleep. With difficulty, Alan managed to -reach Desmond’s room, for he was very weak. He found Mavis lying on her -bed, hardly breathing: the babe lay in her arms sleeping peacefully. She -had given the very essence of her strength to her child, and he had -scarcely suffered at all. - -Desmond was breathing heavily, jerkily, the breath came like sobs from -between his clenched teeth. Alan forced some of the brandy between his -lips and said huskily, “Dez, old boy: don’t leave me, old chap; we’ve -been through some tight corners, don’t give up yet.” - -Desmond struggled to a sitting position. “Good old Lanny,” he muttered. - -“I must see Masters,” said Alan. “Keep up, if you can, till I return.” - -Alan reeled from side to side in his weakness as he struggled on to -Masters’ cabin. It was empty! He was almost too weak to think or act -coherently. - -“Masters,” he moaned. “Where are you?” Slowly he made his way back to -the little room in the bows, and as he neared it, a brilliant beam of -light shot across his path. The unexpectedness of it threw him off his -balance, and he would have fallen, had not Masters rushed forward and -put his arm about him. - -The light was strong. So strong that they could feet the heat of its -rays through the little glass window. - -“What is it?” he asked. - -Masters could hardly speak. His lips were swollen and blackened, and his -tongue parched. “Help,” said he thickly. “That light is like a magnet—it -is drawing us somewhere. It’s sent out by human agency I am sure. See -how it flutters and fades, only to come bright again.” They watched the -ray—it was focussed directly on the bows, and it seemed to be drawing -them closer and closer to some harbour of refuge. Still they were going -through the encircling clouds, which had suddenly turned to a most -beautiful roseate hue. Then without any warning they emerged and found -they were gazing on the most wonderful scene they had ever beheld. - -It was more wonderful than their thoughts could have expressed. Imagine -hovering over the most wondrous piece of natural scenery—double—treble -its beauty, and even then you could have no idea of the grandeur, the -poetry of the picture they gazed upon. - -They were, perhaps, three thousand feet up. Mountains rose all round -with rocky crevasses, and wonderful waterfalls dashing down their sides. -Foaming waters trickled and bubbled and laughed by the sides of grassy -paths. An inland lake glowed in the glory of the sunshine. Trees of all -kinds nestled in the valleys and climbed the hillsides. - -A sea—a glorious azure sea—with dancing waves and white flecked foam -rolled merrily in and out on wonderful white sands. There were rocks and -caves, and velvety grass slopes along the sea shore; babbling brooks -merged into the blue, blue waters; tall lilies, virginal white, mingled -with roses, red like wine, and grew in clusters at the water’s edge. All -was nature at her best—unspoiled by man. - -Wooded islets were dotted about in still more wonderful bays; birds -white as snow, birds with plumage rainbow-hued floated idly on the -waters, and added to the picturesque beauty. They could see little -buildings nestling among the trees here and there, buildings that, like -the châlets of Switzerland, only added to the beauty of the scene. - -The airship had stopped suddenly, and they were unable to move her, and -still they hovered over the wonderful land. Sea—sky—both of a most -glorious blue; the verdure of this new land was green—“The same as our -world,” murmured Alan. - -“But with what a difference,” whispered Sir John. - -“I never knew what the sea was until now,” said Alan. “I never realized -what ‘colour’ was—what blue or green meant, until I looked down yonder.” - -New life was born in the three men. “I’ll call Desmond,” said Alan. -Mavis was lying as he had left her—white, inert, silent. “Leave her,” he -told his cousin. “She will be quite safe; but we’ve news at last—we are -in sight of land.” - -When he reached the bows again, he saw they had dropped a few hundred -feet, and were now well below the summit of the mountains. - -Below them, in a fertile valley, they saw what they thought were six -giant birds running along a field. They rose, soared straight up, and -flew directly toward the Argenta. They were like swans with outstretched -wings, and necks like swans; but never had they seen birds of such a -monstrous size. - -“They are as big as a small plane,” said Sir John wonderingly. - -“By Jove, I believe that’s what they are,” said Alan. - -As the “birds” drew nearer, they could see that the body was in reality -the car of the plane. Soon six were circling round the Argenta, and the -prisoners within could see figures standing in the cars of the strange -looking aeroplanes. - -The Argenta gave a jolt, and quivered from stem to stern, and they felt -themselves sinking. The newcomers had thrown out some kind of grappling -rope and were pulling them to earth. They were nearer to this wonderful -country. Already they could see the brilliant flowers—trees laden with -wonderful fruit and bright plumaged birds fluttering about without any -sign of fear. - -“Release the shutters,” said Alan hoarsely. - -“No,” said Sir John with decision. “Remember we have on board a -defenceless woman and her child. We don’t yet know if we are in the -hands of friends or enemies. I’ll get my revolver. Dez, my boy, I’ll -give it to you. Stay in your cabin and be prepared. You understand?” - -“Shoot—her?” asked Desmond hoarsely. - -Sir John bowed his head. “Surely you would rather do it than me?” - -“Yes—but—” - -“There is no ‘but,’ my boy. Rather death than horrors unnameable. Stay -in the cabin with your wife and child. If I think we are in good hands I -will call you. Otherwise, I will give our whistle—the one we used when -you were boys—the three sharp calls, and a long minor note,” and he -illustrated it softly. “If you hear that,—don’t hesitate, my boy.” They -gripped hands, and Desmond, dazed, speechless, walked unsteadily out of -the room, and they heard the click of his cabin door as it closed behind -him. - -Slowly, but surely the Argenta was being dragged down to the field -below. At last they touched solid ground—there was a scrunch and a -grating—they were on some earth at last. - -“Alan,” said Sir John grimly. “I have two other revolvers on board. -Masters, if the worst comes to the worst, and I give the warning whistle -for Mr. Desmond, go in to him. If he does not turn the weapon on himself -do it for him—and keep a spare bullet for yourself.” - -“I understand, sir.” - -The six white “birds” had also reached land, and from out of the bodies -they saw strange figures appear. The figures were like themselves—yet -how different! The men approaching were perhaps under average height, -but they were beautifully moulded, muscular with a symmetry of form that -was glorious to behold. - -All but one wore white—a garment that reached to their feet, and which -resembled in shape a Roman toga. This white garment was embroidered with -richly coloured silks at the neck, wrists and hem. On their heads, they -wore fillets of gold. The leader was garbed in a garment of the same -shape, but of a glorious blue bound with gold, and his fillet was -studded with gems that shone and flashed in the sunlight. All walked up -to the Argenta and smiled through the little window at the occupants. -Then the leader opened his hands—held them up empty, and with a charming -smile, bowed low before them. Then he seemed to issue a command, and all -the others, there were altogether perhaps thirty of them, followed his -example, and bowed before them. - -“They look friendly,” said Sir John. “Masters, let the shutters be -raised—then stand near Mr. Desmond’s cabin. If I shout—‘view halloo!’ -bid him to come out on to the upper deck, but—” - -“But if I hear the whistle, sir, I shall know what to do.” - -“Keep your revolver hidden, Alan,” said Sir John, and they made their -way to the upper deck. - -They waited in silence for the ether to be pumped back into its -cylinders, and for the shutters to lift. Gradually light came creeping -in through chinks here and there—higher and higher was lifted the moving -metal, until at last the two men drank in fresh air and bathed in -glorious sunshine once again. They found they could scarcely move along -the deck—in fact it was with the greatest difficulty they could keep -their balance. They felt horribly material and gross. - -“What is it?” whispered Alan. - -“The law of gravity, my boy. Wherever we are, I should say it is about -three times the strength of that we were used to when we were on Terra. -I think we have about trebled our weight.” - -The strangers had advanced—the leader was smiling graciously. He gave -another command, and his band of followers came to a sudden halt, and he -approached the Argenta—alone. He addressed them in a language they did -not understand. - -“I do not understand—” commenced Sir John, but before he could say any -more the stranger spoke—haltingly it is true, and as if unused to it, -but he spoke in English. - -“Where are we?” cried Sir John in amazement. - -“You are on, what I think you would call—Jupiter.” - -“Jupiter?” - -“Yes. And may I welcome you strangers to our land of plenty. I know not -who you are or whence you come—but you are welcome—very welcome. But you -look tired—” - -“You are not enemies, then?” cried Sir John. - -“Enemies?” repeated the Jovian. “I understand not the word.” - -“You are friends?” - -“Friends of course—we are all friends. Can you find a more beautiful -word than friendship?” - -“Thank God! Thank God!” cried Sir John, and with a wild “View Halloo” -issuing from his lips, he fell senseless to the ground. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - JUPITER AND THE JOVIANS - - -The sweet toned bell in the Observatory at Minnaviar rang violently, and -startled the students out of their usual calm and placidity. - -Kulmervan looked up from his studies. “What is it, my Waiko?” said he in -his own language to his friend. - -“I know not, my Kulmervan. Let us go to the Turret Room, and see.” The -two astronomical students at the most important meteorological college -on the whole of Keemar, went swiftly up the wide, marble stairway to -their Djoh’s room. Before they were half way up, the bell rang louder -than before. - -“Haste, my Waiko,” said Kulmervan. “The Djoh is anxious.” As they -reached the archway leading into the experimenting room, the Djoh met -them. - -“At last,” said he testily. “At last you are come. I summoned you as -there is a most remarkable phenomenon registered by the sensitive disc. -After we recorded the destruction of the planet ‘Quilphis,’ you will -remember, we discovered a new comet or meteor that seemed to have -separated from the planet itself. We witnessed this extraordinary ‘star’ -whirling toward us, daily nearer and nearer. Our learned Ab-Djohs -consulted together as to the meaning of this extraordinary thing. At -last I was consulted, and by the aid of every scientific means we -possessed we tried to discover the substance of this new moving orb. You -recollect?” - -“Yes, my Djoh,” answered Kulmervan, the senior student. - -“Look,” said the Djoh triumphantly, and he led the way to a large disc -that stood in front of the large window. This disc was of glass, and was -connected by etheric pipes to a large telescopic tube fixed outside the -window. It was by the aid of this that the Keemarnians studied the solar -system, and learnt about the other worlds in the sky. - -As Kulmervan looked into the disc, he saw, by reflection, a peculiar -body suspended in the heavens—stationary it rested near Wirmir and -Kosli, the twin stars of Gorlan. “What is it?” he asked eagerly, while -Waiko, the younger student, stood silent, listening eagerly to the -conversation. - -“It is the meteor of Marfaroo,” said he. “It is the strange body that -detached itself from Quilphis, when the life of that unfortunate planet -was run.” - -“But it is still now, my Djoh.” - -“The four Meevors have not yet risen, my son. In fourteen permos from -now, they will be bright and shining. When they are at their full, they -will draw that orb within our surrounding vapours. Then we must direct -our light rays upon it, and draw it within our atmosphere. It is a -wonderful thing, my son, and will aid us in our knowledge of science. My -theory is, that it is a minute portion of the planet Quilphis itself. -Oh, very small, hardly as big as the Rorka’s palace; but the knowledge -of its composition will help us in our research. Take turn and watch -with me, my sons, and at the right moment we will direct our Ray upon -it.” - -Eagerly the students watched. The honour was great the Djoh had put upon -them, and they were eager to be present when the light of the four full -Meevors should shine upon the strange presence in the sky. - -“But the time the Kymo sinks to rest, my sons, the fourth Meevor will be -at the full, and we will watch the developments with interest.” - -The three surrounded the little disc; the pale beams from the Meevors -shone distinctly on the glass; there was a movement—the foreign body -moved slowly toward them. - -“The Ray,” cried the Djoh. “Summon the Ab-Djohs.” - -Ten Ab-Djohs appeared at Waiko’s call. They were all dressed in the -green tunic and vest and short cloak—the symbol of their calling as the -highest astronomers in the land, bar one, the Djoh himself, who wore a -voluminous cloak and tall, conical hat in addition. The wise men -adjusted the focussing apparatus and directed the nozzle toward Wirmir -and Kosli. A whirring noise sounded—and then suddenly shot out a most -glorious ray. “When Kymo has risen but four thoughts, the orb will be -here,” announced the Djoh. “Waika, go call Waz-Y-Kjesta. Tell him the -Djoh has words of import to utter.” - -Soon Waz-Y-Kjesta appeared. He was a handsome man, fair-haired, -long-limbed. He wore his blue toga as became him as Waz of the air -birds, the vessels which were used by the inhabitants of Keemar to -journey by the sky. - -“Fetch in that strange star, O Waz,” said the Djoh. “Bring it to earth, -and I will await its arrival here.” - -Waz-Y-Kjesta bowed low. “Your will shall be done, my Djoh,” said he, and -he went swiftly to the place where his air birds were housed. -“Mashonia,” said he to his Waz-Mar, or Lieutenant. “Order out six air -birds, we go on a mission for the Djoh.” - -In a very short space of time, six beautiful “birds” rose from the -ground and skimmed toward their goal which was now approaching very -rapidly. - -“My Waz,” cried Mashonia suddenly. “It is part of no planet that we are -approaching. See, there is glass in front, and men like ourselves are -looking toward us!” - -“They are like us, yet unlike us,” said Waz-Y-Kjesta. “They are habited -in sombre clothing—they look dark and gloomy.” - -“Where can they come from?” asked Mashonia wonderingly. “All sons of -Keemar would signal us. They are strangers from another world, I fear.” - -Gradually they circled round the Argenta, and brought her safely to the -ground. They watched the lifting of the shutters curiously. This was -indeed the strangest “air bird” they had ever seen. When Sir John gave -his wild cry, the Keemarnians realized that the strangers who had come -in so wonderful a manner to their land, had suffered acutely. “Send for -six Bhors,” said Waz-Y-Kjesta quickly, “these friends are ill.” - -In the shortest space of time, the Bhors, the Keemarnian carriages, -appeared. They were comfortable litters like vehicles, laden with rugs -of silk and downy cushions. Above were canopies of silk which shaded the -occupants, who swung hammock wise from a wheeled frame, into the shafts -of which were harnessed magnificent colis—beasts very similar to -Shetland ponies, only with long curly hair. - -At a command from Waz-Y-Kjesta, Mashonia and another leapt nimbly over -the bulwarks of the Argenta, and without a word, in turn carried all the -erstwhile prisoners of the airship, and placed them on cushions in the -comfortable Keemarnian equipages. As Alan was carried past the Waz, he -murmured feebly. “A guard for the Argenta, please.” - -A look of surprise passed over the Keemarnian’s face. “What meanest -thou?” he asked. - -“A guard,” urged Alan. “The Argenta contains all our possessions.” - -“A guard?” answered Kjesta. “Nay, why should we do that? It is safe -there. It does not belong to us. Fear not, no one will touch it, my -friend.” - -Gently the colis stepped out, drawing easily the Bhors and their -occupants. “Drive to the palace of the Jkak,” said Waz-Y-Kjesta. “We -must acquaint him first with the news of the arrival of these -strangers.” - -The weary travellers saw nothing of the country through which they -passed. They were too weary and worn to raise themselves on the cushions -and look around. The cool breeze swept across their faces and refreshed -them, so they were content to remain as they were and not think or worry -about the future. - -A runner was sent before to acquaint the Jkak of their near approach, -and as they stopped at his beautiful palace, men came out, unhooked the -hammock part of the Bhors, and carried the occupants into the Jkak’s -presence. He was awaiting them in the cool reception hall, and regal and -patriarchal he looked, in his robe of loose green silk, with his golden -fillet low upon his brow. - -“My brothers,” said he in a low musical voice. “Welcome to Keemar, the -land of all good. Eat first from yonder viands. They will revive you.” - -Trays daintily laden with food and wine were placed before the hungry -travellers. The Jkakalata, consort to the Jkak, attended to Mavis. “A -child,” said she, “and a woman, too. Come, Persoph,” to her husband, -“give me that glass of friankate—it will revive her.” She moistened -Mavis’s lips with the fragrant wine—Mavis opened her eyes, and as she -looked at the kindly woman’s face, she burst into tears. “Who are you?” -she cried. - -“I am Mirasu, the Jkakalata,” she replied. “Drink this, it will do you -good.” - -Mavis drank long of the sweet liquor, and ate the strange fruits that -were placed before her. Alan, as usual, was the first to recover and -made a movement as if to rise from the Bhor. - -“Nay,” said Persoph. “Do not move, I beg you. Rest, and later you can -tell us your story.” Then he turned to Desmond. “She with the babe—she -is yours?” - -“How did you know?” asked the perplexed husband. - -“By the look in your eye when my Mirasu handled your babe,” said the -wise old man sagely. “It was the look of possession.” - -“Yes, she is my wife,” said Desmond. - -“Wife—ah! that is the word. Now rest among the cushions of the Bhors. -Rooms are prepared for you. Sleep, my friends, until the Kymo rises -twice again. Then refreshed and strong we will welcome you among us, and -listen with interest to your story.” - -The Jkak’s palace was of a glorious green marble, highly polished. In -the entrance hall was a huge fountain. Six beautiful maidens, their -garments chiselled out of coloured marble, held large shells from which -poured water into the basin beneath. The figures were life size, and -gracefully moulded. Lovely water flowers grew all around, and coloured -fish swam in and out among the pebbles and plants. - -Up a wide stairway, which branched out into large galleries, the -strangers were carried, the Jkak himself leading the way, as if he were -doing homage to the Rorka himself. They wended their way through a -narrower passage which widened out again into a spacious loggia. In the -very centre of this space four malachite pillars, highly polished, -supported a crystal shell out of which poured sparkling waters into a -pond beneath. There were six doors round the loggia; at the first the -Jkak stopped, opening it himself, led the way in. With gentle hands -Desmond and Mavis were transferred to soft, downy beds. “Rest, my -friends, and sleep until Morkaba brings you wine and food.” Then the -other three were taken to separate sleeping apartments, where their -weary limbs rested in contentment on the soft, downy cushions. - -Desmond and Mavis’s room was perhaps the largest—a glorious room with a -wide balcony upon which were growing the most beautiful creepers and -plants—with wonderful perfumes and flowers. An enormous four poster bed -stood in the centre of the room, with its back immediately in front of -the door. A canopy of silk was overhead; there were no sheets or -blankets upon it, but there was an abundance of cushions, and silken -rugs of all hues. Easy chairs, plenty of mirrors and a dressing table -furnished the room. The walls were of a polished pale pink marble, and -the fittings, tapestries and silken hangings were all of colours that -blended and made one harmonious whole. All the other rooms were similar, -except in the colouring, and on the polished marble floors were spread -rugs of exotic colours. - -A silver bell tinkled! To Mavis, it sounded like the Angelus on a summer -morning. She opened her eyes; again the bell sounded. “Where am I?” she -cried, and with sudden remembrance. “Baby—where’s Baby?” - -Desmond woke. “Where’s Baby, Dez?” she asked again piteously, and even -as she spoke she heard the sound of a tiny chuckle, and by her side on a -bed, the miniature of the one she was on, lay her baby, crooning with -delight. The bell tinkled again. Desmond went to the door and opened it -slightly. A smiling girl was outside with a table on wheels. “Your -mushti,” said she wheeling it toward him. - -“To eat?” queried Desmond. - -“Of course. It is pleasant on the ‘vala,’ outside among the flowers—have -it there with your friends.” - -“Thank you. It’s breakfast, Mavis,” said Desmond. “Look out on the -balcony and see if Uncle John is there.” - -Mavis was almost too bewildered to ask any questions, and obeyed. There -was a tiny gate dividing their balcony from the next, and she went -through. “Uncle John,” she called softly. - -Sir John, Alan, and Masters appeared at the window of the next room. - -“You’re awake then?” laughed Alan. - -“Yes.” - -“Have you had any food?” asked Desmond. - -Alan laughed. “A table each—and chock full. Shall we wheel ours along -and all have it together?” In a trice the six were sitting down to the -first real meal they had had since they had so miraculously escaped from -the end of the world. - -The tables were of different coloured glass, and were laden with food -very different from that to which they had been accustomed. There were -jugs full of steaming liquid, neither tea, coffee, nor cocoa, but with a -reminiscent flavour of all three, and extremely refreshing. There were -wines—fruits whole, and fruits compote. There were cereals served almost -like porridge, and there was bread too. Bread and tiny, crisp rolls, -biscuits sweet and biscuits plain, and pats of golden butter. It was a -delightful meal, refreshing, invigorating, and so different from the -stodgy, unwholesome tinned meats they had been living on for so long. -There was also a tiny tray for the baby—a bowl of fresh new milk and -some rusks. A plate of a kind of arrowroot mixture was greatly -appreciated by little John Alan, who cried out “More—pese, mum, more.” - -“The little beggar likes it,” said Sir John. “He appreciates the change -too. Well, here we are all on land again at last, and among friends.” - -“What are you going to do?” asked Mavis. - -“We’ll throw ourselves on the mercy of the Jovians of course; make up -our minds to settle down in a new world, and live the remainder of our -lives in peace and contentment.” - -“Shan’t we ever go home again?” Mavis’s eyes widened, and she looked -imploringly at the others. The truth was forced on her mind at last. She -had no home! Gone were all her pretty possessions—gone her trinkets, -her books, her silver. Gone also her delicate trousseau—her frocks, -lingerie, jewels. - -Everything was gone. The world itself had vanished. - -“Now, my dear,” said Sir John. “We must acclimatize ourselves to this -new life. After, all, we can easily do that. We have been treated as -honoured guests, so I must speak to the Jkak, and find out our future -standing in this world.” - -“They speak English!” said Alan wonderingly “How is that? Surely we are -the first English people who have found their way here? There can’t be a -colony of Britishers in Jupiter!” - -The bell sounded again, and Alan went to the door. Waz-Y-Kjesta stood -outside. “The Jkak is eager to see you,” said he. “If you feel strong -enough and sufficiently rested, come with me and I will lead you to -him.” They followed him down the stairs to the entrance hall, and -through into a spacious apartment. - -“The Reception Room,” said the Waz. “The Jkak wishes not to be on formal -terms with you—he bade me bring you to his garden room.” - -Through a doorway they went and out into the most glorious garden they -had ever seen. Fountains splashed in the sunlight—tiny brooks gurgled -over white stones, as they wound round beds of flowers. There was a riot -of colour in this wonderful garden—glorious, flowering trees and shrubs -abounded—creeper-covered archways were everywhere, and at the further -end they could see a creeper-covered arbour, hung with exotic blooms. -Inside this were easy chairs, settees and comfortable lounges. The Jkak, -and Mirasu, his Jkakalata, were seated there awaiting their arrival, and -rose to greet them. - -“Now tell us your story,” said the Jkak, “for wonderful it must be.” - -“First,” said Alan, who at Sir John’s request, acted as spokesman, “how -is it you can understand our language? Surely English isn’t spoken -here?” - -“English?” - -“Yes. We are English. We come from that part of our world that was known -as England, you know.” - -“We have the ‘gift of tongues’ my friend,” said the Jkak. “Until we -spoke to you, we had never before heard your tongue, but the moment you -spoke we understood. I cannot describe our gift—it just—is. We of Keemar -all speak one tongue. No confusion is here. Until you came, we had never -had the opportunity to benefit from this gift we all believed we -possessed. To-day, all Keemarnians are thanking Mitzor, the Great White -Glory and Tower of Help, for His graciousness in having conferred upon -us this gift, and for allowing us to have the means given us for using -the ‘gift of tongues’. We understand, all of us. We may not understand -every expression you utter, for things are different in other worlds, -and we ourselves no doubt possess peculiarities of our own—still we can -converse freely with you.” - -“It is a wonderful gift to possess,” said Sir John. - -“Now your story,” insisted the Jkak gently. - -So Alan told the whole story of his life since the time when he and -Desmond first went to Marshfielden. He told of the Light, and the people -of Kalvar—of their wonderful escape from the bowels of the earth, and of -the end of the world. - -“So Quilphis is no more,” said the Jkak. “Indeed, we witnessed its -destruction, and thought that your airship was part of the planet -itself. And so,” he went on, “you believe that the end of the world was -caused through the failure of the fire in the centre of the earth?” - -“I feel sure of it,” said Alan. “During our stay in Kalvar, we noticed -that the Fire grew daily less and less. And the purple people prophesied -that when the Fire went out, then would come the end of the world. I -think that, in its last dying gasp, it tried to get a new lease of life. -In its gigantic death struggle, it burst its bonds, and earthquakes, -volcanoes, and water spouts were the result.” - -“Oh, it was horrible,” said Mavis shuddering. - -“And your ship—the one you sailed in—you must invite me to see it,” said -the Jkak. - -“Why, of course,” said Sir John. “Have you not been?” - -“It is not mine,” replied the Jkak. “It would be an impertinence to pry -into your affairs without an invitation. Now, with regard to yourselves. -I must see that you go to Hoormoori and pay your respects to our Rorka. -Hoormoori is the chief place in this world of ours; it is there that our -Rorka has his palace.” - -“Rorka?” asked Mavis “What is that?” - -“Our Rorka rules over the whole of Keemar.” - -“Have you only one Rorka or King over the whole of Keemar?” asked Sir -John. - -“Why, of course. Why should we have more?” asked Mirasu smiling. “Keemar -is one world—with one Rorka. Then we have one hundred Jkaks, and one -thousand Moritous—that is enough, surely, to govern a world?” - -“Are you only one nation then?” - -“Naturally. We are all Keemarnians—just one great nation, divided into -many families. We all speak the same language—all worship in the same -fashion Mitzor, the Great White Glory and Tower of Strength, and all -live in peace, friendship, and harmony, one with another. But now my -friends, strangers though you are, you are welcome here. I will put at -your disposal houses and serving men.” - -“We possess nothing,” said Sir John. “We have no property, no -valuables—nothing but the Argenta. How shall we repay your kindness to -us?” - -“Repay?” said the Jkak, “nay, that is another, word I know not the -meaning of.” - -“But,” began Alan. - -“Nay, you are strangers in a strange world. It is our duty to make you -all feel at home here. I can see you were of high estate in your own -country—you must be of high estate here also. Know you, we are wise in -this land. Our Rorka is first, and his spouse, the Rorkata, ranks -second. Their offspring and nearest blood relations come next; then come -the Jkaks and Moritous; our Djohs and Ab-Djohs; the Wazi, Captains of -our air birds, our learned men and students, down to the serving men and -maids, and the builders of our homes and our ships. From highest to -lowest, all share ‘pro rata’ in the good things of the world. We are all -satisfied—the laws of our land have fixed the rates that are to be paid -to each household from the common fund. I assure you, there will be -enough and to spare for you.” - -Masters spoke for the first time. “I am Sir John’s servant,” he began. - -“No,” corrected Sir John. “Masters is my faithful friend and adviser.” - -“Then you would like him to dwell in the same house with you?” - -“Please,” said Sir John, “and my nephew Alan, also.” - -“And you, no doubt,” went on the Jkak turning to Desmond, “you would -like to have apartments to yourselves.” - -“Thank you,” answered Mavis for her husband and herself. - -“Good. I will summon Waz-Y-Kjesta. There are several new houses near at -hand. Go with him—you can take your choice,” and with a wave of the hand -and a smile, they realized that they were dismissed from the presence of -the Jkak and his charming wife. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta was hovering near and came toward them. He had received his -full instructions beforehand. “Come,” said he. “The houses that are -unoccupied are quite close—come and take your choice.” - -“How is it,” asked Alan, “that we can walk so easily now. When we first -came out on to the open deck of the Argenta, our limbs were as heavy as -lead. We could not walk an inch, and we were so top-heavy we could -hardly stand.” - -“That is easy to explain,” replied the Waz. “Eight Kymos have risen -since you arrived here.” - -“Kymos?” asked Mavis. The Keemarnian names puzzled her. - -“Sun?” suggested Alan. - -“Ah, you call it—sun. Yes, since you first came, the sun has sunk seven -times. You have slept—breathed in our air. While you were sleeping, our -men of science administered medicinal gases through your nostrils. These -gases lightened you—took from you the heaviness of your earth. You will -find no difficulty now,” and he led the way through the garden to the -most glorious street it was possible to imagine. - -“Now you will see our country,” he continued, “and compare it with your -own. You are not too tired?” he asked Mavis. - -“No, of course not. I feel too excited. I want to see your beautiful -city—your beautiful country. May I first see that my baby is all right?” - -He gave the necessary permission, and soon she returned. “He is sleeping -peacefully,” said she. “Morkaba is watching over him. Now I’m ready,” -and they all went down the marble steps of the Jkak’s palace, eager for -their first sight of this new, strange land. - - - - - CHAPTER V - DEATH IN JUPITER - - -They walked down a lovely avenue to the outer gates. It was -grass-covered, soft and velvety and cool. Birds with the gayest plumage -hopped among the branches of the trees, and came fearlessly up to the -strangers. One bird, perhaps as big as an English bullfinch, of many -colours and with a fan-shaped tail, perched on Mavis’ shoulder, and -chirped prettily to her. - -“How wonderful!” said she. - -“Did not your, birds do that?” asked Waz-Y-Kjesta. - -“No, they were too nervous.” - -“Nervous?” - -“Yes—frightened—terrified,” she explained. - -“I understand the meaning of the word you utter,” said he, “but you will -not find the sensation of fear known on Keemar. We live in harmony with -our birds, our animals, and even our fish. They are all our friends.” - -At the end of the avenue they found themselves on a broad road. Hills -rose up at the side, steeply in some places, while in others the rise -was more gradual, leaving moorland and valley in view. Houses were built -at intervals along the roads, all of wonderful, coloured marbles, but -they were all surrounded by beautiful grounds, and added to the scene. - -“Oh,” said Mavis suddenly. “There’s a shop.” - -Waz-Y-Kjesta looked puzzled, and followed her gaze. “Oh yes, you mean -our Omdurlis. How else should we get food to eat and clothes to wear?” - -“How then do you manage about your coinage? Do you have money?” asked -Alan curiously. - -“I know not the word.” - -“How do you buy things—what do you give in exchange?” - -“Oh, we have laika—royla, suka and minta,” said he; and he drew from his -purse that hung satchel-wise across his shoulders, some coins. The first -was square, as large as a five shilling piece, and green in colour. - -“This will purchase the most,” he said. “Five roylas make a laika.” The -royla was exactly the same, but no bigger than a florin. “Then there are -ten sukas to a laika, and twenty mintas.” The last two coins were of a -bronze hue and as big as a shilling and a sixpence. - -“I expect those five coins are equal to a fiver, a sovereign, a two -shilling piece and a sixpence,” said Mavis thoughtfully. - -“How do you get your money?” asked Sir John. - -“Oh, from the Rorka,” explained the Waz. “I am a Waz—I receive one -thousand roylas or two hundred laikas a murvin. The Jkak will get a -thousand laikas, while little Morkaba, who is born of the workers, gets -but ten and her food.” - -“I suppose the shopkeepers make a lot of money,” said Desmond. - -“Oh no. All members of the Omdurlis get one hundred laikas. All that -they make above that they are bound to send to the Rorka. He places all -the surplus in the general fund which is held in reserve for all -Keemarnians. As each male Keemarnian reaches the age when he has seen -the Kymo rise three thousand and thirty times, he journeys to Hoormoori, -makes his bow to the Rorka, and receives from him his manhood. According -to the station in life in which he has been born, and from which he has -sprung, so he learns to take his part in life.” - -“It is a wonderful system in theory,” said Sir John. “But how does it -work in practice?” - -“It is our custom,” was all the reply the Waz made. - -“But don’t you sometimes find you get dissentient spirits? Don’t they -rebel against this formality? Don’t they want to make more money than is -allowed by custom? Don’t you sometimes have trouble from these spirits?” - -Waz-Y-Kjesta smiled. “In our books of science we have read that in other -places than ours—there were troubles like those you name. That man -fought man—brother hated brother—women sorrowed, and children were -rendered homeless. We, in Keemar, know not the meaning of such things. -We are happy; we are content with our life; why should we complain?” - -There were no ugly streets and lines of shops in this wonderful city; -but the Omdurlis were to be found here and there at the edge of the -grass covered paths, while the houses lay further back. Everywhere were -to be seen happy-faced men and women, and laughing children. Bhors -driven by colis, and bhors driven by the etheric power that was used for -lighting and propelling purposes, thronged the streets, and the whole -scene was gay and beautiful. - -Although the sky was a wonderful blue, and all the buildings were of -white and brilliant coloured marbles, the whole effect had none of the -tawdry or bizarre appearance of the cities of the East, in the world; -but the whole was soothing and pleasing to the jaded nerves of the earth -folks. They turned a corner and found themselves in a short road ending -in a cul-de-sac formed by high gates and marble pillars. - -“This is one of the houses,” said Waz-Y-Kjesta. “Come, and see it.” The -garden entranced Mavis before she saw the house. It was like a picture -out of the fairyland she had dreamt of as a child—the fairyland she had -dreamt of as a woman! For are not all true women half fairies at heart? -Is not the mysticism of life itself a fairy gift to a pure woman’s mind? -Mavis had lived her life among the fairies. As a child she had played -with them in bluebell woods and primrose glades; and when she renewed -her own childhood in her baby, she renewed through him her acquaintance -with the fairies. - -Trees overhung the grassy path which was on a gradual upward slope. -Burns ran down on either side—rushing, laughing, maddening burns. Tiny -flowers peeped out among the grass; lichen-covered rocks reared up -majestically from the centre of still pools. Gnarled trees lined the -way, and their twisted roots formed steps up the hillside. The top -spread out plateau-wise, and a blue marble house was built in the very -centre. It was not very large; a verandah ran all round it on both -floors, and the foliage and creeping plants added to its beauty. The -door was open wide, and the splashing fountain in the entrance hall -looked inviting and cool. Apart from the kitchen and servants’ quarters, -there were on the ground floor only two living rooms and the entrance -hall. Each of the six bedrooms on the upper floor had magnificent -bathrooms leading from them. They were like miniature swimming baths, -shallow at one end, deepening to six feet, and the water was hot and -cold in the pipes. The whole house was decorated in a delicate shade of -blue, and was absolutely ready for use. Mavis was entranced. “May we -stay here?” she asked. - -“I will acquaint the Jkak with your decision,” answered the Waz. “Now,” -turning to Sir John, “through the garden yonder, and down a short -woodland path is a garden house. Would you care to see it? It might suit -you, and you would be all near to one another.” - -“It sounds most attractive,” said Alan. - -They walked through the garden and down the hill on the other side of -it, and saw, nestling among the trees, the tiniest house they had so far -seen on Jupiter. It was an absolutely perfect bachelor establishment, -and the three men decided at once that it was an ideal spot to live in. - -“The Jkak is eager to see your air bird,” announced Waz-Y-Kjesta. “When -may he go?” - -“Why I’d forgotten all about the Argenta,” said Alan. “Can’t we go now?” - -Mavis looked from one to the other. “Do you want Dez?” she asked -pathetically. “I seem to have seen so little of him lately. Dez -come—come home, and Baby, you and I will have a long, happy day -together.” - -So it was decided that Sir John, Alan and Masters should go back to the -Jkak’s with the Waz, and arrange about the trip to the Argenta. “Waiting -men and maids have already been dispatched to your houses,” announced -the majordomo, Marlinok by name. - -“Is the Jkak at liberty?” asked the Waz. - -“He is, my Waz.” - -“Tell him, if it is his desire, the strangers will show him their air -bird now.” - -A few minutes passed and Marlinok returned. “The bhors are ready and -waiting, my Waz. The Jkak has already started.” - -Outside they found two double bhors ready, and Sir John and his -faithful Masters travelled in one, while Alan and Waz-Y-Kjesta -occupied the other. Alan was now able to enjoy the scenery through -which he passed. The path by which they travelled ran by the side of -an island lake, with tall mountains towering on the further side of -the water. The woodland nature of the scene with the twining paths and -overhanging branches reminded Alan forcibly of the bank of Loch Lomond -between Tarbet and Ardlui; yet the almost tropical colouring of the -flora—the wonderful brightness of the birds’ plumage, the waving -palm-like trees that were interspersed here and there, were unlike -anything he had ever beheld. This place seemed to possess everything -to make it perfect—mountain—moorland—water—and woodlands. Nothing was -missing from this panorama of glory. - -At last the Argenta hove in sight, and somehow its beauty seemed to have -lessened in this land of glory. The silver brightness of its aluminium -looked dim in the golden sunlight; the torpedo-shaped body seemed ugly -and sinister in comparison with the beauty and symmetry of the -Keemarnian air birds. The Jkak waited for the strangers to alight, and -the Waz whispered his instructions. “Welcome the Jkak, my friend,” said -he. “It is our custom. Ask him to honour you by boarding your craft. Let -him bring peace and prosperity to your house by stepping across the -threshold of your boat.” - -“My Jkak,” said Alan, going to the side of the state bhor, “will you -honour us all by boarding our Argenta, and bring us joy and peace?” - -“You have learnt your lesson quickly and well, my son,” said the Jkak in -reply. “I will come with pleasure.” He walked aboard and was extremely -interested in the vessel. “But how do you move it?” he asked. “How does -it rise into the heights of the heavens?” - -“This is the spirit,” said Alan, “but alas, it will not work in your -atmosphere. There seems no power in it. Perhaps later on, we might -experiment with your etheric current?” - -The Jkak and his suite were enchanted with the fittings of the -Argenta—the electricity, the furniture, the hangings. As they made their -way toward the sleeping cabins, Masters suddenly spoke. - -“Poor old Murdoch—he’s in there,” said he. “I am afraid I forgot all -about him.” - -“Poor chap,” said Alan, “so did I,” and he quickly barred the way. “May -I suggest, my Jkak, that you do not go in there,” said he. “A very dear -comrade of ours risked his life for us all. He is in there—dead.” - -“Dead?” asked the Jkak. - -Sir John bowed his head sadly. “Dead,” he repeated, “and one of the -truest servants that man ever had.” - -“But if he is in there,” said the Jkak with a puzzled frown, “why does -he not come out?” He looked at the others in turn. “Why does he not -enjoy life with you? Ah! He thinks the Argenta would not be safe without -him? That is foolish. I will enter—I will assure him he has nothing to -fear.” - -“But he is dead,” urged Alan. - -“Dead?” - -“Yes, he died before we reached Keemar.” - -“I know not the meaning of the word. The ‘gift of tongues’ fails me -here. Explain—dead.” - -Alan looked at him in amazement. Death was such a common word in the -world; one met with it at every turn; it was strange that it should -remain unknown to the Jovians with their wonderful “gift of tongues.” - -“His life has gone,” said Alan simply. - -“But life is eternal, my son.” - -“Surely you do not live for ever on Keemar?” asked Alan incredulously. - -“Ah, no. We do not live for ever on Keemar it is true—but our life is -eternal.” - -It was impossible to explain—they had no knowledge of death—yet they, on -their own showing, seemed to expect to leave Keemar at some time or -other. Surely death alone could remove them? - -“I beg of you, do not go in there,” urged Alan, and he barred the door -of the death chamber. - -“My son,” said the Jkak. “I must know all things in my country. If what -you call ‘death’ has entered—then I beg you, acquaint me with it.” - -“But it is horrible—” - -“Let me meet it face to face—” - -“It is loathsome,” urged Alan. “I pray you, do not go inside.” - -The Jkak made no reply, but raised his right hand high above his -head—palm outwards, and even as he did so, Waz-Y-Kjesta and his suite -bent low on one knee. - -“The sign of the Jkak,” said the Waz. “His wishes must be honoured, his -commands obeyed.” - -Alan moved away from the door, his head bowed in acquiescence, and -Marlinok turned the handle of the door, and stepped back to allow the -Jkak to enter. There was a tense silence for a moment, then from the -darkened chamber came a startled cry, a cry full of poignant horror, and -with an ashen face the Jkak appeared at the door. - -“I have seen Death,” said he. “I have seen the horrors of sin. Death, -until now, has never entered Keemar. Death brings its own punishment. -Death brings horrors and adversity. Death! Oh Great, White Glory, Tower -of Help, Mitzor of our Fathers—I have seen Death in its hideousness. -Mitzor the Mighty, grant preservation to thy people—grant help to thy -faithful.” Persoph the Jkak was trembling. His face was white, his hand -was shaking as he pointed to the door. - -“What will you do with—with—that?” he asked, almost inaudibly. - -Alan answered him. “Bury him, poor chap.” - -“Bury?” - -“Yes. Do you not dig graves for your dead?” - -“We have no dead, my son. I pray Mitzor, that the entrance of -this—soul—may not bring disaster on our land. But how do you bury?” - -Alan explained, and as he finished the Jkak’s face was more -horror-stricken than before. “Nay, my son, bury you cannot. That would -be impossible here.” He turned to the Waz. “Does not the Sacrament of -Schlerik-itata take place within eight Kymos?” - -“Yes, my Jkak,” answered Y-Kjesta. “Ak-Marn sent cards for all to attend -it. It will be the biggest feast I have ever known. His seed is mighty, -his seed is great. Five thousand and ten cards have been issued, and yet -five thousand and more still clamour for admittance.” - -“Good,” answered Persoph. “This,” pointing about him, “all this must go. -Summon me Misrath, the High Priest. Bid him bring his ‘waters of purity’ -and his smoke of sweet odours. Bid him bring his choir of young voices, -and bid all prepare. A sacrifice will be offered to Mitzor; the Great -White Glory must be appeased.” - -Alan and Sir John were very mystified over the whole scene. These -Jovians did not seem to understand Death—yet they spoke of sacrifice! - -“I am sorry, my son,” said the Jkak. “I can save nothing for you. All -must be burnt and offered to Mitzor. Come now, I will draw a ring around -the contaminated spot, and we will witness the destruction from -without.” - -Sir John and Alan were both loth to have the Argenta burnt—but being -dependent on the Jovians for their entire future, they were unable to -demur. With a silent prayer for the friend who had given his life for -them, they left the ship and stood some way off. After an interminable -time of waiting, a mighty blast of music burst on their ears, and they -saw a procession of etheric bhors coming towards them. The first -stopped, and Misrath the High Priest alighted, followed by priests and -acolytes in quaint garments of ecclesiastical cut. - -A procession formed—two acolytes with censers led the way, and wafted -the glorious perfume from side to side. Then followed one of the most -mystical and picturesque ceremonies it was possible to imagine. Almost -of Mosaic grandeur, it thrilled the watchers. They were unable to -understand what was being said—all was in the language of the -Keemarnians—but the meaning was plain. The High Priest offered the -Argenta and its contents to Mitzor, the Great White Glory. He offered -it, with its fine workmanship, its precious metals—and its body of sin. -He asked that through the mediation of the sacrifice, any evil might be -averted, that the entrance of Death might bring. He consecrated the -Argenta to Mitzor—he consecrated the ground it contaminated. He poured -the “waters of purity” across its bow, and named it “Meeka,” the Bringer -of Knowledge. - -Then the Argenta was sprayed from stem to stern with a milky fluid that -dried like little curds all over the vessel. A torch was lighted and -applied to the ship. Little flames ran along meeting each other until -they merged into one great whole; there was a roar and a noise like -thunder, and the Argenta, the hobby of a life time, the fruit of patient -labour, was no more! - -Sir John watched with a set face, but as the fire died out, and he saw -that the whole had been swallowed up, had consumed itself entirely,—he -crumpled up, and lay inert upon the ground. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE SACRAMENT OF SCHLERIK-ITATA - - -Alan bent over his uncle, but the High Priest waved him away. “Touch him -not,” said he sternly, and such command rang in his tones, that Alan -stepped back involuntarily. - -Again the scene was repeated—Sir John was prayed over, sprayed with the -“waters of purity,” and incensed. As the sweet fumes found their way up -his nostrils, he stirred. Alan rushed to him and embraced him. “It was -only foolishness, Alan,” said he brokenly. “But the Argenta—my ship—I -was so proud of her. Masters, you know how I felt? She was my all in my -days of sorrow. And in my days of joy, when reunited we sailed in her, -she was my joy.” - -“I understand, Uncle John. But try not to mind—when one is in Rome—you -know the rest. We are in Jupiter and we must do as the Jovians wish.” - -Persoph the Jkak, came up to them. “Nay, grieve not,” said he kindly. -“We have cleared this place of sin. An air bird to take the place of the -one that has gone shall be placed at your disposal. Go you home. Cards -will be brought you for the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata. I beg of you -all—attend it. Nay, I command you. We will meet again within eight -Kymos. Farewell. Farewell.” - -Waz-Y-Kjesta, motioned to their bhor. “Come, my friend,” said he. “I -will drive you back another way—we will drive along the shores of the -secti, and watch the breakers roll in.” The sea shore was wonderful; the -sea was blue, a deep, deep blue, and the breakers, flecked with foam, -rolled in to a golden shore. They passed bays, promontories, caves and -rocks—and they found the drive of bewildering beauty. - -Alan asked, “What is the Sacrament of Sch—” - -“Schlerik-itata?” supplemented the Waz. - -“Yes.” - -“My friend, you must wait until you witness it. You will understand us -more fully when you have been to the home of Ak-Marn. Now to-night, -there is a small party being given by Kulmervan and his fellow students -at the Observatory. I have been asked to bring you all. Will you come?” - -“With pleasure,” said Alan. - -“The Jkak is sending you all a complete outfit, my friend. Your clothes -are old, travel-stained and torn—they are sombre too. If you accept his -present, wear to-night your brightest garments.” - -“Will you help me to adjust them?” asked Alan. - -The Waz drew himself up with a haughty air, but it as soon passed. “I -was forgetting, my friend, that you know not our customs. The serving -men will assist you. When you reach home, you will find your house fully -staffed, and Quori, a most efficient steward and adviser.” - -“What about meeting to-night for the party?” - -“I will call for you as the Kymo sinks. You will have bhors sufficient -for your use.” - -When they reached home they found a note awaiting them from Mavis, -asking them to come over and have lunch with her and Desmond, and they -walked through the garden to the other house. Mavis was waiting for -them, her cheeks dimpling and her eyes sparkling. “It’s a wonderful -country,” said she. “I’ve nothing to do all day; the cooking and -cleaning seem to go by clockwork. Morkaba is Baby’s personal attendant -and mine; she has arranged my frock. How do you like it?” and she -twirled round on one foot showing the soft draperies of Keemarnian -dress. - -It was of a soft green, embroidered with coloured silks and her hair was -left loose flowing around her shoulders, and caught above her ears by a -narrow fillet of gold that gleamed as she tossed her head. - -“I like it much better than the frumpy old English fashions,” said she. -“Desmond is not quite ready yet—he will look splendid.” - -“We shall change later,” said Sir John, “and I shall be glad to get out -of these stuffy and dirty garments. All the same I don’t fancy myself a -cross between an imitation gladiator and a stained glass twelfth century -saint.” - -They thoroughly enjoyed their meal; eggs served in a wonderful salad of -fruit and vegetables proved to be the staple part, and this course was -followed by a baked grain, similar to barley, but of a bright green -colour, deliciously creamy and sweet. There was milk to drink, and -plenty of heavy cream. - -“They seem to be almost vegetarians here,” said Mavis, “for although we -have had plenty of milk, eggs and cream, I have not seen a sign of fish -or meat.” - -“All the better,” said Sir John, “after all that tinned stuff while we -were on the Argenta—ugh!” - -They drove in state to the students’ party. The Waz had constituted -himself their guide, and they were very thankful for his services. The -large ground floor of the Observatory had been converted into a -veritable bower of roses. At one end, almost hidden by flowers, were the -musicians—playing dreamy music on soft-toned, stringed instruments. - -The Host in Chief, Kulmervan, with Waiko, stood on a raised dais at one -end and received their guests, who were all announced by an usher who -wore a kilt-like shirt and a flowing cape. As the strangers entered he -announced from a card they gave him, first in his own language and then -in English, “Sir John, Alan, Desmond, Masters, and Mavis.” No surnames -were known on Jupiter, and so far they possessed no Keemarnian title. To -Sir John they gave his prefix, although they did not quite understand -it. - -A great silence reigned when the announcement was made—Kulmervan left -the dais and advanced toward his guests, and this mark of homage was -acknowledged by clamorous cheers from all the others who were present. - -“Welcome,” said he. “I witnessed your descent upon our land. Indeed, it -was I who helped to focus our ray of attraction upon your vessel and -helped to draw you into our atmosphere.” - -“What are your rays?” asked Alan. “Surely you had never any cause to use -one before?” - -“Indeed, yes, my friend. Some time ago, some of our Keemarnians, while -experimenting in the Heavens, found themselves outside our atmosphere. -They never returned. Across the roadway between the red planet -‘Mydot’—Mars I think you call it—and ourselves, are many rapidly moving -meteoric bodies. We fear that our gallant brothers met one of these, and -were destroyed. Many men of science went after these lost ones but none -ever returned. Through our wonderful glass, we saw one of our air birds -in space; it was unable to reach home. Then was the great magnetic ray -discovered. In the shortest space of time it was perfected, and played -on the silent air bird. Gradually it was drawn nearer and nearer to our -shores until it was within our atmosphere, and was able to land in -safety. Since that time, if air birds venture too high, we have nearly -always been able to save the adventurous spirits, and in your case, we -brought you safely here.” - -“It’s a wonderful invention,” said Sir John, “and I can imagine would -have been of immense value to our airmen on earth.” - -Kulmervan then presented them to Waiko, and Mavis was led to a seat of -honour on the dais. - -They spent a most enjoyable time, and the whole entertainment was very -like what they were accustomed to on earth. Games were played,—games -with balls and racquets, and balls and hoops, and between the games -there was singing and dancing. - -Refreshments were served in a hall adjoining, and consisted mainly of -luscious fruits and dainty cakes and pastries. The many Keemarnians they -met, invited them in turn to parties and entertainments, and they felt -they had more invitations than they could safely accept. “Never accept,” -whispered Waz-Y-Kjesta to them all, “unless you mean to honour your host -with your presence. A refusal never offends, but to accept and then to -disappoint, is unforgivable.” Suddenly in the middle of the dancing a -trumpet blew loud and clear. The band ceased and the couples stood -still. Then rang out a fanfare of royal welcome, and the guests rushed -to the entrance hall in great excitement, waving and cheering. “It must -be some one of importance who is coming,” said Desmond. “Perhaps it is -the Rorka,” suggested Mavis. There was a roll of drums, and then, on a -litter carried by six stalwart men, entered a girl of perhaps eighteen -years. The cortége stopped and Kulmervan bent low before her, and kissed -her proffered hand. She bowed ever so slightly, and he assisted her from -her cushioned throne. She stood beside him, and proved to be quite -small, not more than five feet in height, but of a beauty almost -indescribable. She was very fair and fragile. Her eyes were purple-blue -fringed with long, black lashes. Her fillet was of gold, and was -enriched with gems the colour of her eyes, while her robe of blue hung -in folds about her. Perhaps it was her lips that impressed the watchers -most. A perfect bow—they were of a vivid scarlet that contrasted -strangely with the delicate pink flush of her cheeks. Self possessed, -calm and regal she looked as she graciously acknowledged the plaudits of -the guests. - -“Who is she, Alan?” asked Mavis. But he was unconscious of her question, -he could only gaze and gaze at the beautiful apparition who had come so -unexpectedly upon the scene. - -Waiko bent in turn before the stranger who whispered something to him. -Immediately he came toward Mavis. “We are honoured to-night,” said he. -“The Ipso-Rorka Chlorie has journeyed from Pyrmo to welcome you. She -heard of your presence and came at once.” - -“Who is she?” asked Mavis. - -“Why the highest lady in the land—the only child of our Rorka.” - -Mavis went toward where the girl stood, and the Ipso-Rorka held out both -her hands to the English girl. “Welcome,” said she, in a voice musical -and low. “I hear you start soon to honour the Rorka, my father, with a -visit. May I welcome you first?” In turn the others were presented to -her, but her attention was all for Mavis—it was Mavis the woman she -wanted to know. - -And Alan? He had seen his ideal! Years before, he wondered whether he -would ever meet her—and now he had. And a King’s daughter! And he a -stranger in a strange world! How dare he even lift his eyes toward her. -Yet he dared—and his pulses leapt madly as his eyes feasted on her -beauty. Not once did she address him—not once did she even seem to -notice him. Chlorie put her hand lightly on Desmond’s arm. “I will dance -with you,” said she smiling, and Alan watched them lead the merry throng -of dancing couples. The demon of jealousy, earth jealousy, was in his -heart. - -“Why are you looking so—how can I put it—so sad?” asked Kulmervan. - -Alan laughed. “He has a wife,” he muttered. “Why does he take her from -others?” - -“But she has honoured him. It is not for us to choose for the -Ipso-Rorka,” said Kulmervan. - -“Yes, but she is so beautiful, so sweet, so glorious,” began Alan. Then -he stopped suddenly. “Oh,” he continued, “what do you people of Jupiter -know of love or hate? Your lives are too quiet, too humdrum to know -aught of passion—” - -“Teach me! Teach me!” cried Kulmervan leaning toward him. “Your face is -drawn—your eye hard. Yet you look as if you could battle with the world. -What is it?” - -“Love and hate,” said Alan grimly. Then he laughed. “What a fool I am. -Desmond is my cousin; we love each other like brothers. He has won -Mavis—why should he not dance with the Ipso-Rorka? Mavis does not mind.” - -But Kulmervan turned away in silence. Knowledge had come to him in a -curious way. He saw passion, love, hatred, anger, jealousy all raging -within a human heart. Unconsciously the feelings were photographed upon -his too sensitive mind. Love that had only smouldered was now born in -all its fury for the Princess Chlorie, the fair. And with love was born -the twin, hate—hate for Alan, the man he feared might supplant him. - -It seemed as if death, although burned and purified, had brought into -Keemar unrest and sin. The prayers of the High Priest himself were -unable to wash it away, until scourged and purified the earth folk -themselves became less material and more godlike and true. - -The day for the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata arrived at last and the -strangers found themselves on the way to Ak-Marn’s palace. - -Although the Aks had no administrative powers, as had the Jkaks, they -were held in the highest esteem, for they were princes of royal blood. - -Ak-Marn greeted them warmly. They saw that his dress was different from -the usual male costume. He was in unrelieved white, and wore neither -jewel nor ornament. The material of his robe, which hung with a long -cloak to the ground, was almost like plush and there was something -almost bridal about the costume. Yet Ak-Marn was an old man, with a -beard of white, and grandchildren in plenty. Surely Schlerik-itata could -not be the same as matrimony, thought Mavis. - -The guests were eight thousand in number, and all wore their brightest -jewels and their finest raiment. - -There was singing and dancing and much gay chatter, and the whole scene -was one of wonderful gaiety and joy. Refreshments were brought in, and -Ak-Marn began to speak. The English people could now understand the -Keemarnian language fairly well. It was easy, its grammar simple, and -its pronunciation almost Latin. - -“Friends,” said Ak-Marn. “I break bread with you. Two and ten Kymos have -sunk since I quenched my thirst or satisfied my hunger. I’ve prayed to -Mitzor, the Great White Glory and Tower of Help, to prepare me for my -journey. My call came eighty and five Kymos since—I saw the figures in -fire. I heard my call, and am prepared. I go with hope in my heart—with -joy in my breast. I am to be envied, my friends, for my days have been -long upon Keemar. I leave my loved one, Viok, and our children, and our -children’s children in your care, my friends. When I am gone, cheer her -with loving words—help her with kind counsel. I leave you with love in -my heart. I leave you with the knowledge that our parting is not for -long. Soon you will join me in the home of the Tower of Help. Remember -that the eternities of time cannot be measured.” - -Then bread was broken, and there followed the “Feast of the Sacrament,” -and the most intimate friends of Ak-Marn drank to his “future”—drank to -his coming “joy.” And Alan and Sir John were no longer mystified. They -realized that what they in their materialism knew as “Death” was -nigh—but not Death, the slayer of happiness, Death, the dread reaper, -but Death in a kindly form, a death that gave life—a death that was -glorious. - -“I thought at first that the Jovians were of a finer nature than ours,” -said Alan. - -“If they have conquered Death, they must indeed be high,” said Sir John -thoughtfully. - -“Who is Mitzor?” asked Mavis. - -“The God of our Fathers, my dear. The God of Abraham and the God of the -New Testament. Whatever their religion and ritual is, they worship the -same God as we do,” said Alan. - -“Are you sure?” - -“Quite.” - -When the feast was ended, the guests, one by one, bade farewell to their -host. It was a long tedious business, as no one was permitted to pass -without at least a few personal words from Ak-Marn who was seated on a -raised chair near the doorway. And as each woman passed out, she was -crowned with a wreath of beautiful, freshly cut flowers, from which hung -a filmy white veil, while the men were given long white cloaks with -hoods which they drew over their bare heads. Mavis bent her knee, and -held out her hands to the kindly old man. “My child,” said he. “Our -beautiful ceremony is so far meaningless to you. Go home—pray to Mitzor -the Mighty that He may refine and cleanse you, that when your time comes -you may be reincarnated to Him, through the medium of his Sacrament. -Farewell.” - -To Alan he spoke long and quietly. “My son,” said he, “you are in a -strange world, you are young, you are carnal. Ah,” as Alan would have -protested, “we of Keemar, my Alan, are not as of your world. We know not -sin as you know it. Our first parents, Menlin and Jorlar, were placed in -a garden—” Alan started—“Yes, my friend, as your parents were. They -succumbed not to temptation—so they lived in happy solitude for many -years. Then Mitzor in His great kindness gave them the knowledge of -Love—Love without sin. They mated. Their love grew. Children of love -were born sinless into our world. Child bearing was a glory; motherhood -the highest estate. They knew neither sin nor sorrow, and so in love our -populace grew.” - -“Do you mean to say you are sinless here?” asked Alan incredulously. - -“My son, it is not an estate for us to glory in, for the merits do not -belong to us, but to our first parents. No—real sin has never entered -here, but we live in dread of its coming. In a far off country—in -Fyjipo—there is built a large palace behind high walls. If anger, or -lust, or impatience is shown by any one of us, an order is given and the -offender is taken to the Hall of Sorrows to purge away his sins. Should -a madness come upon us, for such we reckon these failings to be—we are -kept safe until it has passed, and until we can no longer contaminate -our fellow creatures.” - -“It’s a wonderful country,” said Alan. “Where we come from, is all sin -and misery and—” - -“Nay, tell me not. I go on a journey. I shall face my Mitzor. I charge -you, should you or your friends feel this madness coming on you, hide -yourselves, I beg, in the Hall of Sorrows. Stay there until it has -passed, and preserve the purity and happiness of this land. Farewell.” -The cloak was fastened round Alan’s shoulders, and he too left the -kindly presence. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta was waiting for them at the outer hall. “Go home,” he -whispered. “Your bhor awaits you. I beg of you, eat no more this night, -but in the early dawn, while Kymo still sleeps, put on your cloaks, and -the Lady Mavis her veil, and go you to the Temple of Mitzor. Farewell.” -It was a very solemn party that retired to their rooms that night, yet -the full mystery of the Sacrament had not been unfolded to them. - -It was dark when they arose, and in a dim twilight they drove to the -Temple. They had never before been inside it, and it was with much -trepidation that they waited on the threshold. It was a very beautiful -building of pale blue marble—the colour of the sky. An enormous dome -rose up in the centre of the square body of the Temple, and at the four -corners, minarets with gilded tops finished the picture. A flight of -fifty steps led up to the doors which were of a burnished metal, and -studded with precious gems. Just inside was an antechamber, where the -guests waited in silence until they were ushered to the seats that were -allotted to them. The inside was wonderful. Mosaic walls representing -allegorical tales gleamed in the dim light; the roof was of gold, and -marble pillars supported it down the long aisle. An enormous altar rose -up at the further end upon which were carved in marble cherubim and -seraphim. In the sanctuary, if such it could be called, was a small -white throne of marble, with heavy, white curtains draped at either -side. It was placed in such a position that although it did not -intercept the view of the altar, which was high above the nave, yet it -could be seen by every one in the building. - -The seats allotted to Alan and his party were very near the front where -rails of gold separated the Sanctuary from the people’s part of the -Temple. Music floated on the air—soft like babbling brooks and the song -of birds; now bursting out into thunderous praise and mighty worship. - -Suddenly there came a solemn hush; a bell tinkled; the organ played -softly, and there came the sound of boys’ sweet voices raised in -ecstasy: from a door at the side of the choir a dozen acolytes walked -dressed in their garments of white. The procession started down the -nave. After these boys came priests and deacons, and then Misrath, the -High Priest walked in front of a raised throne. On this sat Ak-Marn, his -eyes closed and his hands clasped in prayer. Behind him walked his wife -and their children. Their faces were radiant, it is true; yet there was -a touch of sadness in his wife’s gait. Then followed more priests and -acolytes, all singing hymns of joy. - -The procession wound round the Temple, and back through the middle -aisle, and through the rails into the Sanctuary. Ak-Marn was led to the -marble throne; his wife alone of his family had followed close behind, -and now his arms were around her. Their lips met in one long kiss, then -with a bowed head she left his side, and took her place with her family -in the very front seats. - -The organ thundered. Voices rang in a mighty pæan of praise. Then -silence! Misrath came forward and offered prayers to Mitzor—prayers of -offering, prayers of supplication. A mighty wreath of freshly cut -flowers was placed upon the altar. It was to be a burnt offering, and as -the smoke of the sacrifice arose on the air, the white curtains were -drawn around the figure of Ak-Marn and he was hidden from view. Then -singing rent the air; the acolytes incensed the throne, until it was -entirely covered by the perfumed smoke, covered like a pall. - -Alan watched in wonder. The grandeur of the prayers, the singing, the -mystic curtains drawn around Ak-Marn appalled him. Misrath’s voice rose -above the music. - -“Children of Keemar,” he intoned. “One more brother has been caught by -the mantle of Mitzor, and has left this world for ever. He has gone to -Glory, gone to Happiness—gone to Mitzor Himself. Peace be unto his -house. Peace be unto his wife. Peace be unto his seed for ever. We bid -him—farewell.” - -There was a great silence. The censers were stilled. Gradually the smoke -of the incense cleared away from the marble throne, now gleaming in the -rising rays of the Kymo. - -Misrath touched the cords of the enveloping curtain, and drew them back. -The little white throne was empty! Ak-Marn had returned to the bosom of -his Creator! But stay! On the floor, as if shed in the hurried flight of -its owner, lay the bridal robe of Ak-Marn. The High Priest raised it, -blessed it, sprinkled it with the waters of purity, and Ak-Marn’s wife -received it in her arms. Then the mighty congregation rose and sang one -last song of praise, and at the end, quietly left the building. And the -last view Alan had of Ak-Marn’s wife was of a solitary figure, dressed -like a bride, clasping the little white throne that was the last resting -place of her loved one. - -“I don’t understand,” whispered Mavis hoarsely, as they were being -driven back to their home. - -“My dear, he is dead,” said Sir John. - -“Dead? If that is Death, then it is something to welcome and not to -dread,” she answered softly. There was a faraway look in her eyes. “What -a wonderful Sacrament! Death that is no sorrow—only a parting for a -little while, and then—reunion.” She clasped her husband’s hand. -“Belovèd,” she murmured, “if Death comes to us like that, then can we -have no real sorrow any more. Its shadow cannot cause us pain or grief. -What do you think, Alan?” - -But Alan did not answer. He was thinking of two deep blue eyes, a -laughing mouth, wilful golden curls that flirted on two soft, pink -cheeks. He was longing to crush the lithe and sweet body close to his, -and smother her roses with kisses. The knowledge and fear of Death had -lapsed; Jupiter had eradicated it,—but with its extinction had come -love. Love, stronger a thousandfold than Death. He looked upward to -where the Sun, Kymo in all his glory, was shining. The whole world was -bathed in a glory of light. Yes, Jupiter had conquered death, and before -him lay life and love! - - - - - CHAPTER VII - HATRED ON KEEMAR - - -Marlinok, the Jkak’s majordomo, called on Sir John and Alan a few days -after they had witnessed the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata. “Will you be -ready,” he asked them, “when the Kymo is at the full, to start on your -journey to Hoormoori to render homage to the Rorka?” - -“Are we all to go?” asked Alan. - -“But one of you need go,” he answered. “The Rorka will visit Minniviar -later, and then the other strangers may make their bows.” - -“I am glad of that,” said Sir John, “for I should like to stay here in -quietness and retirement for a little while. I am beginning to feel the -burden of my age, and am worn out with the strain of the last few -years.” - -“I will go to Hoormoori,” announced Alan, “I can start at whatever time -the Jkak thinks best.” - -“He has prepared incense and jewels for you to take as gifts from the -absent ones,” said Marlinok, “if you will now see Waz-Y-Kjesta all your -arrangements can be made.” - -“I’ll go now,” said Alan. - -Alan was going down a pretty lane toward where the air birds were housed -when he suddenly became aware of footsteps behind him. He -turned—immediately the footsteps ceased, and he could see no one. -Thinking he must be mistaken, and fearing nothing from the Keemarnians, -he went on his way blithely. The air was deliciously warm, and the fresh -breeze, balmy with the scent of flowers, tempered it. Still the -footsteps followed with monotonous regularity; as he hastened, so they -became quicker; as his died down, so they ceased altogether. Yet he had -no sense of fear, no feeling of impending evil; the thought of peril on -Keemar was impossible to imagine. The Keemarnians were of a breed as -different from the earth to which he belonged, as he was from Heaven! He -passed delightful homely fields, gleaming with buttercups and daisies. -Friendly cows chewed the cud in sleepy enjoyment. They did not rise as -he drew near, but only raised their sleepy heads, and looked at him out -of their liquid eyes with interest and friendliness. A pig grunted in a -corner as she suckled her squealing young; a donkey brayed; a couple of -goats were nibbling the grass while their kids frolicked near them. He -saw strange animals too. There was the gorwa of the deer family, a -beautiful creature, the colour of a Scottish stag, and its counterpart -in miniature, but with none of its brother’s timidity. All the animals -on Keemar were of a smaller build than those he had been accustomed to. -The cows were even smaller then the little fawn Jerseys so valued in -England. He had seen terriers and bull dogs, dalmatians and spaniels in -this strange world, and the bigger breeds were all represented on a -smaller scale. The Jkak had a dog—a Borzoi, Alan would have called it, -yet perhaps it was no bigger than a small Irish terrier; but strangely -enough, its beauty was not diminished by its minuteness. So Alan went -on. The way was strange to him, but he was enjoying the calmness of the -scene, and he knew his excellent bump of locality would sooner or later -lead him to Y-Kjesta. Again the footsteps beat time with his own, and -anxious for companionship, he stepped into the shadow of a tree, and -hoped to waylay a shy, but friendly stranger. A second passed. The -footsteps had ceased—then came a rustling, and the head of Kulmervan the -Student appeared over a honeysuckle bush. Silently he came forward, -alert and watchful until he was on a level with Alan. - -“Hullo!” said Alan amiably. “Where are you going, Kulmervan?” - -The effect was magical! Kulmervan jumped as though he had been struck, -and his face whitened. He remained silent. “I’m going to see -Waz-Y-Kjesta,” went on Alan. “Are you coming my way?” - -Kulmervan did not reply, but a baleful light gleamed in his eyes, and -his mouth twitched. - -“What’s the matter?” asked Alan curiously. - -Suddenly Kulmervan spoke, and there was a wealth of passion in his -tones. “Why did you come here, you strangers? I was happy until you -came. I was contented. You have made me want—want the unknown. You have -stirred my heart and filled it with longings that I cannot yet fathom. -Why have you come to stir up misery among a happy and contented race?” - -“I don’t know what you mean,” said Alan, “I have done nothing.” - -“You’ve done everything. You dared to raise your eyes to the level of -Chlorie, our Ipso-Rorka. You put thoughts about her into my head. Oh—” -as Alan would have broken in—“I read your thoughts, it was easy, my -friend. You dared to think of her as a woman—even your woman. It was an -impertinence, I tell you. I love Chlorie with my whole soul, and before -Mitzor the Mighty, I’ll carry her away into some far off land, before -she can look with a favourable eye on a man, not only of another world, -but a man of a coarser nature than our own.” - -Kulmervan was breathless when he finished, for his words had come thick -and fast, tumbling over themselves in his great excitement. Alan was -speechless, and looked as he felt, absolutely uncomfortable and ill at -ease. “Why your very pose proves guilt,” continued Kulmervan. - -“Why should I not love Chlorie?” demanded Alan, “Why should my love for -her cause strife between us?” - -“Because, my stranger, I am a Prince of the Rorka’s House. I am not only -Kulmervan the Student; but Taz-Ak of the House of Pluthoz. Why else -would Chlorie have honoured my party—why else come to the dance of a -student? There are but four Keemarnians that Chlorie can marry, and I -rank second.” - -Alan wondered at the time why the Princess should come in so natural a -manner to the Student’s reception. He wondered at the time at her -familiarity with Kulmervan. She had patted his hand, smiled into his -eyes, and had honoured him more than once with a dance. - -But Alan, too, was in love. Idiotically, insanely in love with a woman -who had not even troubled to raise her eyes to his, at his presentation. -His pulses throbbed at the remembrance of the touch of her fingertips as -he raised them to his lips. He loved her, and in that moment was born a -desire to overcome all obstacles, and princess or no princess, to win -her. But he knew too that in this pleasant land of Keemar an enmity had -come upon him, and wondered whether the Curse of Death had brought it. -He wondered whether the dead and decomposed body of their faithful -Murdoch had indeed brought sorrow to this fair land. - -“I’ve spoken to your Ipso-Rorka only once,” said he. “The night of your -party. She has called on my uncle and Mavis. Mavis has been out driving -with her several times. But I, unfortunately, have missed her each time. -Surely you are not jealous because I—” - -“Because you love her? I am,” said Kulmervan thickly, “and I say this—if -you so much as dare to raise your eyes to her, if you dare to address -her, I’ll make you suffer for it—aye, even though I also suffer -eternally for it,” and with that he turned on his heel and walked -quickly away. - -Alan was very perturbed about this meeting, and felt inclined to tell -the story of it to Waz-Y-Kjesta,—yet the sacred feeling he had for -Chlorie was not to be spoken of, or bandied about from man to man. No, -he would keep it to himself, and trust to time and common sense to cure -Kulmervan of his strange hatred. - -He walked quickly on, and already could see the air birds in the -distance, circling above their houses. The little lane turned quickly at -right angles—there was a steep descent, and hedges rose at either side -to a height of six or seven feet, while the overhanging branches of the -trees met in the middle and formed a leafy arch. The grassy banks were -carpeted with flowers, and the scent hung sweet on the air. Again the -narrow path turned sharply to the right, and before Alan realized it, -there almost at his feet, stretched across almost the full width of the -path, lay a lion, full grown, with his shaggy mane stirring in the -breeze. Alan stopped suddenly, and his heart beat quickly. The lion’s -eyes were closed—he was sleeping. - -The Englishman was almost afraid to move lest the savage beast should -spring upon him and devour him. He looked round to the right, the bough -of a tree hung low over the path. He leapt up the bank, and with one -mighty spring caught hold of it, and swarmed up to a topmost branch. - -He was safe—but the sudden sound had startled the lion, who rose up and -with a low growl prowled backward and forward beneath the tree. - -It was an uncomfortable position to be in—the tree bough was very thin, -and bent and twisted and crackled ominously. Still the King of Beasts -remained sentinel underneath. Alan felt the perspiration on his face as -the limb shivered and bent, yet there was no other to which he could -move. Still the animal remained near, his quickened senses no doubt -wondering at the noise he heard, and waiting to see what had caused it. - -The minutes dragged by—the branch was weakening perceptibly—he could -already see the white of the inside where the branch was gradually -tearing away from the parent trunk. There was no one in sight, and still -the lion walked restlessly to and fro. - -The Kymo was sinking rapidly. It was already low down on the horizon, -and Alan knew he had been about two English hours in his perilous -position. He saw a branch above his head, and he wormed his way along to -see if he could in any way reach it. Carefully he went—slowly—suddenly -with a scream and a crash the branch gave way, and Alan felt himself -being hurled to the ground. - -The distance was not great, and he landed in the centre of some -sweet-smelling, soft bushes. He was dazed, and wondered when the lion -would pounce. He knew he was powerless to help himself. He heard the -pad, pad, of its feet; he could hear the sharp intake of its breath—then -the thing was upon him. He shut his eyes and waited.—Nothing happened -but the snuffing of the wild beast, and a gentle nosing as it examined -the stranger. - -Alan opened his eyes. The animal was sitting on its haunches surveying -him, and he felt there was amusement in the beast’s eyes as it watched -him. He moved slightly—still the beast watched motionless. He raised -himself up from the encircling bushes and clambered down. He knew he -would have to face the inevitable. - -Suddenly a voice hailed him, and he saw Waz-Y-Kjesta coming round the -bend in the lane. “Stand back,” he cried. “There’s a lion here—he may -spring!” But the Waz came on fearlessly. Alan was petrified, his tongue -was parched, no sound came from his lips. He watched the Waz in frozen -horror. - -The Keemarnian was smiling. “Where have you been, my friend? You are -late—very late. I thought you had missed your way, so I came to seek -you.” He was now within three feet of the lion. “What is the matter? Why -are you so grave? Has aught affrighted you?” - -Alan pointed to the tawny beast. His hand was shaking. Surely the farce -must end soon, the lion spring, and tragedy culminate the play. - -“Why Maquer,” said the Waz affectionately, “what are you doing here? You -seldom visit us, you know.” - -The lion moved toward him, and rubbed his great head against the -Keemarnian’s leg, while Y-Kjesta talked to him and petted him. - -“He’s tame then?” gasped Alan with a rush of relief. “You know him?” - -“No, my friend. I’ve never seen this Maquer before—they generally stay -in rocky places.” - -“But he is so friendly.” - -“All beasts are friendly here, my Alan. What—would Maquer have hurt you -on your Earth?” - -And Alan laughingly told of his fright at the lion. He had learnt one -more truth about Keemar—there were no savage animals upon it. Of a -truth, it was a perfect land! - -Waz-Y-Kjesta was highly amused at his friend’s story, and together they -went toward the air birds. The Keemarnian airships were indeed wonderful -creations. White and gold, they were shaped like swans, with graceful -wings outspread, gleaming in the light. They were made of a mixture of -wood and metal, and contained accommodation for perhaps forty -passengers, as well as the Waz in command, and a staff of ten. Although -not as big as the ill-fated Argenta, the Keemarnian airship was -possessed of a speed nearly thrice as great. - -“This is the Chlorie,” said Y-Kjesta, “and our fastest bird. The Jkak -has given orders that you are to choose your own vessel, so perhaps you -would like to see over some others?” - -“No,” said Alan, looking at the blue hangings, and seeing in them the -reflection of his love’s eyes. “No, this one will do beautifully.” And -the Waz was impressed by the easy way in which his friend was pleased. -He little realized that it was the name of the vessel—the Chlorie—that -attracted him. And in the strangeness of it Alan tried to read his fate. - -“We’ll go for a short cruise,” said the Waz, “and go back to the landing -stage Minniviar.” - -There was not a cloud in the sky, and the warmth from the sun’s rays was -pleasant. - -“I can’t understand how you benefit so considerably from the sun, your -Kymo,” said Alan. “Let me see, you must be at least five times further -away from the sun than we were on our earth, yet instead of your light -and heat being reduced to about one twenty-fifth of our supply, you -appear to benefit to exactly the same degree.” - -“Ah, my friend, that is easy to explain. Dark clouds hover outside our -globe—” - -“Yes, bands of vapour,” corrected Alan. - -“Well—vapour. These bands completely encircle our world. They are -saturated with a composition of gas, sulphuric ether I think you would -call it. Well, this gas acts as a trap to the sun’s rays. It admits the -solar rays to our planet but prevents their withdrawal. Therefore it -permits the heat to enter, but prevents its escape.” - -“Well?” - -“Consequently we get the maximum of light, and an equable temperature.” - -“Do you then, have no seasons here?” - -“Seasons?” - -“Yes, Spring or Winter.” - -“Oh yes, it is cold at the poles—very cold, but as we get nearer to the -equator it becomes warmer, and hardly varies. You see, my Alan, our -world differs from yours. The axis of rotation is almost perpendicular -to our orbit, consequently we are not subject to seasons as you were in -Quilphis.” - -“I didn’t know that before.” - -“We too, are more flattened at each end—indeed, there are many -differences between our world that is, and yours that was.” - -“Do you ever have rain here?” - -“Yes, my Alan. How else would plants live and crops thrive? But again, -we do not suffer from excesses.” - -“But don’t you have hurricanes that last from six to seven weeks? Surely -those are excesses.” - -“Hurricanes? I do not know the word.” - -“Hurricanes—winds—tornadoes.” - -“Why they affect only the polar regions, and nothing lives there.” - -“Well,” laughed Alan “I think your world is a great improvement on -ours.” - -The scenery they passed on this pleasure trip was very varied, but very -similar to the world he knew at its best. Here he could imagine he was -in the highlands of Scotland with its crags and hills and torrents. -There in Southern France with its vineyards sloping to the river’s edge. -Again, the warmth of colouring suggested the tropics, and the next -moment they were flying over great inland arms of a sea, that were -reminiscent of the fjords of Norway. - -They descended at last, and went to the Jkak to bid him farewell. There -a surprise awaited Alan. - -“My son,” said the Jkak. “Our Ipso-Rorka has decided to travel in the -Chlorie to Hoormoori. She desires to reach her father’s side without any -more delay. Taz-Ak Kulmervan has obtained permission from his kinswoman -to attend her on her journey. But you need have no fear, my Alan. I -doubt whether you will even see the Princess. She will keep within the -precincts of her apartments, and will be attended exclusively by her -maid.” - -Alan felt distressed. Should he tell the Jkak of his encounter with -Kulmervan? Had he obeyed his first impulse and confided in the kindly -old man, he would have saved both himself and Chlorie from much -suffering. As it was—well, who can tell which is always the right course -to take? Errors are made, and paid for in suffering, even in a Perfect -World. - -“Is it far, my Jkak, to Hoormoori?” - -“Forty Kymos will take you there.” - -“Forty Kymos—about twenty of our earth days! It is quite a long way -then?” - -“Ah, my friend, you have no idea of the size of our planet.” - -“And yet you are all one nation—with the same customs and religion and -speech! It is hard to comprehend, my Jkak, for at home on our little -islands, we were composed of four distinct races.” - -“The Ipso-Rorka will board the Chlorie immediately,” said the Jkak. “Now -Mitzor be with you. Farewell.” - -There was no sign of the Princess when Alan boarded the ship, neither -was Kulmervan to be seen, but he was surprised to find Waiko lounging on -the deck. He gave Alan a cursory nod of recognition as he passed, but -did not rise or offer any greeting. - -“Don’t you know Waiko?” asked Y-Kjesta in some surprise. - -“Why of course. I met him at Kulmervan’s party.” - -“Then why does he not rise and greet you according to Keemarnian custom? -You have broken bread with him—” - -“Please, Y-Kjesta, don’t say any more. I—I think I understand, and -perhaps it’s my fault. Let it pass.” - -“As you will, my Alan.” The Chlorie rose, soared gracefully over the -marble buildings of Minniviar, then tilting her nose, climbed swiftly. - -The Princess remained in her cabin, her doors were closed, and the -balconies round her apartment shuttered. - -“Ought I to pay my respects to the Ipso-Rorka?” asked Alan. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta looked at him in horror. “Nay, my friend. It is not seemly -to address our Ipso-Rorka unless she summons you first. She has given -strict orders that she is not to be disturbed.” - -So! Kulmervan had begun his work of revenge. Darkness fell, and Alan -retired to his little cabin. There were few on board, ten souls in all, -and the whole place was wrapped in stillness. All the same he felt very -restless—the four moons of Jupiter were shining brightly; they were now -passing over a sea, and the moonbeams were playing on the rippling -waters. He rose, dressed himself, and was about to leave his cabin, when -he heard a faint movement outside. His senses were quickened, he felt -for the first time since his entrance into this new world, a feeling of -impending danger. - -In a second his mind was made up—quickly he placed a cushion on his -couch and covered it over with rugs: in the semi-darkness it almost -showed the curves of a living body. The door latch rattled softly, and -Alan slipped behind the folds of a heavy silken curtain. Softly the door -opened, until it was just wide enough to permit the passage of a man’s -body. Alan peered through the curtain opening and saw that it was -Kulmervan who had entered. - -The Keemarnian stepped over to the couch and touched the coverlet. “He’s -asleep,” he whispered in his own language, and Waiko entered softly. -“Have you the spray?” - -“Yes, my Kulmervan—but is it necessary? I’m afraid—” - -“Fool,” hissed Kulmervan. “The spray.” - -Waiko handed him a long piece of tubing, the end of which was fastened -to a small bulb. Kulmervan laid the nozzle end on the bed—there was a -slight hissing sound, and the room became sweet with a subtle scent. - -“Quick,” whispered Kulmervan to his accomplice, “hasten, lest the fumes -overpower us,” and the two hurriedly left the chamber closing the door -tightly behind them. - -The air was already heavy, and Alan felt a drowsiness coming over him. -With a mighty effort he opened the window and leant out. It was a battle -royal between the fumes and the fresh air. Alan felt his head reel and -his senses swim, but the pure night air conquered, and the little cabin -was soon free of its poison. - -Silently Alan sat until the dawn broke, thinking over the strange -problem that had presented itself to him. He had made an enemy, -unwittingly it is true, but an enemy who would stop at nothing in order -to further his ends. He wondered what effect the powerful fumes would -have had upon him. In a land where there was no death, could life be -taken? What would have happened to him had he inhaled them? He was -determined to ask Waz-Y-Kjesta at the first opportunity. Suddenly from -without a cheery voice hailed him. It was the Waz. - -“How did you sleep, my friend?” and he entered the cabin. - -“Very well indeed,” said Alan, glibly lying. - -“I slept badly, my Alan. I had evil dreams of you. I saw you -lying—serquor—oh!” - -“What is serquor?” - -“It is the worst thing that could befall us on Keemar, my friend. Seldom -it happens—but once in a lifetime. The body stiffens, sleep comes from -which one never awakens. Life is, to all intents and purposes, extinct. -Yet the body does not melt into nothingness, as at the Sacrament of -Schlerik-itata. It remains on earth, cut off from the living, cut off -from those already in glory,—useless, desolate, alone.” - -“What causes it?” asked Alan eagerly. - -“Sometimes a blow or a fall—or it can be produced artificially by -inhaling morka, a gas used in the weaving of our silks. The workers wear -shields over their mouths when using it, and are very careful. Never -have I known such an accident to occur, but it could. It was thus I -dreamt of you, my Alan.” - -Alan smiled. He had come across as strange proofs of telepathy as in the -old world between kindred spirits. Whatever happened he knew -Waz-Y-Kjesta was his friend. “Perhaps I am in danger, my friend,” said -he. “If so can I count on you?” - -“My Alan, I would suffer even serquor for you,” he answered fervently. -And Alan knew he spoke truly. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - THE UNFORGIVEABLE KISS - - -The day passed slowly. Still the Princess remained in her cabin. Alan -passed Waiko with his usual cheery smile, and the guilty student -trembled and turned white at sight of the healthy man, who he thought -had been doomed to serquor. Kulmervan remained in his cabin near the -princess, and had his meals served him there. Waz-Y-Kjesta realized that -something was wrong, but as Alan did not confide in him, he made no -effort to find out the cause of his friend’s restlessness. - -“My Waz,” said Alan suddenly, “is it possible for me to see the -Ipso-Rorka? I wish to speak to her.” - -“Not unless she sends for you, my friend. It is impossible else.” - -“It is a matter of grave import,” said Alan earnestly. “To me, to her—” - -“Nothing can alter custom, my friend. If she sends for you—well. -Otherwise—” and he shrugged his shoulders expressively. Alan, however, -was determined to speak with Chlorie by foul means or fair. Her cabin -was situated in the front of the ship, and round it was a tiny balcony -railed in just above the level of the deck. - -He paced round this portion of the ship the whole day, resting only at -mealtimes from his self imposed watch. Never once did the Princess -appear. The Kymo was setting, the sky was bright with sunset colours; -the sea was unruffled and calm. A fish leapt out of the water leaving -rings of glistening fluid, roseate in the glow. Alan sat, out of sight, -still watching the cabin door. Suddenly it opened and Morar, the -Princess’ personal attendant appeared. She looked around hastily. “All -is quiet, my Princess,” she cried. “No one is in sight. The sinful -stranger is in his cabin, no doubt plotting ill against you and yours.” -Chlorie came through the doorway. Her hair was gleaming, and her flowing -draperies of blue showed up the fairness of her skin. - -“I am stifled, Morar. ’Tis ill to spend so many hours without a breath -of air. Watch you the other side, and should you see the evil one -appear, appraise me, and I will again take shelter within.” - -With a low bow Morar vanished, closing the cabin door behind her. The -Princess paced up and down the tiny balcony, singing a Keemarnian -lullaby. Still Alan remained silent and watchful, hidden from sight -beneath the covering rail. Morar returned. “There is no sign of Alan the -evil one,” said she, “but Taz-Ak Kulmervan begs an audience.” - -“Bid him come hither,” said the Princess with a sigh. “Tell him I am -weary, and must beg of him to be quick about his business.” She seated -herself on a swinging lounge, just above Alan, who could almost feel the -sweetness of her presence, the fragrance of her breath. - -“Sweet Cousin,” said Kulmervan entering. - -“Nay, Kulmervan, say what you have to say quickly. My head is tired—my -eyes weary.” - -“You have not been out to-day, my Chlorie?” - -“Not until this evening. I have carefully obeyed your instructions. Were -my father here, I should not care. But I dare not run any risks in his -absence. How is Waiko?” - -“Still very weak, my Princess. This evil one, this Alan, had contrived -his evil work well. When I discovered Waiko a bandage was drawn tightly -round his mouth, his nostrils were plugged with wool, and had I not -entered when I did, serquor would have set in and Waiko would no more -have laughed and played.” - -“Oh, it’s terrible,” breathed the Princess. “Why has sin thus entered -our beautiful land? I have heard of treasons, and plots and miseries; -but so far we have escaped. What is this stranger’s object, my -Kulmervan?” - -“I know not all his treachery, my Chlorie, but—” - -“Why bring sorrow on Waiko’s family, and upon you, his friend?” - -“I do not understand, but his intentions are evil throughout. I heard -him tell his kinsman Desmond, that even the person of Chlorie herself -was not sacred to him, provided he worked his will.” - -“That is enough, Kulmervan,” she interrupted haughtily. “I will keep my -cabin as you advise. Had I known in time, I should not have travelled -home in his company. The Rorka, my father, will deal with this stranger, -and the Hall of Sorrows will hold him safely, until he has been purged -clean. Now good night.” - -“Chlorie,” said Kulmervan passionately. “I dare say much to you -to-night. Will you not offer me the flower of love? I dare not ask you -to wed me—you are Ipso-Rorka—’tis for you to choose. But know I love -you, love you with all my soul. Will you not honour me by choosing me -for your mate?” - -“Kulmervan,” said the Princess gently. “Why make me sad by all this -useless talk? It can never be. I can place my hand in only one man’s—him -I love. Him, alas, I have not yet met, but I do not love you, my -Kulmervan. I never shall. Think, we played together in Hoormoori as -babes, built palaces of sand by the sea, picked flowers and fondled our -pets. We grew as brother and sister until you went to study with the -Djoh, and I had to learn the lesson of royalty. No, my kinsman. I love -you ’tis true, but not as a maid should love the man she mates, not as -wife for husband, lover for lover. Let this be the last time you speak -of such things, my Kulmervan. I will forget, and—” - -“But I want you—you—you—,” and Kulmervan strode close to her and placed -his arms about her. - -“Let me go,” breathed the girl—but his lips were seeking hers. - -“No—no—no,” she cried. “Not my lips—Kulmervan be merciful. My lips are -sacred until I wed—spare my lips.” But Kulmervan’s reason had gone. “My -beautiful one,” he murmured, and ran his fingers through her glorious -mantle of hair. He held her head between his hands, and drank in the -glory of her face. Her eyes were open wide in terror, her lips tightly -compressed, her power of movement gone. Nearer, nearer he drew. His -breath came in hot gusts upon her cheek. Her eyelids quivered under his -scorching kisses. Her cheeks reddened as his lips touched them. With one -mighty effort she tried to release herself. - -“In the name of Mitzor the Great, leave my lips,” she cried, but the -madness of passion was upon him. He revelled in his power, laughed at -her struggles, mocked at her impotence. Roughly he clasped her still -closer to him, but the Princess was inert in his arms—the strain was too -much for her, and blissful unconsciousness had come to soothe her. There -was the slightest of sounds. Alan, the athletic still, vaulted over the -rail, and swinging Kulmervan by the scruff of his neck threw him on to -the ground. Tenderly he lifted the Princess in his arms—she was as light -as a feather—and went into her cabin. - -“Morar,” he called. “Morar.” The serving maid appeared, trembling as she -saw her beloved mistress in the arms of “the evil one.” - -“Your mistress has had a fright,” said Alan thickly. “Show me her -couch.” Without a word the little maid led the way into the tiny -sleeping apartment, and tenderly he laid his burden on the silken -coverings of blue. “Look after her,” said he, “she has fainted.” With -arms folded across his chest and his breath coming in spasmodic jerks, -he waited outside the door. Presently Morar appeared. “The Ipso-Rorka -has recovered,” she said, “and has now fallen asleep. What shall I do?” - -“Allow no one to enter her apartments at all. I will send a letter to -her in the morning. Can I depend on your giving it to her?” - -“Yes. I can see you are not evil,” said the little maid. “Some mistake -has been made. You are her friend.” - -“I am her friend,” said Alan grimly. “Remember, Morar, no one is to -enter these apartments without the Ipso-Rorka’s permission. You -understand?” and he strode out on to the balcony. Kulmervan had gone, -and he vaulted lightly over the balcony rail and went straight to his -cabin. As he opened the door he recognized the sweet, sickly odour that -he had smelt once before. So! He must be on his guard. Kulmervan and -Waiko would stop at nothing—a madness had indeed come over them, a -madness of the earth! - -Holding his breath he went swiftly across the room, and opened the -windows, then shutting the door behind him, went into the big saloon. -Waz-Y-Kjesta smiled as he entered. “Where have you been, my friend? I -looked for you everywhere.” - -“Resting,” said Alan grimly. That night he never went to bed, but waited -grimly for what might happen. He was left in peace, however, and toward -dawn slept fitfully. When he woke, he wrote this letter to Chlorie. - - “_Chlorie—The Ipso-Rorka._ - - I beg of you, see me, just once before we alight at Hoormoori. I - overheard the conversation of Kulmervan, and implore you to see me, if - only to clear myself of the imputations your kinsman has made against - me. In any case, believe that I am your devoted servant always. - Command me—I will obey. - - ALAN” - -He took the letter to Morar himself. “I will wait while the Ipso-Rorka -reads it,” said he. - -In a moment she had returned. “She will answer you later.” There were -only four more nights to be spent on board the Chlorie, but much might -happen in that time. There was no sign of the enemy—all Alan could do -was to wait patiently for their next move. - -That night, again, he had no sleep. Soon after he retired, the same -sickly odour permeated the cabin. Again he leant out of the window until -the fumes had passed; this time they were stronger and took a longer -time to dispel. He smiled—it was to be a duel to the end, and he needed -all his wits about him. Certainly, Keemarnians possessed of the -“madness” were more formidable, more crafty, more callous enemies, than -men belonging to Terra. Another night passed—no communication had come -from Chlorie. Alan, weary of his vigil, tried to keep awake, but -drowsiness overcame him, and his last conscious effort was to drag -himself to the window, and rest with his head breathing in the pure air. -Again the sweet fumes entered the room, but Alan had safeguarded -himself. The next night passed without the enemy showing their hand. -They doubtless thought him proof against “serquor” and would take other -methods to rid themselves of his presence. Suddenly in the darkness of -the night, a noise interrupted his musings. There was a jerk—a crash—and -the vessel shivered. Alan flew out of his cabin and met Waz-Y-Kjesta. - -“What is it?” he cried. - -“Nothing to be alarmed about, my friend. Something has happened to the -engine. I have not discovered what, yet—we shall be forced to make a -descent. Luckily there is an island near; we will anchor there, and put -the matter right. We shall be delayed only a very short time, I think.” - -The machine descended in jerks and jumps with many creakings and -groanings, but reached the ground in safety. - -“I will seek Morar, and tell her to acquaint the Ipso-Rorka with this -news,” said the Waz. The whole day passed, and the Y-Kjesta called Alan -in dismay. “I cannot understand it,” said he. “There is a screw missing -here, and that waste pipe has been filled with refuse. It means taking -the whole of the mechanism to pieces, and two days delay at least.” But -Alan guessed who had planned this sinister work, and that night he kept -vigil—not in his own room, but outside the Princess’. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta was frankly puzzled. “Yesterday I fixed up the screw for -the outer valve,” said he, “yet to-day it has gone again. Surely I -couldn’t have dreamt it—yet it could not go without hands.” - -“Perhaps some one has moved it, purposely, for spite,” suggested Alan. - -Y-Kjesta laughed. “Not in Keemar. Besides what for? Who could do such a -foolish thing?” - -True, the faith of a Keemarnian was wonderful. Alan longed to confide in -him—yet dared not. For the second time he made a mistake. Alan saw Morar -and asked her if the Princess’ apartments were quite safe from -intruders. - -“Quite,” said she. “There is only a very small window, and the doors -have heavy bars.” - -“She always keeps them locked?” - -“Always.” - -That night Alan remained in his own cabin, and worn out with continual -watching, fell asleep at his open window. He had a dream so vivid that -he thought it was real, and awoke with a start. Chlorie—the lady of his -heart had appeared to him, arms outstretched, eyes swimming with -tears—“My Lord,” she whispered. “The Cave of Whispering Madness—the -Cave—” Her voice trailed away, something dark came before his eyes, -there was the sound of a scuffle, a small cry, he felt a stabbing pain, -and he awoke. It was broad daylight, and his door was flung open wide -and Waz-Y-Kjesta, usually so placid and calm, was staring at him and -calling him in excited distress. - -“My Alan! Awake! I beg of you—” - -“What is it?” - -“The Ipso-Rorka—is gone.” - -“Gone?” - -“Gone! She has disappeared.” - -“Are you sure?” - -“Morar, her maid, left her as usual last night. This morning she knocked -as usual for the Princess to open the door, which by the way, she always -keeps barred, but she could get no answer. Thinking her mistress had -overslept she went round to look in at the window. The bed was -empty—Chlorie was not there” - -“Where is Kulmervan?” asked Alan thickly. - -“Kulmervan?” - -“Yes. Is he on the boat?” - -“I do not know” - -“Go and see at once, and I’ll go to Morar” - -The Ipso-Rorka’s little maid was crying bitterly. Without any ceremony -Alan forced the door. The bed was rumpled and rough; the silken -coverlets twisted and torn—Chlorie had not gone without a struggle! - -Waz-Y-Kjesta came to Alan, with consternation written all over his face. -“Three are missing altogether” said he “Can some evil spirit have taken -them? Kulmervan and Waiko are nowhere to be found” - -“I thought as much” said Alan savagely. He glanced rapidly round the -room. A pile of papers lay on a desk. He smoothed them out. There, in a -little blue envelope addressed to himself, was a letter from his dear -one. He opened it quickly. - - “_My Lord_, (it ran) - - Since you saved me from my kinsman, Kulmervan my cousin has once more - forced himself into my presence. He is possessed of a madness. I beg - of you save me from him. I have looked at you often and I know now I - was deceived by him when he whispered tales of your evil doing. I - trust you implicitly. I do as you bid me. I command your help. - - CHLORIE” - -Then underneath was written, - - “He has spoken to me again through my window. He threatens me with - dishonour—disgrace. He talks of the Cave of Whispering Madness. Come - to me on receipt of this” - -“The cur” muttered Alan. He turned to Y-Kjesta. “Where is the Cave of -Whispering-Madness?” - -“I have never heard of it, my Alan” - -“Listen. I am going to find Chlorie. Wait for me here with the air bird. -Should I fail to come by the time the Kymo has sunk ten times—go at once -to the Rorka, and ask him to send his aid here” - -“Where then, is Chlorie?” - -“I don’t know, but I’m going to do my best to find out. This island -isn’t very big—ten miles square at the most, and I intend to search -every bit of it if necessary, to find her” - -“What about Kulmervan and Waiko?” - -“Should you see them, put them under restraint. Bar their windows, and -prevent their escape. They are both possessed of the madness—but there, -I doubt if you’ll see them. Where Chlorie is—there shall I also find -Kulmervan and Waiko” - -“Can I come too?” - -“No, my friend. You stay here and watch in case Chlorie comes. I go -now—I shall take no provision with me—fruit will be my meat, and the sap -of the water tree my drink. Farewell” and Alan leapt over the bulwarks -and disappeared from sight in the thick brush and undergrowth of the -island. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - ALAN—THE KNIGHT ERRANT - - -As Alan leapt over the bulwarks, his quick eye caught sight of -footmarks, two going one way, and two the other, with perhaps five feet -between them. “So,” said he grimly to himself, “they were carrying her -between them. Poor little Chlorie.” The tracks were easy to follow, they -led down to the sea and along the seashore. Steadily they went on and -Alan followed dauntlessly. There was no attempt made to cover their -traces. On they went, carrying their burden between them. - -They had about ten hours start, and although night was falling, Alan -continued at his self imposed task. Darker and darker it grew, until at -length it was impossible to see the footmarks, so he sat down hopelessly -to wait for the dawn. - -The night was chilly and the rain poured down, so Alan was soaked to the -skin, and shivered violently as the grey dawn rose. The rain had almost -obliterated the marks, but they showed up faintly here and there on the -wet sand. He had no time to look at the scenery through which he was -passing—his one thought was Chlorie—not the Princess, but Chlorie the -woman, Chlorie his love. - -On, on he went all day, and still the footprints showed here and there. -Night came, and again he was forced to rest and wait for the light. He -was colder than ever, he shivered violently, and longed for the warmth -of the sun. That night he never slept at all, and he rose in the early -morning light stiff and tired. His head felt light, his limbs ached, and -the one thing he could think of coherently was Chlorie. - -Suddenly all traces of the marks vanished. He hunted high and low, but -all to no purpose; they ended as abruptly as if the pursued had been -snatched up into the heavens. - -Two nights and two days he wandered to and fro. He was chilled to the -bone, and was in a high fever. At last he had to give in, and lay under -the shelter of a tree. The warmth of the sun revived him, and he crawled -weakly to a bush on which grew luscious plums, ate his fill and slept. -When he awoke he felt better and stronger. Perhaps he had been -dreaming—the footprints _must_ go on. But no, they came to an end at a -grassy edge, and there was no mark to show that human beings had passed -that way. He spent that day hunting for a sign of the fugitives, but was -unsuccessful, and wearily retraced his way to the air bird. - -The scenery was beautiful. The island rose to a chain of peaks in the -centre, and beautiful passes and wooded valleys led through the -mountains to the further side. The vegetation was purely tropical. -Palms, breast high, grew to the edge of the sea shore; the undergrowth -showed no sign of any animal inhabitants; not a twig was broken, not a -leaf trampled upon, to mark the passage of a foreign body. Alan made the -return journey quickly, and soon found himself at the edge of the bush. -But the “Chlorie” had gone! There were the signs of where she had -rested; the mark on the sand of her wheels; an oily patch on the ground -showing where her engines had been lubricated—but all sign of her had -vanished. Had Waz-Y-Kjesta failed him, or had Chlorie returned? He felt -in his pockets—there was a scrap of paper and a pencil. “I am going -inland,” he wrote. “If you come back, search for me. Alan.” He pegged it -to the ground close to where the Chlorie had been anchored, and turning -his face westwards, retraced his footsteps. - -Time passed without his reckoning. When the nights came he lived for the -day; and in the day time he dreaded the coming of the night. He reached -the place where the footsteps ceased at dusk, and for the first time for -days, slept through the night peacefully. His fever had abated, but he -still felt curiously weak. Yet his brain was clear, and he set to work -again to hunt carefully for the missing ones. Yard by yard he worked, -and at last his patience was rewarded. There, on a bush low on the -ground, he saw a piece of something blue that fluttered on the breeze. -He stooped and picked it off the twig—it was blue silk, and with a -thrill he recognized it as a piece of Chlorie’s dress. Feverishly he -looked round him; alas, there was no other piece to act as a further -guide. A thought came to him, and he lay flat on the ground and peered -under the bush. There, a grassy avenue unfolded itself before his -wondering gaze—it had been completely hidden by the dense woody -undergrowth. So it was under this bush they had made their escape, and -it was probably in dragging the unconscious girl through, that her dress -was torn. - -Alan wormed his way under the bushes, and gasped in wonder at the vista -opened out before him. A straight avenue—bordered on either side by -thick bushes and overhanging trees, ran perhaps two miles in a straight -line. The grass underfoot was soft and velvety, and a narrow streamlet -ran over white stones at one side. The bushes were laden with fruit, but -even a cursory glance showed that a quantity had been picked quite -recently. Twigs bearing fruit had been roughly broken off, and trampled -under foot. On went Alan until he reached the end of the avenue, where -four paths branched out in four different directions. He hesitated for a -second—all four looked like virgin ground. But his eyes were quickened -by love, and only love could have noticed a small patch of damp earth -close to the water’s edge from where a stone had been kicked aside in a -hasty transit. He looked round and saw the stone, its under side still -damp—and knew that the fugitives were not too far off. - -Down the path he went which twisted and turned, now narrow now wide -again. Suddenly the path also came to an end, and thick bushes and low -growing vegetation barred his way. Profiting by his past experience, he -tried to peer under the bushes, but could find no sign of an outlet -anywhere. All at once there came the sound of voices so close that he -turned quickly, expecting to see figures behind him. But there was no -one in sight. He listened intently—the voices came again—the Keemarnian -tongue which he could understand quite well by this time— “—will leave -you here,” “—spare me, I beg”—“leave you here”—“Kulmervan have -mercy—mercy.” - -It was all very disjointed, and the sounds seemed to come from every -direction. Again he heard his loved one’s voice—distorted it is true, -but even in the hoarse tones, he recognized that it was Chlorie -speaking. “—get away.—help me. Waiko help—my father will reward—Waiko—” -The voice trailed off. Alan was frankly puzzled. The voice came first -behind, then before him—then it seemed to come from Heaven itself. A -hoarse laugh sounded—Kulmervan’s. Alan was on the near track at last. -Again the maniacal laugh came, fading away in the distance. Alan -realized the trick nature had played him. He was listening not to the -tones of his loved one, or her abductor, but to an echo. The originals -might still be many miles away. - -Madly he tried to force his way through the undergrowth. It was -impossible. All night long he stayed in the little cul-de-sac, and at -intervals caught fragments of conversation. - -“prevent her escaping.—torture her if need be.” - -“—love me Chlorie, just love me,” “—save me, Waiko!” - -“—keep you with me always.” - -The madness indeed possessed Kulmervan and his friend. - -When the sun rose Alan made one more attempt to leave the enclosure. -Crawling on his belly, he wormed his way round the roots of the bushes. -At last he discovered an opening. He crept through it, low upon the -ground. When he got through, a network of pathways confronted him, but -it was quite easy to discover the pathway Kulmervan had taken. Feeling -secure in his flight, he now refrained from attempting to cover his -tracks. By the broken grass and branches, the general upheaval of the -soil, Alan was convinced that through this part of their retreat, they -had dragged their unwilling victim along the path, so he ground his -teeth and swore softly under his breath. - -Twisting and turning the path opened out into a valley—a valley of rocks -and stones between two mighty mountains. The scene was desolate, awe -inspiring, dreary—almost terrifying in its grandeur. For perhaps two -miles he followed it, until again it narrowed and the character of the -scene changed. Once more it was a leafy lane he was traversing, that -might have been in Devonshire, with its red earth and dainty ferns. - -At intervals during the day he heard the echo, and it led him on—on—to -his love. - -A sound came upon his ear; it was that of voices—real voices, this -time—no longer an echo. Cautiously he crept from tree to tree. There in -the centre of a clearing sat Kulmervan. His robe was torn, his skin -scratched—his eyes held a look of madness. At his feet stretched Waiko, -listening eagerly to his friend’s counsel. And tied to a tree, her fair -hair covering her, her garments lying strewn on the ground beside her, -torn from her body by her half mad kinsman, Kulmervan—was Chlorie. Her -head was sunk on her breast. She was breathing heavily. - -Alan dared not move—it was two against one, and he had to save himself -for her. Silent as a sleuth hound, he watched and waited; and even as he -did so Chlorie lifted her head and gazed across the bodies of the two -Keemarnians. Through the leafy spaces their eyes met. Into hers came -recognition, followed by a flush of shame, as she shook her hair closer -still about her gleaming body. Then she smiled a trustful smile, and -dropped her head once more upon her breast. - - - - - CHAPTER X - THE CAVE OF WHISPERING MADNESS - - -Throughout the night Alan watched. Never did Kulmervan move from his -place in the clearing—never did his eyes close nor did he show the -slightest inclination to sleep. Towards morning Waiko raised himself -from the ground. He was pitiable to look upon. Led on by a stronger will -the madness had come upon him also. But it was a weaker madness than -that which affected Kulmervan—it was a madness that chattered and -gibbered in the sun, that laughed and cackled insanely—a madness that -was pitiful to behold. - -Alan watched through the leafy branches, and as the dawn rose, many -times he met Chlorie’s questioning gaze with looks of encouragement and -help. And she knew that when the time was ripe, this strange Lord from -another world would save and deliver her. - -As Kulmervan still made no attempt to move, Alan wondered whether it -would be possible to overpower him. He made a movement and the slight -sound was heard. Kulmervan sprang to his feet and looked round, and Alan -saw he was clutching the huge limb of a tree—a formidable weapon in a -madman’s hands. He was evidently not satisfied, and peered round the -tree trunks carefully. Quietly Alan crept behind a large bush, and -dropping on his belly he wormed himself underneath it until he was -completely hidden. - -The crackling of a twig was heard by the madman, who, with his dormant -passions aroused was a dangerous enemy. He spoke sharply to Waiko. “What -sound is that, my Waiko? Is it the stranger that tracketh us?” - -“I know not,” said Waiko shuddering. “Oh, Kulmervan, my friend, let us -leave the Ipso-Rorka here, and flee from the wrath of her father.” - -“Nonsense, my Waiko! When the Rorka is told that his daughter, Chlorie -the Fair, Chlorie the Pure, has spent forty and one nights with us in -the darkness, he will be glad to give his soiled goods into my keeping -for ever. Then in good time, I shall become Rorka. Shall I not punish my -Chlorie then, for her indifference and insults?” - -Waiko shuddered. - -“My Chlorie,” cried Kulmervan suddenly, his manner changing. “Will you -not promise me your hand? Oh, my darling, forgive me—I love you so—I -love you. Give me your hand—swear before Waiko that you’ll take me for -your mate. I’ll be so good to you—I’ll love you so” His voice was -pleading. His earnestness could not be doubted, yet Alan knew it was but -a moment’s lull in the disordered brain. - -Chlorie never answered a word, and her silence drove Kulmervan again to -threats. Tearing a handful of withes from the side of a running brook, -he lashed the captive Princess across her legs with the stinging rushes. -With an oath Alan burst from his hiding place, and was on the back of -his enemy, before Kulmervan could recover from his astonishment. - -Then followed a terrific fight. Alan with all his knowledge of the -scientific sport was unable to get in a knockout blow. He parried and -thrust, and landed Kulmervan a heavy blow under his jaw. His opponent -tottered for a moment, but the blow had no lasting effect, and the heavy -Keemarnian struck mightier blows still at his enemy. Waiko was entirely -demoralized. He stood watching the fight—his breath coming in gasps, his -blue eyes staring, his teeth chattering. As an ally, he was useless to -Kulmervan; as an enemy he counted as naught to Alan. - -Chlorie, tied tightly to the tree, was unable to move. Her wide open -eyes followed the fighters in an agony of spirit; but not a sound came -from her lips. True to the tradition of her land, the daughter of the -Rorka gave no audible sign of her terror. Alan knew he was weakening. -Imperceptibly at first he lost ground, but gradually he realized that -his blows had no effect upon the Keemarnian. His hasty rush into the -field of battle was worse than useless—he could no longer help his love. -The Keemarnian gave him one terrific blow in the stomach. His wind -went—he gasped, choked for breath, crumpled up and sank to the ground. - -Kulmervan left his vanquished enemy’s side and went to Waiko who had -been stupidly watching the scene. - -“Watch him,” he commanded. “If he show any sign of awakening, give him a -blow with this. It will be sufficient to put him to sleep again,” and he -tossed the heavy stick beside the prostrate body. - -Brutally he untied the ropes that bound Chlorie. She was stiff and weak, -and the agony as the blood once more coursed freely through her veins, -was almost more than she could bear. Still she remained silent, and with -a noble gesture of majesty, stooped, and drew her mantle of blue about -her naked body. Two other garments still lay on the ground—with a sudden -thought she caught one up, and drew it within the folds of her cloak. -She had a plan! Love had been born to her, in that exquisite moment of -agony when she saw Alan knocked down. Her soul cried out within her that -here was her mate at last. Her fine sense of belief and trust told her -that it was impossible that he was sleeping the sleep of serquor. -Sometime he would rise again—bruised, bleeding, torn, perhaps, but rise -he would, and come to her aid. - -Kulmervan took her roughly by the arm. “Come,” said he. “Waiko wait -until the Kymo is full in the Heavens—it is but a short time. If Alan -the Evil has not moved by then, follow me quickly. Always to the East, -my friend. Always take the most easterly path, and you will find me.” - -“Where are you going?” asked Waiko in horror. - -“To the Cave of Whispering Madness,” said he, and involuntarily Chlorie -shuddered. - -“Do you know where it is, my Kulmervan?” asked Waiko. - -“Yes. Have I not been there often? Ah, my friend, I arranged that the -engines should fail. Ah, oft times should I have been in the Hall of -Sorrows, but I came here instead, and of my own free will. I know the -place I intend taking you to—I will show you sights—sights I have -seen—ha! ha! ha!” and with a wild burst of laughter he dragged his -unwilling captive through the bushes, and made his way Eastward. - -Waiko remained silent, watching his vanishing friend. His mind was -working strangely. The madness had left a deep sense of fear in the -heart of Waiko. The inanimate body of Alan seemed to point to his -undoing. The blood trickled slowly down the unconscious man’s face till -there was a little red pool shining wickedly on the green grass. With a -cry, Waiko picked up the club and swung it once, twice round his head. -But as he would have swung it a third time, it slipped out of his -nerveless fingers, and went spinning a hundred feet away. With a cry at -his loneliness, Waiko turned and fled after Kulmervan. In a short space -of time he had caught them up, and noticed with surprise that Chlorie -was walking almost willingly with her captor. There was a rope passed -round her body, it was true, but it was slack in the centre, and -although she lagged somewhat behind, there was no need to drag her -along. - -“Alan?” questioned Kulmervan, as Waiko reached him. - -“Is serquor.” - -“Good.” - -“I struck him, as he rose to hurt me. With one mighty blow I felled him -to the ground. The heavy weapon you left with me I dashed on his head.— -Now he lies quiet, and cold and bloody.” Waiko almost believed his -story, and as he recounted it, he looked upon himself as a hero. - -“’Tis well, my Waiko,” said Kulmervan. “What say you to that, my -Chlorie? Alan is serquor—never more will Kymo rise upon his smiling -face. Never more will he force his presence upon the people of Keemar. -He is gone for ever from our sight.” - -But Chlorie made no reply—only from beneath her mantle could be seen a -slight convulsive movement, and from underneath came a tiny tatter of -blue, that caught on a rose bush and fluttered in the breeze. - -Birds singing—sweetly smelling flowers—a sense of hunger and thirst. -These were the first conscious thoughts Alan had, as he opened his eyes -on the world once more. He rose from the ground. His head was sore, but -the bleeding had ceased. He plucked some luscious fruit that grew low to -the ground. It revived him. Then he tried to think. Chlorie had been -taken from him once more—but he would find her yet. He tenderly touched -the tree to which she had been bound—and stooped and picked up the -silken garment she had left behind. It was just a piece of soft, blue -drapery that crumpled into nothingness in his hand. He kissed it -reverently—it was part of his love. - -He looked round wearily—there, attached to a bush was a piece of -something blue—he bent over it—it was part of her gown. Further down, in -the very centre of the path was another piece, while in the distance he -could see yet a third. It was a sign. Chlorie was directing him the way -she had gone. The trail was difficult to follow. The breeze had blown -many pieces away altogether—others it had carried away playfully into a -wrong direction, but by careful watchfulness, he discovered the right -way, and there were always the little pieces of blue to guide him. - -Then he lost the trail altogether. The last piece of blue was caught on -a stone at the bottom of a mighty face of rock. No matter where he -looked, there was no shred of blue to cheer him. He ran his hand over -the surface of the rock, it was of a reddish sandstone and quite smooth. -All around was a low-lying valley with neither a stone nor a tree behind -which any one could hide. He could see for about ten miles, and there -was no sign of the fugitives. Backward and forward he walked by the -mighty wall of rock, and always his journey ended by the last little -flutter of blue. The cliff rose sheer perhaps three hundred feet, and -the solid wall extended as far as eye could reach. It was unthinkable -that Kulmervan had scaled the wall—yet whither had he gone? - -Suddenly he heard a rumbling noise; the sound of a thousand people -whispering, and in front of him a huge slab of rock swung back, -revealing a cavity within. The whispering grew louder and louder. He -looked round for a hiding place. There was none—so without a moment’s -hesitation he leapt inside the darkened cavern. A narrow path led -downwards, and it was up this path the whispering seemed to be coming; -whispering that sounded like a veritable army speaking in hushed tones. -There was a piece of rock jutting out—Alan slipped into its embracing -shadows, and waited. The sounds came nearer and nearer—then Kulmervan -appeared with Waiko at his side. “The voices whispered that a stranger -was coming. The voices are never wrong. See, my Waiko, see yonder if -Alan the Evil is approaching.” The voice whispered and rolled in the -darkness. The whole place was unwholesome and terrifying. - -Kulmervan followed Waiko into the sunlight. Immediately they were out of -sight, Alan slipped from his hiding place and ran swiftly down the -narrow passageway. The faster he ran, the faster he drew in his breath, -and it seemed as if a thousand men were mocking him. He sighed as his -breath caught in his throat—immediately there were a thousand sighs -behind him. Quicker, quicker he tore down the passage, to where he -hoped, somewhere he would find his love hidden. The path was steep and -narrow and was in total darkness, and he risked his life in his mad rush -through the whispering horrors. He heard the voices again! Kulmervan and -Waiko had returned. Blindly he rushed on—stumbling here, tripping there, -in his haste to reach the Ipso-Rorka. - -The path took an upward turn—he tripped over something. Putting his -hands out before him, he felt on the ground. Rough steps had been cut -out of the rock. Steadily he mounted upwards—upwards—the darkness was -intense—the whispering shadows terrifying; but he never ceased his mad -pace, so eager was he to reach Chlorie. - -Steadily he ascended the stairs—they seemed interminable. Then in the -distance, he saw a yellowish spot of light. As he rose higher, it became -bigger, until it ended in a blaze of brightness. He had reached the top -and was in an enormous cavern lit by torches in sockets all round the -walls. The awful grandeur of the place startled him. In the very centre -was a huge figure, twenty feet high. It was seated on a throne and had -its hands outspread as if in benediction. It possessed a terrible face, -cruel, hard, sensual,—and the incongruity of the posing of the hands -struck Alan at once. Round the cave, at equal distances, were other -figures, all enormous in stature, and possessing in their features the -same bestial cruelty and lust. Stalactites hung from the roof. -Stalactites forty feet long—Stalactites fifty feet long. Stalactites -glorious, yet like deadly serpents with heads outstretched ready to -strike. In one corner of the place was a huge beast in stone. Once it -had lived, no doubt, now it was fossilized and cold. It was similar to -the ichthyosaurus of prehistoric days—an evil-looking beast in its life, -but infinitely more terrible in its stone period. - -Every movement Alan made was intensified a thousand times in this Cave -of Whispering Madness. He realized what the name meant. It could indeed, -drive the sanest man mad. He realized that he had a fair start of the -two Keemarnians, and hurriedly hunted for his lost love. Softly he -called, but although her name reverberated from floor to roof, no -answering cry took up his challenge. Then whispering voices sounded -nearer. Silently he slipped behind the stone monster that had once lived -and mated. He was only just in time. Still louder grew the whisperings, -and Kulmervan and Waiko appeared at the top of the stairway. With the -greatest difficulty Alan was able to distinguish their words. The -whisperings were so loud, so sibilant, that the voices sounded like one -long hiss. - -The two Keemarnians came close to the big carved figure in the centre of -the cave. Kulmervan bent low on both knees before the hideous figure. -“Spirit of our Fathers,” he cried out. “Humbly I pray, take my soul into -thy keeping. It is thine—thine for ever—but in return, I pray you, grant -me Chlorie’s love. See, I sprinkle thee with my blood in ratification of -my bond,” and with a short knife he severed a vein in his arm and -sprinkled the statue with the warm, red fluid. - -Waiko was whispering, “Mitzor the Mighty, have mercy! Have mercy!” - -“Fool,” cried Kulmervan. “Why mention that name here? I have bargained -with Pirox the Killer—I belong to him. Chlorie shall be mine. You have -come thus far with me, my Waiko, but further thou shalt go. Down, down -on thy knees before Pirox—admit that he is great—greater than Mitzor! -Ask a favour—nay demand a favour—seal it with thy blood.” - -Waiko went down on his knees. His face was ashen—he was trembling in -every limb. Then came a strange duet, intensified a thousand times by -the whisperings. “Mitzor the Mighty.” “Pirox the Killer.” “Pirox.” -“Mitzor.” “Mitzor.” “Pirox.” - -In a passion Kulmervan arose, and struck Waiko, down. “Lie there, thou -dog,” he cried. “May thou sleep for ever in serquor. I alone am mighty. -Pirox alone is great.” Waiko never moved, he showed no signs of -breathing. Had he indeed fallen into the trance-like state that the -inhabitants of Keemar so dreaded? It seemed hopeless to Alan, that he -would ever find Chlorie in this cavern of horror. He realized at last -that Kulmervan was a degenerate. The entrance of poor Murdoch had not -caused the madness. No doubt he had posed as a good Keemarnian, but he -suffered from the madness, and deep in his heart even denied the -existence of Mitzor the Mighty, the Great White Glory, and indulged in -devil worship and fetish honour. What this Cave of Whispering Madness -was Alan could not conjecture—perhaps in some far gone age, fallen -Jovians had met here; made the Temple for their abominable worship, and -lived a second life, unsuspected by their friends. - -That the image in the centre was their god, Alan was convinced. But how -had Kulmervan discovered it? Had it been handed down to him from his -childhood, or had he in some way found it for himself? If was pitiful to -see—a young Keemarnian of noble lineage, saturated with heathen -mythology and heretical dogma. In truth he was a menace to his -companions, living a life of deceit and sin. His was a complex -character, for there was much that was sweet and lovable about him, and -he was much to be pitied, for when his secret was discovered he would -indeed become a pariah and an outcast. At the moment he felt he was -safe, and continued his “Black Sacrifice.” - -For Chlorie’s sake, Alan was forced to witness in silence the horrors -that followed. At the foot of the statue was a slab of stone—raised -perhaps ten inches from the ground. Upon it were ominous red stains. -Quickly Kulmervan set about his business. In one corner of the cave were -piles of brushwood—these he piled high under the stone slab. With a -mighty effort he lifted the senseless Waiko upon it, and rested his head -in a tiny curve at one end. Alan shuddered to see how it fitted the -neck. The use of the slab was plain to see. He set fire to the wood by -one of the torches, and the smoke curled up and the wood hissed and -sizzled. - -When the fire was safely alight, Kulmervan went to a corner of the -cavern, and touched a hidden spring. A door opened, and revealed a -flight of steps inside, leading below. As soon as he was out of sight, -Alan rushed from his hiding place, lifted Waiko from the altar and hid -him behind the mammoth fossil. - -But the noise of his movements was magnified a thousandfold by the -hideous whispering echoes of the place. Waiko was still and quiet—he -scarcely breathed, and Alan dared not try to revive him. Kulmervan -returned bearing in his arms a precious burden in blue. Alan started, -and leant forward; his darling was not unconscious, but was submitting -to the indignity put upon her with her usual patience. At the altar he -stopped in frozen amazement. The stone was beginning to show red,—the -deadly fire should have begun its work—but the altar was empty. He -looked round—there was no one in sight. With a cry of rage he let go the -rope to which Chlorie was fastened, put her to the ground, and darted to -the head of the stairway leading to the cave’s entrance. And the yells -of his curses and imprecations rose on the air, in volumes of sinister -whisperings. - -Alan was but six feet from his dear one. With a mighty rush he leapt -from his hiding place, and caught Chlorie in his arms. He made for the -secret door through which Kulmervan had brought her; Kulmervan heard the -sounds and was just in time to see two figures disappearing through the -little door. With another oath he strode across the cave—but the figures -had a big start. They had closed the door behind them, and his fingers -hesitated over the secret lock; so he was delayed by his own impatience -and anger. - -Chlorie had given herself up for lost, and when she felt two strong arms -encircle her a vague terror came over her, but even as she was lifted -up, a voice whispered in her ear—“Have no fear. ’Tis I—Alan. Trust -yourself to me and I will save you.” Her emotion was too great for her -to speak, but she let herself nestle in comfort in the arms of the -powerful stranger. - -The door clanged behind them—more stairs, very narrow. Down Alan went, -and the darkness gave place to a faint light. - -“Where are we?” asked Alan. - -“I don’t know—but there is a cave down here which is kept padlocked—it -was there I was imprisoned.” - -Alan looked round quickly; the passage had widened and openings led off -on either side. Immediately in front of them seemed to come the -daylight. - -“Can you run?” he asked tenderly. - -“Yes—yes. Oh, to be free of Kulmervan!” Through the dim light they went. -The whisperings were not quite as bad as in the upper cave, but still -they were quite fearsome enough. They seemed to people the place with -dead men—men who laughed, and jeered, and pointed their clammy fingers -at their victims. But upon the whisperings came a more fearful -sound—Kulmervan’s laughter! - -“Hurry—hurry, my Princess.” - -“I cannot,” she breathed. “My heart beats—it hurts me to talk.” Without -a word he picked the light burden again up in his arms and made off at a -still greater pace; she flung one arm round his neck and clung to him -confidingly. Nearer came the laughter. It was so close that it seemed -almost on the top of them. Alan never forgot that journey; with his -precious burden in his arms he hurried onward, always following the -light. And nearer and nearer came the footsteps of the madman. At last -they turned a corner—the cave opened out and they saw Kymo, shining in -all his glory; the sea was breaking gently on the golden shore. - -There was plenty of shelter near; rocks abounded and the vegetation was -thick. Alan ran to where a dozen rocks, man high, rose from the -seashore. There was in one a crevice that was wide enough to admit -Chlorie. - -“Stay there,” he whispered. - -“Oh, don’t leave me.” - -“I won’t leave you for long I promise you—but I want to watch for -Kulmervan.” - -“Take care of yourself,” she pleaded. “Oh, run no risks, I pray.” - -With a quick glance round Alan left the shelter of the rocks. No one was -in sight—Kulmervan had not shown himself. Quickly Alan made his way to -the cave from which they had emerged. He entered it, and to his -amazement found it had no exit. Solid walls blocked his way—it was just -a hollowed out rock on the sands, going inland, perhaps ten or twelve -feet only. Alan was perplexed. He had marked it as he thought by a big -coloured boulder at its entrance; but upon careful examination he found -there were dozens and dozens of such boulders all over the beach. -Stepping from his hiding place he walked to the next cave; that upon -examination proved to go deep into the earth, but it was not the cave -from which they had escaped into the open. Wildly he rushed up and down. -Twenty, thirty caves he encountered all like, very like, the one he was -seeking. Some had narrow passages that twisted and turned and ended in a -cave next door. Others went further, and after many serpentine turnings, -brought him back to the place from which he had started. He knew he was -in a dangerous position; any one of these caves might hold Kulmervan—an -observer, but unobserved. Rapidly Alan made up his mind. With Chlorie he -would leave the cave district altogether—they would strike inland. If -they were still on the island, they would endeavour to find their way -back to where the air bird had been anchored. That Waz-Y-Kjesta would -return Alan was convinced—and when he did so, they would be saved. - -Having made up his mind, he began to retrace his footsteps—but a hoarse -burst of laughter startled him. He rushed to the mouth of the cave. -There, sailing away to sea in a frail craft, was Kulmervan. It was just -a raft he was on, with a tiny makeshift sail. But it was not at -Kulmervan that Alan was staring horror stricken—incredulous. But at a -blue figure near the helm—a little blue figure that was tied to a post -to which the main-sail was fastened; a little blue figure that held out -her arms imploringly to the shore. Alan could only stare and stare, -incredulous, unbelieving—but the little craft grew smaller and smaller -as it was tossed on the waves. Alan rushed to the rocks—the crevice was -empty—Chlorie had once more been snatched from his arms. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - THE WRAITHS OF THE RORKAS - - -Alan remained motionless, watching the little craft vanish from his ken. -He was thinking hard. Kulmervan had so far got the better of him, but -the game was not yet won. It might be check to the King, but Alan was -far from being mated. His eye searched the beach—there was nothing in -sight; neither boat, nor sailing craft. He looked behind him at the many -yawning cavern entrances. He was still in doubt as to the one which led -to the Cave of Whispering Madness. He clenched his hands together till -the knuckles showed white—there he was, alone on an island, impotent, -useless—while the woman he loved was in the hands of a madman, and in -danger, not of death as he knew it, but of dishonour, disgrace, and -perhaps serquor itself. - -There was a mist at sea, and already the little barque had been -swallowed up in its grey folds—nothing was in sight on the broad expanse -of water. He looked above him—he saw no air bird in the heavens, its -body gleaming in the light. On the island there was no trace of humanity -but himself. Hope seemed far away. Then suddenly he remembered -Kulmervan’s words. “Take the most easterly path, my Waiko. Always to the -East.” Unconsciously he turned to the left, and walked quickly across -the sands. A great promontory of rock stood out before him, hiding from -sight the next little bay. He strode towards it, and found it was -impossible to get round it. Already the water was too deep, so he made -up his mind to scale it. Clambering up the slippery rocks, he at length -reached the top. There before him lay the whole stretch of coast line. -Tiny bays; little rivulets coming down narrow valleys and emptying -themselves at last in the sea; rugged headlands, and grassy slopes all -took their place in the picture. None of these things, however focussed -themselves upon his mind; one thing only he saw, and one thing only drew -him helter skelter over the rugged rocks. A tiny boat, almost like the -Rob Roy canoe he favoured in his ’varsity days, lay drawn high up on the -beach, and near it, a little log cabin was built at the water’s edge. - -Hurriedly he made his way to the little hut, and knocked loudly on the -door. There was no reply and he tried it; it opened at his touch. He -entered it—it was deserted, but he soon had proof of its owner. Upon the -wall hung a beautiful painting of Chlorie—and it was signed “Kulmervan, -from his kinswoman. Chlorie.” On a table by the window was a pile of -books, and on the fly leaf of nearly every one was written in a strong -hand, “Kulmervan, Taz-Ak of the House of Pluthoz.” Mostly the books were -on Astronomy and Alan noticed with amusement one was called “Quilphis, -or the most important unimportant Planet.” Quilphis—Terra! His world, -once his all—now nothing. - -He looked round the room, a door led on one side to the sleeping -apartment, and on the other to the kitchen and offices. The whole place -was tastefully furnished and showed signs of frequent use. Alan hurried -to the seashore—the little craft was called the Chlorie. He sprang into -it, and pushed off. In the bow he saw a tiny engine with three levers. -He was already slightly acquainted with the simple Keemarnian machinery, -so he pulled one down with assurance. Instantly the boat skimmed along -the water at a terrific speed. Hastily he touched the second, a slower -pace resulted, and the third stopped the boat altogether. With the first -speed on, he ploughed out to the horizon. He could see no trace of -Kulmervan. The sea was desolate and bare. He felt hopeless. Had -Kulmervan swamped the boat, and were he and Chlorie now lying dead at -the bottom of the sea? Death! He knew the Jovians had no death—yet -surely they were not immune from drowning? Perhaps they would remain on -the sea’s bed—serquor. The thought maddened him, and savagely he turned -the boat first this way, then that, in his hopeless endeavour to find -the fugitives. Kymo had sunk, darkness was setting in—he could see the -faint outlines of the hut. Suddenly two beams of light shone out from -its windows, which were as suddenly obscured. Kulmervan had doubtless -returned. Quickly he turned the boat towards shore; he drew close in and -beached her without a sound. Quietly he crept up to the open window and -moved the heavy curtain ever so slightly. - -There was Kulmervan in his easy chair, reading a book—but he was alone. -A knock sounded and a man appeared. - -“Do you want refreshment now, my lord?” he asked. - -“Yes, Arrack. At once.” - -“Shall I take refreshment to the lady, your mate?” - -“No, Arrack. But stay—take her a glass of wine, and,” fumbling on his -table—“melt this pellet in it. She will fall asleep. When she is asleep, -carry her hither and place her in my room. ’Tis my wedding night, -Arrack. I have an unwilling bride it’s true, but before Pirox the -Killer, my mate shall she be this night.” - -Arrack smiled evilly. “’Tis well, my lord. I will do thy bidding.” - -“When you have brought her hither, stand sentinel at the rocky ledge. If -Alan the Evil should appear, strike him down, bind him and acquaint me. -Should that happen to him, then Pirox the Killer again will have a -victim.” - -Silently Arrack left the room to return almost immediately with a tray -laden with food. - -“Where did you go this midday, Arrack?” asked his master. - -“To the Cave of Whispering Madness, my master. I built the sacrificial -pyre beneath the altar. Everything is in readiness. I hardly expected -you so soon. Two Kymos should have passed before you came.” - -“The pyre is ready? Good! But what did you with the Chlorie?” - -“’Tis on the beach as it always is.” - -“Nay,” said Kulmervan, “when I landed at the covered bay, I dragged my -unwilling bride by way of the beach. The Chlorie was not there, and I -thought you must have sailed to the mainland for food.” - -“It is there I swear, my lord.” - -Kulmervan looked puzzled. “Could Alan have found it and—” he -began—then—“Go quickly, Arrack, and see.” - -Alan slipped round the corner of the hut, and in the darkness stood -flush with the wall, completely hidden. He saw the figure of Arrack run -lightly down to the beach, heard him get into the boat, and as quickly -return. He reached his coign of vantage in time to hear Arrack say, “It -is there, my lord. I saw and touched it. It has moved its position -slightly, but the wind has been rather high to-day; otherwise it was as -I left it.” - -“That puling girl has taken my senses away,” grumbled Kulmervan. “I can -think of naught but her. Go, Arrack, fetch her here. But remember, give -her the wine first. When she awakens, she will have become my mate,” and -he chuckled hoarsely. - -Alan was in a quandary, he scarcely knew what to do. Was the secret way -into the place where Chlorie was hidden, in the cabin or not? He wormed -his way round the hut, and as he did so, he saw a door open, and in the -ray of light a figure cross to a little lean-to shed, that had been -built against some high ground. He gave Arrack a moment or two of grace -and then followed him in. There on the floor was an open trap door with -some steps leading from it into the unknown below. A length of cord was -in a corner of the shed, Alan picked it up and then followed Arrack. At -the foot of the steps, a subterranean passage led for some distance, and -then opened out into a large cave. He remembered it—it was the one -immediately under the secret exit in the Cave of Whispering Madness. - -He saw Arrack in front of him—he had taken a key from his waist and had -undone a heavy, metal door. Silently Alan crept nearer and nearer to -him. He heard the sound of liquid being poured into a glass. He heard -Chlorie’s gentle word of thanks. Now he could see the grim tragedy. -Chlorie had finished the wine, and was now swaying to and fro; she -tottered and fell on to a low couch in a corner of her prison. Arrack -watched her until he was convinced she was fast asleep, then he put the -wine bottle down and bent over the prostrate girl. He remembered no -more—a mighty blow rendered him unconscious, and Alan tied up his -unresisting foe, and left him helpless upon the ground. - -Tenderly he raised Chlorie and bent over her—he was aching to kiss her -sweet lips, but he remembered her anguished cry, “Not my lips, -Kulmervan, not my lips.” No, until she offered them of her own free -will, they should remain sacred to him. He knew she would sleep deeply -for some time, so he examined his quarters. Chlorie’s cell was hewn out -of the solid rock, with nothing in it but a chair, a table and a settee. -There was the passage leading to the log cabin; the one with the glimmer -of light that led he knew to the sea shore; and the one to the cave -above. To the right, there was a tiny passage that looked almost like a -crack in the rock. He peered through—it led on into the distance, and he -was determined to try that. Arrack had carried a lamp which gave a good -light. Alan picked it up, lifted Chlorie gently, and started down the -passage. He wondered whether it would lead to safety, or to adventures -even more horrible than many of those he had been through. He held -Chlorie tightly; he was determined not to lose her again. Again the -passage opened out into a cave—narrowed, and a still larger cave came -into view. He saw a niche high up in the wall, and with his precious -burden, he managed to reach it in safety. He found himself on a high -narrow ledge, where they could rest in safety from the machinations of -Kulmervan. - -Chlorie woke to find her head supported by a strong arm, and her hands -held between two firm ones. She looked up. “Alan,” she breathed, and -made a tiny movement towards him. “My Chlorie,” he murmured, and their -lips met in one warm long kiss. “Oh, my darling, you really love me?” he -said brokenly at last. - -“My Alan, I know not the customs of your world. In mime, it is shame to -a maid who offers her lips before she is wed. Indeed, a maid would never -be thus,” and she slipped from the circle of his arm—“even were she -sworn to wed. I know not your customs, my Alan, but I am Ipso-Rorka, and -my father’s child. I—I love you, Alan—” - -“And you’ll be my wife?” he asked tenderly. - -Shyly she hid her face on his breast “In truth, my Alan,—’tis sweeter -far to be asked, than ask. I am glad you are of a different world—for -your wooing is stronger and yet more sweet than ours. Oh, willingly, -willingly, Alan, will I marry you.” - -Alan had at last met and won his ideal, and he caressed and murmured -sweet nothings to her, until they forgot they were fugitives—forgot that -a madman would soon be on their trail—forgot aught but the joy of the -present, and the hope of the future. Chlorie recovered herself first. -Shyly she slipped her little hand into Alan’s. “My loved one,” said she. -“My father the Rorka knows naught of Kulmervan and his sin. We must -escape, reach him, and for the safety of the community, for the -traditions of our dear land, we must send Kulmervan to the Hall of -Sorrows.” - -“My Chlorie, nothing will purge him of his sin. He is mad—quite mad.” - -“But he must go away all the same. See what unhappiness he has caused -already—see what he may do in the future!” - -“You are right. He must be put away. He has money, position and -cunning.” - -“Where are we, my Alan?” - -“I know not where this leads,” said Alan, “but it is the only road I -dared take.” - -Hungry, tired and worn, they crept on along the little narrow ledge. -Suddenly a cave, lighted from without through slits in the wall, burst -on their view, and Chlorie gave a startled exclamation. “The Hall of our -Fathers,” she cried, “I have been here before.” - -“What is it?” - -“This is the place where the regalia of each reigning Rorka is placed, -together with his throne, when he has left the fair land of Keemar, -through the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata.” Round the cave were thrones of -all descriptions—some in heavy marble—others in gold adorned with -precious jewels; others just simple, wooden thrones, that showed their -antiquity. - -“Down, down on your knees,” cried Chlorie, and Alan realized that the -cave had become alive with living figures. The thrones were occupied by -men who wore crowns of gold and jewels, and who carried sceptre and orb -in their hands. The cave that had been dead and cold only a minute -before, was now alive. But there was no sound; all was hushed and still, -and the figures were shadowy and unreal. “Oh my Mitzor,” breathed -Chlorie. “The joy! To think I should have been permitted to witness this -scene—to see the wraiths of my forefathers. My Alan, watch—read a -meaning in this visitation, for it augurs well.” - -Alan felt unable to move. He was petrified at the sight before him—at -the ghostly pageant of years gone by. Slowly the Rorkas—kings of æons -past—rose from their thrones and walked in single file to the end of the -cave. There they ranged themselves on either side of a slightly raised -platform of rock. They prostrated themselves, and Alan saw a thin vapour -rise and like a curtain shut out from sight the little stage. Then it -lifted, and through the shadowy film he saw strange figures disporting -themselves amid the strange scenery. Then, all at once, he realized that -he was watching shadowy figures of himself and Desmond and Mavis. He saw -their little cottage at Arroch Head; he witnessed their hasty flight in -the Argenta; once more he saw the destruction of the world, his world. -But this time it was different. Like a tiny star it shone white and -bright, then it shivered, turned red like a tiny ball of fire in the -sky, burst into a thousand different pieces, and then disappeared from -sight. And as it disappeared the scene clouded again, and the filmy -curtain of haze shut out the picture from his sight. The scene -changed—once more he saw himself as an actor on the stage, but this time -he was a minor character in the drama. Kulmervan was the villain, and -played the chief character. He witnessed their meeting in the little -lane—he watched the flight of the air bird, Chlorie—the descent, and the -abduction of the Ipso-Rorka. So the play went on until one more picture -showed clearly before him. He saw Chlorie—Chlorie in a gown of -diaphanous white with a crown of gold upon her head. By her side he -stood, crowned and with orb in hand; and between them stood a child—a -man child who bore traces of his mother’s beauty and his father’s -strength. Then darkness came upon the scene, and Alan drew his trembling -love still closer beside him. - -Then the wraiths of the Rorkas became faint and misty, and when next he -looked, they had vanished from sight. - -“We shall win through, my Alan,” said Chlorie. “The wraiths of our -Rorkas never show themselves except to the favoured few.” - -“Do you know the way out from here?” - -“Yes. Straight through yonder archway a passage leads to the sea. We are -not far from Hoormoori. The island is Waro—the Isle of Joy. It is a safe -place for Kulmervan to have chosen for his madness—no one would have -sought for evil here.” - -“How far is Hoormoori then?” - -“From where we emerge into the light, we shall see the citadels and -towers of my home. Oh Alan—the joyous moment when I can take you by the -hand and lead you to my father—my chosen one—my love.” - -“How shall we reach the mainland?” - -“We must light a beacon on the shore. Fire is a signal, and some one -will row across to us.” - -In a short while they emerged through a tiny door out on to the beach. -They gathered sticks and laid them crosswise upon each other until they -were man high, and then set the pile ablaze. At length came a sign from -the distant shore where white minarets gleamed in the light, and golden -cupolas rose high in the air. There rose against the whiteness of the -scene tall tongues of flame and curling smoke. - -“Their answer,” said Chlorie. “Some one will soon come now.” - -They watched a craft put out to sea—they saw the pale green sails grow -clearer and nearer. Soon they could distinguish the crew. Chlorie ran -down to the sea’s edge, and stood gaily clapping her hands. - -The little launch beached with a groan and a rattle and a Waz stepped -out. “We saw your signal,” he began, then a look of recognition came -over his face and he fell on one knee and clasped the Princess’ hand and -impressed a loyal kiss upon it. “Oh my Ipso-Rorka,” he cried. “We have -mourned you as serquor. No tidings could we get of you. Mournings and -tears have been in Hoormoori for ten and one Kymos. The Rorka has shut -himself within the precincts of his palace, and neither eats nor drinks; -but sits always alone—silent, and quiet, and drear.” - -“Thank you for your welcome, my Waz. I have had strange adventures since -I left my father’s house. These I will tell my people when the right -moment arrives. But first lead me to my father.” - -The journey to the mainland occupied a very short space of time, and Waz -Okoyar obtained a bhor for the Ipso-Rorka. - -“I shall not forget you, Waz Okoyar,” said Chlorie. “Reward shall be -given you for your speedy assistance to me.” - -“Nay, my Princess, it is a joy to have served you.” - -Hoormoori proved to be even more beautiful than Minniviar—the streets -were wider and the buildings more magnificent. The bhor stopped outside -a marble building. “I told him to stop here,” whispered Chlorie. “It is -better that I break the news to my father myself, of my safe return.” -They passed through a noble courtyard into a lovely garden. “Our own -private apartments. I shall be able to get to my father unnoticed.” - -Through a little door, up a short flight of stairs, and down a narrow -corridor. A heavy curtain of blue hung outside a doorway. Chlorie lifted -it gently. Alan drew back. Much as he loved her, he could not intrude at -such a sacred moment. - -“Father!” - -“My child! My child!” - -There was the sound of kissing—a whispered conversation, and then Alan -heard his name. Slowly he entered the room, and at last was face to face -with the Rorka—King of all Jupiter, but above all, father of his loved -one. The majesty of the Rorka overwhelmed him, and he bent his knee in -homage. - -“Nay, rise,” said a gentle voice, musical, benign, soothing. “Rise and -greet me, oh my Alan, for Chlorie has told me you are to be my son.” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - THE FATE OF KULMERVAN - - -Hoormoori was rejoicing! Their Princess, Chlorie the Ipso-Rorka, was -found. Not only was she alive and well, but she had found her mate. True -he was from another world, but she loved him, and the Jovians, like the -men of Terra, dearly loved a romance. The wedding day was fixed, -telepathic messages had been sent to Sir John, and he and his party were -coming to Hoormoori as guests of the Rorka. - -The Rorka was very troubled over Kulmervan. Never, in the history of -Keemar, had such a terrible tale of iniquity been told. His cunning, his -audacity, his double life was a terrible blow to the proud old -Keemarnian. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta was thankful to welcome Alan back. Day after day he had -circled over the island, and sent search parties to find the missing -ones. The Isle of Waro, which was joined to the larger isle by a narrow -strip of sand, they left unexplored. It was holy ground—consequently -they missed the log cabin of Kulmervan. Waz-Y-Kjesta, Alan, and a staff -of twenty men embarked on the Chlorie and flew to Kulmervan’s retreat. -They landed close to the hut, and although firearms were unknown on -Keemar, they, on Alan’s advice, protected themselves with heavy sticks -and carried thick silken ropes. - -They found the hut empty and signs of a hasty retreat. From the little -house they crossed to the “lean-to” and descended into the subterranean -passage. They ascended the steps to the Cave of Whispering Madness, and -forced the door open. The Cave was empty. Alan looked behind the huge -fossil animal and hoped to find the body of Waiko—but it had gone. -Ominous foot prints on the sandy floor proved that his body had been -found, and Kulmervan and Arrack had dragged him back to the Altar. As -they reached the slab of stone Y-Kjesta gave a cry of horror. - -“See, my Alan. Mitzor have mercy!” - -There on the Altar were the charred remains of what had once been a man. -The bones were twisted into horrible forms, as if, in their last -convulsive agony, they had writhed in vain on the table of fire. One -bony arm hung over the side. Every scrap of flesh had been burnt from -it—even the tips of the finger bones were missing. The skull was -hairless—the eyes had been scorched from their sockets. It was a -horrible sight and Alan shivered. - -“Who is it?” asked Y-Kjesta. - -“I am afraid it was Waiko. Heaven grant he was serquor when that madman -found him.” - -Gentle hands attempted to move the charred remains from the bed of -pain—but they fell to powder as they were touched. The whisperings in -the Cave served to make the horrors more intense, and the Keemarnians -turned their heads as they passed the human sacrifice. - -Down the steps they all travelled, but no trace of Kulmervan could they -find. They forced the outer entrance to the cave, but although they -hunted through the leafy byways and hidden avenues, he continued to -evade them. Again the cave was searched, and the Waz was inclined to -give up the task. - -“Is it possible,” asked Alan at last, “that he is hiding in the place of -the Wraiths of the Rorkas?” - -“No. Nothing evil could live in the presence of our holiest men.” - -“Nevertheless, I’d like to go there,” suggested Alan. - -The Waz shrugged his shoulders. “As you will, my Alan. Remember, of all -Keemarnians, only the Rorkas can visit again the home of their life. -They would not show themselves to such a thing of evil as Kulmervan has -become.” - -But at the entrance to the Holy Place they saw Kulmervan. Stiff he was -standing, and upon his face was a frozen look of horror. Y-Kjesta fell -to his knees. “The Wraiths,” he cried. - -A cloud of haze had passed away, and upon the little stage was being -enacted a drama. High in the air a great white cloud hovered. It was -pink tipped with a golden glory shining through; at either side were -lesser clouds, but all tinged with the glorious roseate hue. And in -chains beneath them stood the astral figure of Kulmervan, surrounded by -Keemarnians who had gone before. And as they watched, his clothes melted -away, and naked and ashamed he stood before his judge—the great white -glory. Gradually a dusky shadow seemed to come over the gleaming body, -darker and darker it grew until it was jet black. Not the black of an -African native, but a cruel black; a thick black that was horrible to -look upon, so evil was its appearance. Then all the Keemarnians shrank -away from the solitary evil figure standing alone before the glory. The -shadowy figure of Kulmervan looked round him wildly, and threw out his -hands in supplication. It was no use. His prayers were too late. A -yawning pit showed up bright with flames. Yellow tongues of flame licked -round the mouth—long, red flames danced together in riotous harmony. -Then out of the terrible place appeared a figure, so terrible that Alan -closed his eyes and strove at once to forget it. A figure that was -neither man nor animal, but part of both. A creature with bloodshot eyes -and a baleful smile, with teeth that looked like fangs, with arms that -twisted and twirled like evil serpents. Nearer and nearer the figure -drew, until, radiating with heat, it drew close to Kulmervan. There was -a mighty noise—the Great White Cloud vanished leaving the scene in a -pitchy darkness—only the fiery cavern gleamed and glistened. The -venomous figure put a sinewy arm about the form of Kulmervan—there was a -crackling noise—the hideous smell of burning flesh, and the picture -vanished as the two figures disappeared into the fiery jaws. Then -Y-Kjesta spoke. “The Great White Glory has judged. We cannot punish -now.” - -There was a fearsome shriek, and Kulmervan rushed from the cave, and -fell prostrate on the ground outside. Y-Kjesta stooped over him. The -body was rigid—the eyes fast closed. - -“Serquor has descended upon him,” said the Waz. “Righteousness has -spoken.” - -With an awed feeling, Alan watched them pick up the body and carry it to -the air bird, and as they did so a mighty roar filled the air. There was -a sound as of thunder—a blinding flash—then silence. The Cave of -Whispering Madness had gone! Shivered to atoms, there was nothing but a -hillock of rocks and sand to mark the last resting place of Waiko the -Unfortunate. The little passage to the Sacred Cave alone remained -perfect. When the last shock of the earthquake had subsided, Arrack the -servant came out from his hiding, and threw himself upon the mercy of -Alan. Firmly he was bound, and taken to the Chlorie, there to await the -judgment of the Rorka. - -“My son,” said the Rorka, when he had been told the whole story. -“Kulmervan was shown his future punishment. He may not be suffering now, -for he is in the unhappy state of serquor—but some day, when he leaves -this world, his time of pain will come. A case of glass shall be made to -hold his cold and rigid body. In the Hall of Sorrows shall it be placed -as a living testimony of the fruit that is garnered by evil. To Fyjipo -the accursed shall be taken—there to remain, until he changes the state -of serquor, for his lasting punishment.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - THE SENTENCE UPON ARRACK - - -Sir John, with Masters, Desmond and Mavis arrived at Hoormoori in time -for the trial. They were much interested in Alan’s adventures, and were -looking forward to witnessing the spectacle of Jovian justice. Mavis and -Chlorie were already warm friends, and the Rorka insisted on the -strangers occupying suites of apartments in his palace. Baby John Alan -had grown into a fine boy. Now nearly four, he toddled about the palace -and chattered away in a quaint mixture of Keemarnian and English. The -grown-ups seldom used English now—their past life seemed to be fading -away entirely; they were already acclimatized to Jupiter and looked upon -it as their home. Mavis at the bottom of her heart, however, did not -forget all the pretty customs in which she had been brought up from -childhood and she it was who introduced a trousseau as a necessary -adjunct to a wedding. Chlorie took up the idea with fervour, and in -future all society weddings had trousseaux, cakes and honeymoons as -essential parts of their festivities. - -Chlorie’s mother had heard the call of Schlerik-itata when she was but a -small child, and possessing no near feminine relatives, the Keemarnian -Princess was glad to have Mavis helping her at the happiest time of her -life. All was bustle and rush at the palace. The wedding was to be a -grand affair, but before it took place, Arrack had to answer publicly -the charges that were brought against him. In the large Justice Hall, on -the day appointed, the Rorka took his seat wearing his purple robes of -Justice. - -A fanfare of trumpets announced his arrival, with his postillions and -servants and attachés. All wore full court dress, and the whole scene -was picturesquely brilliant. Alan had not yet been admitted to the -highest circles in Jovian society; his honour was to come on his wedding -day—so to meet the exigencies of the case, a special raised seat had -been placed at the right hand of the Rorka, and there Alan sat in state -and watched the proceedings. There were neither lawyers nor barristers -in this wonderful land of harmony. The case for the defence, if so it -could be called, was taken by the High Priest—and for the prosecution by -the highest Djoh in the whole of Keemar. - -The Rorka listened to the statements made on both sides, and gave his -sentence as he thought fairest. No appeal could be made afterwards; his -judgment was final. Never had there been such a case as this one. Arrack -had broken the traditions of his land. If the Rorka adjudged him guilty, -he would take his punishment stoically. The Rorka rose, and the silence -in the court was profound. “Bring in Arrack the Miserable,” he cried, -and Arrack appeared in the prisoner’s garb of an ugly neutral tint. This -garment of shame was worn only by prisoners, when charged with some -heinous offence. It was something of the shape of a Jewish gaberdine. -About his waist the prisoner wore a hempen rope; his head was covered -with a hood, and there were sandals upon his feet. “O Arrack,” said the -Rorka, “take your seat upon the Penitent’s Chair, for you are accused by -this court of most grievous dealings. If you are found guilty, a -terrible fate awaits you. Speak first, Lamii, Djoh of all Keemar, read -your charge first.” And Djoh Lamii, a dignified old greybeard, stepped -forward and read from a parchment. - -“Rorka, most mighty, by the grace of Mitzor, Keemarnians one and all, I -charge Arrack the Miserable with grievous sins. Whether he alone is -responsible or whether responsibility rests with another—unnamed, but -now in a state of serquor—remains to be proved. First, I charge Arrack -with idolatry and devil worship,—nay more, I charge him with the -greatest offence of all against Mitzor—the offence of offering black -sacrifices, the sacrifice of living bodies, to Pirox the Killer, a -graven image of hideous aspect. I charge him with acting as assistant in -that Temple of Sin and Death. I charge him as a heretic and a heathen. -He, a born believer in the one and only Creator, is a deserter from his -faith. I charge him with aiding the unnamed, now serquor, in his -horrible, nefarious practices. All these charges are with regard to his -sins against Mitzor. Now I charge him with attempting to lay hands on -the precious person of our loved Princess; with offering her wine that -was drugged, and being a party to keeping her a captive against her -will. Above all, I charge him with trying to aid the unnamed, now -serquor, to soil her purity, and thus to cause her to wed one she did -not love. These, O Rorka, are the sins in brief, and a more hideous -category of evil, I have never before had to repeat. Although I am old, -and my call must come soon, this is the saddest day of my life to think -I have to utter such things against a true Keemarnian.” - -He sat down, and then rose up Misrath the High Priest. “O Rorka, the -mighty and the just. I cannot deny the charges that Lamii has brought. -Long have I talked with Arrack the Miserable, and it is hard to offer -even a word in his favour. Yet because of thy justice I beg of you to -hear me out, and I will tell the tale of sorrow and shame. Arrack and -the unnamed, now serquor, were foster brothers. The mother of the -unnamed received her call while her babe was yet a suckling, and these -two babes, suckled from the same breast, drew the food of life from the -same woman. As toddling mites they flew their kites together, and threw -their balls. Then the sire of Arrack, Meol, now serquor, took these -suckling babes to the Temple of Pirox the Killer. It is he I blame, not -the innocent ones. He, with two others, lived a life of lies. Respected -Keemarnians, wise fathers, loving husbands, they lived unsuspected of -their evil practices; for they were all devil worshippers and offered up -the black sacrifice. But serquor took them all into his bosom. These -tender nurslings grew in the ways of sin. He, the unnamed, possessed -brains and cunning. He was the leader. He it was who took Arrack the -Miserable on to our Isle of Holiness—made him build him a hut, and left -him there, a tool to work his will and prepare his heathen rites. Since -he was of tender years he has led this life—hating it, yet loving it; -fearing it, yet welcoming it. Then the time came when he, the unnamed, -whispered words that affrighted even Arrack the Miserable. Whispered -words of passion for a Princess. The Ipso-Rorka was named—and even to -that length of degradation would Arrack have assisted, so deep was he in -the toils of sin. Then the day of reckoning came. Mighty thunders shook -the Cave of Darkness. The wrath of Mitzor tore it asunder; no more shall -these perfidious practices be handed down from father to son. No longer -shall sin creep out unseen in Keemar. The Great White Glory has spoken. -The Temple of Sin is in ruins, and under the mass of rock and stones -lies the tortured body of Waiko. Whether he, too, had practised the sins -of the unnamed also, we know not. But we do know his character was weak. -We pray that his suffering on the Black Altar may have purged his soul -and that soon he will be sitting in the warmth of the Tower of Help.” - -Misrath sat down, and the Rorka rose. “I have heard your case, O Arrack, -in silence. I have listened to your tale of shame. One thing only is in -your favour. You sought not an evil life, but sin and its sorrows were -taught you when you were yet a child. But—” he paused. “You lived the -life of Keemar. You attended our services of joy that were offered to -Mitzor. You knew sin was abhorrent to us. From the time when our first -parents populated our world, we have fought to keep Keemar perfect. -Thanks to Mitzor we nearly succeeded. It is to prevent the occurrence of -sins like yours that I pronounce sentence. Misrath, High Priest of our -Temples—our Mediator on earth between Mitzor and man, robe the sinner in -the garments of shame.” - -Immediately the grey tinted gaberdine was torn from Arrack, and in its -place was put a long robe of black. The covering was taken from his -head, and the sandals from his feet. His head was bowed in shame, and in -shame he was led to the Sentence Bar, there to hear his fate. - -“Through the streets of Hoormoori shalt thou be led,” said the Rorka. “A -rope round thy middle shall direct thee the way to go. Neither man nor -woman shall speak to thee. Neither beast nor bird shall be permitted to -fawn upon thee. Alone and an outcast shalt thou be sent upon thy way. -Lonely shalt thy days be. Lonely shalt thou be taken to the Hall of -Sorrows at Fyjipo. There thou shalt live until thy beard grows and turns -white with age. Should thy call come early, alone wilt thou have to meet -the Great White Glory. No Sacrament shall help thee on thy way. Neither -incense nor prayers shall assist thee in thy last moments here. Alone -and wretched thou shalt leave this world. But should thy call not come -soon, then shalt thou stay in the Hall of Sorrows until thy beard covers -thy face and thy middle, then—when that time arrives, shalt thou be free -to leave the place of sorrow. But thy life will be lonely all thy days -for the sins thou hast committed.” - -Misrath rose. “Oh my Rorka, thy wisdom is sound, thy judgment just. May -I ask but one favour for the guilty Arrack? During his time of sorrows, -should he perform two noble deeds wouldst thou reconsider thy verdict -and allow him freedom?” - -“Yes, Misrath. Should he perform two noble deeds, deeds that mark him as -a true son of Keemar, then publicly shall his punishment be remitted -him, and once more shall he take his place among the people he has -wronged. I have spoken.” - -The Rorka rose from his seat of justice, and with another fanfare of -trumpets took his place in his state bhor and drove to the palace. Alan -waited to see the end. The wretched Arrack was led from his place, and -taken through a side entrance out on to the highway. There a rope was -twisted round his waist, a rope that had six ends. Six men took hold of -each end, and dragging it taut, led him through the streets. On he went, -a misery to himself, and to those that saw him. - -An air bird was made ready for the journey to Fyjipo. Alan begged that -he might accompany it. He wanted to see for himself what the Hall of -Sorrows was really like. He had no conception of it. Was it like a -Pentonville or Portland in England, or did it possess some horror that -no ordinary human mind could conceive? - -“Go then,” said the Rorka to Alan. “Swift be thy journey there, and as -swift return. Just time shalt thou have before the day arrives when -Misrath shall make my child and thee—one. One on earth and one in -Heaven.” - -“Farewell,” said Chlorie, when Alan told her of the journey he was to -make. “’Tis customary in Keemar for a bride to withdraw herself from all -for twelve Kymos before her wedding day. During that time she thinks and -meditates on her future state. I go into silence to-morrow, Alan, and my -prayers will be all for you. May you return to me in safety. Farewell.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - THE HALL OF SORROWS - - -The air struck cold and Alan was glad of the heavy cloaks that the Rorka -insisted on his taking for the journey. They had passed through glorious -scenery, but now it was changing. No longer was the air sweet and balmy; -no longer were the fields below covered with beautiful flowers. Great -stretches of bare and rocky country took the place of the fields, and -snow-topped hills looked down on the desolation. - -Then Fyjipo hove in sight. One great building dominated the scene. Of a -dark grey stone it looked gloomy and forbidding. Kulmervan, still in the -state of serquor, had been brought in a coffin of glass, and Alan felt -the awful loneliness of the place, when he saw the coffin being -unshipped, preparatory to being placed in the Hall of that dreadful -abode. The Waz, who was in command of the journey held the only key to -the heavy gates, and as he unfastened them, a drear wailing rose from -within. - -Arrack was dragged along, pushed inside the gate, and then left—to learn -how to fend for himself in that gloomy place. Carefully was Kulmervan -placed upon a huge pedestal in the hall. His face had lost its youthful -candour, its beauty of outline and its peace. The visage seen through -the glass, was the face of an old man worn with sin; evil and sinister. -Alan shuddered as he turned away from the coarsened form. The state of -serquor as known by the Keemarnians was a very dreadful thing. Struck -down in life, the victims assumed a trance-like form from which they -never recovered. Real death the Jovians knew not; a far happier parting -was permitted them. As in a dream a voice told the sleeper that his time -had come—that so many more Kymos would pass before he would have to bid -his world good-bye. Then in the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata his body and -soul were rendered astral, and in a cloud of smoke the favoured one -disappeared from sight, and entered into dwelling with his God. It was a -wonderful end; there could be no great sadness at such a departure; no -corruption was to be the lot of the departing Jovian—he was just carried -into glory. But those poor souls that suffered serquor remained in their -comatose condition. Alive yet dead! Dead yet alive! Useless to -themselves, and of use to no one! No wonder it was the one dreaded thing -in this land of all good. - -There were but fifty bodies in the condition of serquor on the whole of -Keemar, and most of them had been there for many ages. None could -remember some of them as creatures full of life; their names were -written on tablets and placed above them—their only connection with the -generation of the present. In a small, underground chapel in the Temple -at Hoormoori were these poor ones kept. Niches, cushion-lined were made -in the walls, and in these the victims were laid. There they would -remain until Jupiter itself returned to its first void, and emptied its -population into the lap of Heaven. - -“I beg you stay not long here, my Lord,” said the Waz to Alan. “’Tis an -evil place, and I would fain hurry and leave it far behind me”. - -“Nay, my Waz. Stay until the Kymo rises full in the Heavens—’tis but a -short time now, and then I shall be ready to accompany you”. - -There were no separate degrees of punishment in the Hall of -Sorrows. The real punishment lay in its awful loneliness. The -Keemarnians who were there were paying dearly for their faults. -Utter loneliness—comfortless—cheerless—it was desolation -personified. Those were the first impressions that Alan received. -Food was let down from the air at certain intervals. There was no -division, and only just sufficient to go round. It was a question -of first come, first served, and the man who appeared last -received little if any of his portion. No lighting was arranged in -the place, and as it was near the Pole, half their time was spent -in total blackness. There was no warmth; it was cold and draughty; -no privacy; no comfort. - -The Keemarnians who offended purged themselves clean in this dread place -of sorrow. Once they were free of it, they never put themselves into the -position to be sent there again. Their terms of incarceration varied. -For some it might be for only six Kymos; for others sixty or even six -hundred! The worst sinner there had nothing on his conscience one -quarter as bad as Arrack the Miserable; but he was sent there too, to -consort with them. - -Alan could not bear to stay in the place. The atmosphere stifled him—the -sight depressed him. His last view of Arrack, was of a lonely figure in -a gown of black, sitting drearily in a corner of the big Hall, watching -intently the still form of his late master. His hands were clasped, his -expression hopeless—his whole attitude one of despair. - -“It’s very terrible,” said Alan to the Waz as they sailed away from -Fyjipo. - -“What is, my Lord?” - -“Your Hall of Sorrows.” - -“But why, my Lord?” - -“Surely it must do more harm than good?” The Waz looked amazed. “I know -if I were sent to such a place, I should come out hardened and defiant.” - -The Jovian smiled. “That is where we differ, my Alan. The Keemarnian -hates evil of every kind. This dread is born in him. He offends—ever so -slightly. The Priest remonstrates with him. He makes promises to atone, -but offends again. No second chance is given him. Straight to the Hall -of Sorrows he is sent, there to live in discomfort, cold and solitude. -He is too ashamed to mix with his fellow creatures; so his sin is purged -and he comes out a better man.” - -Alan laughed slightly at the Keemarnian’s earnestness. “I am afraid, my -friend, that the world I came from was more material than yours. A life -in such a place would have led to worse sin—it would not have cured it.” - -“Then I am glad I belong to Keemar,” said the Waz simply. - -They made the return journey in record time, and Desmond and Mavis were -waiting for Alan on the roof station when the air bird sailed in. - -“Welcome home,” said Mavis. “We have missed you badly. However -everything is ready for you, and in three more Kymos we will have you -safely married.” - -“Are you so anxious to get rid of me?” laughed Alan. - -“No,” answered Mavis with a happy smile, “but I’ve tasted the joys -myself, and I want you to find your happiness also, my brother.” - -“That’s very nicely put, Mavis,” said Alan tenderly. “I could wish for -no one but you for Desmond. At first I was a little jealous when I -thought his affection for me would be halved.” - -“Not halved, Alan.” - -“No, that’s not the right word. But Desmond and I had been everything to -each other from our childhood, and then you came—” - -“Well?” - -“Now I understand what it means, and am glad I am going to partake of -the same kind of happiness that Desmond enjoys.” - -“I’m sure you’ll be happy, Alan. Chlorie is so sweet—so human, so -understanding. But—” there came a perplexed note into her voice. “I’m -afraid of only one thing, Alan. You are sure you are not too—too -material—for these Jovians. You are going to mate with a girl -almost—spiritual, if I may so put it. Now—the time is drawing near, I’m -so afraid—” - -“Don’t be afraid, little woman. I’ve learnt a great deal since I came -here. The past is growing dim. My love for Chlorie is so great that I -think it is cancelling all my earthly senses. I have only one fear for -the future.” - -“And that is?” - -“My inborn dread of death. Not that I fear death for myself, but dread -its coming and separating me from my love. She will not have that fear. -Until I can comfort myself in the belief of Schlerik-itata, I shall have -that fear always with me.” - -“Death!” Mavis looked dreamily into the distance where her son and his -father were romping together. “I think I, too, have a tiny bit of fear -left,” said she, “but I am trying to put it away. We have left the old -world behind us. I was wrong to put doubts in your heart, Alan. You’ve -chosen wisely, I am sure. Good luck and good fortune be yours!” - - - - - CHAPTER XV - THE TRIUMPH OF AK-ALAN - - -The populace of Hoormoori were wildly excited, for the time had come -when their Princess, the Ipso-Rorka of all Keemar, was to wed. Every -place was full, the streets were thronged with visitors, for people had -come from all parts of Jupiter to witness the long ceremonies and -jubilations that preceded the actual wedding. Parties came from the -warmth of Xzor, from the heat of Paila, from the temperate breezes of -the Isles of Kalœ. Every dwelling house in Hoormoori was full; every -public guest house had used every available space for their overflowing -guests. The streets were gaily decorated; the trees were adorned with -coloured lights, and across the wide boulevards silken flags were hung. -There were festoons of flowers and leaves everywhere. Every window was -bright with silken rugs; the whole scene was gay and brilliant. - -The first ceremony of interest was the admittance of Alan into the bosom -of the Rorka’s family. In a wonderful golden robe Alan stood at the foot -of the Rorka’s throne in the great white Throne Room in the palace. The -whole apartment was thronged with guests, and by the Rorka’s side sat -the Princess. She had on her face a grave, sweet smile, and in her court -robes of blue and gold she made a regal figure. - -A majordomo handed the Rorka a golden fillet of beautiful workmanship -studded with diamonds. This was placed on Alan’s head by the Rorka -himself, who said—“Oh Alan, known hence forward by the Royal prefix of -Ak—I salute thee. Thou hast taken the oaths of allegiance to me, your -Rorka. Thy fidelity and love thou hast offered me. I salute thee, Oh -Ak-Alan,” and he took him by both hands, and kissed him on either cheek, -and raised him to the topmost step of the throne. Then Alan faced the -people. - -“Behold him,” said the Rorka. “Ak-Alan, a noble of the House of Pluthoz. -Acclaim him as your own, for he is indeed a Prince of the House of your -Rorka.” - -How the people cheered! With one accord they shouted and surged forward -to the foot of the throne, and stretched out their hands to their newly -made prince. Alan was delighted with his reception, and had an -individual word to say to nearly every one who came near him. The story -of his adventure for Chlorie had been widely told; Kulmervan’s treachery -was known; and every one welcomed the newcomer royally. But this was -only the beginning. Ak-Alan had to become a Djoh of the Outer Shelter, -and to receive the blue ribbon of his office. The Golden Circle of Unity -of Keemar was placed on his finger—The Star of Joy—The Order of Hope—all -these ceremonies took their time. But they were all picturesque and -interesting. - -Many times had he looked upon Chlorie, but never had an opportunity been -given to him to speak with her alone. But at his ardent gaze, the shy -colour would mount her cheeks, and her eyes would drop in sweet -embarrassment. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta had been appointed to the Royal Household of Ak-Alan, and -was delighted to have the opportunity to remain by the side of the -friend he had made. Persoph the Jkak, and Mirasu the Jkakalata had sent -handsome presents to Alan and Chlorie, and had expressed their sorrow -when Desmond had announced his intention of settling down in Hoormoori. - -“We want to be near Alan,” explained Sir John. - -“We shall miss you of course. We are grateful for your kindness to us -all since we arrived so strangely in your land. But we should miss the -society of our kinsman, we must stay near him.” - -“We understand,” said Persoph. “But visit us, my friends, and allow us -to visit you. Your friendship is dear to us—your esteem we prize.” - -Several orders had been offered Sir John, but he stuck to his prefix -throughout. “My father earned it,” he explained. “I honour him by using -it. Please allow me to keep it,” and the Rorka gave his permission. -During all this time Masters had scarcely left Sir John’s side. A -devoted friend, a loyal servant, he remained always at hand in case the -old man needed him. And when Alan had been appointed Ak of the House of -Pluthoz, Masters received the shock of his life. Suddenly the majordomo -cried out, “And I command Masters of the household of Sir John to kneel -at the foot of the Rorka’s throne.” - -Masters turned dead white, and looked appealingly at Sir John. - -“Go forward, my friend,” said Sir John, and Masters obeyed him. - -The Rorka rose, and touched him lightly with the Silver Staff of Office -of a Waz. “I promote thee henceforward, Waz, to the house of Sir John. -Waz-Masters shalt thou be, with all that appertains thereto. Accept this -staff, Waz-Masters, for thou art a faithful friend.” - -Masters was unable to express his gratitude, the honour was so -unexpected that it rendered him speechless; but a few moments later Alan -smiled as he saw him talking earnestly with Zyllia, a kinswoman of -Y-Kjesta’s. And as Alan watched the luminous eyes that smiled at -Masters, watched the parted lips and the colour that came and went in -the olive tinted cheeks of the beautiful Keemarnian, he foresaw, and -foresaw truly, that soon Masters would forsake the lonely role of -bachelor; and another love match would be made in Keemar—the land of all -good. - -Then came the feasts and banquets; a pageant and procession through the -streets of Hoormoori. Bhors gaily decorated, fancifully costumed bands, -dancing children dressed like wood nymphs, fair-headed, slim youths with -pipes like the pipes of Pan, woodland fairies, ladies in court attire, -all took part in this wonderful procession. - -And Alan sat on a balcony in the Royal Palace and watched it. But half -the time his eyes were feasting on the features of his bride of the -morrow. Occasionally, under cover of the cheers and the darkness, his -hand would stray out, and for a moment clasp hers in the darkness. But -no chance had he of speaking with her alone, and her nearness maddened -him with passionate longings. He longed to be alone with her, away in -the woods and fields, along the seashore, just they two together, -communing with nature in all her glory. - -“May I not speak to Chlorie a moment alone?” he begged earnestly. - -The Rorka smiled. “In your world, perhaps, it would be allowed. But I -cannot sanction it. To-day she belongs to me—to the people. To-morrow -she will be yours for ever. It is custom, my son. But to-morrow—” he -stopped, and looked shrewdly at Alan. “I have been converted to -your—‘honeymoon’. It is a strange idea to us of Keemar, but a beautiful -one, and will, I think, prove popular with my countrymen. To-morrow you -take her away—alone. No duenna’s guiding eye will follow you. The House -of Roses in the Wyio Forest is at your disposal. It is ready—prepared. I -have given way on many points, my son, but on this one I am firm. You -cannot speak alone to Chlorie to-night. Now I wish to speak to Sir -John.” Alan bowed his head and moved away, so that his uncle could take -his place. He was further away from his love, but sat in the shadow and -gloried in her as the light shone brightly on her profile. - -“Sir John,” said the Rorka, “I have heard much about your wonderful -airship that carried you safely to our world. Would you be prepared to -build another as like it as possible? I will place men, material and -means at your disposal. You need want for nothing, and I should esteem -it a personal favour if you would at least consider my proposal.” - -Sir John’s eyes shone. “O Rorka, you have put new life into me by your -suggestion. I felt I was growing old—but my heart is still young. To be -of use in your world will make my last years happy; to feel I am not -wasting my time will strengthen my life. Masters and I were planning -another Argenta on paper only to-day. He has been examining the metal -you use, and he says it is even lighter and stronger than our aluminium. -My whole time is at your disposal, and Masters’ as well.” - -“Speak for yourself, Sir John,” smiled the Rorka. “But unless I am much -mistaken, Zyllia will have more to say about Waz-Masters’ affairs than -you have dreamt of.” - -“Zyllia?” repeated Sir John looking puzzled. - -“Look behind you,” said the Rorka. In the room behind were two -figures—Masters and a woman. The woman was delicately beautiful. Darker -than most Keemarnian women, with blue black hair and flashing eyes. - -“So he has found a mate,” said Sir John softly. “I never thought of -Masters and marriage. He seemed too mature. In our world he would have -been called ‘middle-aged’ He has seen forty and three summers.” - -“But Zyllia is mature,” said the Rorka. “She looks a girl, but although -her soul is young, she and Masters are not far apart in years.” - -“You will not object to the match?” - -“Nay. I have a great opinion of Waz-Masters, but I like not his name.” -He touched a bell. “Waz-Masters and the Lady Zyllia. I desire them here -at once.” The girl bowed, and in a moment the two were standing before -him. “My friend,” said the Rorka kindly, “I like not your name. -Waz-Masters sounds crude and harsh. In our language we have a far softer -word that means ‘Master’ Henceforward shall you be known by that. -Waz-Aemo, for now and ever.” Masters remained silent. He was embarrassed -and hardly knew what to do. “So you are going to mate with Zyllia?” said -the Rorka. Zyllia bent on one knee, her hands extended in supplication. -“Oh Rorka, most noble. Have I thy permission? Him have I promised to -wed, if I have thy permission. For I love this stranger dearly.” - -“My consent was given long ago. I have watched your play with pleasure, -my child. Tell Waz-Y-Kjesta he can give you the use of an air bird for -your—your honeymoon.” - -“Oh how can I thank you—” - -“That is enough. See, the procession has resumed—how beautiful are the -flowers—the silks—” and taking these words as their dismissal, they bent -on one knee, and then passed from the balcony to the room beyond. - -The last vehicle had passed, the last burst of music had died away, -night fell. But one more ceremony remained to conclude the time of -rejoicing—the wedding on the morrow. - -Alan woke early on the morning of his wedding day. His personal -attendant had placed all his wedding clothes ready for him, and he -donned the golden robe and swung from his shoulders the blue velvet -cloak. It was lined with gold, and caught up at one corner with a -beautiful jewelled buckle. His fillet of gold was on his head, and as he -looked at himself in the long glass he saw the romantic robes fade away, -leaving in their place a worn and shabby, but nevertheless very -comfortable golf jacket. The shadowy figure was carrying a bag over his -shoulder—golf clubs. Alan sighed. It was a very long time since he had -teed up, and with a mighty drive seen a little white ball sent skimming -along at a terrific pace. He could see the ascent to the approach of his -favourite green; the green itself, smooth and velvety, resting in a -little hollow below. Well, he would get his game of golf on Jupiter. He -would plan a course, have clubs made, and he and Chlorie would—No, he -didn’t regret giving up the old and ugly garments of the earth. He -regretted nothing. He wouldn’t have altered his fate if it had been in -his power to do so. Life held nothing for him but Chlorie. Life and love -were before him, and he felt fitted for and happy in the new world. - -His golden, sandal-like boots were on. The ring for Chlorie was in his -satchel purse. The Crown of Wifehood with which he would presently crown -her was in Y-Kjesta’s possession. The Waz also had taken care of the -gifts, which according to the rites of the Temple he must present to his -wife. The coins, to represent that he endowed her with his wealth. The -loaf divided in two—to denote that she would share in everything. The -fresh cut flowers, a symbol of the joys they would find in each other, -and lastly the basket of fruits that were to be laid on the Altar and -offered as a burnt offering to Mitzor the Mighty. As they were reduced -to ashes, the High Priest would waft them to the four winds of heaven, -and the nuptial pair would swear to love each other until such time -arrived as the burnt fruits regained their virgin freshness. A poetical -way of vowing their eternal fidelity each to the other. - -Waz-Y-Kjesta entered. He was plainly nervous at the thought of the part -he was to play in the day’s ceremony. “The time has come, my Alan. Your -bhor awaits you.” - -“I am ready,” Alan smiled at the Waz. “I don’t know how I should get on -without you to-day.” The streets were thronged with people. Alan sat -alone in the State Bhor which drove slowly down the decorated streets, -and immediately in front of the bridegroom’s equipage rode Y-Kjesta, on -a magnificent white coli. - -Sixteen Keemarnians, appointed by the Rorka for his personal staff, rode -behind him. Sir John and Desmond were already in the Temple. A beautiful -blue carpet spread from the door to the street, and the whole way was -lined with flowers. Slowly Alan walked up the flowered aisle and took -his place at the altar rails. The organ was playing softly. Suddenly it -burst out into the Ipso-Rorka’s personal air—The Bride had arrived. On -the arm of the Rorka she walked up the long aisle. Her bridal gown of -blue brought out the colour of her eyes. Upon her hair was draped a thin -veil of gold, and her long train was carried by little sturdy John Alan! -At the altar rails they stopped, and the High Priest demanded—“Who -giveth permission, that this woman shall leave her home and her people, -and live in peace with the mate of her choice?” - -“I do,” said the Rorka. - -“You are convinced that happiness and joy will be the woman’s lot?” - -“I am.” - -“Thanks be to Mitzor. I am content.” Thereupon the Rorka took his seat -upon his throne, and the ceremony commenced. - -Mavis, who had followed the bridal procession, now took her place on -Chlorie’s left, to assist the bride. It was a beautiful ceremony, and -the incense, the priest’s vestments, the music, all helped to make it -awe inspiring and impressive. The gifts were offered—Chlorie accepted -them—the moment was almost at hand that would make them one. Alan was -repeating softly after the priest— - -“May this ring, with which I encircle thy finger, be a lasting proof of -the unity of our affection. May the circlet with which I crown thee, -prove that I honour thee as my loved one, and install thee as Queen of -my House.” - -And Chlorie answered softly, “I accept this ring, and from my finger it -shall never slip. I accept the crown that thou offerest me, and in -return I pray Mitzor the Mighty, that I may rule my household wisely and -well.” - -Then came the vows of love and fidelity; each repeated the words with -hands clasped. - -“Before Mitzor the Mighty, the Great White Glory, I promise to let -naught come between my chosen spouse and me. I promise to love him (her) -and honour him (her), share his (her) troubles, and smooth away his -(her) griefs. Lastly, I ask Mitzor, the Tower of Strength, to crown us -both with the glory of our union.” - -Then, kneeling, the High Priest blessed them. - -“May Mitzor, the Great White Glory, bless you both, and keep you both in -the paths of righteousness. May he make thee, Oh Ak-Alan, a tender -husband; and thee, Chlorie, a loving wife. Thy vows are made—kneel and -pray while the sacrificial fires are lighted, and the dust of thy -offering is thrown to the winds.” - -Hand in hand the newly married pair knelt. Into a tiny tabernacle the -offering of fruits was placed—the doors closed upon it. A second passed, -and by the aid of etheric heat there was nothing left but a little -powdery dust. - -Slowly the priests and the acolytes walked down the aisle, the bridal -pair following. With prayers and exhortations the dust was scattered, -and wafted out of sight by the breeze. The ceremony was over—a hymn of -joy was sung, and Alan and Chlorie were led to their bhor that was -waiting. - -They drove together in the open bhor, and Chlorie could not speak—her -heart was too full of emotion. The excitement, the cheering, the crowds -tired her—and yet there was still the reception to get through. - -Not a word had she spoken to her newly made husband, but as they -alighted he whispered—“You don’t regret, my darling?” - -She gave him a quick, shy glance, but it satisfied him. They had to wait -for the congratulations of the intimate friends and guests, but at last -Mavis whispered, “Come, dear, it is time for you to change into your -other frock.” Quietly the bride left the reception and changed into her -other gown. Tenderly she bade her father good-bye. - -“Good-bye, my little one,” he murmured, “Mitzor take care of you. In -forty Kymos I shall come for you. Be happy in your new life.” - -“Good-bye, my father.” - -“Good-bye.” - -“You will find everything in readiness at the House of Roses,” said -Waz-Y-Kjesta. - -There were renewed cheers, the band played—and the comfortable equipage -drove off, bearing the happiest couple in all Keemar. - -“My darling,” murmured Alan, when they were at last outside the town, -and running swiftly through quiet country roads. “Are you sure you won’t -regret this day?” - -“Never, my Alan,” she replied, her eyes smiling as she nestled close to -her husband—“but Alan, I think I am a little frightened all the same.” - -For answer he crushed her in his arms, and rained passionate kisses on -her unresisting lips—and it sufficed her. She was content. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - THE PERFECT WORLD - - -Many hundred times the Kymo rose and set, and Ak-Alan and his wife, -beloved of all Keemarnians, lived in peace and happiness. A son and -daughter had been born to them, and now the time had come when the Rorka -had received his call, and through the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata would -make his exit from the world, and enter into glory. - -“My son,” said he, “the voice came in my sleep last night. My room was -bathed in a wonderful whiteness when the messenger from Mitzor called -me. ‘When the Kymo reaches the full for thirteen days make ready—for on -the fourteenth thou shalt meet the Great White Glory.’ I must now set my -house in order. You will reign jointly with Chlorie. I can safely leave -my country in your hands.” - -“Father,” said Alan, “must you really leave us?” He was troubled. “Oh -it’s terrible.” - -“But why?” said Chlorie. “I shall miss my father it is true—for I love -him dearly. But how can I wish him here, when his happiness lies -yonder?” - -“I don’t understand,” said Alan miserably. “Death is so sad.” - -“But it is not—death—” said the Rorka. “I am simply—‘going away’.” - -“That’s just it. You are going away, and you are never coming back.” - -“That is true, my son. _I_ am never coming back—but you will eventually -come to me. Why mourn? To mourn is selfish.” - -“It’s no good,” said Alan. “I suppose I am of coarser clay. I can’t -believe that I could ever ‘pass yonder’ through the Sacrament of -Schlerik-itata. I come from another world. Suppose I die—oh you don’t -know death as I do—but suppose it comes to Keemar through me, and -afterwards through my children.” - -“Have no fear,” said the Rorka, “that day will never come.” And so the -last few days had passed, and Alan saw him enveloped in the incense, and -vanish from sight. - -Alan marvelled at his wife’s fortitude. He had felt the knife of death -on Terra; this glorious parting was so different. He longed to believe -that he, too, one day, would vanish thus, material and earthy though he -was. And so Alan the Rorka, and Chlorie his wife were crowned, and -occupied joint thrones in the land of Keemar. - -Their joy in their unity, in the completeness of their life, was a -constant wonder to them. They renewed their joys in their children—their -life was almost perfect. Sir John was growing feeble. Part of the time -he spent with Mavis and Desmond, and part with Alan. But wherever he -went, Masters and Zyllia always accompanied him. - -Mavis’ three children and Alan’s two, grew up like brothers and sisters; -indeed, their parents were all like one big family. Alan had not long -been on the throne of Keemar, when an urgent message was brought him, -that Waz-Mula, humbly begged an audience. - -“Who is he?” asked Alan. - -“He is holder of the key to the Hall of Sorrows,” answered Y-Kjesta, -“and sails the air bird, that plys to and fro from Fyjipo.” - -“I remember him well. Bring him in.” - -“O noble Rorka, I beg a favour of you,” said Mula. - -“What is it that troubles you?” - -“You remember Arrack the Miserable?” - -“Well?” - -“He has done a most noble thing, O Rorka. A most terrible scourge has -come upon the Hall of Sorrows. A fire broke out. How or where it started -no one can tell, but when I reached the place, it was a raging furnace, -and the poor captives were beating against the gates in their frenzy to -get out. The heat was intense—their skins were blistering. I landed -safely, and rushed to undo the gates. But even as I did so, great -tongues of fire curled out and licked round me. See, O Rorka, my hands -are burnt—my hair is scorched. Three times I essayed to unlock the -padlock, but the flames drove me back. Suddenly I heard a cry, and -Arrack burst through the flames. ‘Throw me the keys,’ he cried, and his -tone commanded and I obeyed. I watched him as he touched the red hot -metal—the flames were fiercer than before. He never trembled or grew -hasty. Although his clothes were in flames, and the flesh burnt from his -fingers, yet still he strove to open the prison door. At length he -succeeded. Five figures fell out on to the ground, burnt and still. I -called to Arrack to save himself, but his only answer was to beat his -way through the avenue of fire. Minutes passed and he did not return. We -looked at the poor burnt things at our feet—their souls had departed, -but as we looked their mutilated bodies disappeared. Then through the -smoke and grime Arrack appeared bearing in his arms a burden which he -laid at my feet. He returned again and again, and yet again. Five -women’s lives he saved, and he returned again to save the life of a pet -animal. Then, O Rorka, he fell at my feet. His face was burnt beyond -recognition; his poor hands useless; his body one mass of blisters. He, -and those he saved we brought to Hoormoori. The women are now in safety, -but Arrack says his call has come. Oh, my Rorka, this then is my prayer. -His one wish now, is to enter into glory through the Sacrament of -Schlerik-itata. Will you grant him pardon, and answer his prayer?” - -Alan was much moved. “Go, return to Arrack. Tell him Misrath shall come -and administer the Sacrament himself.” - -“May I say that?” - -“Yes. Where is he now?” - -“On board the air bird. He is in great pain, but I think I could get him -taken to the Temple in safety.” - -“See to it at once, my Waz.” - -Hurriedly Alan sent for Misrath, and told him the news. - -“He has purged his sins indeed,” said he. - -So, with the rites of Schlerik-itata, Arrack left Keemar. He bent and -kissed the hem of Alan’s garment, and sank back exhausted in his chair. -And as the incense covered him, his voice could be heard -murmuring—“Great White Glory, I come—I come.” - -“And so there is to be no more Hall of Sorrows,” said Chlorie softly. - -“No, my darling.” - -“It’s gone for ever?” - -“Yes. It has served its purpose, but I don’t think its omission will -bring more sin into Keemar.” - -“I believe you are right, Alan. It was a terrible place, and sometimes I -think the punishment was too great for the sin.” - -A blue-eyed curly-haired girl ran into the room. Breathless and flushed, -she clasped a doll in her arms, and hugged a pink-cheeked apple. She was -followed by a bright, eager-faced boy of twelve or thereabouts. - -“No, John Alan, I won’t marry you,” said she. “I am Acuci, and -Ipso-Rorka, and you are only Ak.” - -The children did not see the grown ups who were hidden by a curtain, and -their childish chatter went on unheeded. - -“You must marry me, Acuci—I love you, and papa says that love is -everything.” - -The little maid pouted. “I love you, John Alan, and I think I’ll marry -you after all.” - -The two children embraced fondly, and ran out of the room hand in hand. - -“My wife,” said Alan. “Don’t ever leave me. Teach me to know the real -meaning of Schlerik-itata—teach me to believe.” - -Chlorie offered her beautiful lips to her husband. “Love teaches -everything, my husband. Love is powerful—love is mighty. Love will teach -you even that.” - -He strained her to his breast. “My wife—my wife—I love you so. The -terror of parting is always with me. Teach me to believe—you see, dear, -even in this Perfect World, there is a grain of sadness—of earthly -discontent.” - -“My husband—I have no fear—listen—.” And from outside came the merry -laughing voices of their children at play. “In your children you will -learn belief.” - - - _Envoi_ - -The time came when Sir John himself heard the Call. Half believing, half -fearing, he bade farewell. The prayers were said, the incense rose about -him, and he, like the Jovians themselves, was taken to the Great White -Glory and was seen no more. And in that moment, Alan believed and was -content. - -“My wife,” he cried, “no longer is there any sadness in my life. I -believe. Jovians we have become in body and in soul, I no longer -fear—death.” - -And hand in hand they sat, married lovers ever, and watched their -children at play. - - - THE END - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - 2. Anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as - printed. - 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Perfect World, by Ella M. 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