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V
THE WAYOROSS HERALD AUGUST 7. 18S7.
(Copyright, 1887. by the MerrUm Qnpaay.]
"He it easily pleased." said tbe Eng-
liabmao, “for I bare done nothing to
gratify him.”
“I thought be frould like you, and I
felt that your friend would hare to suf
fer, but I could not help him. ”
"Hq shall not suffer-if" f can prevent
it"
"Sb—be cautious. Those words, im
plying an inclination to treason, if spo
ken to any other officer, would place
you under immediate arrest. 1 like you;
therefore I want to warn you again*!
tuch folly. Ton are wholly in the king’s
power. Another thing I would special
ly warn yon against"—
‘‘And tjiat ill”
"Not to allow the king to suspect
your admiration for the Princess Ber
nardino It would displease the king.
She is much taken with you. I saw it
in her eyes when abe danced for your
entertainment."
Thorudyke made no reply, but gazed
aearcbingly into tbe eyes of tbe officer.
, Trad m on laughed.
"You ore afraid of me."
"No, I am not. 1 trust you wholly.
I know that you are honorable. I never
make a.mistake along that line."
Tradmoa bowed, pleased by tbe com
pliment
"I shall aid you all 1 can with my
advice, for I know you will not betray
me, but at present X am powerless to
give you material aid. Every subject of
this realm is bouud to the autocratic
will of tbe king. It is impossible for
any one to get from under his power."
"Why?"
"The only outlet to the upper world
is carefully guarded by men who would
not be bribed.”
"Is there uny chance for my friend?"
"Nou« that I cuu see. But I must
walk on. There comes one of the king's
attendants.”
"The king has asked to speak to
you,” announced the attendant to
Thorndyke.
"I will go with you,” was his reply.
And he followed the raau through the
crowded corridors into the th roue room
of tbe king Thorndyke forced a smile
as he saw the king smiling at him as he
approached the throne.
"What do you thiuk of my palace?”
asked the king after Thorndyke had
knelt before him.
"It is superb,” answered the English
man, recalling the advice of Bernar
dino. "I am dozed by ijs splendor, its
architecture and its art. I have seen
nothing to equal it on earth.”
Tbe king rose and stood beside him.
His manner was both pleasing and sym
pathetic. "I am persuaded,” said he,
"that you will make a good subject and
have tbe interest of Alpha always at
heart, but I have often been mistaken
in tbe character of men and think it
best to give you a timely warning. An
attendant will conduct you to a cham
ber beneath the palace, where it will be
your privilege to converse with a man
who once planood to get up a rebellion
among my people."
There bad come suddenly a stern
harshness into the king’s tone that
aroused tbe fears of Thorndyke. He was
about to reply, but the king held up his
hand. "Wait till you have visited the
dungeon of Nordeskyue. Then I am sure
that you will be convinced that strict
obedience in thought as well as deed is
best for an inhabitant of Alpha.”
Speaking thus, he signed to an attend
ant, who came forward and bowed.
"Conduct him to tbe dungeon of Nor-
deskyne and return to me,” ordered the
king.
Thorndyke’s hcazt was heavy, and he
was filled with strange forebodings, but
be simply smiled and bowed, as the at
tendant led him away. The attendant
opened a door at tbe back of the throne-
room. and they were confronted by
darkness. They went along a narrow
corridor for some distance, the darkness
thickening at every step. There was
no sound except the sound of the guide’s
ahoes on the smooth stone pavement.
Presently the man released Thorndyke a
arm, saying:
"It is narrow here; follow close be
hind, and do not attempt to go back."
"I shall certainly stick to you," re
plied the Englishman dryly. They turn
ed a sharp corner suddenly and were
going in another direction when Thorn
dyke felt a soft, warm hand steal into
his from behind and knew intuitively
that it was Bernardino. The guide was
at few feet in advance of them, and she
drew Thorndyke’a head down and whis
pered into his ear:
"Be brave—by all that you love—for
jour life, keep your presence of mind,
and"—
"What was that?" asked tbe guide,
turning suddenly and catching tbe Eng
lishman’s arm. "I thought I beard whis
pering."
"I was saying my prayers, that is
all," and the Englishman pressed tbe
hand of the princess, who, pressed close
against tbe wall, was gliding cautious
ly away.
"Prayers, humph—you'll need them
later. Come on!” And he caught the
Englishman's arm and hastily drew
him onward. Tborodyke's spirits sank
lower. Tbe air of the narrow under
ground corridor was cold and damp,
and he quivered from bead to foot
CHAPTER IX
Branasko paused again in his walk
toward tbe mysterious light
"It cannot be from tbe internal fires,"
•aid be, "for this light is white and
tbe glow of tbe fires is red."
"Let's turn back," suggested John
ston. "It can do us no good to go down
there. It is only taking
rift"- - - -
"I should like to understand it," re
turned tbe Alpbian thoughtfully, "and,
besides, there can be no more danger
there than back among tbe hot crevices.
We have got to perish anyway, and we
might as well tpice tbe remainder of
our lives with whatever adventure we
can. Who knows what we may'not dis
cover? There are many things about tbe
land of Alpha that tbe inhabitants do
not understand."
"I’ll follow yod anywhere," acqui
esced Johnston. "Too are right"
They stumbled on over the rocky sur
face in silence. At times the roof of tbe
cavern sank so low that they had to
stoop to pass under it, and again it rose
sharply like tbe roof of a cathedral, and
tbe rays of the faraway but ever in-
“‘“icWtpr
creasing TTgBf - aboheupori "glistening
stalactites that hung from tbe darkness
above them like daggers of diamonds set
in ebony.
"It is not so near as I supposed,’’
said tbe Alpbian wearily. "And the
light seemed to me to be shining on a
cliff over which water ia pouring in
places. Yes, you can see that it is wa
ter by the ripples in the light. ”
"Yes, bnt where can the light itself
be?"
"I cannot yet tell. Wait till we get
nearer."
In about an hour they came to a wide
chasm, on the other side of which tow
ered a vast cliff of white crystal. It was
on this that the trembling light was
playing.
"Not a waterfall after all, "said Bra
nasko. "Sec, there is tbe source of the
reflection." And be pointed to the left
through a series of dark chambers of
the cavern to a dazzling light. "Come,
let’s go nearer it." He moved a few
steps forward, and then, happening to
look over bis shoulder, he stopped ab-
tuptly and uttered an exclamation of
surprise.
"What is it?" And Johnston follow
ed the eyes of tbs Alpbian.
‘‘Our shadows on the crystal cliff,"
said Branasko in an awed tone. "Only
the light from the changing sun could
make them so."
Johnston shuddered superstitiously at
the tone of Branasko's quivering voice
and their giant shadows, which stood
out on the smooth crystal like cilhou-
ettfs. So clear cut were they that in his
own shadow the American could see his
breast heaving and in Branasko’s the
quivering of the Alpbian*s huge body
and limbs.
"If we have happened upon the home
of the sun, only the spirit of the dead
kings could tell what will become of
us.” said Branasko.
"Puhl You are blindly superstitious,**
said Johnston. “What if we do come
upon tho sun? Let’? go down there and
look into the mystery."
Branasko fell into tbe rear, and the
American stoutly pushed ahead toward
tbe light, which was every moment in
creasing. As they advanced the cave got
larger until it opened out into a larger
plain, over which hung fathomless dark
ness, and out of the plain a great, daz
zling globe of light was slowly rising.
"It is tbe sun itself," exclaimed Bra
nasko, and he sank to tbe earth and
covered his face with his bands. "1
had not thought ever to see it out of
tbe sky."
The American was deeply thrilled by
the grand sight. He sat down by Bra-
•*aa What la it?"
* 'It runs beneath Alpha and connects
tbe rising and setting points of the
sun. There is a point benestn the king's
palace where, by a staircase, tbe king
and bis offioers may go down and in
spect tbe sun as it is on its way back to
tbe east during tbe day. ”
"Wonderful!"
"And once a year a royal party goes
in the ran over its entire course. It is
said that it .is sumptuously furnished
inside and not too warm, the lights be
ing only innumerable small ones on the
outside."
The two men were silent for a mo
ment. Then Johnston said:
‘Perhaps we might be able to get in
to it unobserved and be thus carried
over to tbe other side or reach the pal
ace through the tunnel."
Branasko started convulsively, and
then, as he looked into the earnest eyes
of tbe American, he said despondently:
"We have got to die anyway. It may
be well for us to think of it, but on tbe
other side, in tbe Barrens, there is no
more chance for escape than here. But
the adventure would at least give us
something to think.about. Let’s tn.it ”
AIT right, But how can we geTciown
there where the sun starts to rise?” ask
biasing whisper from tbe darkness near
by. and then tbe invisible whisperer
moved away, making a weird sound at
be slid his hand along a wall till it
died away in tbe distance.
A cold thrill ran over him. He was a
brave man and feared no living man or
beast, but the superstitious fears of his
childhood now came upon him with re
doubled iorce. For several minutes be
did not stir. Presently he put out his
band to tbe door, and his blood ran cold.
There was no knob, latch or keyhole,
and he could feel the soft padding into
which tbe door closed to keep out sound.
Then he remembered the warning of the •
princess and strove with all his might
to fight down his apprehensions. "For
your life keep your presence of mind,”
be repeated over and over, but try as he
would his terror overpowered him. He
laughed out loud, but in tbe dreadful
silence and darkness his laugh sounded
unearthly.
A cold perspiration broke out on him.
It seemed as if hour* passed before h
agaiu beard the sliding noise on th
walk Some one was coming to him.
The «80und grew louder and nearer
till a firm hand was laid on his arm. It
felt as cold as ice through bis clothing.
"Come,” a voice whispered, and the
four tunes and slowly opened its mouth.
There was a sharp, whirring noise, such
as comes from a phonograph, and a
voice spoke:
"My voice shall sound on earth for a
million years after ay spirit has left
my body, and I shall wander about my
dark dungeon as a warning to men not
to do as I have done."
The voice ceased, bnt tbe whirring
sonnd in the creature’s breast went on.
Tbe figure shambled nearer to Thorn-
dyke, and the voice began again:
"I disobeyed the laws or grtas Alpha
and her imperial king and am to die.
Beware of the temptation to search in
to the royal motives or attempt to es-
ed tbe American, peering cautiously t Englishman was led forward. Preseut-
*i -> • i-~'~ ly another door opened, a door that
closed after them without any sound.
Here the silence was more intensified,
the darkness thicker, as if compressed
like air.
Hands were placed on the shoulders
of Thorndyke, and he was gently forced
into a chair. As soon as he was seated
two metal clamps grasped like a vise
his arms between the elbows and the
shoulders, and two more fastened round
his ankles.
There was a faint puff of air from the
door, and the prisoner felt that he was
alone.
Terror held him in bondage. He tried
to think of Bernardino, but in vain. Did
they intend to drive him to madness?
He began to suspect that the king had
discovered his natural superstition and
had decided to put it to a test What he
had undergone so far he felt was but
the introduction to greatest terrors in
store for him.
There was a sigh far away
darku^s, then a groan that so-
flit about iu space, as if seeki:.*
cape the dark, and then died away
“Not a waterfall after oil."
nasko, and together they watched the
vast ball of light emerge from the black
earth and gradually disappear in a
great bole in tbe roof of the cavern. It
left a broad stream of light. behind it,
and now that the sun itself was, out of
view the silent spectators could see the
great, square bole from which it bad
As if by mutual consent, they rose
and made their way over the rocks to
the Verge of the hole, which seemed
several thousand feet square. At first,
owing to the brightness of the sun over
head, they could see nothing, but as tbe
great orb gradually disappeared they
began to see lights and the figures of
men moving about below. Later they
observed the polished parts of stupen
dons machinery—machinery that moved
almost noiselessly. Johnston caught
sight of a great network of moving ca
bles reaching from the machinery up
through the bole above and exclaimed
enthusiastically:
"A mechanical ran! Electric day
light! What genius! A world in a great
cave! Hundreds of square miles and
thousands of well organized people liv
ing under the light of an artificial sun!”
The Alpbian looked at him, astonish
ed. "Is it not so in your country?" he
asked.
Johnston smiled. ‘ ‘Tbe great sun that
lights the outer world is as much great
er than that ball of light as Alpha is
greater than a grain of sand. But this
rarely is the greatest achievement of
man. Yet while I now understand bow
your sun goes over tbe whole of Alpha
I cannot see bow it returns."
"Then yon have not beard of tba
great tunnel of the ran," replied tbe
the edge of tbe hole.
There must be some way,” answer
ed Branasko. "Ah, see! Farther to tbe
left there are some ledges. Let’s see
what can be done that way. ”
"I am with you.”
Tbe rays of the departing sun were
almost gone,- and the electric lights
down among the machinery seemed afar
off like stars reflected in deep water.
With great difficulty the two men low
ered themselves from one sharp ledge
to another till they had gone half down
to tbe bottom.
"It is no use,” said Brauasko, peer
ing over the lowest ledge. "There are
no more ledges, and this one juts out so
far that even if there were smaller ones
beneath we could not get to them.”
"That is true,” agreed the American.
"But look! Is not that a lake beneath?
I think it mast be, for the lights are re
flected on its surface.”
"You are right,” answered Branas
ko, "and I now see a chance for us to
get down safely."
“How?”
"The workers are too far from the
lake to see us. We can drop into tbe
water and swim ashore.”
“Would they not hear the splashing
of our bodies?! ’
"I think not, but first let’s experi
ment with a big stone. ”
Suiting the action to the word, they
secured a stone weighing about 75
pounds and bronght it to the ledge.
Carefully poising it in midair, they let
it go. Down it went, cutting the air
with a sharp, whizzing sound. They
listened, breathless, but heard no sound
as the rock struck the water and the
men among tbe machinery seemed un
disturbed. Only the widening circles of
Fi*gt on the lake’s surface indicated
where the stone had fallen.
“Good!" ejaculated tbe Alphian.
“Are you equal to such a plunge? Tbe
water must be deep, and we won’t be
hurt at all if only we can keep onr feet
downward and hold our breath long
enough. Our clothing will soon dry
down there, for feel tbe warmth that
comes from below. ”
The Alphian slowly crawled out cm
tbe -sharpest projection of tbe ledge.
"Are you willing to try it?” he asked
over his shoulder.
"Yes."
"Well, wait till you see me swim
ashore and then follow. ”
Johnston shuddered as tbe strong fel
low swung himself over the ledge and
hung downward.
“Adieu," said Branasko, and he let
go. Down he fell, as straight as an ar
row, into the shadows below. For an
instant Johnston heard the fluttering of
the fellow’s clothing as he fell through
the darkness, and then there was no
sound except* the low whir of the cables
and the monotonous hum of tbe great
wheels beneath. Then the smooth sur
face of the lake was broken in a white
foaming spot, and later be saw some
thing small and dark slowly swimming
shoreward. It was Branasko, and the
men to the right had not beard or seen
him.
Johnston saw him reach the shore.
Then he crawled out to tbe point of tbe
projecting rock and tremblingly lowered
himself till he bung downward, as
Branasko had done. He bad just drawn
a deep breath preparatory to letting go
bis hold when, chancing to look down,
be saw a long, narrow barge slowly
emerging from the cliff directly under
him. For an instant he was so much
startled that he almost lost his grip on
the rock. He tried to climb back on tbe
ledge, but his strength was gone. He
felt that be roold not bold out till tbe
boat had passed. Death was before him
and a horrible one. Tbe boat seemed to
crawL Everything was a blur before bis
eyes. His fingers began to relax, and
with a low cry be felL
“It U searching for my heart."
cape. The fate of all the inhabitants of
Alpha, the wonderful Land of the
Changing Sun, is in the hands of its
ruler. Beware! My death torture is to
be lingering and horrible. I sink into
deepest dejection. I was eager to return
to my native laud and tried to escape.
Behold my punishment. Even my bones
and flesh will not be allowed to rest or
decay. Beware! Tbe king is just and
good, but he will be obeyed."
Slowly the figure retreated toward
ibe couch and lay down on it. The
out i whirring sound ceased, the light along
in | Ae wire went out, and the darkness
| thickened till the conch and the outlines
the | of the chamber were obscured. Then
1 to i Thorndyke’s chair was lifted, as if by
es- j unseen hands, and he was borne back
ward. Iu a moment he felt the cool,
low moan of despair. Before him the j damp air of the corridor, and some one
blackness seemed to hang like a dark j raised him to his feet and led him back
curtain about ten yards in front of him, • to the tbroneroom.
and in it shone a tiny speck of light no I In the bright light which burst o?i
larger than the head of a pin and which ; him as the door opened the beautiful
was so bright that he could not look at , women and handsome men moving
it steadily. It increased to the size of a i about the throne were to him like a
pea, and then he discovered that at j glimpse of paradise. The attendant left
times it wonld seem miles away in j him at the door, and he walked in, so
space and then again to draw quite i dazed and weak that he hardly knew
near to hand. Glancing down, be
ticed that it cast a bright round spot
about an inch in diameter on tbe floor,
and that the spot was slowly revolving
a circle so small that its motion was
hardly observable. Surely the mind of a
mperstitious man was never so pun
ished. When Thorndyke looked steadily
at the spot, the black floor seemed to
recede and the spot to sink far down
into tbe empty darkness below like a
solitary star. So realistic was this that
the Englishman could not keep from
fancying that bis chair was poised in
some way over fathomless space. Pres
ently he noticed that the spot had ceased
its circular movement and was slowly
—almost as slowly as the movement of
tbe hand of a clock—advancing in a
straight line toward him.
No such terror bad ever before pos
sessed the stout heart of tbe English
man. As the uncanny spot, ever grow
ing brighter, advanced toward him, he
thought bis heart bad stopped beating.
His brain was in a whirl. After a long
while the spot reached bis feet and be
gan to climb up bis legs. With a shud
der and a smothered cry, he tried to
draw bis, feet away, but they were too
firmly manacled.
"It is searching for my heart,"
thought Thorndyke. “My God, when it
reaches it, I shall die!” As the strange
spot, gleaming like a burning diamond
in whose heart leaped a thousand differ
ent colored flames, and which seemed
possessed of some strange hellish pur- |
Branasko motioning to him, and slow
ly. for fcif strength was almost gone.
Johnston swam toward him.
The Utter waded out into the shallow
water and drew him ashore.
"You bad a narrow escape, "he said,
with a dry laugh. "I saw tbe boat come
from under tbe cliff just as you hung
down from the ledge. At first I hoped
that you would get back on tbe rock,
but when I saw you try to do it and
fail I thought that you were lost."
The American could not speak for ex
haustion, but os he looked at tbe depart
ing craft with concern Branasko laugh
ed again: "Oh, you thought it bad a
crew. So did I at first, but it has noone
aboard. It is drawn by a cable and
seems to be laden with coal. ”
"Did they notice oar fall up there?”
panted Johnston, nodding toward the
lights in tbe distance.
"No, they are farther away than I
thought. ”
* ‘Well, what ought we to do?”
"Hide here among the rocks till our
clothing dries and then look about us.
We have nearly 24 hours to wait for the
sun to return through the tunnel.”
“Where is the tunnel?”
"Over on the other side of that black .
bill. There; you can see the mouth of
the tunnel through which the suu
comes. ”
“We need sleep,” said the Alphian,
when their clothing was dry, "and it
may be a long time before we get a
chance to get it Let us lie down in the
[ shadow of that rock and rest ”
Johnston consented, and, lying down
together, they soon dropped asleep.
They slept soundly.
Jobnstou was the first to awake. He
felt so refreshed that he knew he must
have been unconscious several hoars.
He touched Branasko, and the latter sat
up and rubbed his eyes and looked about
him bewildered.
“I had a horrible dream,” he said,
shuddering. "I thought that we were
in the sun and over the capital city,
when it fell down. I thought the full
was awful, aud that all Alpha was
aflame. Then tho fires went out Every
thing was black, and the whole world
raug with cries of terrified people. Ugh!
I don’t want to dream so again; l*d
rather uot sleep at all. But, hush, what
is that?”
Far away, as if in the center of the
earth, they heard a low monotonous
rumbling. They listened breathlessly.
Every inomeut the sound iucreaaed.
They could feel the ground trembling as
if shaken by au earthquake.
"It is the coming sun,” said Branaa-
ko. "We must get nearer tho tunnel
and see what can be done. It would be
useless to try to go back now.”
Stealing along in the shadow of tbe
cliffs to keep from being seen by the
workmen on the plateau above, they
climbed over a rocky incline and saw
in the side of a towering cliff a great
black hole. It was tbe mouth of the
tunnel. Into it ran eight wide tracks of
railway and six mammoth cables, each
or 30 feet in diameter.
“The sun cannot be far away now,"
remarked the Alpbian.
"Is it not lighted?”
what to da No one seemed to notice
him, and the king was engaged in an
animated conversation with several la
dies who were sitting at his feet.
In a bevy of women Thorndyke no
ticed Bernardino. She gave him a quick,
sympathetic glance of recognition and
then looked down discreetly. Presently
she left the others and moved on till she
had disappeared behind a great carved . . „ w
wine cistern which stood on the backs •M " I presume not I think it cornea
“Captain Tradmoa likes you and has
consented to aid ns. We shall need an
airship, and he has one at his disposal
which is used only for governmental
purposes.”
“What do you want with the air-
pose, crossed his thighs and began lo ! ship?”
climb up his body, the brain of the pris- "To go beyond and over tbe great
of fonr crouching golden leopards in a
retired part of the room. Something in
her sudden movement made tbe Eng
lishman think she wanted to speak to
him, and he went to her. He was not
mistaken, for she smiled os he ap
proached.
"I am glad,” she whispered, touch
ing hia arm impulsively and • then
quickly removing her hand, as if afraid
of detection.
"Glad of what?” he asked.
"Glad that you stood that—that tor
ture so well. Several men have died iu
that chair, and some went mad.”
“I remembered your advice. That
saved me. ”
"I have a plan for us to try to rescue
your friend. ”
“Ah, I had forgotten him! What it
it?”
CHAPTER X
To Thorndyke the dark corridor seem
ed endless. . The king’s last words had
now a sinister meaning, and Bernar
dino’s whispered warning filled him
with dread. "Keep your presence of
mind,” she r.r^od. Was it, then, some
frightful mental ordeal he was about
to pass through?
Presently they came to a door. Thorn
dyke heard bis guide feeling for the bolt
and keyhole. Tbe rattling of tbe keys
sounded like a ghostly threat in tbe
empty corridors. The air was as camp
as a fcg. and tbe stones were cold and
slimy. After a moment the guard suc
ceeded in unlocking tbe doer and rough
ly pushed tbe Englishman forward. The
door closed with a little puff, and
Thorndyke felt about him for the guide,
but he was alone. For a moment there
was no sound. With tbe dosing of tbe
door it sremed to him that be was cut
off from every living creature. In tbe
awful silence he could hear his own
heart beating like a drum.
. “Stand where _you .are!" game in a
oner seemed on fire. He tried to close \
his eyes; but, horrors of horrors, his
eyelids were paralyzed. It was almost
over bis heart, and Thorndyke was faint
ing through sheer mental exhaustion
when it stopped, began to descend slow
ly, and then, with a rapid, wavering
motion, it fell to the floor, flashed about
in the darkness and vanished.
An boar dragged slowly by. Wbat
would happen next? The Englishman
felt that hia frightful ordeal was not
over. To his surprise the darkness began
to lighten, till be could see dimly the
outlines of the chamber. It was bare
ive for the chair he occupied against
the wall and a couch on tbe opposite
side of the room. The couch held some
thing which looked like a human body
covered with a white cloth. He could
see where tbe sheet rounded over the
bead and rose sharrl? rhe feet.
something told him that it was a
corpse and a new terror possessed him.
For several minutes he gazed at the
couch in dreadful suspense; then his
heart stopped pairing as tbe figure on
the couch began to move. Slowly the
sheet fell from the head and tbe figure
sat up stiffly. There was a faint hum of
hidden mutbinery at tbe couch, and a
flashing bine and green line running
from the coach to tbe wall betrayed the
presence of an electric wire.
Slowly the figure rc«e and with creak
ing, rattling joints stood erect Pale
lights shone in fbc orbits cf the eyes and
.the sound of hatch automatic breathing
came from the mouth aud nostrils, slow
ly and haltingly tbe figure advanced to
ward Thorndyke. The poor fellow tried
to wrench himself free from tbe chair,
bnt be could not stir an inch. On came
the figure, its long arms swinging me
chanically, and its feet slurring over the
stone pavement
When within ten feet of tbe English-
pun, it stopped ^nodded its by ad three pr
wall.
But can we get away from here
without being seen?”
‘Under ordinary circumstances,
neither by day nor night, bnt tomorrow
the king has planned to let his people
witness a war of the elements."
“A war of the elements?"
"Yes, the grandest fete of Alpha.
There will be a frightful storm in the
sky, no light for hours. The thunder
will be musical, and tbe lightning will
seem to set the world on fire. That will
be our chance. When it is darkest, we
•hall try to get away unseen. We may
fail. Such a daring thing has never
been attempted by any one. If we
detected, we shall suffer death as the
penalty. The king could never pardon
such a bold violation of law.
CHAPTER XL
Johnston clung tenaciously to the
rock. He tried to look down to see if
the barge had passed beneath him, bnt
tbe intense strain on his arm now drew
his bead back, so that be could not do
so. Once more he made an effort to re
gain his position on the rock, bnt he
was not able to raise.himself an inch.
He felt certain thaLtbe fall wopld
kill him, and” be' groaned in agony. Hia
fingers were benumbed and beginning
to slip. Then be felL The air whizzed
in his ears. He tried to keep his feet
downward, bnt it was no use. He was'
whirled heels over head many times,
and his senses were leaving him when
he was restored by a plunge into the
cold water.
Down be sank. It seemed to him that
be never would lose his momentum snd
that he wonld strangle before be could
rise to tbe surface. Finally, however,
he came up more dead than alive. He
bad narrowly missed tba flatboat, for
he saw it receding fmm him only a
tow ygJtis__aw§y,._Ou tbs afaqspjlBPd
fmiwniMi - r - :
through in darkness. The light is saved
for its passage oven Alpha."
“ Would it not be as safe for ua to at
tempt to walk through the tunnel to tho
palace of the king?"
Never. It would be over 50 miles in
utter darkness. There may be 1,000
trestles and bridges over frightful
chasms. For tbe most part I have beard
the tunnel is a natural channel or a suc
cession of caverns united by tunnels.
The other is the safer way, though it
certainly is risky enough."
Louder and nearer grew the rumbling
noise, and a faint light began to shine
from the tunnel and flash on tbe cliff
opposite.
"It is the sun's headlight, "explained’
Branasko.
Johnston was thrilled to tbe center of
bis being as he saw tbe light playingr
over the polished tracks and cables and
illuminating the walls of the great tun
nel.
Suddenly there wat a deep, mellow
toned stroke of a bell in the sun, and as
the two men shrank involuntarily into
the deeper shade of tbe cliff the great
globe, a stupendous ball of crystal 500
feet in height, slowly emerged from the
mouth of the tunnel and came to a stop
under the opening in tbe rock which led
to the space above.
“Wbat had we better do now?" said
Johnston...
"Waft," cautioned Branasko, and he
drew the American to a great bowlder
nearer the sun, from behind which they
could, without being seen, watch tha
action of the crowd of workmen that
was hurriedly approaching. They placed
ladders of steel against the sides of tbe
sun and swarmed over it like bees.
"They are oleaning tbe glass and ad
justing the lights," said the Alphian.
"Wait till they go round to the other
side. Don't you see that square opening
near the ground?"
The American nodded.
"It is the door," said Branasko, "and
we must try to enter it while they are
on tbe other sifta Let ns slip nearer.
There is another, rock ahead that we
can hide behind." Suiting tbe action to
the word, B’-anasko led the way, stoop
ing near to the ground until both were
safely ensconced behind the bowlder in
question. They were now so near that
they could hear the electricians rubbing
the glass.
One who seemed to be superintend
ing the work opened tbe door and went
into the sun and lighted a bright light
From where they were crouched John
ston and Branasko caught a view of a
little hall, a flight of stairs and 6ome
pictures on tbe walls.
Presently the man extinguished tbe
light and came out
"They are removing their ladders
from this side," —H Branasko in a
whisper. "Be ready. We most act
quickly and without a particle of sound.
Run straight for that door and climb
up Ibe steps immediately."
[to XX OOMLWri*.]
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