The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-13

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Filled with superstitious fear, the
American cautiously CROPPED toward the
sound. Hello, therel Who are your"
"Helpl Hslpi' said the voice, and
It was now much nearer.
Johnston plunged forward precipi-
lately. where are you?"
"Herev' And human form loomed
up before him.
For moment neither spoke. Then
the strange figure said:
~ thought at first that you were
some one sent to rescue me, but see
you are alone-damned like myself"
ut looks that way" replied John
ston.
when did they bring your"
"Only moment ago."
my God, it is awful A week ago I
did not dream Of such fate as this. I
had enemies. The medical men were
bribed to vote against me. Am / not
stronga Am I not muscular Feel my
arms and thighs"
He held out an arm, and Johnston
felt Of it. The muscles were like stone.
"You are a giant"
"Ah, you are right, but they report
ed that there was faint in my blood.
was to marry Lallio, the most beauti-
full creature in our village-Madryl,
you know, the nearest hamlet to the
home Of the sun. I was rich and the
best farmer there. But Lyngsle wanted
her. She hated him and spat at him
when he spoke against me. He proved
by others that my lungs were weak and
showed them the blood Of slain dog
in my fields that they said had come
from my lungs. Alb, they were ours.
My lungs weakl Strike my chest with
all your might. Does it not sound like
the kings thunder? Strike, I say" and
as the enfeebled American struck his
bare breast he cried: Harder, harder!
Pooh, you are child; see this and this"
and he emphasized his words with thun-
derous blows on his resounding chest.
''But il has been so for century,"
he painted. Hundreds have been un-
justly buried alive here. The king
thinks it is not murder, because they
die Of starvation. have stumbled over
the bones Of giants here in the dark
lands and have met dying men that are
stronger than the kings athletes"
"What, are there others here?'' gasp
ed the American.
The Alphian was silent in astonish.
ment.
"Why, where did you come from?"
he asked after pause.
From New York CITY"
II don't know Of 1t, and yet thought
I knew Of all the places inside the great
endless wall"
Johnston was mystifed in his turn.
1T is not in your country-your world,
or whatever you call it. It is far away"
"Ah, under the white sun, in the
ocean country, and the world of fierce
winds and disease, and you are from
there. Ihad heard Of it before they BAN
ished me, but two days since came
across dying man away over there.
He was huddled against the wall and
had fallen and killed himself in his ef- |
forts to climb back to food and light.
II saw him die. He told me that he |
had come from your land when be was
a child. His trouble was the lungs, and |
be had fallen off to a skeleton. He |
talked to me Of your wide ocean land. |
Is 1t indeed go greatG And has 1t no
walls about it?''
mo; it is surrounded by water
II cannot understand. And after
pause in which Johnston could hear the
great fellows heart beating he contin-
ued: "That must be the heaven the man
spoke about And beyond the water is
1t always dark like this, and do they
Danish people there as the king has
us?''
mo Beyond are other countries. But
is there no chance for us to escape from
here?'
The Alphian laughed bitterly "None.
What were you banished for?"
II hardly know"
Hold out your arm. There" as he
grasped Johnston's arm in clasp of
iron, II see. You are undeveloped, IN.
fit. None but the healthy and strong
is allowed to live in Alpha. 1t is
right, Of course, but it is hard to bear.
But I must lie down. I am wearied
with constant rambling. I am nervous
too. fell asleep awhile ago and
dreamed I heard all my friends in a
great, clamoring body calling my name,
'BranaskoP and then awoke and cried
for help"
As he spoke he sank with sigh to
the ground and rested his head on his
elbows and knees and seemed asleep.
The American sat down beside him, and
for long time neither spoke. Branasko
broke the silence. He awoke with
start and eyed his companion in sleepy
wonder.
ugh, dreamed againl" he grunted.
"Are You asleep?"
"No," was Johnston's reply. RI am
hungry and thirsty and cannot sleep"
So am I, but we must wait till it ID
lighter; then we can go in search Of
food When I was boy, I learned to
catch fish in pools with my hands, and
it has prolonged my life here. When the
light comes again, I shall show you
how do it,"
"Then the day does break? I thought
It was eternally dark here"
ut does not get very light, because
we are behind the sun, but it is lighter
than now, for we get the suns refeo-
tion, enough at least to keep us from
falling into the chasms."
Branasko lowered his head to his
knees and slept again, but the Ameri-
can, though wearied, was wakeful.
Several hours passed. The Alphian was
sleeping soundly, his breathing was