The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-20
CHAPTER XVI,


LET rs 60 Also" And they followed
the king Into the room with the glass
roof and walls covered with mirrors
which be had shown the strangers sew.
eral days before. A white headed old
man stood at the stand, his fingers trem.
bling overthe half circle Of electric but
tons. In a mirror before him he was
studying the reflection Of town Of
perhaps 100 houses. The streets were
filled with excited citizens, and squad
Of protectors stood ready for action near
row CT flying machines.
"Ornethelo," said the king, and at
the sound Of his voice the old man turn
ed and bowed hunlbly.
"All right" went on the king. II
will take your place moment" He
went to the stand and touched button.
Instantly the scene changed. Fields,
forests, streams and hills ran by in a
murky blur, and then Q larger town
flashed on the mirror. Here the same
stir and alertness characterized the
scene. The gaze Of every inhabitant
was fixed on the threatening horizon
Rapidly the scenes shifted at the kings
will, till 100 cities, towns and villages
had been reviewed.
Enough They are all ready-all
faithful" groaned the king, "and, Or
nethelo, they may all have to perish to-
day, and all for our ambition. Poor
mortalsi"
Ornethelo's face was half submerged
in the beard on his breast, but he look
ed up suddenly and spoke:
For their sakes, then, we ought not
to delay. There may yet be hope" /
"You are right, Ornethelo. There
was ring Of hope in the voice Of the
king. "Quioki Show me my capitol,
that I may see If all the protectors are
ready"
Ornethelo touched another button,
and. as if seen from great height, the
fair and wondrous city dawned before
the eyes Of the spectators. In every
street policemen and protectors and fly
ing machines stood in orderly readiness
The house tops were colored with the
variegated costumes Of men, women
and children. Over all lay the wondrous
sunlight, through the green splendor Of
which the flakes Of SCOT were falling like
black snow.
The king touched the old mans arm.
II must see beyond the wallis Are the
connections made2'
Ready, sir"
"Try them. They must not fail me
now"
The old man tremblingly unlocked
cabinet on the table, and another row
Of electric buttons was displayed. Orne-
thelo touched one. Immediately there
was a sharp clicking sound under the
stand, and the view was swept from the
mirror. Nothing could be seen but q
dark suggestion Of towering cliffs and
yawning caverns.
mot the east. OrnetheloP' cried the
king impatiently. "Go on; the west.
the west!''
The black landscape flashed by like
glimpse Of night from o flying train,
and then q blur Of redly illuminated
smoke in rolling pillows seemed to
swell out from the surface Of the mirror
into the room.
"There, slowi" cried the king, and
then frightful scene burst upon their
sight. They beheld great belohing pit
Of fire and flames. The sky from the
earth to the zenith was vast expanse
Of illuminated smoke, and the black
landscape round about was cut by rivu-
let's Of molten lava rolling on and on
like restless streams Of quicksilver.
The king leaned against the stand as
II faint with despair. Call Prince
Arthur. be ordered, and almost at that
instant the young man appeared.
"Fatherl''
The king pointed quivering finger
at the mirror and said huskily:
'Let not the sun 60 down. Let its
light be white as at noon"
but, father, it has never been done
before. IT, !
"Alpha has never faced such danger.
All our dream is about to end. Co."
Without word the young man has,
tened away, and 1t seemed scarcely
moment before the sunlight streaming
in at the oval glass roof changed from
green to white.
The king pushed Ornethelo inpatient
ly aside. His eyes held dull CLEAN Of
despair, and he seemed to have grown
ten years older. He touched button,
and the awful scene at the pit gave
place to bright view Of the capitol,
which was plainly seen from its crowd
ed center to its scattering suburbs. The
squads of protectors stood like ar
mics ready for battle, their rigid faces
still toward the awful west.
''They are ready-the signalP' yelled
the king, waving his hand. "The sig
nall" Ornethelo caught his breath sud-
denly and tottered as he went across the
room and touched button on the wall.
The kings eyes were glued on the mir
rored view Of the capitol, his trembling
hands held out, as if commanding ST.
lence. Then deafening trumpet blast
broke on the ear. The masses Of citi-
zens pressed near the edges Of the roofs
and close against the walls along the
streets as the protectors rushed into the
flying machines. Another trumpet
blast, and away they flew, long black
line, every instant growing smaller as
it receded in tho murky distance. /
The princess, white and silent, led
Thorndyke and Johnston back to the
balcony.
The line Of machines was now mere
thread in the sky, but the ominous
vloud in the west had increased, and
fine sand and ashes were added to the
fall Of SCOT.
what was that" gasped the prin-
cess. It was low rumble like distant
thunder, and the balcony shook
can earthquake" said Thorndyke.
II am really afraid there is not ghost
of q chance for u.s. The water running
into the fire is sure to cause IN eruption
of some sort, and even slight one
would be likely 10 eularCe the opening