The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-20
hrough tho electrical repulsion OF the

! tie world before us like castaway sailors
| upon q block OF ice. Like men. and yet
[ not like men. combining the human and
| the beast in their appearance, IL required
/ a steady nerve to look at them.
! When we first saw them their appear
I ancc was most forlorn, and their atti-
| tudes indicated only despair and despera-
| ton but as they caught sight Of us their
| malgn power OF intellect instantly pene-
! trated the mystery and they recognized
| us for what we were.
| Their despair Immediately gave place
| e. re-awakened malevOlence. On the
| instant they were astir with such heart
| chilling movements as those that char
| acterize a yenOmous serpent preparing TO
! trikc.
| Not imagining that they would be in
| condition to make serious resistance.
| we had been somewhat incautious in
. approaching
suddenly there was a quicker move
| ment than usual among the Martians'
! a swift adjustment OF that one OF their
. engines OF war which. as already MOTTO
cd. seemed TO bc practically uninjured,
| and then there darted from il and alight-
/ cd upon one of the foremost ships a
/ dazzling lightning stroke a mile I'm length
| at whose touch the metallic sides of the
| car curlsd and withered and, licked for
! a. moment by what seemed lambert
! flames. collapsed into mere cindeI.
! For an instant not a word was spoken,
so sudden and unexpected had been the
| blow.
| We knew that every soul in the strick-
! en- car had persisted.
Back Back" was the signal instan-
. taneously flashed from the flagship. and
| reversing their polarites the members of
| the squadron sprang away from the lit
! tie planet as rapidly as the electrical
! impulse could drive them.
But before we were out OF reach a
second flaming tongue Of death shot
/ from the fearful engine, and another Of
! our ships. with all its crew was destroy.
] ed.
/ 1t was an inauspicious beginning for
! MS Two of our electrical ships with
| their entire crews, had been wiped out
| Of existence and this appalling blow
| had been dealt by a few of our enemies
! floating on an asteroid.
| The first thing TO do was 10 avenge
\ the death of our comrades The ques-
! lion whether we were able to meet these
| Martians and overcome them might as
well be settled right here and now. They
/ had proved what they could do. Now
| IL was our turn.
/ The squadron had been rapidly with
! drawn to very considerable distance
| from the asteroid. The range Of the
! mysterious artillery employed by the
/ Martians was unknown to us. We did
| not even know the limit of the effective
! range Of our own distintegratOrs. If II
! should prove that the Martians were able
| to deal their strokes at distance greater
I than any which we could reach, then
| they would of course have an insuper-
| able advantage.
on the other hand, If it should turn
| out that our range was greater than
| heirs. the advantage would be on our
| side. Or-which was perhaps most pro-
| 1able-there might be practically no diff
| erance in the effective range of the en-
| lines.
! Anyhow. we were going to find out how
| he case stood and that without delay.
Everything being I'm readiness, the dis
J ntegrators all in working order and the
| men who were able 10 handle them. most
| # whom were experienced marksmen.
hOsen from among the officers of the
/ -ogulor army Of the United States and
7 accustomed TO the straight shooting and
| the sure hits of the west, standing at
| their posts. the squadron again advanc-
| ed.
In order TO distract the attention Of
! ,he Martians. the electrical ships had
| been distributed over a wide space.
| Some dropped straight down toward the
| 9steroid; others approached 1t by flank
| attack. from this side and that The
| flagship moved straight In toward the
! point where the first disaster occurred.
J The approach of the ships was made
! with great caution. Watching the Mar
| tians with our telescopes we could clear
! ~ see that they were disconnected by
| the scattered order Of our attack. Even
! If all of their engines Of war had been
| I'm proper condition for use. IL would
| have been impossible for them to meet
| the simultaneous assault Of so many enc
| mics dropping down upon them from
/ the sky.
! Suddenly n repetition of the quick
| movements by the Martians. which had
| been the fOrerunner Of the former coup.
was observed again a binding fash
! burst from the war engine. and instan
| taneOusly "a SILVER ran through the frame
| OF the flag ship: the air within quivered
/ with strange pulsatiOns and seemed sud
| denly 10 have assumed the temperature
! of a blast furnace
| We al gasped for breath. our threats
! and lungs seemed scorched IN the act
| OF breathing. some fell unconscious
| upon the floor. The marksmen. carry
ing the disintegrators ready for use.
staggered and one of them dropped his
| instrument
But we had not been destroyed like
our comrades before us. In a moment
| the wave OF heat passed. those who had
| fallen recovered from their momentary
! stupor and staggered 10 their feet.
| The electrical steersman stood hesitat-
ms at his post.
Move on" said Mr.. Edison, sternly,
| his features set with determination and
| his eyes adre I'VE are still beyond their
/ effective range Let as get closer in
| order TO make sure work when we
| strike"
! The iship moved on. one could hear
| the heartbeats OF its inmates. The other
| members of the squadron. thinking for
| the moment that disaster had Overtaken
| the flagship. had paused and seemed TO
| be meditating flight.
signal them to move on" said Mr..
4, Edison.
The signal was given. and the circle
| OF electrical ships closed in upon the
/ asteroid.
Ia the meantime Mr.. Edison had been
| donning his alright suit Before we
! could fully comprehend his intention. he
| had passed through the double-trapped
| door which gave access to the exterior
| OF the car without permitting the loss
\ of air, and was standing upon what
served for the deck OF the ship
In his hand he carried disintegrator.
| With a quick motion he sighted II.
As quickly as possible | sprang h his
! eide. / was just in time to note the
| familiar blue CLEAN about the instlu-
| ment which indicated that its terrific
| energies were at work The whirring
sound was absent, because here, in open
| space. where there was no atmosphere
| there could be no sound.
| Axn