The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-13

Il, heen recently cleared and taerc was
no obSsru ctlon. but as We orepl closer "
fhc nous e-for our curiosity had no"
beeome irresistiDc-we lOund ourselves
crawling through grass so tan mat II we
had stood erect 1t would nave iiseh wen
over our heads.
.srh * afto rds good protection, said col.
Smith. reca ling his adventures on the
western plai rs. we can get close IN 10
the Indians / beg pardon mean the
Martians-wii bout being seen
Heavens what an adventure was ms.
TO be crawlin,g about in the night on the
face Of snott err world, and venturing,
nerhaps. into ne jaws Of "A danger which
human experie nee could not measure!
Rut on we went, and III "A nt.le wniie we
had emerged 1 rom the tai grass ana
we're somewhat startled by me discovery
that we had go,. close to inc wall OF he
building.
Carefully we .crept around toward the
open door.
AS we neared it we suddenly stoi PED
as If we had l)een strlcLch Win III
staneous paralysis.
or, Of the door fioatod, on The sctt
night air the sweetest music | have ever
listened 10.
II carried me ba OK in an instant 10 my
own world X was the music of the esitn.
II was the meloclous expression or 4
human soul 1t thrilled us both to the
hearts core
"My Godr' exclaimed Col)nel Smith.
..What can that be Are we dreaming,
or where in heavens name are We
sill the enchanting harmony hoaied
out upon the air.
What the instrume mt was i cou'd not
tell. hut the sound seemed more nearly
to resemble that OF violin tnGn OF any
thing else 1 could think Of
When we first he ard It the s'cains
were gentle. sweet. caressine. and It'll
of an infinite depth of feeling, hut In a
little while its tone changed, and IT re-
came a magnificent march, throbblnS
unon the air I'm stirring notes that set
our hearts beating in rni'on with It's
stride and inspiring in us a cou age mat
we had not felt before.
Then il drifted into a wild fantasia,
stU inexpressibly sweet, and from mat
changed again into reqlem or Ia
| mont whose mellinuous tide OF harmony
swept our thoughts ba ok again 10 the
/ earth
81 can endure this NO longer said.
II must see who il is that makes that
music I: is the product OF d human hears
| and must come from the touch Of hlman
| fingers
| We carefully shifted our position unul
| we stood in the blaze OF light that poured
| out of the door.
/ The doorway was an immense ar"hed
| onenine magnifcently ornamented, rs
| inc IA a height of. / should say, not less
| than twenty-five feet. and broad IN pro-
| nortion. The door itself stood widely ofcn
| and H. together with all It's fittings ana
] surroundings. was composed of the same
| beautiful red metal.
| Stepping out a little way mo the
| uqht could see within the door an
| immense apartment gllttering on all sides
! with metallic ornaments and gems ana
| lighted from the center ny Sreat chaH-
| dclier Of electric candies.
] In the middle of the great floor, hold
| ing the instrument dehcately poised, ana
| still awakening its ravishng voice. stood
! a figure. the sight Of which almost stop
!, ped my breath.
| II was slender syiph OF girl!
A girl OF my own race; human De
|! ing here upon the planet OF Mars!
Her hair was loosely cooled and she
was attired in graceful white drapery.
by -" cried Colonel Smith. "sne S
| human!'
| sun the bewildering strains OF the music
| came to our ears. and yet we stood tnere
unperceived. though In the iull glare oil
| the chandelier.
The girls face was presented in PRONE.
! 1t was exquisite in beauty. pale. delicate
! with a certain pleading sadness when
! stirred us TO the heart
An element of romance and touch
/ of personal interest such as we rad not
looked Tor SUDDENLY entered into our ad-
venture.
Colonels Smith mind sun ran back to
the peris of the plains.
"she is a prisoner" he said, and by
the Seven Devils OF Dona Anna wen
not leave her here But where are the
holhounds themselves
our attention had been so ABSORBED
by the sight of the girl that We had
scarcely thought OF looking 10 see II
there was any one else IN Inc room.
CHANGING beyond her, ! now perceived
sitting in richly decorated chairs three
or four gigantic Maruans They were
listening 10 the music as II charmed.
The whole story told itself. The girl,
II not their slave. was at any rate, under
their control, and she was furnishing en-
tertainment for them by her musical
skill The fact that they could md pleas
| ult III IluSlC ~ bSaNNAiti Ne'@f ~. --+-t'"f
an indication that they were not realiy
so savage as they seemed.
Yet our hearts went cut 10 the girl
and were turned against them with an
uncomfortable hatred.
They were OF the same remorseless
race with those VINO so lately mad lam
waste our fair earth and VINO would nave
completed It's destruction mad not PROV
dence interfcred in our benalf.
Singularly enough although we stood
fun in the light. they had not yet seen
us.
Suddenly the girl. moved by what i'm
pulse ! know not, turned ner face in our
direction. Her eyes fell upon us. Sne
J paused abruptly in her playing. and her
instrument dropped 10 the floor Then sne
uttered cry. ana with extended arms.
ran toward us.
But when she was near she stopped
abruptly the glad look fading from her
face. and started hack with terror-stricg-
en- eyes. as II. after all. she had found
us not what she expected
Then for an instant she looked more
intently al US. her countenance cleared
once more. ana. overcome by some
strange emotion. her eyes filled with
tears. and. drawing a little nearer. she
stretched forth her hands to us appeal
ingly.
Meanwhile the .Martians had started
to their feet. They looked down upon
us IN establishment. We were like pig
a. sl..t