The herald., 1898-03-20

1
learned professor Of languages from
the University of Heidelberg was list
ening to her with intense attention,
Several times he appeared to be on the
point of breaking in with an exclama-
ton. I could plainly see that he was
becoming more and more excited as the
words poured from the girls lips. Oc-
casionally he nodded and muttered.
smiling to himself.
Her song finished, the girl sank half
exhausted upon the floor. She was
lifted and placed in reclining position
at the side of the car.
Then the Heidelberg professor
stepped to the centre of the car, in the
sight of all, and in a most impressive
manner said:
Gentlemen, our sister! 1 have her
tongue recognized! The language that
she speaks, the roots of the great Indo-
European, or Aryan stock, contains.
This girl, gentlemen. to the oldest
family of the human race belongs. Her
language every tongue that now upon
the earth is spoken antedates. Con-
vinced am that it that great original
speech is from which have all the Ian
guages of the civilized world sprung.
How she here came, SO many mill
lions of miles from the earth. great
mystery is. But it shall be penetrated,
and it is from her own lips that we
the truth shall learn, because not diff
cult to us shall it be the language that
she speaks to acquire since to our own
| 1t Is akin"
This announcement of the Heidelberg
professor stirred us all most profound
ly. 1t not only deepened our interest
in the beautiful girl whom we had res
cued, but. in dim way, it gave us rea-
son to hope that we should yet discover
some means of mastering the Martians
by dealing them q blow from within.
1t had been expected, the reader will
remember, that the Martian whom we
had made prisoner on the asteroid,
might be of use to us in a similar way,
and for that reason great efforts had
been made to acquire his language, and
considerable progress had been effected
in that direction.
But from the moment of our arrival
at Mars itself. and especially after the
battles began, the prisoner had re-
sumed his savage and uncommunica-
tive disposition, and had seemed con-
tinually to be expecting that we would
fall victims to the prowess Of his fell
low beings, and that he would be re-
| leased. How an outlaw. such as he
evidently was, who had been caught in
the act of robbing the Martian gold
mines, could expect to escape punish
ment on returning to his native planet,
it was difficult to see. Nevertheless,
SO strong are the ties of race we could
plainly perceive that all his sympa-
thes were for his own people.
| In fact, in consequence of his surly
manner, and his attempts to escape,
he had been more strictly bound than
before. and to get him out of the way
he had been removed from the flag
ship, which was already overcrowded,
and placed in one of the other electric
ships, and this ship-as it happened
was one of those which We're lost in the
great battle under the clouds. So after
all, the Martian had persisted, by a
vengeful stroke launched from his ma
/ tive globe.
But Providence had placed in our
hands a far better interpreter than he
could ever have been. This girl of our
own race would need no urging, or
coercion, on our part, in order to induce
her to reveal any secrets of the Mar
tians that might be useful in our fur
ther proceedings.
| bul one lulllS was llTSl AcCcSSbIy "
be done.
We must learn to talk with her.
But for the discovery of the store of
provisions it would have been impos-
sible for us to spare the time needed to
acquire the language of the girl, but
now that we had been saved from the
danger of starvation. We could prolong
the siege for several weeks, employing
the intervening time to the best ad
vantage.
The terrible disaster which we had
suffered in the great battle above the
Lake of the Sun, wherein we had lost
nearly third of our entire force, had
been quite sufficient to convince us
that our only hope of victory lay in
dealing the Martians some paralyzing
stroke that at one blow would deprive
them of the power of resistance. A
victory that cost us the loss of a single
ship would be too dearly purchased
now.
How to deal that blow, and first Of
all. how to discover the means of deal
ing it, were at present the uppermost
problems before our minds.
The only hope for us lay in the girl.
IT, as there was every reason to be-
lieve, she was familiar with the ways
and secrets of the Martians. then she
might be able to direct our efforts in
such a manner as to render them ef-
fective.
I'VE can spare two weeks for this"
said Mr.. Edison. Can you fellows of
many tongues learn to talk with the
girl in that time?"
We'll try" said several.
at shall we do" cried the Heidelberg
professor, more confidently.
"Then there is no use Of staying
here" continued the commander IF
we withdraw, the Martians will think
that we have either given up the con-
test or been destroyed. Perhaps they
will then pull off their blanket and let
us see their face once more. That will
give us better opportunity to strike
effectively when we are again ready"
"Why not rendezvous at one of the
moons?" said an astronomer Neither
of the two moons is of much conse-
quence, as far as size goes, but still it
would serve as a sort Of anchorage
ground and while there, If we were
careful to keep on the side away from