The herald., 1898-03-20
{M~a.Wls0 A)EFA Carr ! f eH pSerWSS

lumlnatlOn. Whlcn lay DrlSnL upon tne
lawn, then crossed the highway
through an opening in the hedge, and
cleaned on the water of the canal be-
yond.
Where we stood the ground had evil
IDENTIFY been recently cleared. and there
was no obstruction, but as we crept
closer to the house-for our curiosity
had now become irresistible-we found
ourselves crawling through grass so
tall that if we had stood erect it would
have risen well over our heads.
This affords good protection" said
Colonel Smith, recalling his adventures
on the western plains I'VE can get
close in to the Indians-I beg pardon,
l mean the Neutrality-suspicious. being
seem"
Heavens, what an adventure was
this. To be crawling about in the night
on the face of another world, and ven
turing, perhaps, into the jaws of dam
ger which human experience could not
measured.
But on we went, and in a little while
we had emerged from the tall grass
and were somewhat startled by the dis
covery that we had got close to the
wall of the building.
Carefully we crept around toward the
open door.
AS we neared it we suddenly stopped
as if we had been stricken with in
Simultaneous paralysis.
Out of the door fioated, on the soft
night air, the sweetest music 1 have
ever listened to.
1t carried me back in an instant to
my own world. 1t was the music of
the earth. 1t was the melodious eX
preston of a human soul. 1t thrilled
us both to the hearts core
My God!" exclaimed Colonel Smith
what can that be? Are we dreaming,
or where in heavens name are we?'
Still the enchanting harmony fioated
Cut upon the air.
What the instrument was 1 could not
tell, but the sound seemed more nearly
to resemble that of a violin than of
anything else l could think of.
When we first heard it the strains
were gentle, sweet, caressing and full
of an infinite depth of feeling, but in
little while its tone changed, and it be-
came a magnificent march, throbbine
upon the air in stirring notes that set
our hearts beating in unison with its
stride and inspiring in us a courage
that we had not felt before.
Then it drifted into a wild fantasia,
still inexpressibly sweet, and from that
changed again into requiem or Ia
ment whose mellifuous tide of har-
mony swept our thoughts back again to
the earth.
II can endure this no longer" I said.
II must see who it is that makes that
iC "a Of l1,r,1 q
heart and must come from the touch
of human fingers"
We carefully shifted our position un-
til we stood in the blaze of light that
poured out of the door.
The doorway was an immense arched
opening, magnificently ornamented
rising to height of, 1 should say, not
less than twenty or twenty-five feet
and broad in proportion. The door it
self stood widely open and il, together
with all it's fittings and surroundings,
was composed of the same beautiful
red metal.
Stepping out a little way into the
light, l could see within the door an
immense apartment, glittering on all
sides with metallic ornaments and
gems and lighted from the center by a
great chandelier of electric candles.
In the middle of the great floor, hold
ing the instrument delicately poised,
and still awaking it's ravishing voice,
stood a figure, the sight of which al
most stopped my breath.
1t was slender sylph of a girl!
A girl of my own race; human be-
ing here upon the planet of Mars!
Her hair was loosely coiled and she
was attired in graceful white drapery
by =" cried Colonel Smith, shes
human!"
Still the bewildering strains of the
music came to our ears, and yet we
stood there unperceived, though in the
full glare of the chandelier.
The girls face was presented in a
profile. 1t was exquisite in beauty,
pale, delicate, with a certain pleading
sadness which stirred us to the heart.
An element of romance and a touch
Of personal interest such as we had not
looked for suddenly entered into our
adventure.
Colonel Smiths mind still ran back
to the perils of the plains.
She is prisoner he said, land by
The Seven Devils of Dona Anna We'll
lot leave her here. But where are the
themselves?"
Our attention had been so absorbed
oy the sight of the girl that we had
scarcely thought of looking to see if
here was any one else in the room.
CHANGING beyond her. 1 now perceived
sitting in richly decorated chairs
hree or four gigantic Martians. They
we're listening to the music as if
harmed.
The whole story told itself. This girl.
not their slave, was at any rate un-
Ter their control, and she was furnish
ng entertainment for them by her mu-
ical skill. The fact that they could
ind pleasure in music so beautiful was,
perhaps, an indication that they were
lot really so savage as they seemed
Yet our hearts went out to the girl, |
nd were turned against them with an
uncomfortable hatred.
They We're of the same remorseless
ace with those who so lately had lain |
waste our fair earth and who would
ave completed it's destruction had not
Providence interfered in our behalf.
Singularly enough, although we stood |
ull in the light, they had not yet seen
IS.
Suddenly the girl, moved by what i'm
ulse I know not turned her face in |
ur direction Her eyes fell upon us. |
'he paused abruptly in her playing, |