The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-01-23

]
We now turned our ships toward the
southern border of the land, following
the direction of the airships carrying
the fugitives, few of which were still
navigating the atmosphere mile be-
meath us. In their excitement and ter
ror the Martians paid little attention
to us, although, as the morning bright
ened, they must have been aware of our
presence over their heads. But appar-
entity they no longer thought of resist
ance. Their only object was escape
from the immediate and appalling dan
ger.
When we had progressed to point
about half way from the Lake of the
Sun to the border of the sea, having
dropped down within few hundred
feet of the surface, there suddenly APP
peared in the midst of the raging waters
sight SO remarkable that at first |
rubbed my eyes in establishment, not
crediting their report of what they be-
held.
Standing on the apex of a sandy ele-
walton, which still rose few feet above
the gathering flood, was the figure of a
woman as perfect in form and in classic
beauty of feature as the Venus of Milo
"a magnifed human being not less
than 40 feet in height.
But for her swaying and the wild
motions of her arms we should ha o
mistaken her for marble statue.
Alma, who happened to be looking,
instantly exclaimed;
ut is the woman from Ceres She
was taken prisoner by the Martians
during their last invasion of that world,
and since then has been slave in the
palace of the emperor.
Apparently her great stature had en-
abled her to escape, while her masters
had been drowned She bad fed, like
the others, toward the south, but being
finally surrounded by the rising waters
had taken refuge on the hillock of sand
where we saw her. This was fast Civ
ing way I'm Ter the assault of the waves,
and even while we watched the water
rose to her knees.
drop lower, was the order to the
electrical steersman of the flagship, and
as quickly as possible we approached
the place where the towering figure
stood.
She had realized the hopelessness of
her situation and quickly ceased those
appalling and despairing gestures
which at first served to convince us that
it was indeed living being on whom
we were looking.
There she stood, with a light, white
garment thrown about her, erect, half
defiant, half yielding to her fear, more
graceful than any Greek statue, her
arms outstretched, yet motionless, and
her eyes upcast, as if praying to her
God to protect her. Her hair which
shone like gold in the increasing light
of day, streamed over her shoulders,
and her great eyes were astare between
terror and supplication. So wildly beau
tiful a sight not one of us had ever be-
held For moment sympathy was alb
sorbed in admiration.
Save her Save herl' was the cry
that arose throughout the ship.
Ropes were instantly thrown out, and
one or two men prepared to let them
selves down in order better to aid her.
But when we were almost within
reach and so close that we could see the
very expression of her eyes, which ap.
peared to take no note Of us, but to be
fixed, with a faraway look upon some
thing beyond human ken, suddenly the
undermined bank on which she stood
gave way, the blood red flood swirled
III from right to left, and then
The waters closed above her face
With many ring
IF but for that woman's sake, am
sorry we drowned the planetl" exclaim-
ed Sydney Phillips. But moment aft
erward l saw that he regretted what he
had said, for Aina's eyes were fixed up
ON him. Perhaps, however, she did not
his remark, and perhaps if
she did it gave her no offense
After this episode we pursued our
way rapidly until we arrived at the
shore of the Southern ocean. There, as
we had expected, was to be seen a mar
row strip of land with the ocean on one
side and the raging flood seeking to de-
stroy 1t on the other. In some places it
bad been already broken through, so
that the ocean was flowing in to assist
in the drowning of Thaumasia.
But some parts of the coast were evil
IDENTIFY so elevated that no matter how
high the flood might rise it would not
cover them. Here the fugi-
tives had gathered in dense throngs and
above them lowered most of the air |
ships, loaded down with others who
were unable to find room upon the dry |
land.
On one of the loftiest and broadcast of |
these elevations we noticed indications
Of military order in the alignment of |
the crowds and the shore all round was
guarded by gigantic pickets, who mer-
,ilessly showed back into the flood all |
The later corners, and thus prevented
TOO great crowding upon the land. In
The center of this elevation rose pala-
nal structure of red metal which Alma
informed us was one of the residences
u the emperor, and we concluded that
'he monarch himself was now present
here.
The absence of any signs of resistance
III the part of the airships and the
drowning of all of the for.
nidable Notifications ON the surface of
Ina