The Washington times., 1903-04-19
CHAPTER XIII.
COLD AND DARKNESS.

u
During the lunar night our friends
we're oftener together. chatting around
the stove filed with hot stones. In
spite Of all precautions, they felt the
cold terribly
It was in vain that they collected
every bit OF available clothing, even
making use OF the silk stufs in store N
the laboratory. In vain they invented
the most fantastic toilets, made of any
non-conductor of heat they could find.
The doctor even appeared in a suit
lined with newspapers. Nothing was Of
use to keep out the intense cold, and
even the baronet could not stop his
teeth from chattering.
The strangest thing was that the cold
was absolutely independent of atmos-
pheric influence, for there was neither
hoar frost nor snow. nor black frost,
nor, indeed. the least breeze astiT. The
thermometer fell hour by hour below
freezing; it fell 20, 25, 90, s., 80 de
grees: but the landscape presented al
ways the same monotonous aspect OF 81
Ience and desolation. lit up ey the pale,
clear light Of the earth.
The fact was easy 10 explain. The
atmosphere of the moon being absolutely
free from damp or vapor of any sort, all
The attendant phenomena OF these vary
ing conditions of the eaTth's atmosphere
we're conspicuous Ia their absence in the
moon.
The monotony Of the long night vas
/ broken from time TO time early by the
/ splendid aurora borealis that ever and
anon flooded the heavens with gorgeous
/ streamers of blue or purple light. dis
/ appearing as suddenly IS they had ap-
/ Daared.
+ Briet had been very anxious at the be
/ ginning of the severe weather about his
niece. Keeping his fears 10 himself, he
was more than doubtful whether she
would BE- able 10 bear the intense cold,
and in his solicitude neglected nothing
to warm ard strengthen her. But, to
his extreme surprise, he saw at the end
Of a few days that she bore il better
/ than any OF them.
/ She seemed. in fact. to be getting
stronger. She TO longer coughed, and
had lost he alarming hectic flush which
had caused her father so many anxious.
/ sIeepIess nights. Never had she ap-
peared in such radiant health as now.
and the doctor ventured TO hope that
the dread malady of consumption had
: been checked.
The dry climate of the moon must be
the very one for consumptive patients. ''
said he Never did I see so rapid. so
| extraordinary a cure, Not only has she
lost alarming pulmonary symptoms. but
/ her general health is quite restored"
Gertrude threw herself with renewed
vigor into the work Norbert had in
trusted TO her and Fatima They had
to collect all the pieces Of silk and sew
then. together with strong twist for the
. purpose Of making large parachute
There we're many parachutes in the
store room. but Norbert would have one
large enough 10 hold them all. This
entailed making a cage thirty yards in
diameter. and would certainly have been
a task impossible for Gertrude and her
little maid to have executed in the lin
tied time al their disposal, had not Vir-
gil obigingly offered his help. He could
sew as well as sailmaker. which is
SAYING a great deal
Norbert. with the doctor and Kaddour
. concerned himself with repairing hi.
great electric magnet They had enough
to do, for the terrible shock had strained
the delicate mechanism.
Norbert had 10 steal hours from hi.
sleep 10 take the astronomical observa
tions he so priced. He alone of all Ihc
colony was thoroughly happy. and ho
would have conteutedIy borne mucl
/ longer night.
Never. he SAID. had Is been given hin
before 10 be able TO take such prects'
and fresh observations with so Ittl,
( trouble as 10 the commencement or enC
# his operations. year in such sur
rouudiugs would be productive OF great
er results to science than a hundre,
years OF study in the terrestrial atmos-
rhere
What would it have been had he bu
some OF the powerful telescopes of tn,
great ohservatories! Bot he must b,
content With the means at his disposal
II should be glad. ne continued ''couI,
bat count On five or six lunar nights 0
fourteen or Gfteen times twenty-fou
hoursi Nothing more would be neede,
TO place me in the first rank OF as
rronomers.
Let us stay. then. in that easel
cried Gertrude. We win winingl.