The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-14
CHAPTER XIX.
An Extraordinary Hunt.

VIE Significance Of what had oc-|
CURED in the temple gradually
dawned upon me afTervard. but it was
never 50 clear in my mind as TO produce
more than an uneasy and growing fore
bOdiug
Edmund did not mention the subject
aSa-H- am there was no outward mani
teStation OF the new opposition which
! had been set Up against Us. Naturally,
p would require time 10 develop its
force 10 was struggle between two
opponents OF equal DOW T- Tor u IlIe
I Big Medicine Man." as Jack continued
&c call MIN. was supreme in religious at
fairs, Ala was nevertheless queen. and
her popularity was a bulvaTi- 10 her au-
thority
/ Besides, so far as we knew. the ar
! fair was a secret known only TO the
persons Immediately concerned There
had been no witnesses Of the scene
before the black throne.
In the meantime Ala showed as lii
I tie anxiety as Edmund She was al
most continually with US, and the tine
Slided away very pleasantly with the
entertainments which she was con-
SIanTly providing for our amusement
Our attention was now once more
turned 10 the mystery OF the color
music II was perfectly clear, afte-
what we had learned in the wilder
ness, that the play OF colors which
had so astonished Us furnished but q
part OF the esthetic enjoyment OF
Frequently there were what I may
call concerts IN the palace. and on
these occasions became convinced
that more than half Of the effect pro-
uuCeu DE the dramatic naTGnOnleS that
guShed IN glowing waves OF color
from the great circles on the walls
was due TO the production OF sounds
Edmund, as I had anticipated that
he would do from his remark in re-
ply TO Jacks enthusiastic demand
when the secret or the singing birds
first burst upon US, attacked the
problem by rendering this strange
music audible 10 us And he sue
Ceeded, as NE always succeeded
How he did IL cannot pretend 10
explain, but he said that IL was a IS
simple in principle as a telephone
After many experiments he construct
ed three little boxes, one for each OF
us, and when we had attached them
over our ears we could actually hear
the sounds produced by the colcred
fluctuations.
I can never describe those sounds.
They thrilled the very soul Tney had
strange aerial quality. as If they were
the voices II spirits floating IN the air
about us The music that they pro-
0uced reminded me, by It's sweetness OF
the melodies OF an Aeolian harp nut Il
was more measured and INFINITELY more
varied Listening to 10. We felt stirred
20 depths Of our being OF whose exist
ence We had not dreamed
We were exalted and something be-
yOHd human CAPACITIES OF. enjoyment
seemed to have been given 90 us Yet
Edmund said that the exquisite pleas
ure we were enabled to experience by
the aid Of this cOntrivance was only a
rude Imperfect mechanical reproduC-
tiCn OF that which was enjoyed by the
people Of Venus But we were grateful
10 him for sffordinE US this glimpse into
the possibilities of transcendent devel-
Opment Of the physical Venus
1T Is the nature OF Venus. Edmund
declared This world so near the sun
receives from the great orb richer gifts
#r hE at
phere here tremulOus with vibra tjous
originating IN the sun which Imparts a
character in the physical organization of
the Inhabitants of this planet which we
the same time more delicate and more
intense tthau ours
We were never tired Of tasting the
new pleasure that had been partially
placed before US, but Edmuud-s restless +
spirit soon drew us away into fresh ad-
ventures.
He vas determined TO explore the tor
rid circle He had learned from Ala .
that 10 one had ever been able 20 pene-
trate beyond the place where IuEra had
left us 10 be devcured by the monsters
OF the great SWampS- but with his car
he believed that we could 20 wherever
he chose, and he persuaded Ala. whose 4
desire fer knowledge and love OF adEeu-
Uure WEs not less than his to consent F.
10 most extraordinary expedition
In the Preparations for this I believe /
that we all forgot che new danger I
that threatened Us since the OpDOSt- .
ton Of the Great Oracle had been de
ClaTed.
Whatever might be the form that
danger was to assume. It kept itself I
in the background and worked in /
secret I lad an uneasy feeling thar
IN some manner InSTa would associate 1
himself with II.
While the people and even the high I
officials in the palace apparently .
knew nothing Of what had occurred. 4
I felt certain that our arch enemy T.
would learn Of il and rem orseless1y I
pursue the advantage that il gave
him
a gain and again ] was on the point &
Of urging Edmund TO leave the planet 8
while there was YET time and take
Ala with Us II she would consent TO 4
80, as he bad himself suggested. He .
was so absorbed in his schemes. how
ever, that I hesitated TO disturb his .
thoughts
In a short time all our preparations /
were made. and we set out on what {
must regard as the widest and most
inconSiderate adventure that we had
yet undertaken
We started as usual. from the great
tower Of the palace, our company con-
sisJing Of nine persOns-aII that the car
could conveniently accommodate. These &
comprised, besides ourselves. Ala. Juba.
two maids chosen from Alas immediate