The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-19


charmed the whole population was with
the news OF our romance II is the IL
grained nature OF these children of the
sun They pasSionately love the TO-
mantle and the beautiful.
We believe that we can overcome the
opposition Of the SupeTStitous element
and rouse enthusiastic devotion 20 our
selves by publicly proclaiming our be-
trOthal and celebrating our nuptialS ar
the earliest possible moment, and We
are going TO do il.
] was struck dumb-the thing was so
unexpected and, to my mind. SO pre-
pOSterOus.
why. Edmund" I at last managed
10 say, THAT'S the very thing 10 bring
your enemies down upon you
If you are determined to stay here
on Venus, al rigat- For heavens sake
don't take a step so openly defiant as
tha( which you propose. Keep IN The
background. and get Ala to Try her arts
OF persuasion Gntu The storm blows
over
Nothing that I could urge moved hiIn.
He and Ala had made up their minds.
af2a that was the end Of it
He wound I'D the discussion by asking
ne TO go at once 20 the car, in order
Jtat he EGls- hi instruct rue in tl-, man
Sgement of the controllers Ala, as vel
as Jack, Henry, and ~Uba, accompanied
US
The mere knowledge OF Ingra's pres
enCe was sufficient 10 make Edmund
wish TO have Ala continually under his
eye, and the Others followed where they
c-a Us EDLLaE- ne AESSttll NSE not tolt--s
for already had q general idea Of the
management Of the machinery, but II
was rendered little difficult by the
tacIt understanding between Edmund
and me that Henry should not be told
what was in the wind
He would be glad enough 10 90 home.
but ne were sure that he would oppose
anyone ar,ilg as engineer except Ed
mund- The affair was managed with
not exciting HenTy's SusT iCiGnS- After
ward I -ot JACK aside AM told him the
whole story
A. I expected. he adopted Edmund's
view 81 once
Just the thing to do" he declared
Pat. I tell lou what I'm more than
half disposed 10 stay mere myself If Ed
mVnd does"
Does as You Ike. Jack I replied.
but Tn going 10 get away Just Is soon
as J am certain that Edmund and Ala
cannot after all be persuaded 10 20, and
that they are in no Immediate danger
You are not TO suppose. from what
have said. that Ala vas deserted oy her
people In the midst Of the serious trOu-
bic II which she and we had involved
OgrrSelyes- Her Sesf-CODfde1Ce. as eE-
hfbirsd in tlle plan which she had formed
with Edmund. WIS alone a sufficient in
dicatilu that she had plenty Of friends
lett and that her rank and character
stu protected her
As soon. then. as she had informed
these friends and faithful supporters or
her design they Loyalty aided her 20 put
j 3
meuL 7 should have eagerly examined
5uLo all the details of the singular cere-
uouy by which the betrothal Of the
queen TO a stranger Of smother race and
cd 10 her people As Il was. my nina
was too full. and only the eliminating
scene was stamped on ny memory
The immense palaces tower and nun
dreGs Of other towers all over the city
were decorated as We had never seen
them before The display OF color was
amazing even after our experience
Most beautiful Of AL. thought. was
the spectacle presented by the thousands
of aeroplancs and airShips IN gala dress
They sIiiral=d about. so countless and 50
brilliant. so swift and so graceful IN
their may CircIlnEs. that one seemed 10
be plunged into the mlcst OF vast
swarm OF the most gorgeous butterflies
SO dazzling and fascinating a spectacle
was never conceived by the most in
-euious inventor Of c2rnivals and bal
lets
But even while I stood adEirinE II
could not drive away the thought that
this wonderful display was, IN itself
simply a defiance to our enemies. the
waving OF the toreadOTs scarlet flag
ard / sbuddeUed at consequences which
I could not fOrCSee-
The hour for the final ceremony was
ROW close at hand and we we're All 10
take q conspicuous part in IL standing
with Ala and Edmund 70 receive the
ccuSTaE ulariOns Of the people. after
priest whom Ala had won over 70 her
side had publicly proclaimed their be
Ala beautiful as I had never yet
seen her. was already habited in white
garments Offering with diamonds
and Edmund mad been ntted out IN aT'-
uropriate dress which splendidly set
CT his magnificent figure. with a jew
eIed GlIet resting amid his dark CurIs-
While we waited thus in one Of the
upper apartments OF the palace tower
an Irresistible impulse came 70 me TO
examine the car, which had been re-
moved 10 q nefghboririZ tower. I do
not know why suddenly felt this de-
sire-it may have been some suSpic-
ion Of possible meddling BY Ingra-
but, at any rate, I Immediately yielded
] had a key 10 the chamber in
which the car was locked. and 1 said
10 Edmund who was IN high spirits.
'I want 70 run over 10 look at the
@Au right he replied. but you
must be back in quarter Of an hour.
without fan
summoned an airbOat waiting at the
landing
Jack and Henry at once expressed a
desire 20 accompany me. and I con-
scented. re were not a minute IN
crossing the space separating the pal
ace from the adjoining tower, and
while Jack and Henry remained on
the landing of the latter, a6mirinE
the locked chamber containing the
car As I put the key in the door
asked myself
What am 7 here for2 I'm hanged
If know But, anyhow, I'll take a
I opened the door and entered. The
car was apparently all right. and,
while I was looking Il over with no
particular design. 1 heard Jacks
voice raised n great excitement.
I ran to the door, and a Gush of
heat smOte me in the face. a single
glance showed that the palace was
in flames Vast tongues Of fire were
leapinE u from It's lower stories,
licking he innumerable brilliant
balconies. which burst into fame as
II they had been so much finder
Stunned for an instant by the
awful sight the next moment I leaped
into the aiTbOat. pushing Jack and
Henry before me. but even as we did
this the material Of the boat caught
fire. and its engineer spranE back
upon the platform of the tower
Quick I shouted 1--WE must get
the car out
The Continuation OF This Story VIII
Be Found in TOarOrrOvv's
Issue of The Times.