ion, which seemed to all of us
perfectly satisfactory.

Yet, really, there was no reason why one language should be any better
than the other for our present purpose. In fact, it might be more useful
to us to know the language of the Martians themselves. Still, we all
felt that we should prefer to know her language rather than that of the
monsters among whom she had lived.

Colonel Smith expressed what was in all our minds when, after listening
to the reasoning of the Professor, he blurted out:

"Thank God, she doesn't speak any of their blamed lingo! By Jove, it
would soil her pretty lips."

"But also that she speaks, too," said the man from Heidelberg, turning
to Colonel Smith with a grin. "We shall both of them eventually learn."

A Tedious Language Lesson.

Three entire weeks were passed in this manner. After the first week
the girl herself materially assisted the linguists in their efforts to
acquire her speech.

At length the task was so far advanced that we could, in a certain sense,
regard it as practically completed. The Heidelberg Professor declared
that he had mastered the tongue of the ancient Aryans. His delight was
unbounded. With prodigious industry he set to work, scarcely stopping
to eat or sleep, to form a grammar of the language.

"You shall see," he said, "it will the speculations of my countrymen
vindicate."

No doubt the Professor had an exaggerated opinion of the extent of his
acquirements, but the fact remained that enough had been learned of
the girl's language to enable him and several others to converse with
her quite as readily as a person of good capacity who has studied under
the instructions of a native teacher during a period of six months can
converse in a foreign tongue.

Immediately almost every man in the squadron set vigorously at work to
learn the language of this fair creature for himself. Colonel Smith and
Sidney Phillips were neck and neck in the linguistic race.

One of the first bits of information which the Professor had given out
was the name of the girl.

We Learn Her Name.

It was Aina (pronounced Ah-ee-na).

This news was flashed throughout the squadron, and the name of our
beautiful captive was on the lips of all.

After that came her story. It was a marvellous narrative. Translated
into our tongue it ran as follows:

"The traditions of my fathers, handed down for generations so many that
no one can number them, declare that the planet of Mars was