ed
flood swirled in from right to left, and then:

"The waters closed above her face
With many a ring."

She, Like the Rest, Is Gone.

"If but for that woman's sake, I am sorry we drowned the planet,"
exclaimed Sidney Phillips. But a moment afterward I saw that he regretted
what he had said, for Aina's eyes were fixed upon him. Perhaps, however,
she did not understand his remark, and perhaps if she did it gave her
no offence.

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 narrow strip of land with the ocean on one side and the raging flood
seeking to destroy it on the other. In some places it had 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 evidently so elevated that no matter
how high the flood might rise it would not completely cover them. Here
the fugitives had gathered in dense throngs and above them hovered most
of the airships, loaded down with others who were unable to find room
upon the dry land.

The Martians Not Discouraged.

On one of the loftiest and broadest of these elevations we noticed
indications of military order in the alignment of the crowds and the shore
all around was guarded by gigantic pickets, who mercilessly shoved back
into the flood all the later comers, and thus prevented too great crowding
upon the land. In the centre of this elevation rose a palatial structure
of red metal which Aina informed us was one of the residences of the
Emperor, and we concluded that the monarch himself was now present there.

The absence of any signs of resistance on the part of the airships,
and the complete drowning of all of the formidable fortifications on
the surface of the planet, convinced us that all we now had to do in
order to complete our conquest was to get possession of the person of
the chief ruler.

The fleet was, accordingly, concentrated, and we rapidly approached the
great Martian palace. As we came down within a hundred feet of them and
boldly made our way among their airships, which retreated at our approach,
the Martians gazed at us with mingled fear and astonishment.

We were their conquerors and they knew it. We were coming to demand their
surrender, and they evidently understood that also. As we approached the
palace signals were made from it with brilliant colored banners which
Aina info