ion, which still rose a few feet
above the gathering flood, was a figure of a woman, as perfect in form
and in classic beauty of feature as the Venus of Milo--a magnified human
being not less than forty feet in height!

But for her swaying and the wild motions of her arms, we should have
mistaken her for a marble statue.

Aina, who happened to be looking, instantly exclaimed:

"It is the woman from Ceres. She was taken prisoner by the Martians
during their last invasion of that world, and since then has been a
slave in the palace of the emperor."

Apparently her great stature had enabled her to escape, while her
masters had been drowned. She had fled like the others, toward the
south, but being finally surrounded by the rising waters, had taken
refuge on the hillock of sand, where we saw her. This was fast giving
way under the assault of the waves, and even while we watched the water
rose to her knees.

"Drop lower," was the order of the electrical steersman of the flagship,
and as quickly as possible we approached the place where the towering
figure stood.

She had realized the hopelessness of her situation, and quickly ceased
those appalling and despairing gestures, which had at first served to
convince us that it was indeed a living being on whom we were looking.

There she stood, with a light, white garment thrown about her, erect,
half-defiant, half yielding to her fear, more graceful than any Greek
statue, her arms outstretched, yet motionless, and her eyes upcast, as
if praying to her God to protect her. Her hair, which shone like gold in
the increasing light of day, streamed over her shoulders, and her great
eyes were astare between terror and supplication. So wildly beautiful a
sight not one of us had ever beheld.

For a moment sympathy was absorbed in admiration. Then:

"Save her! Save her!" was the cry that arose throughout the ship.

Ropes were instantly thrown out, and one or two men prepared to let
themselves down in order better to aid her.

But when we were almost within reach, and so close that we could see the
very expression of her eyes, which appeared to take no note of us, but
to be fixed, with a far away look upon something beyond human ken,
suddenly the undermined bank on which she stood gave way, the blood red
flood swirled in from right to left, and then:

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

"If but for that woman's sake, I am sorry we drowned the planet