n feelings well enough to analyse them,
and suppose I must have been astounded for a time. A vision of the car,
plunging through an atmosphere of flame, into the fiery entrails of the
sun, flashed across my excited brain, and then I seemed to lose the
power of thought.

"Out of the frying-pan into the fire," said I at last, in frivolous
reaction.

"His will be done!" murmured Miss Carmichael, instinctively drawing
closer to her father, who seemed to realise our jeopardy.

"We must look the matter in the face," said Gazen, with a sigh.

"What a death!" I exclaimed, "to sit and watch the vast glowing furnace
that is to swallow us up come nearer and nearer, second after second,
minute after minute, hour after hour."

"The nearer we approach the sun the faster we shall go," said Gazen.
"For one thing, we shall be dead long before we reach him. The heat will
stifle us. It will be all over in a few hours."

What a death! To see, to feel ourselves roasting as in an oven. It was
too horrible.

"Are you certain there is no mistake?" I asked at length.

"Quite," replied Gazen. "Come and see for yourself."

We had all but gained the door when Miss Carmichael followed us.

"Professor," she said, with a tremor in her voice, and a look of
supplication in her eyes, "you will come back soon--you will not leave
us long."

"No, my darling--I beg your pardon," answered Gazen, obeying the impulse
of his heart. "God knows I would give my life to save you if I could."

In another instant he had locked her in his arms.

I left them together, and ascended to the observatory, where Gazen soon
afterwards rejoined me.

"I'm the happiest man alive," said he, with a beaming countenance.
"Congratulate me. I'm betrothed to Miss Carmichael."

I took his proffered hand, scarcely knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"It seems to me that I have found my life in losing it," he continued
with a grim smile. "Saturn! what a courtship is ours--what an
engagement--what a bridal bed! But there, old fellow, I'm afraid I'm
happier than you--alone in spirit, and separated from her you love.
Perhaps I was wrong to carry you away from Venus--it has not turned out
well--but I acted for the best. Forgive me!"

I wrung his hand in silence.

"Now let us take a look through the telescope," he went on, wiping his
eyes, and adjusting the instrument. "You will see how soon it gets out
of focus. We are flying from Mercury, my friend, faster and faster."