t of getting into bed," saying which, he rolled
himself in his blanket and soon was fast asleep.

Having decided that, on account of the proximity of the dragons, a man
must in any event be on the watch, they did not set the
protection-wires. From the shortness of the nights, they divided them
into only two watches of from two hours to two and a half each, so
that, even when constant watch duty was necessary, each man had one
full night's sleep in three. On this occasion Ayrault and Cortlandt
were the watchers, Cortlandt having the morning and Ayrault the evening
watch. Many curious quadruped birds, about the size of large bears,
and similar in shape, having bear-shaped heads, and several creatures
that looked like the dragons, flew about them in the moonlight; but
neither watcher fired a shot, as the creatures showed no desire to make
an attack. All these species seemed to belong to the owl or bat tribe,
for they roamed abroad at night.

CHAPTER V.

AYRAULT'S VISION.

When Ayrault's watch was ended, he roused Cortlandt, who took his
place, and feeling a desire for solitude and for a last long look at
the earth, he crossed the top of the ridge on the slope of which they
had camped, and lay down on the farther side. The South wind in the
upper air rushed along in the mighty whirl, occasionally carrying filmy
clouds across the faces of the moons; but about Ayrault all was still,
and he felt a quiet and serene repose. He had every intention of
remaining awake, and was pondering on the steadfastness of the human
heart and the constancy of love, when his meditations began to wander,
and, with his last thoughts on Sylvia, he fell asleep. Not a branch
moved, nor did a leaf fall, yet before Ayrault's, sleeping eyes a
strange scene was enacted. A figure in white came near and stood
before him, and he recognized in it one Violet Slade, a very attractive
girl to whom he had been attentive in his college days. She was at
that time just eighteen, and people believed that she loved him, but
for some reason, he knew not why, he had not proposed.

"I thought you had died," he said, as she gazed at him, "but you are
now looking better than ever."

"From the world's point of view I AM dead," she replied. "I died and
was buried. It is therefore permissible that I should show you the
truth. You never believed I loved you. I have wished earnestly to see
you, and to h