at the lurch of the vessel, as it swung around the
obstruction, Margaret would have fallen had not Crane instinctively
caught her with one arm. Ordinarily this bit of courtesy would have gone
unnoticed by both, as it had happened many times before, but in that
heavily-charged atmosphere it took on a new significance. Both blushed
hotly, and as their eyes met each saw that which held them spellbound.
Slowly, almost as if without volition, Crane put his other arm around
her. A wave of deeper crimson swept over her face and she bent her
handsome head as her slender body yielded to his arms with no effort to
free itself. Finally Crane spoke, his usually even voice faltering.

"Margaret, I hope you will not think this unfair of me ... but we have
been through so much together that I feel as though we had known each
other forever. Until we went through this last experience I had intended
to wait--but why should we wait? Life is not lived in years alone, and
you know how much I love you, my dearest!" he finished, passionately.

Her arms crept up around his neck, her bowed head lifted, and her eyes
looked deep into his as she whispered her answer:

"I think I do ... Oh, Martin!"

Presently they made their way back to the engine-room, keeping the
singing joy in their hearts inaudible and the kisses fresh upon their
lips invisible. They might have kept their secret for a time, had not
Seaton promptly asked:

"Well, what did you find, Mart?"

A panicky look appeared upon Crane's self-possessed countenance and
Margaret's fair face glowed like a peony.

"_Yes_, what _did_ you find?" demanded Dorothy, as she noticed their
confusion.

"My future wife," Crane answered steadily.

The two girls rushed into each other's arms and the two men silently
gripped hands in a clasp of steel; for each of the four knew that these
two unions were not passing fancies, lightly entered into and as lightly
cast aside, but were true partnerships which would endure throughout the
entire span of life.

* * * * *

A planet was located and the Skylark flew toward it. Discovering that it
was apparently situated in the center of the cluster of suns, they
hesitated; but finding that there was no dangerous force present, they
kept on. As they drew nearer, so that the planet appeared as a very
small moon, they saw that the Skylark was in a blaze of green light, and
looking out of the windows, Crane counted seventeen gr