ure the Swiftites are ahead of us. They raise their crops
with less labor relatively than we. All things considered it is easier
to live on Swift than here.

Knowing that my time was limited, I decided to secure some nuggets of
truth by a personal interview; so I concluded to appear to the wisest
person on the planet, who was a woman of wonderful mental acquirements.
In addition to her superior intellect she was also bewitchingly
beautiful.

I waited for the best opportunity and came near to her as she was about
to spread her wings for a morning flight from the beautiful summit
near her summer home. Not wishing to cause her undue alarm, I at first
spoke softly, remaining invisible and watching her rare eyes send their
glances toward the palmy trees around me, as her wings were relaxing
quietly at her side. She was positive of having heard a voice, and as
she still further scanned the immediate surroundings I saw that
perplexity was furrowing marks upon her face.

[Illustration: Beautiful Plume on the World of Swift.]

"Hast thou time to spend with a friend from another world?" I calmly
inquired as I was still unseen by her.

She was nervously agitated, but being of strong fibre she quickly
rallied with her answer, "Where art thou and who art thou?"

"I am on a peace mission from a far distant world," I quietly said as I
slowly became visible to my audience of one.

Naturally she was alarmed at my appearance, and consequently I drew
gradually farther and farther away until she gained more self-possession
and turned interestingly toward me.

"Ah! how can you be a spirit without wings?" were her first unexpected
words.

"But I am no spirit," I said assuringly.

"You cannot be otherwise," she insisted.

"Believe what you wish, we have no time for parley. I am delighted to
visit your world and I desire, if possible, to have some mysteries
solved. Can you help me?"

Plume, for that is the name I called her, was much unsettled. She
scanned my form with wild curiosity and I feared that she would at once
use her wings at their swiftest.

"Pray do not fly hence," I quickly urged. "I will never harm you, even
though we could converse together forever. Believe me true, and rest
your wings and heart in peace."

My words had some effect toward calming her mind and with more placid
features she still looked at me half shrinkingly.

"Are you not happy that you have wings with which fly?" I continued,
hoping to creat