th cables each twenty or thirty feet in diameter.

"The sun cannot be far away now," remarked the Alphian.

"Is it not lighted?"

"I presume not; I think it comes through in darkness. The light is saved
for its passage over Alpha."

"Would it not be as safe for us to attempt to walk through the tunnel to
the palace of the king?"

"Never; it would be over fifty miles in utter darkness. There may be a
thousand trestles and bridges over frightful chasms: for the most part,
I have heard the tunnel is a natural channel or a succession of caverns
united by tunnels. The other is the safer way, though it certainly is
risky enough."

Louder and nearer grew the rumbling noise, and a faint light began to
shine from the tunnel and flash on the cliff opposite.

"It is the sun's headlight," explained Branasko.

Johnston was thrilled to the centre of his being as he saw the light
playing over the polished tracks and cables and illuminating the walls
of the great tunnel.

Suddenly there was a deep, mellow-toned stroke of a bell in the sun,
and, as the two men shrank involuntarily into the deeper shade of the
cliff, the great globe, a stupendous ball of crystal, five hundred feet
in height, slowly emerged from the mouth of the tunnel and came to a
stop under the opening in the rock which led to the space above.

"What had we better do now?" said Johnston.

"Wait," cautioned Branasko, and he drew the American to a great boulder
nearer the sun, from behind which they could, without being seen, watch
the action of the crowd of workmen that was hurriedly approaching. They
placed ladders of steel against the sides of the sun and swarmed over it
like bees.

"They are cleaning the glass and adjusting the lights," said the
Alphian; "wait till they go round to the other side. Don't you see that
square opening near the ground?"

The American nodded.

"It is the door," said Branasko, "and we must try to enter it while they
are on the other side. Let us slip nearer; there is another rock ahead
that we can hide behind." Suiting the action to the word, Branasko led
the way, stooping near to the ground until both were safely ensconced
behind the boulder in question. They were now so near that they could
hear the electricians rubbing the glass.

One who seemed to be superintending the work opened the door and went
into the sun and lighted a bright light. From where they were crouched
Johnston and Branasko caught a view of a little ha