ight be white as at noon."

"But, father, it has never been done before; it----"

"Alpha has never faced such danger. All our dream is about to end. Go!"

Without a word the young man hastened away, and it seemed scarcely a
moment before the sunlight streaming in at the oval glass roof changed
from green to white.

The king pushed Ornethelo impatiently aside; his eyes held a dull gleam
of despair, and he seemed to have grown ten years older. He touched a
button, and the awful scene at the pit gave place to a bright view
of the capitol, which was plainly seen from its crowded centre to its
scattering suburbs. The squads of "protectors" stood like armies ready
for battle, their rigid faces still toward the awful west.

"They are ready--the signal!" yelled the king, waving his hand, "the
signal!" Ornethelo caught his breath suddenly and tottered as he went
across the room, and touched a button on the wall. The king's eyes were
glued on the mirrored view of the capitol, his trembling hands held out,
as if commanding silence. Then a deafening trumpet blast broke on the
ear. The masses of citizens pressed near the edges of the roofs and
close against the walls along the streets, as the protectors rushed into
the flying-machines. Another trumpet-blast, and away they flew, a long
black line, every instant growing smaller as it receded in the murky
distance. The princess, white and silent, led Thorndyke and Johnston
back to the balcony. The line of machines was now a mere thread in the
sky, but the ominous cloud in the west had increased, and fine sand and
ashes were added to the fall of soot.

"What was that?" gasped the princess. It was a low rumble like distant
thunder, and the balcony shook violently.

"An earthquake," said Thorndyke. "I am really afraid there is not a
ghost of a chance for us; the water running into the fire is sure to
cause an eruption of some sort, and even a slight one would be likely to
enlarge the opening to the ocean."

Johnston nodded knowingly as he looked into his friend's face, but,
considering the presence of the princess, he said nothing.

"My brother, Prince Marentel, is the greatest man in our kingdom," she
re marked. "He has taken enough explosives to remove a mountain."

"How will he use them?" asked Thorndyke.

"I don't know, but I fancy he will try to close the opening in some
way."

The latter slowly shook his head. "I fear he will fail. The fall must be
as voluminous as Nia