here, who are you?"

"Help, help!" said the voice, and it was now much nearer.

Johnston plunged forward precipitately. "Where are you?"

"Here," and a human form loomed up before him.

For a moment neither spoke, then the strange figure said: "I thought
at first that you were some one sent to rescue me, but I see you are
alone--damned like myself."

"It looks that way," replied Johnston.

"When did they bring you?"

"Only a moment ago."

"My God, it is awful! A week ago I did not dream of such a fate as this.
I had enemies. The medical men were bribed to vote against me. Am I not
strong? Am I not muscular? Feel my arms and thighs."

He held out an arm and Johnston felt of it. The muscles were like stone.

"You are a giant."

"Ah! you are right; but they reported that there was a taint in my
blood. I was to marry Lallio, the most beautiful creature in our
village--Madryl, you know, the nearest hamlet to the home of the Sun. I
was rich, and the best farmer there. But Lyngale wanted her. She hated
him and spat at him when he spoke against me. He proved by others that
my lungs were weak, and showed them the blood of a slain dog in my
fields that they said had come from my lungs. Ah, they were curs! My
lungs weak! Strike my chest with all your might. Does it not sound like
the king's thunder? Strike, I say!" and as the enfeebled American struck
his bare breast he cried:--"Harder, harder! Pooh, you are a child, see
this, and this," and he emphasized his words with thunderous blows on
his resounding chest.

"But it has been so for a century," he panted; "hundreds have been
unjustly buried alive here. The king thinks it is not murder because
they die of starvation. I have stumbled over the bones of giants here in
the dark lands, and have met dying men that are stronger than the king's
athletes."

"What, are there others here?" gasped the American.

The Alphian was silent in astonishment.

"Why, where did you come from?" he asked, after a pause.

"From New York City."

"I don't know of it, and yet I thought I knew of all the places inside
the great endless wall."

Johnston was mystified in his turn. "It is not in your country--your
world, or whatever you call it. It is far away."

"Ah, under the white sun! In the 'Ocean Country,' and the world of
fierce winds and disease. And you are from there. I had heard of it
before they banished me; but two days since I came across a dying man,
away over there. He