re it
sank to remain a secret for all time.

Swiftly flew those precious moments in which Fate had destined that two
hearts from separate worlds should taste of each other's love, and
then--what? Alone in our great love we drank deeply the cup of
happiness, and the hour of parting, ever drawing nearer, seemed but a
cloud on the horizon. At last, yielding to necessity, we retraced our
steps, leaving the scene of our joyous love behind, and the dread of
parting filled our hearts and stifled our words of happiness.

Strange to say, as I stood in that other world, there surged through my
alien mind some lines of Clinton Scollard's, which I had once learned,
little dreaming of their significance:

"Lo, it has come, the inevitable hour
When thou and I, beloved one, must part;
When heart be sundered from caressing heart,
And ungloomed skies be turned to dreary gray."

A silence fell upon us, both dreading to put into words the thoughts we
knew must be spoken. Then, as our hearts beat audibly in the sacred
stillness of night that had fallen about us, Zarlah murmured, clinging
to me in despair, "Oh, Harold, my love, how can we bear the agony of
being parted!"

"I would give my life to remain with you, dearest!" I answered, pressing
her passionately to me, but in a more soothing tone I added,

"We must be brave, love, it is but for a day--to-morrow I shall return,
but before my departure from Earth I will speak with Almos, and tell him
that I wish to abandon my body forever and to abide in spirit on Mars.
In a virator constructed with two upper chambers, my spirit could be
retained indefinitely, and I would then see you daily through the medium
of Almos. To-morrow, dearest, I shall return to you with good news."

"Ah! Harold, you do not see the impossibility of such a thing--you
cannot behold it through a woman's eyes. No, no! I can never see Almos
again! I gave my love to you through his medium, and to see him when you
were absent would be greater agony than I could bear. I must go with
you, Harold, to the world in which you live, where I can have you
always."

With words of love and assurance I tried to comfort the brave little
heart that beat so loyally for me, and, fearing to leave her in this
unhappy condition, I lingered until barely time remained in which to
reach the observatory before Paris would pass out of wave contact.
Explaining this to Zarlah, we hurried to the villa, and, as we ascended
t