that had so wrung my heart at our last
parting--but the radiant happiness of perfect contentment and fulfilled
desire. I had thrown myself on the couch, and, as a miser jealously
counts over his gold, fondling each precious bit with eager fingers, so
I pondered on the happy hours spent with Zarlah, carefully reviewing
each golden moment with its precious burden of Love's confessions.

Suddenly I sprang to my feet--a piercing, despairing cry of "Harold, my
love, save me! save me!" was ringing in my ears.

It was Zarlah's voice, and some terrible danger confronted her.

Rushing into the adjoining room, I glanced anxiously about--all was
still. The numerous books and instruments lay just as I had left them,
and I gradually realized that, tired with the experiences I had lately
undergone, I had unconsciously fallen asleep, and Zarlah's cry for help
was only a dream.

Although greatly relieved by this discovery, my mind remained in a state
of unrest. I was oppressed with a sense of danger which, in spite of my
endeavor to overcome by occupying my mind with the volumes of Martian
astronomical discoveries, I found to be impossible. Laying aside the
book I had endeavored to read, I started to my feet and paced restlessly
to and fro, but each footfall, echoing in the profound stillness, seemed
to be an appealing cry for help. A premonition that a terrible danger
hung over Zarlah came upon me, and, maddened by the thought that I
remained inactive, whilst yet I might save her, I rushed out upon the
balcony.

The sun was just rising, but in place of the gray light of dawn on Earth
with its beautifully colored eastern sky, there appeared sharp contrasts
of the blackest darkness and the most brilliant light, in the long
shadows that were cast across the landscape. Without the diffusion of
light which the denser atmosphere of Earth causes, night seemed to
linger on the very footsteps of day. Though the remarkable effect of
this Martian sunrise would have been pleasing under other circumstances,
it now served only to increase my apprehension, warning me that I was in
a strange world, and that I must be prepared to meet extraordinary
emergencies.

I had but one thought, that of reaching Zarlah as speedily as possible
and saving her from the awful fate which menaced her. What this fate
was, I knew not, but I could feel its presence like the hot breath of
some ferocious beast, as it stands over its prostrate victim. Greatly
did I