e car, the
dome appeared to swing around until it lay beneath us, and instantly we
felt our feet settling upon the floor of the car.

"We are safe from the unknown power now, dearest!" I exclaimed,
anxiously examining the lever that controlled the descent, to make sure
that the repelling metal was fully exposed. "We are dropping upon Mars,
and our repelling metal should soon check our speed."

"Oh, Harold, my love," sighed Zarlah, timidly clinging to me, her eyes
filled with tears, and a look of great yearning coming into them, "my
heart despairs at the dangers that encompass us! With you as my goal I
knew no fear; but now that I have you, I am a coward. Is our love
forbidden, that we should be thus pursued by these terrible dangers?"

"Courage, dearest!" I replied, reassuringly. "We shall soon be safe, and
then nothing shall interrupt the happiness for which we have endured so
much."

I hid from her the anxiety that lurked near my heart, and endeavored to
interest her by advancing several theories upon the phenomenal
appearance of the planet's surface.

Like a huge cup the land now stretched up and around us, but we were
still descending with frightful velocity. I had noticed that the air in
the car was becoming warmer, and now, filled with apprehension, I
stretched out my hand and touched the wall. Instantly I withdrew it--the
wall was hot! Like a flash the full realization of our terrible danger
burst upon me. I had relied upon the repelling metal to check our
descent before we entered the region of air, and had supposed that we
would float lightly to the ground under perfect control. But now I saw
how foolishly I had erred, in omitting to take into consideration the
terrific momentum we would attain in our journey of six thousand miles
through space. This momentum was now driving us to the ground, in spite
of our strong repelling force, and with such a frightful speed that heat
was being generated by friction with the air as we rushed through it.
The creaking and straining sound coming from the bottom of the aerenoid
was evidence of the fight the repelling metal was making to overcome
this momentum before the surface of Mars was reached, but I shuddered as
I realized what little effect it had upon this gigantic force.

In a few seconds the air became unbearably hot, and, with a gasp, Zarlah
lay limp in my arms, as she turned her face to me to speak. Laying her
tenderly upon the floor, I hastily wrapped wet bla