stood for a moment before my instrument, now wrapped in darkness, I
was conscious of a strange feeling that, in bidding Almos adieu, I had
also parted from another inhabitant of Mars. Though well aware that I
had only seen and conversed with Almos, my mind, nevertheless, also
reproduced the likeness of a young girl, wonderfully beautiful. I had
first experienced this mental image immediately after my first
conversation with Almos. At that time I had tried hard to put it from me
as merely a delusion resulting from nervous tension. But I found that
after each interview with Almos, the image became clearer and more
definitely fixed in my mind, until now I firmly believed in the
existence of this beautiful being on Mars, and, remarkable though it
seemed, I could not deny my growing affection for her. I had not
mentioned this mental image to Almos, as I felt convinced that he knew
nothing of it, and therefore would be unable to help me in any way.
Moreover, my training had taught me to seek a scientific reason for
things which might appeal to the superstitious as weird and uncanny. I
was therefore loath to speak of it to Almos, until I had proved beyond
doubt that it was not an hallucination.

After I had spent many hours in vainly seeking a possible cause for this
mysterious mental image, the realization that I was but the veriest
infant in the wonderful achievements of our sister planet, finally
decided me upon the wiser course of leaving such matters until I had
become better acquainted with Martian inventions and scientific
progress. I therefore looked forward to visiting this wonderful world
with the greatest anticipation, and though I was entirely ignorant of
how this stupendous and seemingly impossible feat should be
accomplished, such was my faith in Almos' superior knowledge of science,
that I did not, for a moment, doubt the possibility of such a thing.
Little did I realize the fearful nature of the journey--the success of
which was based entirely on theories--or I would have shrunk in horror
from such an undertaking.

CHAPTER V.

THE HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING.

The greater part of the next day was spent in moving the rest of my
belongings to my new quarters and in settling down there. Indeed, so
occupied was I with this task, that the approach of darkness found me
quite unprepared for wave contact with Mars. I had been obliged to take
my instrument apart in order to allow the larger pieces of furniture t