Drawing their sabers, they rushed upon the little group about Robert.
At the same moment, pandemonium seemed to have broken bounds. The fickle
audience in the great enclosure leapt to their feet as one and surged
forward, shouting madly! The guardsmen, who fortunately were all picked
men and loyal to the core, dashed forward to protect their emperor and
his guests, but were prevented from joining them by the resistance of
the immediate group of traitorous nobles. A few of the noblemen who were
loyal joined the guardsmen in the instant melee.
Though Robert was on the alert for something of this sort, the
suddenness of it left him momentarily aghast. There seemed no escape.
His saber and the emperor’s flashed from their scabbards together. The
next instant the professor and they with two guardsmen who had somehow
managed to hew their way through to them, had formed a ring of steel
round Zola. Against this vicious circle the furious noblemen charged.
For minutes that seemed hours, the unequal combat raged about these five
staunch men and the trembling princess. The guardsmen and loyal noblemen
were more than holding their own with the larger part of the rebels. But
the little group in the midst of it all was facing annihilation before
aid could reach them. Already Hakon was wounded, while one of the
guardsmen was down. Robert, too, was wounded, though fortunately not yet
seriously.
26
Suddenly Robert felt the pavement give way beneath his feet. The next
instant he was precipitated downward. A hard surface seemed to rush
upward and strike him. He sprawled painfully. Then darkness!
For a moment he believed oddly that he had just sustained a blow which
had knocked him unconscious, mistaking the sudden quiet and darkness for
oblivion in his bewilderment.
Abruptly the mantle of blackness surrounding him magically dropped away.
As he scrambled stiffly to his feet he perceived that he stood with
others within a tunnel of masonry dimly lit by a series of incandescent
lights. An exclamation of relief burst from his lips as he saw Zola
sitting on the floor a few feet away. She gave a glad little cry as she
recognized him. He quickly helped her to her feet. At the same moment he
saw Hakon and Professor Palmer, and, with them, the surviving guard who
had fought so valiantly. On the pavement lay one of their late enemies,
strangely still.
“This is a secret passage leading to the palace,” Hakon explained
hurriedly. “Its existence and the automatic trap-door entrance above us
with its rebound feature alone has preserved our lives thus far. Lead
on, Dyarkon.”
The guard addressed, obediently led the way down the passage, the others
following. Above, faint sounds of the conflict still raging seemed far
away. Zola placed her hand in Robert’s trustfully. They had proceeded
several rods when the emperor, who was second in lead, swayed
uncertainly. He would have fallen but for Robert’s timely assistance.
Zola also rushed to his side with a startled cry.
“Ah, my children, I fear I am too badly wounded to go on. Leave me and
escape while you may.”
“We go on only with you, sire,” said Robert, firmly.
Gently he and Professor Palmer lifted the protesting monarch between
them. In this manner they resumed their march down the long passage, led
by the faithful Dyarkon. Zola followed closely in the rear.
In silence they made their way through the long tunnel beneath the
city’s streets. Except for the shuffle of their feet, an oppressive,
deathlike stillness reigned. At intervals Hakon begged them futilely to
put him down and hurry on to safety without him.
Though the passage led in almost direct line from the amphitheater to
the palace, it was a considerable distance. The emperor was no slight
burden and Robert’s muscles ached with the continued strain. In spite of
his years, however, the professor seemed to be bearing his part of the
monarch’s weight without great effort.
A touch on his shoulder caused Robert to look round sharply. Zola was
directly behind him, her hand upon his arm.
“Wait!” she whispered, glancing apprehensively over her shoulder.
Robert and Professor Palmer halted. Dyarkon, proceeding a few paces
farther, also stopped as he perceived they were not following.
“What is it?” Robert asked. His gaze followed hers down the dim passage
stretching off behind them in ghostly emptiness. He failed to discern
any cause for her uneasiness.
“Listen! Did you not hear footsteps?”
They all listened tensely. Only the beating of their own hearts
disturbed the deadly underground quiet. An icy touch on his neck caused
Robert to start. But he discovered that it was only a drop of water,
fallen from the sweating roof. Here, possibly, was the origin of the
sound which had startled Zola. Every little sound within the long tunnel
was magnified a hundred times by the reverberation from the dead walls.
The shuffling of a foot brought muffled shufflings from the farthest
recesses of the passage, dying in soft, throbbing whispers that slipped
from wall to wall faintly.
“I thought I heard footsteps following us,” Zola explained a trifle
shamefacedly, but with a little pucker of perplexity on her forehead.
“Just the echoes, my dear,” said her father.
They resumed their march toward the palace. His ears keenly alert for
sounds of pursuit, Robert, too, fancied several times that he heard
cautious footsteps following in the distance; but he finally concluded
that what he heard was nothing more than the countless rustling echoes
from their own footsteps.
At last they reached a winding stairway. Up this they followed Dyarkon
till it brought them to another level stretch of paving.
At a command from the emperor the guard stopped and fumbled along the
base of the right wall. A door in the masonry swung outward. Through
this they all followed quickly, closing the door behind them.
They now stood within another passage exactly like the first, but
running at right angles to it. Was it imagination that caused Robert to
believe he heard a scurry of footsteps along the passage they had just
quit?
“Did you hear?” murmured the princess, clutching Robert’s arm.
He nodded. Then he was right. They had just quit the other passage in
time!
The little procession moved on again. Another short flight of stairs
brought them to a stop before a blank wall at the end of the passage.
Here Dyarkon repeated his former performances and the wall opened.
A brilliant stream of sunlight burst upon them. The abrupt contrast with
the dim glow of the passage all but blinded them for a few seconds.
An involuntary exclamation burst from Robert’s lips. The _Sphere_ rested
within fifty feet of them! They were standing inside the broad wall of
the palace courtyard!
Instantly his mind formed a plan of action. They would make a dash for
the _Sphere_. Once safely inside they could rise quickly and observe the
actions of the crowds. Then they could lay their plans at leisure.
Rapidly he outlined his plan to the others, who acquiesced at once. If
their pursuers had already reached the palace they had not a moment to
lose. The courtyard was yet closer.
Hakon was able to stand, though his wounds had left him pitifully weak.
Dyarkon and the professor now assisted him while Robert hurried ahead to
open the trap-door entrance into the _Sphere_.
As they emerged from the wall a loud outcry greeted them. Without
stopping to ascertain its source they hurried toward the _Sphere_ with
all possible speed. Fortunately the trap operated readily, and a few
seconds later they were all safely shut within.
The outcry was now explained. Into the courtyard from the palace poured
a score of nobles with drawn sabers, shouting for them to stop.
Robert jerked the control over. The _Sphere_ leapt from the ground with
such sudden force that all except Robert and the staunch Dyarkon were
thrown to the floor. A minute later they were soaring far above the
heads of their late pursuers.
“Phew! Close shaves are getting to be our specialty,” exclaimed Robert,
recovering his breath for the first time in many minutes. “Now for our
observations and conference.”
He checked the _Sphere’s_ ascent and turned to the others.
Zola was already busily binding her father’s wound. Professor Palmer had
just brought her some water and a supply of bandages from the first-aid
chest. Fortunately, though Hakon was weak from loss of blood, his wound
was found not to be serious.
Hakon was staring intently groundward from his position by a window.
Following his gaze, Robert saw a dense mob round the palace. Even at
this height he could hear the Martians’ cries faintly. Evidently the
rebel noblemen had succeeded well in working the masses up in revolt.
Sadly Hakon viewed the disorder below. It was now clear that it would
not be safe for him to return.
“Let us all go to Earth, my dear father,” said Zola. “There we can be
happy together.”
The fugitive ruler pondered for many minutes, while the others
maintained a respectful silence. Finally he sighed resignedly. A faint
smile played over his countenance as he turned to his daughter.
“Ah, my dear, I was a very foolish old man to think of letting you go
alone. We shall, as you say, be far happier together. We shall have
riches and contentment in this world of Robert’s--if, indeed, he and
Professor Palmer will share a little of their fortune with us.” He
smiled as he nodded toward the bullion stacked on the chamber floor.
“You are the spokesman, Robert,” chuckled the professor.
“The treasure is yours and Zola’s, sire, now that you are with us,” said
Robert.
“I have given it to you and Professor Palmer, my boy, and it remains
yours, except for what small portion you might wish to assign me--and
Dyarkon, if he decides to go with us. As for Zola, she will share with
you as your bride. What say you, Dyarkon--do you wish to go with us?”
“Oh, sire, I shall go if you desire it; but I was to have been married
shortly. My heart is there.” He pointed below.
“Then you shall be permitted to return, my man. Accept this, my present
to your bride; and may you have great happiness.” He handed the guard a
string of beautiful emeralds which he had been wearing.
The faithful Martian was speechless with gratitude.
“I suggest, then, that the treasure be divided into four equal parts,”
said the professor, presently; “one quarter for each of us. There is
sufficient wealth here to make every one of us overwhelmingly rich on
Earth.”
So it was agreed.
The question of provisions was the next consideration. At Hakon’s
orders, large quantities of evaporated fruits and vegetables had
previously been placed within the cupboards of the _Sphere_. A goodly
quantity of the _Sphere’s_ original supply of food tablets, etc.,
remained. Fortunately, too, the oxygen tanks contained enough gas to
purify the air in the _Sphere_ for a long while. It only was necessary
to replenish their water supply, when they could also leave Dyarkon.
The latter task was not so easy as it sounds. For there are no
convenient, open streams on Mars. They must either chance landing at
some power station or farm, or fly to one of the poles and there obtain
water from one of the giant reservoirs. The elements at the nearest pole
being very treacherous at this season, it was decided to chance a visit
to some farmhouse.
A hurried trip was accordingly made to a small farm, a sufficient
distance from the scene of the rebellion to be reasonably safe. Here the
astonished farmer, who had not yet heard of the rebellion and who did
not even recognize the emperor and the princess, eagerly helped these
distinguished visitors to fill the water tanks of the mysterious
_Sphere_. This the farmer had heard of, and both he and his wife gazed
upon it with mingled wonder and dismay. Afterward they followed it with
their eyes until it had passed beyond their vision. This farmer, and his
wife and Dyarkon, had the distinction of being the persons on Mars who
last saw their emperor; though the two first named did not know this
till Dyarkon presently told them.
After the filling of the water tanks, Robert steered the _Sphere_
straight toward the distant pale star which he and Professor Palmer knew
was the Earth. Despite their anticipation and resignation, Zola and her
father gazed back upon their erstwhile world in silent awe, and not
without some sadness, long after it had ceased to be more than a mere
ocher and rose disk.
Through the eternal night sped the infinitesimal world with its
population of four. And through the long hours of Robert’s watches, Zola
was at his side always. Their love was as an immortal thing, born of
space and eternity. Hand in hand they fled across the universe to their
future world of promise.
Profiting by their previous experience with gravitation, or rather, an
absence of gravitation and stabilization, Robert and the professor
properly manipulated the disk and gyrostats on this trip, avoiding the
danger which had so nearly proved their undoing before. Robert prevented
also the recurrence of another unpleasant experience, by cutting short
pieces of stout cord, one for each of them, and particularly cautioned
Zola and her father to tie them about their bodies at night and secure
the other end to a rung or some other stationary object at a safe
distance from the whirling gyrostats.
It was not long after that they had a taste of air-floating, and the
cords proved their worth. This sensation, the continued sunshine out of
a black sky and other phenomena, were all new to Zola and her father.
The time passed rapidly.
A deck of playing cards was got out and Hakon and Zola were initiated
into the mysteries of the Earthmen’s card games, which they learned
readily and seemed to enjoy keenly. They then proceeded to show Robert
and Professor Palmer some of their own games. These, being played with
cards not greatly different from our own, were easily adapted to the
cards they were using. In fact, one of their games, called _Agahr_, was
virtually identical with our own simple game of casino.
So it did not seem long ere they were within a day’s journey of the
Earth. Not a single mishap had delayed their progress so far. Barring
the unexpected, they should be but a day longer in returning than the
period covered by the trip to Mars, in spite of the considerably
increased distance between the two planets by this time. Nearly three
months had elapsed since the departure from the Earth.
27
As the Earth’s disk expanded before their eyes, Robert pointed out to
Zola and Hakon the outlines of the continents and oceans, the mountain
ranges and rivers. Their genuine wonder and delightful anticipation were
a source of keen enjoyment to both the professor and Robert.
“It surpasses my wildest imagination to vision an expanse of water so
vast that one can not see its boundaries!” exclaimed Hakon, excitedly.
“I can scarcely contain myself till we shall actually see these wonders
with our own eyes.”
“And think, Father, of the great forests of trees where one can really
get lost; the mysterious clouds in the sky; the rushing rivers and
waterfalls! Oh, how could I have thought of letting you stay away from
all this! How happy we can be, can’t we, Robert?”
“Indeed we can, sweetheart,” he replied, with a feeling that his measure
of delight was far more than he deserved.
Closer, closer drew the big world--his world and hers. Its great disk
swelled and swelled, until it was no longer a disk but a vast expanse
stretching away in all directions.
Robert had reduced the _Sphere’s_ speed until they approached the
surface, now less than fifty miles away, at about the speed of a fast
passenger train. As they drew closer he reduced their speed still
further. A big cloud bank obscured their view of the Earth’s surface
now, but he knew that they were above the Atlantic. He had already given
the _Sphere_ the spin of the swiftly revolving Earth, before entering
its envelope of atmosphere. They now drifted serenely, high above the
clouds.
As they slowly drew near the cloud bank, Zola made a natural mistake of
thinking it the ocean, till Robert told her different. Her astonishment
and delight were great as they plunged through the fluffy mist and
emerged above the water. A big sea was running, and Robert permitted the
_Sphere_ to drop within a hundred yards of the tall crests.
The continual rolling of the water mystified Hakon and Zola. This was
explained to them with some difficulty. Robert opened two of the
_Sphere’s_ ports, for the first time since leaving Mars. They all filled
their lungs gratefully with the keen, salty air as it blew in upon them.
The main force of the gale was not felt, however, because the _Sphere_
was being driven before it. Once an eccentric gust sucked the _Sphere_
down abruptly. A mountainous wave, rearing hungrily toward the big metal
ball, slapped forcibly against it, causing it to rebound high into the
air with a suddenness that upset everyone. After that Robert kept a safe
distance above the seething waters.
For a while they scudded swiftly along under the hypnotic spell of the
restless sea. Its hissing turbulence was a source of continual awe and
wonder to their guests. Finally Robert closed the ports and sped the
_Sphere_ toward the Jersey coast.
* * * * *
It was in the early afternoon when they passed over the coast line. Here
their appearance was first noted and news of the _Sphere’s_ safe return
flashed all over the world. Later, as they sailed over New York, a
droning of many whistles heralded their arrival, while a blimp, a big
seaplane, and several airplanes glided and cavorted over, under and
round them.
“_Sphere_ ahoy!” shouted one venturesome chap, a reporter on the
_Times_, as he whizzed by, a dozen feet away, in a two-passenger
airplane. “What news?”
But the drone of his engine drowned a possible answer as the distance
between them widened rapidly.
Leaving Manhattan, Robert steered the _Sphere_ toward L--- and Professor
Palmer’s estate. This was at the latter’s request, and in response to
his cordial invitation to Robert and both their guests to make their
home with him for the present.
Their arrival at the Palmer estate found the place already overrun with
reporters and photographers in anticipation of their return there. Even
the resourceful Henry could not stem the tide. Motion pictures of them
all were run off and rushed to headquarters for early projection upon
the silver screen all over the world.
Hakon, and Zola, more charming than ever, both accepted the situation
with jolly good nature. Praises of the beautiful maiden from Mars were
many, and their sincerity was reflected in the headlines and articles
which appeared as by magic in the afternoon papers throughout the
country the very day of their arrival.
The party rested at the Palmer estate for several days. Many were the
delightful strolls which Robert and Zola took in the lovely grounds. The
soft, luxuriant grass under foot, the tall trees, the beautiful
shrubbery and flowers were as a fairyland to the princess, with her
fairy prince at her side. As for Robert, he was in a veritable seventh
heaven.
The emperor and Professor Palmer, now great cronies, were constantly
together. Halton never tired of the professor’s tales of the Earth’s
resources, its history and people; and of our long observation of and
conjectures regarding his own planet, Mars.
Negotiations were opened with a firm of expert diamond cutters in New
York for the cutting and polishing of the stones brought from Mars.
Their representatives, escorted by a heavy guard, arrived promptly and
departed with the first valuable consignment of the rough gems.
The balance of the treasure, in bullion and stones, had been safely
deposited in the vaults of three different banks for greater safety. The
bullion, however, was rapidly converted into cash and deposited in equal
shares to the individual credit of the four adventurers and one other
person. This person was Taggert’s sweetheart, a Miss Sarah Daugherty,
who had waited faithfully for the valiant reporter’s return. By mutual
consent, a fifth and equal share of the treasure was allotted her.
Taggert’s mother, poor woman, had not lived to see the return of the
_Sphere_. She had contracted pneumonia and passed away a month before
her son’s death. One of the first things Robert had done upon his return
was to seek Mrs. Taggert and Miss Daugherty, after delivering Taggert’s
notes to the _Morning Chronicle_ with an additional report on the events
following the lion-hearted reporter’s death. He obtained the publishers’
ready consent to turn over all salaries and bonus due Taggert, to Miss
Daugherty.
From the moment of their return, Robert and Professor Palmer were
lionized by the world. Eminent scientists from everywhere sought
interviews with them. Even the former opponent of the Palmer theories,
Professor Margard, came to Professor Palmer with sincere
congratulations. They were besieged by learned societies to lecture at
gatherings for their enlightenment. Capitalists and promoters begged
them to consider offers of enormous sums for their patents on the
_Sphere’s_ remarkable gravity-defying principles.
Construction of a huge device for flashing messages to Mars by means of
reflection of the sun’s rays was commenced in the Sahara Desert. A code
furnished by the emperor was to be used. Though wireless had been
considered, the enormous distance was judged to be too great to make
that method of communication practicable, even with the most powerful
apparatus then conceivable.
“They’ll be betting on each other’s stock markets soon,” laughed Henry,
when he heard of the project.
On the day of Robert’s and Zola’s wedding, the emperor presented his
daughter with a magnificent, perfect ruby, which he had had set, and
hung in a pendant, with the connivance of the professor. The gem was
uniquely cut, similarly to what we know as table-cut. He also presented
them with a packet of three remarkable stones, in the rough, which he
had secretly brought with him. One of these was a black diamond of
twenty-one carats; another was a white diamond of slightly larger size.
The third stone was also a white diamond, but of astounding size. It was
several times larger than the famous Koh-i-noor; it even exceeded in
size the Great Mogul in the rough, as it balanced at a trifle under
1,115 carats! Properly cut and polished, without the unfortunate
bungling which both the Koh-i-noor and the Great Mogul had suffered, it
should weigh considerably more than these two famous gems together, they
weighing 106 and 280 carats respectively after their final cutting.
“It should be named,” said the professor, when shown this enormous
stone. “What are you going to call it?”
“Let us call it the _Ragnarok_, which means ‘the twilight of the gods
and the doomsday of the world’--in memory of the waning world from which
it came,” suggested Robert, after some thought.
And so it was named.
The little vine-clad church in the village saw the wedding of Robert and
Zola on a delightful, soft autumn afternoon a few days later. Her father
gave her away, and Professor Palmer was the best man. Futile attempts at
fittingly describing the glorious vision presented by the princess were
attempted. But perhaps none was more apt than that ventured by the
professor’s housekeeper, a kindly soul, who had helped Zola choose her
dainty bridal gown and charming trousseau. “A true daughter of the
gods,” was the rather surprizing expression of this normally prosaic
woman.
More surprizing, however, may have been the choice of these two young
beings of the scene of their honeymoon. Not a tour of Europe, nor of the
natural wonders of our own great country. They simply disappeared into
the great Canadian wilderness. There, if one could have followed them,
they might have been discovered happily paddling a well-loaded canoe up
a winding stream of still, friendly, wooded shores. Above, the clear
blue sky rivaled the crystal transparency of the rippling stream. A hawk
drifted across the ribbon of blue and was lost again beyond the maze of
tall pines. Somewhere a woodpecker drummed stoutly upon a dead limb.