THE VISION OF A NEW WORLD

Perfect silence, perfect stillness, and the clouds and outside.

In they to move the ship. The smoothly, and with perfect rhythm, but were powerless to the Argenta.

The death of Murdoch had a on every one—they all missed his brusqueness, his and help.

When Masters was he told his story. “I got through the all right,” said he. “I was through in a second and was on the at the of the elements. The cold was intense—I’ve anything like it. In those it just cut through me. I see—my with water, and as the touched them. I my for the of a second, and a very breath. The was terrible. My as if they would burst—my mouth as if it had been with irons—my reeled; I as if I should fall. Then I of Murdoch at my feet. I him into the after me, and well,—you know the rest. Poor Murdoch—I was too late.”

The the of Murdoch and Masters’ after him, had the the of their larder. They all sat to a meal, and it was only at the end they it meant their being on still in the future. And only too soon the were empty! Mavis too weak to move, 205and on her bed, her at her breast. Masters was the last to give in, and as he walked to his cabin, he had of Sir John on one chair and Alan on another, each trying to of to the other.

Still the ship motionless—the was of the grave.

Suddenly a of light out through the clouds, and Alan saw a new moon rising. And as he he saw another the heavens, and another, and yet another. He looked at them in perplexity—four pink in the sky!

“Four Moons! God!” he cried. “The four of Jupiter! Or should there be eight? Four—eight—eight—four.” His brain muddled. Four Moons visible at once! Jupiter! He was the of four of the planet’s moons! He was them through the clouds—then came a of oblivion, and he too, consciousness. When he again, it was with a that the Argenta was again moving through space—moving slowly, but with a speed that was quickening. He to his feet, and over his uncle. Sir John was still breathing, but there was a in his face, and Alan his with a of brandy. The old man moved, and opened his eyes. “Drink a little,” said Alan kindly. “It will do you good.”

Sir. John managed to a little of the fluid, and naturally, closed his in sleep. With difficulty, Alan managed to Desmond’s room, for he was very weak. He Mavis on her bed, breathing: the in her arms sleeping peacefully. She had the very of her to her child, and he had at all.

Desmond was heavily, jerkily, the came like from his teeth. Alan some of the his and said huskily, “Dez, old boy: don’t me, old chap; we’ve been through some tight corners, don’t give up yet.”

206Desmond to a position. “Good old Lanny,” he muttered.

“I must see Masters,” said Alan. “Keep up, if you can, till I return.”

Alan from to in his as he on to Masters’ cabin. It was empty! He was almost too weak to think or act coherently.

“Masters,” he moaned. “Where are you?” Slowly he his way to the little room in the bows, and as he it, a of light across his path. The of it him off his balance, and he would have fallen, had not Masters and put his arm about him.

The light was strong. So that they the of its through the little window.

“What is it?” he asked.

Masters speak. His were and blackened, and his parched. “Help,” said he thickly. “That light is like a magnet—it is us somewhere. It’s sent out by agency I am sure. See how it and fades, only to come again.” They the ray—it was directly on the bows, and it to be them closer and closer to some of refuge. Still they were going through the clouds, which had to a most hue. Then without any they and they were on the most they had beheld.

It was more than their have expressed. Imagine over the most piece of natural scenery—double—treble its beauty, and then you have no idea of the grandeur, the of the picture they upon.

They were, perhaps, three thousand up. Mountains rose all with crevasses, and their sides. Foaming and and laughed by the of paths. An in the of the sunshine. Trees of all in the and the hillsides.

207A sea—a sea—with dancing and white rolled in and out on white sands. There were and caves, and along the sea shore; into the blue, waters; tall lilies, white, with roses, red like wine, and in at the water’s edge. All was nature at her best—unspoiled by man.

Wooded were about in still more bays; white as snow, with rainbow-hued on the waters, and added to the beauty. They see little among the trees here and there, that, like the châlets of Switzerland, only added to the of the scene.

The had stopped suddenly, and they were unable to move her, and still they over the land. Sea—sky—both of a most blue; the of this new land was green—“The same as our world,” Alan.

“But with what a difference,” Sir John.

“I what the sea was until now,” said Alan. “I what ‘colour’ was—what or green meant, until I looked yonder.”

New life was in the three men. “I’ll call Desmond,” said Alan. Mavis was as he had left her—white, inert, silent. “Leave her,” he told his cousin. “She will be safe; but we’ve news at last—we are in of land.”

When he the again, he saw they had a hundred feet, and were now well the of the mountains.

Below them, in a valley, they saw what they were six along a field. They rose, up, and directly toward the Argenta. They were like with wings, and necks like swans; but had they of such a size.

“They are as big as a small plane,” said Sir John wonderingly.

“By Jove, I that’s what they are,” said Alan.

208As the “birds” nearer, they see that the was in the car of the plane. Soon six were the Argenta, and the see in the of the looking aeroplanes.

The Argenta gave a jolt, and from to stern, and they themselves sinking. The had out some of rope and were them to earth. They were nearer to this country. Already they see the flowers—trees with fruit and about without any of fear.

“Release the shutters,” said Alan hoarsely.

“No,” said Sir John with decision. “Remember we have on a woman and her child. We don’t yet know if we are in the hands of friends or enemies. I’ll my revolver. Dez, my boy, I’ll give it to you. Stay in your and be prepared. You understand?”

“Shoot—her?” asked Desmond hoarsely.

Sir John his head. “Surely you would do it than me?”

“Yes—but—”

“There is no ‘but,’ my boy. Rather death than unnameable. Stay in the with your wife and child. If I think we are in good hands I will call you. Otherwise, I will give our whistle—the one we used when you were boys—the three calls, and a long minor note,” and he it softly. “If you that,—don’t hesitate, my boy.” They hands, and Desmond, dazed, speechless, walked out of the room, and they the of his door as it closed him.

Slowly, but surely the Argenta was being to the below. At last they touched solid ground—there was a and a grating—they were on some earth at last.

“Alan,” said Sir John grimly. “I have two other on board. Masters, if the comes to the worst, and I give the for Mr. Desmond, go in to him. If he not turn the 209weapon on himself do it for him—and keep a for yourself.”

“I understand, sir.”

The six white “birds” had also land, and from out of the they saw appear. The were like themselves—yet how different! The men were under height, but they were moulded, with a of that was to behold.

All but one white—a that to their feet, and which in shape a Roman toga. This white was with at the neck, and hem. On their heads, they of gold. The leader was in a of the same shape, but of a with gold, and his was with that and in the sunlight. All walked up to the Argenta and through the little window at the occupants. Then the leader opened his hands—held them up empty, and with a smile, low them. Then he to issue a command, and all the others, there were thirty of them, his example, and them.

“They look friendly,” said Sir John. “Masters, let the be raised—then near Mr. Desmond’s cabin. If I shout—‘view halloo!’ him to come out on to the upper deck, but—”

“But if I the whistle, sir, I shall know what to do.”

“Keep your hidden, Alan,” said Sir John, and they their way to the upper deck.

They waited in for the to be into its cylinders, and for the to lift. Gradually light came in through here and there—higher and higher was the moving metal, until at last the two men in fresh air and in once again. They they move along the deck—in it was with the they keep their balance. They material and gross.

“What is it?” Alan.

“The law of gravity, my boy. Wherever we are, I 210should say it is about three times the of that we were used to when we were on Terra. I think we have about our weight.”

The had advanced—the leader was graciously. He gave another command, and his of came to a halt, and he approached the Argenta—alone. He them in a language they did not understand.