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The men had all gone round to the other side, and no one was in sight. "Quick! Follow me," and bending low to the earth the Alphian darted across the intervening space and into the doorway. Johnston was quite as successful. As he entered the door he saw Branasko crawling up the carpeted stairs ahead of him, and, on his all-fours, he followed.
The American sat down beside him, and, for a long time, neither spoke. Branasko broke the silence; he awoke with a start and eyed his companion in sleepy wonder. "Ugh, I dreamt again," he grunted, "are you asleep?" "No," was Johnston's reply. "I am hungry and thirsty and cannot sleep." "So am I, but we must wait till it is lighter, then we can go in search of food.
"I have just thought of something," said Branasko. "This is the day appointed by the king to entertain his subjects with a grand display of the elements." "I do not understand," said Johnston. "The king," explained the Alphian, "darkens the sun with clouds so that all Alpha is blacker than night, and then he produces great storms in the sky, and lightning and musical thunder.
He spoke to the princess: "The dam built by Prince Marentel has been swept away. The ocean is pouring into the internal fires. There is scarcely any hope now." Branasko groaned, but Bernardino's face was aglow with celestial faith. She shook her head. "They will not be destroyed in this way," she said; "they have had no chance to know God."
The sun was, indeed, slowing up. The two men peered out at the door. "It would be unlucky for us if it should not come so near to the earth as it did on the other side," whispered Branasko. "I can hardly feel any motion to the thing at all," replied the American. "Look! for some reason it is not so dark below. I can see the rocks. Surely we have already passed over the wall."
I think we can make it do; a pin has lost out, but perhaps I can hold the piece in place with my foot. If only we can stand the heat of the pit long enough to rise above it, we may escape." Johnston followed him into the car. Branasko seated himself firmly and gave the wheel a little turn. Slowly the machine rose. "See!" cried Branasko, "it is under control. We must not be too hasty.
They had walked along in silence for several minutes when the Alphian stopped abruptly and turned to his companion. "What is the matter?" asked Johnston. "It cannot come from the internal fires," replied Branasko, "for the atmosphere grows cooler as we get nearer the light and away from the chasm."
Branasko hastened to him. "Don't touch it," he warned. "It looks as if it were to turn the electric connection off and on. If the sun should go out, the consequences would be awful. The people of Alpha would go mad with fear." The American withdrew his hand, and he and Branasko walked back to the centre of the platform. Johnston uttered an exclamation of surprise. "The light is changing."
Every now and then, as they stumbled along, Johnston would look longingly back toward the faint pink light that shone above the high black wall. But Branasko hastened on.
Far out over the lake in a straight line they glided, and there came to a sudden halt. Johnston's eyes were glued on his companion's face. Branasko sat doubled up, every muscle drawn, his eyes bulging from their sockets. Would he be strong enough? To Johnston everything seemed in a whirl. The walls of the pit were rising around them.
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