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Updated: May 2, 2025
"To the Barrens," repeated Thorndyke, too much concerned over the fate of his comrade to notice the speaker's tone of contempt; "what are they, where are they?" The Alphian officer changed countenance, as he looked him over with widening eyes. "Your accent is strange; are you from the other world?" "I suppose so, this is a new one to me at any rate." "The world of endless oceans?" "Yes."
"By some shifting of glasses through which the rays shine, I presume," returned the Alphian; "but the mechanism seems to be concealed in the walls of the globe." Not a word was spoken for an hour. They had lain down on the platform near the iron railing which encompassed it, and Branasko was dozing intermittently. Again the light began to change gradually. This time it was gray.
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 water must be deep, and we won't be hurt at all if only we can keep our feet downward and hold our breath long enough. Our clothing will soon dry down there, for feel the warmth that comes from below." The Alphian slowly crawled out on the sharpest projection of the ledge. "Are you willing to try it?" he asked, over his shoulder. "Yes."
And it was, for it was gradually fading into a purple that was delightfully soothing to the eye after the painful brightness of a moment before. "I understand," said the Alphian, "we are running very slow and are only now about to approach the great wall, for purple is the color of the first morning hour." "But how is the light changed?" asked Johnston curiously.
But while I now understand how your sun goes over the whole of Alpha, I cannot see how it returns." "Then you have not heard of the great tunnel of the Sun," replied the Alphian. "No,what is it?" "It runs beneath Alpha and connects the rising and setting points of the sun.
The Alphian was sleeping soundly, his breathing was very heavy and he had rolled down on his side. Far away in the east the darkness gradually faded into purple, and then into gray, and slowly hints of pink appeared in the skies. It was dawn. Johnston touched his companion. The man awoke and looked at him from his great swollen eyes. "It is day," he yawned, rising and stretching himself.
Johnston put out his hand to touch Branasko, but the Alphian was awake. He sat up and nodded smiling. "Wait till the next hour," he said; "it will be rose-color; that is the most beautiful." Slowly the hours dragged by till the yellow light showed that it was the sixth hour. Branasko had been exploring the vast interior below and came back to Johnston who was asleep on the floor of the platform.
"That's so," returned the Alphian. "Come; we must be quick and watch our opportunity to land. I can't imagine where the light comes from unless it be from the people waiting for the arrival of the sun." Every instant the speed was lessening.
Johnston stepped back and shook the Alphian, but the poor fellow's head only rolled to one side, showing his bloodshot eyes. He was insensible. "He is in a bad fix," said Thorndyke; "where did he come from?" "Banished like myself; we met over there in the dark and roamed about together." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know; I was following his lead.
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