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Updated: June 3, 2025
"The rock is narrow and my head is already swimming. I fear I cannot reach you. It is no use." "Tut, tut!" exclaimed Branasko. "Stand up quickly, and jump at once. Don't stop to think about it." Johnston obeyed. He felt his feet firmly braced on the rock and he sprang toward the opposite ledge with all his might. Branasko caught him. "Good," he grunted. "There is another place, we must jump again.
Thorndyke's spirits sank lower. The air of the narrow under-ground corridor was cold and damp, and he quivered from head to foot. Branasko paused again in his walk towards the mysterious light. "It cannot be from the internal fires," said he, "for this light is white, and the glow of the fires is red."
"It does not get very light, because we are behind the sun; but it is lighter than now, for we get the sun's reflection, enough at least to keep us from falling into the chasms." Branasko lowered his head to his knees and slept again, but the American, though wearied, was wakeful. Several hours passed.
It is delicious. They are swarming in the pools below." "And water?" said Johnston. "An abundance of it, and as cold as ice." As Branasko preceded him down the tortuous path, Johnston ate the raw fish eagerly. Presently they came to a deep pool of water, and both men threw themselves down on their stomachs and drank freely.
"They are cleaning the glass and adjusting the lights," said the Alphian; "wait till they go round to the other side. Don't you see that square opening near the ground?" The American nodded. "It is the door," said Branasko, "and we must try to enter it while they are on the other side. Let us slip nearer; there is another rock ahead that we can hide behind."
Down it went, lessen-ing as it sank till it became a mere black speck and then disappeared. "That's where the dead go," said Branasko gloomily. Just then the American, happening to glance up, saw something like a huge black bird with outspread wings circling about in the red light over the pit. Branasko saw it, too, and his face paled and a tremolo was in his voice when he spoke.
It is solid; besides, what does it matter? You can die but once, and it would really be better to fall down there into the internal fires than to starve slowly." Johnston shuddered convulsively as he let himself down beside Branasko. His foot dislodged a stone. With a crash it fell upon a lower ledge and bounded off and went whizzing down into the depths. Both men listened.
"We shall soon be through the shaft we first discovered and throw our light over Alpha." As he spoke the space about them broke into blinding brightness and for a few moments they could only open their eyes for an instant at a time. After a while Branasko opened the closet door and they went up the stairs. The first apartment they entered was most luxuriously furnished.
I never cared before. If I should happen to fall, go back to where we met, it is safer there without a guide than here." Without another word Branasko hurled himself forward. Johnston held his breath in horror, for Branasko's foot had slipped as he jumped. The Alphian had struck the opposite ledge, but not with his feet, as he intended.
"What is the news?" asked Thorndyke. "Everything is ready for the explosion. The prince seems only waiting because he dreads failure. The people in there are so frightened that they cannot move from their seats." Just then Branasko raised a haggard face and looked appealingly at the princess. She caught his eye.
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