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He stood still, a superstitious fear coming over him as he thought of being alone with a possible messenger from the far-away scene of disaster. The light went out tremblingly; then it flashed up again, and the American thought he saw the face of Waldmeer. The light grew steadier, stronger. It was Waldmeer, but he was submerged in smoke. Hark! he was speaking. "Marentel is successful!
If your father cannot reach the machinery in the east soon enough, our light will go out; and, worse than that, if Prince Marentel should fail in his next venture with explosives, all hope will be gone." "I have never desired to live so much as now," she answered, inclining with an air of tenderness toward him. "I never knew what it was to fear death till till you came to us." He made no reply.
"My brother, Prince Marentel, is the greatest man in our kingdom," she re marked. "He has taken enough explosives to remove a mountain." "How will he use them?" asked Thorndyke. "I don't know, but I fancy he will try to close the opening in some way." The latter slowly shook his head. "I fear he will fail. The fall must be as voluminous as Niagara by this time."
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."
Prince Marentel hopes temporarily to delay the crisis by partially turning the torrent away from the pit into the lowlands of the country. For that purpose a portion of the endless wall is being torn down, and Marentel's forces are placing their explosives. After this is done an attempt will be made to stop the original break. There is, however, little hope.
After a few moments Waldmeer appeared and spoke: "Prince Marentel is operating with great difficulty. A large quantity of his explosives has been injured by water, but he hopes there is enough left intact to serve his purpose. The final explosion will soon take place. The greatest peril hangs over Alpha."
Prince Marentel has effectually closed the entrance of the ocean, but the internal fires are gradually burning through the rocky bed of the ocean. In a couple of years Alpha will be demolished. All our wealth shall be equally distributed among you, and my ships shall transport you to whatever destination you desire. Let there be no haste. Order shall be preserved throughout." That was all.
In the semi-darkness hundreds of protectors could be seen struggling in the rushing water, moving stones and building a dam. Waldmeer again faced his far-off audience and spoke: "Prince Marentel has turned the course of the stream. All now depends on the success or failure of his final test with explosives, which will take place in about half an hour."
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