The Land of the Changing Sun Part 21

When he got up, a desperate gleam was in his dark eyes.

"It is rising fast," he said. "We must attempt to get to the capitol and warn the king. It is possible that he may be able to stop the opening.

The only thing left to us is to try our machine again."

Johnston found it hard to keep pace with him as he bounded out of the mist and on toward the faint glow ahead. Reaching the flying machine Branasko entered it and turned on a small electric light.

"Ah," he grunted with satisfaction, "I have found a light. I can now see what is the matter with it."

Johnston stood outside and heard him hammering on the metal parts in the car, and became so absorbed in thinking of the peril of their position that he was startled when Branasko cried out to him:--"All right. 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. Now for the pit!"

The heart of the American was in his mouth as the long black wings waved up and down and the air-s.h.i.+p, like some live thing, shuddered and swept gracefully out of the mouth of the cave into the glare and heat of the pit.

"Hold your breath!" yelled Branasko, and he bent lower into the car to escape the shower of hot ashes that was falling about them. 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.

Chapter XVI.

Thornd.y.k.e went down into his chambers to make his toilet and was ready to leave when there was a soft rap on his door. He opened it, and to his surprise saw Bernardino modestly draw herself back into the shadow of the hall.

"Pardon me, but I must speak to you," she stammered in confusion.

"What is it?" he asked, going out to her.

"I want to advise you to avoid my father to-day. He is greatly disappointed with the accident of yesterday, and he is never courteous to strangers when he is displeased. He was particularly anxious to have you entertained by the fete."

"Thank you; I shall keep out of his way," promised the Englishman.

"Where had I better stay--here in my rooms?"

"No, he might send for you. If you would care to see Winter Park, I can go with you as your guide."

"I should be delighted; nothing could please me more."

"But," (as a servant pa.s.sed in the room with a tray) "that is your breakfast. Meet me at the fountain at the north entrance of the palace in half an hour." And, drawing her veil over her face, she vanished in the darkness of the corridor.

After he had breakfasted and sent the man away, he hastened below to the place designated by the princess. She was waiting for him under the palm trees, and was so disguised that he would not have known her but for her low amused laugh as he was about to pa.s.s her.

"It would not do for any one to suspect me," she explained; "my father would never forgive me for doing this." She pointed to a flying-machine near by. "We must take the air; I have made all the arrangements. Winter Park is beyond the limits of the city."

He followed her across the gra.s.s to the machine and into the car. They could see the driver behind the gla.s.s of the narrow compartment in which he sat, and when he turned the polished metal wheel the machine rose like a liberated balloon.

Thornd.y.k.e looked out of the window. The blue haze of the fifth hour of the morning was breaking over everything, and as the domes, pinnacles, and vari-colored roofs fell away in the beautiful light, the breast of the Englishman heaved with delightful emotions. Bernardino was watching his face with a gratified smile.

"You like Alpha," she said, half anxiously, half inquiringly.

"Very much," he replied; "but I want to show you the great world I came from;--and some day perhaps I can."

The blood ran into her cheeks suddenly, and then as quickly receded, leaving a wistful expression in her eyes. She sighed. "It has been my dream for a long time. I have always imagined that it is more wonderful than Alpha; but you know there is no chance for you to return now."

"I shall manage to escape some way and you shall go with me as my wife."

Her blushes came again. "I did not know that you cared that much for me," she said. Then, as if to change the subject, she pointed through the window. "See, we are approaching the Park, and shall descend in a moment."

He looked out of the window and then drew his head in quickly.

"We are coming down into a big lake!" he cried out. "Oh, no, it is only the gla.s.s roof of the park," she laughed; "true, it does look like water in the sunlight."

The machine sank lower and finally rested on a plot of gra.s.s in a little square ornamented with beds of flowers and white statues. Thornd.y.k.e saw a seemingly endless wall, so high that he could not calculate its height. Bernardino preceded him in at a great arching door in the wall, and they found themselves in a stone-paved vestibule several hundred feet square.

A maid servant came forward at once and brought heavy fur clothing for them and invited them into separate toilet rooms. When he came out Bernardino was waiting for him. He could hardly breathe, so thick were the furs he had put on.

"It is warm here, but it will be colder in a moment," said the princess.

And she led him to a door across the room. When the door was opened, Thornd.y.k.e uttered an exclamation of astonishment. Before their eyes lay a wide expanse of snow-covered roads, woodlands and frozen lakes and streams. The air was as crisp and invigorating as a Canadian winter.

Bernardino led him to a pavilion where a number of pleasure-seekers were gathered and selected a sleigh and two mettlesome horses. She took the reins from the man, and sprang lightly into the graceful cutter.

Thornd.y.k.e followed her and wrapped the thick robes about her feet. Away they sped like the wind down the smooth road, through a leafless forest.

Overhead the gla.s.s roof could not be seen, but a lowering gray cloud hung over them and a light snow was falling.

"Winter Park is a great resort," the princess explained; "we get tired of the unchanging climate, and it is pleasant to visit such a place as this. There is a winter park in every town of any size in Alpha."

They drove along the sh.o.r.e of a beautiful lake, on the frozen surface of which hundreds of skaters were darting here and there, and pa.s.sed hillsides on which crowds of young people were coasting in sleds. When they had driven about ten miles in a circuitous route she turned the horses round.

"We had better return," she said; "you have not seen all of the Park, but we can visit it some other time."

Outside they found their flying-machine awaiting them, and were soon on the way back to the city. They parted at the fountain in the park, she hastening to the palace, and he turning to stroll through the little wood behind him.

He was pa.s.sing a thick bunch of trees when he was startled by hearing his name called. He turned round, but at first saw no one.

"Thornd.y.k.e!" There it was again, and then he saw a hand beckoning to him from a hedge of ferns at his right. He stepped back a few paces; a man came out of the wood.

It was Johnston, his face was white and haggard, his clothing rent and soiled.

"My G.o.d, can it be you?" gasped the Englishman.

"n.o.body else," groaned Johnston, cautiously advancing and laying a trembling hand on the arm of Thornd.y.k.e; "but don't talk loud, they will find me."

"Where did you come from?"

Johnston pointed first to the east, and then swept his hand over the sky to the west.

"Over the wall," he said despondently. "From the dead lands behind the sun."

"How did you get back here?"

For reply Johnston parted the fern leaves and pointed to the lank figure of the tall Alphian, who lay curled up on the gra.s.s as if asleep.

"He brought me in that flying-machine there; but he has spent all his strength in trying to manage the thing, which was out of order, and now he is helpless. Twice we came within an inch of sinking down into the internal fires. The last time we escaped only by the breadth of a hair; if he had not had the endurance of a man of iron he would have succ.u.mbed to the heat and we would have been lost. We sank so far down that I became insensible and never knew a thing till the fresh air revived me.