Chapter VII: Part 7

Though the passage led in almost direct line from the amphitheater to the palace, it was a considerable distance. The emperor was no slight burden and Robert’s muscles ached with the continued strain. In spite of his years, however, the professor seemed to be bearing his part of the monarch’s weight without great effort.

A touch on his shoulder caused Robert to look round sharply. Zola was directly behind him, her hand upon his arm.

“Wait!” she whispered, glancing apprehensively over her shoulder.

Robert and Professor Palmer halted. Dyarkon, proceeding a few paces farther, also stopped as he perceived they were not following.

“What is it?” Robert asked. His gaze followed hers down the dim passage stretching off behind them in ghostly emptiness. He failed to discern any cause for her uneasiness.

“Listen! Did you not hear footsteps?”

They all listened tensely. Only the beating of their own hearts disturbed the deadly underground quiet. An icy touch on his neck caused Robert to start. But he discovered that it was only a drop of water, fallen from the sweating roof. Here, possibly, was the origin of the sound which had startled Zola. Every little sound within the long tunnel was magnified a hundred times by the reverberation from the dead walls. The shuffling of a foot brought muffled shufflings from the farthest recesses of the passage, dying in soft, throbbing whispers that slipped from wall to wall faintly.

“I thought I heard footsteps following us,” Zola explained a trifle shamefacedly, but with a little pucker of perplexity on her forehead.

“Just the echoes, my dear,” said her father.

They resumed their march toward the palace. His ears keenly alert for sounds of pursuit, Robert, too, fancied several times that he heard cautious footsteps following in the distance; but he finally concluded that what he heard was nothing more than the countless rustling echoes from their own footsteps.

At last they reached a winding stairway. Up this they followed Dyarkon till it brought them to another level stretch of paving.

At a command from the emperor the guard stopped and fumbled along the base of the right wall. A door in the masonry swung outward. Through this they all followed quickly, closing the door behind them.

They now stood within another passage exactly like the first, but running at right angles to it. Was it imagination that caused Robert to believe he heard a scurry of footsteps along the passage they had just quit?

“Did you hear?” murmured the princess, clutching Robert’s arm.

He nodded. Then he was right. They had just quit the other passage in time!

The little procession moved on again. Another short flight of stairs brought them to a stop before a blank wall at the end of the passage. Here Dyarkon repeated his former performances and the wall opened.

A brilliant stream of sunlight burst upon them. The abrupt contrast with the dim glow of the passage all but blinded them for a few seconds.

An involuntary exclamation burst from Robert’s lips. The _Sphere_ rested within fifty feet of them! They were standing inside the broad wall of the palace courtyard!

Instantly his mind formed a plan of action. They would make a dash for the _Sphere_. Once safely inside they could rise quickly and observe the actions of the crowds. Then they could lay their plans at leisure.

Rapidly he outlined his plan to the others, who acquiesced at once. If their pursuers had already reached the palace they had not a moment to lose. The courtyard was yet closer.

Hakon was able to stand, though his wounds had left him pitifully weak. Dyarkon and the professor now assisted him while Robert hurried ahead to open the trap-door entrance into the _Sphere_.

As they emerged from the wall a loud outcry greeted them. Without stopping to ascertain its source they hurried toward the _Sphere_ with all possible speed. Fortunately the trap operated readily, and a few seconds later they were all safely shut within.

The outcry was now explained. Into the courtyard from the palace poured a score of nobles with drawn sabers, shouting for them to stop.

Robert jerked the control over. The _Sphere_ leapt from the ground with such sudden force that all except Robert and the staunch Dyarkon were thrown to the floor. A minute later they were soaring far above the heads of their late pursuers.

“Phew! Close shaves are getting to be our specialty,” exclaimed Robert, recovering his breath for the first time in many minutes. “Now for our observations and conference.”

He checked the _Sphere’s_ ascent and turned to the others.

Zola was already busily binding her father’s wound. Professor Palmer had just brought her some water and a supply of bandages from the first-aid chest. Fortunately, though Hakon was weak from loss of blood, his wound was found not to be serious.

Hakon was staring intently groundward from his position by a window. Following his gaze, Robert saw a dense mob round the palace. Even at this height he could hear the Martians’ cries faintly. Evidently the rebel noblemen had succeeded well in working the masses up in revolt.

Sadly Hakon viewed the disorder below. It was now clear that it would not be safe for him to return.

“Let us all go to Earth, my dear father,” said Zola. “There we can be happy together.”

The fugitive ruler pondered for many minutes, while the others maintained a respectful silence. Finally he sighed resignedly. A faint smile played over his countenance as he turned to his daughter.

“Ah, my dear, I was a very foolish old man to think of letting you go alone. We shall, as you say, be far happier together. We shall have riches and contentment in this world of Robert’s--if, indeed, he and Professor Palmer will share a little of their fortune with us.” He smiled as he nodded toward the bullion stacked on the chamber floor.

“You are the spokesman, Robert,” chuckled the professor.

“The treasure is yours and Zola’s, sire, now that you are with us,” said Robert.

“I have given it to you and Professor Palmer, my boy, and it remains yours, except for what small portion you might wish to assign me--and Dyarkon, if he decides to go with us. As for Zola, she will share with you as your bride. What say you, Dyarkon--do you wish to go with us?”

“Oh, sire, I shall go if you desire it; but I was to have been married shortly. My heart is there.” He pointed below.

“Then you shall be permitted to return, my man. Accept this, my present to your bride; and may you have great happiness.” He handed the guard a string of beautiful emeralds which he had been wearing.

The faithful Martian was speechless with gratitude.

“I suggest, then, that the treasure be divided into four equal parts,” said the professor, presently; “one quarter for each of us. There is sufficient wealth here to make every one of us overwhelmingly rich on Earth.”

So it was agreed.

The question of provisions was the next consideration. At Hakon’s orders, large quantities of evaporated fruits and vegetables had previously been placed within the cupboards of the _Sphere_. A goodly quantity of the _Sphere’s_ original supply of food tablets, etc., remained. Fortunately, too, the oxygen tanks contained enough gas to purify the air in the _Sphere_ for a long while. It only was necessary to replenish their water supply, when they could also leave Dyarkon.

The latter task was not so easy as it sounds. For there are no convenient, open streams on Mars. They must either chance landing at some power station or farm, or fly to one of the poles and there obtain water from one of the giant reservoirs. The elements at the nearest pole being very treacherous at this season, it was decided to chance a visit to some farmhouse.

A hurried trip was accordingly made to a small farm, a sufficient distance from the scene of the rebellion to be reasonably safe. Here the astonished farmer, who had not yet heard of the rebellion and who did not even recognize the emperor and the princess, eagerly helped these distinguished visitors to fill the water tanks of the mysterious _Sphere_. This the farmer had heard of, and both he and his wife gazed upon it with mingled wonder and dismay. Afterward they followed it with their eyes until it had passed beyond their vision. This farmer, and his wife and Dyarkon, had the distinction of being the persons on Mars who last saw their emperor; though the two first named did not know this till Dyarkon presently told them.

After the filling of the water tanks, Robert steered the _Sphere_ straight toward the distant pale star which he and Professor Palmer knew was the Earth. Despite their anticipation and resignation, Zola and her father gazed back upon their erstwhile world in silent awe, and not without some sadness, long after it had ceased to be more than a mere ocher and rose disk.

Through the eternal night sped the infinitesimal world with its population of four. And through the long hours of Robert’s watches, Zola was at his side always. Their love was as an immortal thing, born of space and eternity. Hand in hand they fled across the universe to their future world of promise.

Profiting by their previous experience with gravitation, or rather, an absence of gravitation and stabilization, Robert and the professor properly manipulated the disk and gyrostats on this trip, avoiding the danger which had so nearly proved their undoing before. Robert prevented also the recurrence of another unpleasant experience, by cutting short pieces of stout cord, one for each of them, and particularly cautioned Zola and her father to tie them about their bodies at night and secure the other end to a rung or some other stationary object at a safe distance from the whirling gyrostats.

It was not long after that they had a taste of air-floating, and the cords proved their worth. This sensation, the continued sunshine out of a black sky and other phenomena, were all new to Zola and her father. The time passed rapidly.

A deck of playing cards was got out and Hakon and Zola were initiated into the mysteries of the Earthmen’s card games, which they learned readily and seemed to enjoy keenly. They then proceeded to show Robert and Professor Palmer some of their own games. These, being played with cards not greatly different from our own, were easily adapted to the cards they were using. In fact, one of their games, called _Agahr_, was virtually identical with our own simple game of casino.

So it did not seem long ere they were within a day’s journey of the Earth. Not a single mishap had delayed their progress so far. Barring the unexpected, they should be but a day longer in returning than the period covered by the trip to Mars, in spite of the considerably increased distance between the two planets by this time. Nearly three months had elapsed since the departure from the Earth.

27

As the Earth’s disk expanded before their eyes, Robert pointed out to Zola and Hakon the outlines of the continents and oceans, the mountain ranges and rivers. Their genuine wonder and delightful anticipation were a source of keen enjoyment to both the professor and Robert.

“It surpasses my wildest imagination to vision an expanse of water so vast that one can not see its boundaries!” exclaimed Hakon, excitedly. “I can scarcely contain myself till we shall actually see these wonders with our own eyes.”

“And think, Father, of the great forests of trees where one can really get lost; the mysterious clouds in the sky; the rushing rivers and waterfalls! Oh, how could I have thought of letting you stay away from all this! How happy we can be, can’t we, Robert?”

“Indeed we can, sweetheart,” he replied, with a feeling that his measure of delight was far more than he deserved.

Closer, closer drew the big world--his world and hers. Its great disk swelled and swelled, until it was no longer a disk but a vast expanse stretching away in all directions.

Robert had reduced the _Sphere’s_ speed until they approached the surface, now less than fifty miles away, at about the speed of a fast passenger train. As they drew closer he reduced their speed still further. A big cloud bank obscured their view of the Earth’s surface now, but he knew that they were above the Atlantic. He had already given the _Sphere_ the spin of the swiftly revolving Earth, before entering its envelope of atmosphere. They now drifted serenely, high above the clouds.

As they slowly drew near the cloud bank, Zola made a natural mistake of thinking it the ocean, till Robert told her different. Her astonishment and delight were great as they plunged through the fluffy mist and emerged above the water. A big sea was running, and Robert permitted the _Sphere_ to drop within a hundred yards of the tall crests.

The continual rolling of the water mystified Hakon and Zola. This was explained to them with some difficulty. Robert opened two of the _Sphere’s_ ports, for the first time since leaving Mars. They all filled their lungs gratefully with the keen, salty air as it blew in upon them. The main force of the gale was not felt, however, because the _Sphere_ was being driven before it. Once an eccentric gust sucked the _Sphere_ down abruptly. A mountainous wave, rearing hungrily toward the big metal ball, slapped forcibly against it, causing it to rebound high into the air with a suddenness that upset everyone. After that Robert kept a safe distance above the seething waters.

For a while they scudded swiftly along under the hypnotic spell of the restless sea. Its hissing turbulence was a source of continual awe and wonder to their guests. Finally Robert closed the ports and sped the _Sphere_ toward the Jersey coast.

* * * * *

It was in the early afternoon when they passed over the coast line. Here their appearance was first noted and news of the _Sphere’s_ safe return flashed all over the world. Later, as they sailed over New York, a droning of many whistles heralded their arrival, while a blimp, a big seaplane, and several airplanes glided and cavorted over, under and round them.

“_Sphere_ ahoy!” shouted one venturesome chap, a reporter on the _Times_, as he whizzed by, a dozen feet away, in a two-passenger airplane. “What news?”

But the drone of his engine drowned a possible answer as the distance between them widened rapidly.

Leaving Manhattan, Robert steered the _Sphere_ toward L--- and Professor Palmer’s estate. This was at the latter’s request, and in response to his cordial invitation to Robert and both their guests to make their home with him for the present.

Their arrival at the Palmer estate found the place already overrun with reporters and photographers in anticipation of their return there. Even the resourceful Henry could not stem the tide. Motion pictures of them all were run off and rushed to headquarters for early projection upon the silver screen all over the world.

Hakon, and Zola, more charming than ever, both accepted the situation with jolly good nature. Praises of the beautiful maiden from Mars were many, and their sincerity was reflected in the headlines and articles which appeared as by magic in the afternoon papers throughout the country the very day of their arrival.

The party rested at the Palmer estate for several days. Many were the delightful strolls which Robert and Zola took in the lovely grounds. The soft, luxuriant grass under foot, the tall trees, the beautiful shrubbery and flowers were as a fairyland to the princess, with her fairy prince at her side. As for Robert, he was in a veritable seventh heaven.

The emperor and Professor Palmer, now great cronies, were constantly together. Halton never tired of the professor’s tales of the Earth’s resources, its history and people; and of our long observation of and conjectures regarding his own planet, Mars.

Negotiations were opened with a firm of expert diamond cutters in New York for the cutting and polishing of the stones brought from Mars. Their representatives, escorted by a heavy guard, arrived promptly and departed with the first valuable consignment of the rough gems.

The balance of the treasure, in bullion and stones, had been safely deposited in the vaults of three different banks for greater safety. The bullion, however, was rapidly converted into cash and deposited in equal shares to the individual credit of the four adventurers and one other person. This person was Taggert’s sweetheart, a Miss Sarah Daugherty, who had waited faithfully for the valiant reporter’s return. By mutual consent, a fifth and equal share of the treasure was allotted her. Taggert’s mother, poor woman, had not lived to see the return of the _Sphere_. She had contracted pneumonia and passed away a month before her son’s death. One of the first things Robert had done upon his return was to seek Mrs. Taggert and Miss Daugherty, after delivering Taggert’s notes to the _Morning Chronicle_ with an additional report on the events following the lion-hearted reporter’s death. He obtained the publishers’ ready consent to turn over all salaries and bonus due Taggert, to Miss Daugherty.

From the moment of their return, Robert and Professor Palmer were lionized by the world. Eminent scientists from everywhere sought interviews with them. Even the former opponent of the Palmer theories, Professor Margard, came to Professor Palmer with sincere congratulations. They were besieged by learned societies to lecture at gatherings for their enlightenment. Capitalists and promoters begged them to consider offers of enormous sums for their patents on the _Sphere’s_ remarkable gravity-defying principles.

Construction of a huge device for flashing messages to Mars by means of reflection of the sun’s rays was commenced in the Sahara Desert. A code furnished by the emperor was to be used. Though wireless had been considered, the enormous distance was judged to be too great to make that method of communication practicable, even with the most powerful apparatus then conceivable.

“They’ll be betting on each other’s stock markets soon,” laughed Henry, when he heard of the project.

On the day of Robert’s and Zola’s wedding, the emperor presented his daughter with a magnificent, perfect ruby, which he had had set, and hung in a pendant, with the connivance of the professor. The gem was uniquely cut, similarly to what we know as table-cut. He also presented them with a packet of three remarkable stones, in the rough, which he had secretly brought with him. One of these was a black diamond of twenty-one carats; another was a white diamond of slightly larger size.

The third stone was also a white diamond, but of astounding size. It was several times larger than the famous Koh-i-noor; it even exceeded in size the Great Mogul in the rough, as it balanced at a trifle under 1,115 carats! Properly cut and polished, without the unfortunate bungling which both the Koh-i-noor and the Great Mogul had suffered, it should weigh considerably more than these two famous gems together, they weighing 106 and 280 carats respectively after their final cutting.

“It should be named,” said the professor, when shown this enormous stone. “What are you going to call it?”

“Let us call it the _Ragnarok_, which means ‘the twilight of the gods and the doomsday of the world’--in memory of the waning world from which it came,” suggested Robert, after some thought.

And so it was named.

The little vine-clad church in the village saw the wedding of Robert and Zola on a delightful, soft autumn afternoon a few days later. Her father gave her away, and Professor Palmer was the best man. Futile attempts at fittingly describing the glorious vision presented by the princess were attempted. But perhaps none was more apt than that ventured by the professor’s housekeeper, a kindly soul, who had helped Zola choose her dainty bridal gown and charming trousseau. “A true daughter of the gods,” was the rather surprizing expression of this normally prosaic woman.

More surprizing, however, may have been the choice of these two young beings of the scene of their honeymoon. Not a tour of Europe, nor of the natural wonders of our own great country. They simply disappeared into the great Canadian wilderness. There, if one could have followed them, they might have been discovered happily paddling a well-loaded canoe up a winding stream of still, friendly, wooded shores. Above, the clear blue sky rivaled the crystal transparency of the rippling stream. A hawk drifted across the ribbon of blue and was lost again beyond the maze of tall pines. Somewhere a woodpecker drummed stoutly upon a dead limb.

Softly, easily, the slim craft rounded a bend to the even thrust of two pairs of vigorous, willing young arms. Like the hawk, it was soon lost to view--lost in a twilight wilderness of love and peace.

THE END

[Transcriber’s Note: This story appeared in four consecutive issues of Weird Tales magazine starting in November 1925.]