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29 chapters
CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF THE LIGHT.
CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF THE LIGHT.
The first of the new meteors landed on the earth in November, 1940. It was discovered by a farmer in his field near Brookline, Massachusetts, shortly after daybreak on the morning of the 11th. Astronomically, the event was recorded by the observatory at Harvard as the sudden appearance of what apparently was a new star, increasing in the short space of a few hours from invisibility to a power beyond that of the first magnitude, and then as rapidly fading again to invisibility. This star was reco
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CHAPTER II. THE UNKNOWN ENEMY.
CHAPTER II. THE UNKNOWN ENEMY.
When, in February, 1941, Professor James Newland issued this remarkable statement, my paper sent me at once to interview him. He was at this time at the head of the Harvard observatory staff. He lived with his son and daughter in Cambridge. His wife was dead. I had been acquainted with the professor and his family for some time. I first met his son, Alan, during our university days at Harvard. We liked each other at once, and became firm friends—possibly because we were such opposite physical ty
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CHAPTER III. THE LANDING OF THE INVADERS.
CHAPTER III. THE LANDING OF THE INVADERS.
March 8, 1941, was the date at which Mercury was again to be in inferior conjunction—at her closest point to the earth since her transit over the face of the sun on November 11 of the previous year. During February—after Professor Newland's statements—the subject received a tremendous amount of publicity. Some scientific men rallied to Professor Newland's support; others scouted the idea as absurd. Officially, the governments of the world ignored the matter entirely. In general, the press, edito
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CHAPTER IV. THE MEETING.
CHAPTER IV. THE MEETING.
Professor Newland and his family were living in seclusion in their Florida home at the time the Mercutian invaders landed in Wyoming. The curious events in Florida, which connected them so directly with the invasion and caused Alan later to play so vital a part in it, are so important that I am impelled to relate them chronologically, rather than as they were told me afterward by Alan and Beth. When, on March 9, the news that the Mercutians had landed in Wyoming reached Professor Newland, he imm
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CHAPTER V. CAPTURED!
CHAPTER V. CAPTURED!
When I recovered consciousness I found myself lying in the sand with Mercer sitting beside me. It was still night. The tangled wreckage of our airplane lay near by; evidently Mercer had carried me out of it. I sat up. "I'm all right," I said. "What happened?" He grinned at me with relief. "The damned engine stopped. I don't know what was the matter. You had the light off. I couldn't see anything when we got down close." He waved his hand toward the wrecked plane. "It's done for," he added; "but
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CHAPTER VI. MIELA.
CHAPTER VI. MIELA.
The girl stood quiet beside the tree, watching Alan as he tied up his boat. She continued smiling. Alan stood up and faced her. He wondered what he should say—whether she could understand him any better than he could her. "You speak English?" he began hesitantly. The girl did not answer at once; she seemed to be trying to divine his meaning. Then she waved her hand—a curious movement, which he took to be a gesture of negation—her broadening smile disclosing teeth that were small, even, and very
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CHAPTER VII. THE MERCUTIAN CAMP.
CHAPTER VII. THE MERCUTIAN CAMP.
As I saw Mercer fall to the floor of the porch a sudden rage swept over me. I struggled violently with the three men pinning me down. They appeared very much weaker than I, but even though I could break their holds the three of them were more than a match for me. The man who was standing inactive, and who I realized had struck down Mercer in some unknown, deadly way, appeared to be the leader. Once, as one of my assailants made some move, the import of which the leader evidently understood, but
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CHAPTER VIII. THE ESCAPE.
CHAPTER VIII. THE ESCAPE.
The Mercutians all regarded me curiously as we came among them. By the respect they accorded Tao, and his attitude toward them, I decided he was the leader of the entire party. I stopped, wondering what would happen next. The man guarding me was still close at hand. Tao spoke a few words to him and then moved away. My guard immediately sat down. I saw nothing was required of me at the moment, and sat down also. I had opportunity now to examine the strange things and people about me more in detai
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CHAPTER IX. FUTILE ATTACKS.
CHAPTER IX. FUTILE ATTACKS.
There seemed to be no pursuit. In a few moments I was clear of the camp and hidden in the darkness of the desert. I ran perhaps half a mile, then I slowed down to a walk, completely winded. Turning, I could see behind me the lights of the camp. I doubted if even now they had missed me. The bomb dropped by the airplane and the plane itself falling almost, in their midst must have plunged them for the time into confusion. I kept on walking rapidly. The desert here was almost pathless; occasionally
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CHAPTER X. MIELA'S STORY.
CHAPTER X. MIELA'S STORY.
When I reached the little Florida town Alan was there to meet me. He would have none of my eager questions, but took me at once by launch to their bungalow. No one was on the porch when we landed, and we went immediately into the living room. There I found Beth and Professor Newland talking to this extraordinary girl from another world, of whose existence, up to that moment, I had been in complete ignorance. She was dressed especially for my coming, they told me afterward, exactly as she had bee
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CHAPTER XI. TO SAVE THE WORLD.
CHAPTER XI. TO SAVE THE WORLD.
Two days later Alan and Miela were quietly married in Bay Head. She still wore the long cloak, and no one could have suspected she was other than a beautiful stranger in the little community. When we got back home Alan immediately made her take off the cloak. He wanted us to admire her wings—to note their long, soft red feathers as she extended them, the symbol and the tangible evidence of her freedom from male dominance. She was as sweet about it all as she could be, blushing, as though to expo
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(Narrative continued by Alan Newland.)
(Narrative continued by Alan Newland.)
With hardly more than a perceptible tremor our strange vehicle came to rest upon the surface of Mercury. For a moment Miela and I stood regarding each other silently. Then she left her station at the levers of the mechanism and placed her hands gently on my shoulders. "You are welcome, my husband, here to my world." I kissed her glowing, earnest face. We had reached our journey's end. My work was about to begin—upon my own efforts now depended the salvation of that great world I had left behind.
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CHAPTER XIII. THE CAPTIVE EARTH‑MAN.
CHAPTER XIII. THE CAPTIVE EARTH‑MAN.
As we came out of the valley I had my first view of the Great City. It occupied a huge, mound‑shaped circular mountain which rose alone out of the wide plain that spread before me. As far as I could see extended a rich muddy soil partially covered with water. A road led out of the valley, stretching across these wet fields toward the base of the mountain. It was built on an embankment some eight or ten feet high, of the red, metallic ore of the mountains. All along the base of this embankment, w
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CHAPTER XIV. THE RULER OF THE LIGHT COUNTRY.
CHAPTER XIV. THE RULER OF THE LIGHT COUNTRY.
However pleased the newcomer was to see me, I had no difficulty in assuring him with equal truth that my feelings matched his. The first surprise of the meeting over, we took him to the living room, where Lua greeted him with dignified courtesy, and we all gathered around to hear his story. He was, I saw now, not more than twenty years old, rather short—perhaps five feet six or seven inches—and powerfully built, with a shock of tousled red hair and a handsome, rough‑hewn face essentially masculi
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CHAPTER XV. THE MOUNTAIN CONCLAVE.
CHAPTER XV. THE MOUNTAIN CONCLAVE.
"It is reasonable," Miela said thoughtfully. "And that our women will help as you say—of that I am sure." We were gathered in the living room after the evening meal, and I had given them my ideas of how we should start meeting the situation that confronted us. We had had no more trouble that day. After the encounter in the king's garden Mercer and I had followed the two girls swiftly home. We were not molested in the streets, although the people crowded about us wherever we went. "Why did none o
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CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRE PLANET.
CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRE PLANET.
I think I should explain now a little about the physical conformation of Mercury—the "lay of the land," so to speak—in order that the events I am about to describe may be more readily understood. It has already been made clear by Bob Trevor, I believe, that Mercury revolves on its axis only once during the time of its revolution around the sun. Thus, just as a similar condition always makes our moon present very nearly the same face to us, so Mercury presents always the same portion of its surfa
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CHAPTER XVII. THE FIGHT AT THE BAYOU.
CHAPTER XVII. THE FIGHT AT THE BAYOU.
Miela proceeded to explain our plan in detail to these fifteen hundred enthusiastic allies. It was my idea to build several platforms similar to this one on which Mercer and I had been carried up here into the mountains, only somewhat larger. We then proposed to seize these emissaries of Tao—there were not more than eight or ten of them altogether in the Great City—capturing them at night, without alarm, if possible, and transporting them summarily into the Twilight Country. My theory was that i
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CHAPTER XVIII. REVOLUTION.
CHAPTER XVIII. REVOLUTION.
There seemed to be five of our captors, all of them as evil‑looking men as I think I have ever seen. They rummaged about the room, evidently in search for weapons they thought I might have secreted. Then they ordered me to stand up, and without more ado led Miela and me from the house. This was once when I was glad of the interminable daylight. I hoped we might find some early risers about the streets, for I thought certainly the time of sleep must now be nearly over. But no one was in sight as
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CHAPTER XIX. THE NEW RULER.
CHAPTER XIX. THE NEW RULER.
The solemn bell continued pealing out its knell; the shouts and tumult outside were growing louder. Miela spoke hurriedly to the old man, then turned to leave the room. "Your commands shall be obeyed, my husband," she said quietly. I felt again that sudden sense of helplessness as I saw her leave. "Be careful, Miela. Order every one in the castle to the roof. Here! Tell the queen before you go. Send every one up there with me. The mob may come in. We'll make our stand up there." I understood Baa
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CHAPTER XX. IN THE TWILIGHT COUNTRY.
CHAPTER XX. IN THE TWILIGHT COUNTRY.
Mercer sat on the rear end of the platform and waved good‑by vigorously as he was carried swiftly up and out over the water. Under him was a pile of blankets and a coat, and beside him a box of baked dough‑like bread—the food he was to turn over to Tao's emissaries when he set them free. Anina flew at his side, at intervals smiling up at him reassuringly. Before him on the platform his captives huddled. Although all of them were trussed up securely, he menacingly kept his little wooden revolver
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CHAPTER XXI. ANOTHER LIGHT‑RAY!
CHAPTER XXI. ANOTHER LIGHT‑RAY!
The news that Mercer and Anina had been left in the Twilight Country completely dumfounded Miela and me. "Something was wrong," Mercer had said. And then they had insisted on staying there, and had sent the girls back to tell me to come over. We could make nothing of it, nor did the half hour of argument into which we immediately plunged further enlighten us. That flaw in our plans which had dawned on Mercer so suddenly and clearly certainly never occurred to us, for all it was seemingly so obvi
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CHAPTER XXII. THE THEFT OF THE LIGHT‑RAY.
CHAPTER XXII. THE THEFT OF THE LIGHT‑RAY.
The touch of soft, cool hands on his face brought Mercer back to sudden consciousness. He opened his eyes; Anina was sitting beside him, regarding him gravely. "Wake up, my friend Ollie. Time now to wake up." He sat up, rubbing his eyes. The same dim twilight obscured everything around. For an instant he was confused. "Why, I've been asleep." He got to his feet. "Do you think it's been long, Anina? Maybe the men have started off. Let's go see." Anina had already been to see; she had awakened som
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CHAPTER XXIII. THE STORM.
CHAPTER XXIII. THE STORM.
On the little stern seat of the boat Mercer and Anina sat side by side, the girl steering by a small tiller that lay between them. They were well out in the middle of the river now, speeding silently along with its swift current. They made extraordinary speed. Both banks of the river were visible in the twilight—dim, wooded hills stretching back into darkness. The stream widened steadily as they advanced, until near, its mouth it had become a broad estuary. They followed its right shore now and
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THE WATER CITY.
THE WATER CITY.
The men around the table were now all on their feet. One of them picked up a huge metal goblet and flung it at Mercer's head. The last remaining bit of reason Mercer had left fled from him. Without thought of what he was about, he raised the metal cylinder; his thumb found the little button and pressed it hard; he waved the cylinder back and forth before him. It was over in an instant. Mercer relaxed his pressure on the button and staggered back. He was sick and faint from what he had seen—with
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CHAPTER XXV. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
CHAPTER XXV. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
The months that followed were the busiest, I think, of my life. I began by a complete reorganization of this government of which I found myself the head. For the doddering old councilors of the late king I substituted men whom I selected from among those of the city's prominent business men who cared to serve. The personnel of the police force I allowed to remain, for I soon saw they were inclined to act very differently under me than under my predecessor. The various other officials of this som
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CHAPTER XXVI. THE BATTLE.
CHAPTER XXVI. THE BATTLE.
We swept out over the Great City, flying in the battle‑formation we had used many times before on our trips about the country. Mercer's platform and mine were some fifty feet apart, leading. Behind us, in a great semicircle, the girls spread out, fifty little groups of ten, each with its single leader in front. Below, a hundred feet perhaps, the fifty other girls darted back and forth, keeping pace with us. The aspect of these girls, flying thus to battle, was truly extraordinary. The pink‑white
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CHAPTER XXVII. THE SIEGE OF THE LONE CITY.
CHAPTER XXVII. THE SIEGE OF THE LONE CITY.
Our losses totaled nearly a hundred and fifty girls. We brought back with us on the platforms but six wounded. I shall never forget that hour we spent searching among the wreckage—those blackened, twisted forms of what had once been men and women. I shall not describe it. Of all the boats which Tao had dispatched on this ill‑fated expedition, only one escaped to return with news of the disaster. I was glad now that one, at least, had survived, for the report it would give would, I felt sure, dis
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CHAPTER XXVIII. THE END OF TAO.
CHAPTER XXVIII. THE END OF TAO.
The scene of desolation that met us in the Lone City was at once extraordinary and awesome. It seemed impossible that our rays, acting for so brief a period, could have done so much damage. The city was nothing more than a semicivilized settlement of little, flat‑topped stone houses. Our rays, striking these, had discharged harmlessly into the ground. But the interiors had been penetrated through windows and doors, and everything inflammable about them, as well as about the streets, had been des
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CHAPTER XXIX. THE RETURN.
CHAPTER XXIX. THE RETURN.
There is but little more to add. With the death of Tao and the changing of the law concerning the virgins' wings, my mission on Mercury was over. But I did not think of that then, for with the war ended, my position as virtual ruler of the Light Country still held Mercer and me occupied with a multiplicity of details. It was a month or more after our return from the Twilight Country that Miela reminded me of father and my duty to him. "You have forgotten, my husband. But I have not. Your world—i
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