Chapter 12

THE WARNING OF DANGER----THE RACE WITH DEATH.

Slowly crept the long tedious hours of darkness. The heavy cloud of despair that had so long hung over me, now being dispelled as if by magic, I was all impatience. My heart yearned for the moment when, gazing into the depths of Zarlah's wondrous eyes, I should see there--not the appealing timid look, full of the dread of hopeless separation from her lover, that had so wrung my heart at our last parting--but the radiant happiness of perfect contentment and fulfilled desire. I had thrown myself on the couch, and, as a miser jealously counts over his gold, fondling each precious bit with eager fingers, so I pondered on the happy hours spent with Zarlah, carefully reviewing each golden moment with its precious burden of Love's confessions.

Suddenly I sprang to my feet--a piercing, despairing cry of "Harold, my love, save me! save me!" was ringing in my ears.

It was Zarlah's voice, and some terrible danger confronted her.

Rushing into the adjoining room, I glanced anxiously about--all was still. The numerous books and instruments lay just as I had left them, and I gradually realized that, tired with the experiences I had lately undergone, I had unconsciously fallen asleep, and Zarlah's cry for help was only a dream.

Although greatly relieved by this discovery, my mind remained in a state of unrest. I was oppressed with a sense of danger which, in spite of my endeavor to overcome by occupying my mind with the volumes of Martian astronomical discoveries, I found to be impossible. Laying aside the