the land of the changing sun-第12章

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〃Tut；　tut！〃　exclaimed　Branasko。　〃Stand　up　quickly；　and　jump　at　once。　Don't　stop　to　think　about　it。〃

Johnston　obeyed。　He　felt　his　feet　firmly　braced　on　the　rock　and　he　sprang　toward　the　opposite　ledge　with　all　his　might。　Branasko　caught　him。

〃Good；〃　he　grunted。　〃There　is　another　place；　we　must　jump　again。　It　is　further　on。〃　Along　this　ledge　they　went　for　some　distance；　Branasko　leading　the　way　and　holding　the　arm　of　the　American。

〃Now　here　we　are；　the　chasm　is　a　little　wider；　but　the　ledge　on　the　other　side　is　broader。〃　As　he　spoke　he　released　Johnston's　arm　and　prepared　to　jump。　He　filled　his　lungs　two　or　three　times。　But　he　seemed　to　hesitate。　〃Pshaw；　watching　you　back　there　has　made　me　nervous。　I　never　cared　before。　If　I　should　happen　to　fall；　go　back　to　where　we　met；　it　is　safer　there　without　a　guide　than　here。〃

Without　another　word　Branasko　hurled　himself　forward。　Johnston　held　his　breath　in　horror；　for　Branasko's　foot　had　slipped　as　he　jumped。　The　Alphian　had　struck　the　opposite　ledge；　but　not　with　his　feet；　as　he　intended。　He　clutched　it　with　his　hands　and　hung　there　for　a　moment；　struggling　to　get　a　foothold　in　the　emptiness　beneath　him。

〃It's　no　use；　I　am　falling；　I　can　hold　no　longer！〃　And　Johnston；…　…too　terrified　to　reply；heard　the　poor　fellow's　hands　slipping　from　the　rock；　causing　a　quantity　of　loose　stones　to　go　rattling　down　below。　With　a　low　cry　Branasko　fell。　An　instant　later　Johnston　heard　him　strike　the　ledge　beneath；　and　heard　him　cry　out　in　pain。　Then　all　was　still　except　the　echoes　of　Branasko's　cry；　which　bounded　and　rebounded　from　side　to　side　of　the　chasm；　and　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　till　it　was　submerged　in　the　roaring　below。　Then　there　was　a　rattle　of　stones；　and　Branasko's　voice　sounded：　〃A　narrow　escape！〃　he　said　faintly。　〃I　am　on　another　ledge〃then　after　a　slight　pause；　〃it　is　much　wider；　I　don't　know　how　wide。　Are　you　listening？〃

〃Yes；　but　are　you　hurt？〃

〃Not　at　all。　Simply　knocked　the　breath　out　of　me　for　a　moment。　There　is　a　cave　behind　me；　and　（for　a　moment　there　was　silence）　I　can　see　a　light　ahead　in　the　cave。　I　think　it　must　be　the　reflection　of　the　internal　fire。　Come　down　to　me　and　we　will　explore　the　cavern；　and　see　where　the　light　comes　from。〃

〃I　can't　get　down　there！〃　shouted　Johnston；　to　make　himself　heard　above　a　sudden　increase　in　the　roaring　in　the　chasm；　〃there　is　no　way。〃

〃Wait　a　moment！〃　came　from　the　Alphian。　〃This　ledge　seems　to　incline　upward。〃

Johnston　stood　perfectly　motionless；　afraid　to　move　from　the　ledge　either　to　right　or　to　left；　and　heard　Branasko's　footsteps　along　the　rock　beneath。　〃All　right　so　far；〃　he　called　up；　and　his　voice　showed　that　he　had　gone　to　a　considerable　distance　to　the　left；　〃the　ledge　seems　to　be　still　leading　gradually　upward。　I　think　I　can　reach　you。〃

Fifteen　minutes　passed。　The　lone　American　could　no　longer　hear　Branasko's　footsteps。　Johnston　was　becoming　uneasy　and　the　hot　air　was　causing　his　head　to　swim。　He　was　thinking　of　trying　to　retrace　his　footsteps　to　a　place　of　more　security　when　he　heard　footsteps；　and　then　the　cheery　voice　of　Branasko　nearly　opposite　him　across　the　chasm：

〃Are　you　there？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃It　is　well；　I　have　discovered　a　good　pathway　down　to　the　cave；　and　a　pool　of　fish　besides。　I　have　saved　some　for　you。　I　was　so　hungry　I　had　to　eat。　Now；　you　must　jump　over　to　me。〃

〃I　cannot；〃　declared　the　American。　〃I　cannot　jump　so　far；　besides；　you　failed。〃

Branasko　laughed。　〃I　did　not　leap　in　the　right　direction。　It　is　this　point　on　which　I　am　now　standing　that　I　should　have　tried　to　reach。　Come；　I　will　catch　you。〃

Johnston　could　not　bear　to　be　considered　cowardly；　so　he　stepped　to　the　verge　of　the　chasm　and　prepared　to　jump。　His　head　felt　more　dizzy　as　he　thought　of　the　fathomless　depths　beneath；　and　the　rush　of　hot　air　up　the　side　of　the　cliff　took　his　breath　away；　but　he　braced　himself　and　said　calmly：　〃All　right；　I　am　coming。〃　The　next　instant　he　sprang　forward。　Branasko　caught　him　into　his　arms　and　they　both　rolled　back　on　the　level　stone。

〃Good；〃　cried　the　Alphian；　trying　to　catch　his　breath；　which　Johnston　had　knocked　out　of　him　by　the　fall。　〃You　did　better　than　I；　you　are　lighter。〃

〃Where　shall　we　go　now？〃　asked　Johnston；　regaining　his　feet　and　feeling　of　his　legs　and　arms　to　see　if　he　had　broken　any　bones。

〃Down　this　winding　path　to　the　place　where　I　saw　that　light。　I　want　to　understand　it。　But　you　must　first　eat　this　fish。　It　is　delicious。　They　are　swarming　in　the　pools　below。〃

〃And　water？〃　said　Johnston。

〃An　abundance　of　it；　and　as　cold　as　ice。〃

As　Branasko　preceded　him　down　the　tortuous　path；　Johnston　ate　the　raw　fish　eagerly。　Presently　they　came　to　a　deep　pool　of　water；　and　both　men　threw　themselves　down　on　their　stomachs　and　drank　freely。　After　this　they　proceeded　slowly　for　several　hundred　yards；　and　finally　reached　the　entrance　to　the　cave　in　which　Branasko　had　seen　the　light。　At　that　distance　it　looked　like　the　light　of　some　great　conflagration　reflected　from　the　face　of　a　cliff。

They　entered　the　cave　and　made　good　progress　toward　the　light；　for　it　showed　them　the　dangerous　fissures；　sharp　boulders　and　stalactites。　They　had　walked　along　in　silence　for　several　minutes　when　the　Alphian　stopped　abruptly　and　turned　to　his　companion。　What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Johnston。

〃It　cannot　come　from　the　internal　fires；〃　replied　Branasko；〃for　the　atmosphere　grows　cooler　as　we　get　nearer　the　light　and　away　from　the　chasm。〃

Johnston　was　too　much　puzzled　to　formulate　a　reply；　and　he　simply　waited　for　the　Alphian　to　continue。

〃Let's　go　on；〃　said　Branasko；　and　in　his　tone　and　hesitating　manner　Johnston　detected　the　first　appearance　of　superstitious　fear　that　he　had　seen　in　the　brawny　Alphian。



　Chapter　VIII。

As　Thorndyke　watched　the　flying　machine　that　was　bearing　his　friend　away　a　genuine　feeling　of　pity　went　over　him。　Poor　Johnston！　He　had　been　haunted　all　day　with　the　belief　that　he　was　to　meet　with　some　misfortune　from　which　Thorndyke　was　to　be　spared；　and　Thorndyke　had　ridiculed　his　fears。　When　the　air…ship　had　become　a　mere　speck　in　the　sky；　the　Englishman　turned　back　into　the　palace　and　strolled　about　in　the　vast　crowd。

A　handsome　young　man　in　uniform　approached　and　touched　his　hat：

〃Are　you　the　comrade　of　the　fellow　they　are　just　sending　away？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。　Where　are　they　taking　him？〃

〃To　the　'Barrens；'　of　course；　where　do　you　suppose　they　would　take　such　a　man？　He　couldn't　pass　his　examination。　You　are　not　a　great　physical　success　yourself；　but　they　say　you　pleased　the　king　with　your　tongue。〃

〃To　the　Barrens；〃　repeated　Thorndyke；　too　much　concerned　over　the　fate　of　his　comrade　to　notice　the　speaker's　tone　of　contempt；　〃what　are　they；　where　are　they？〃

The　Alphian　officer　changed　countenance；　as　he　looked　him　over　with　widening　eyes。

〃Your　accent　is　strange；　are　you　from　the　other　world？〃

〃I　suppose　so；this　is　a　new　one　to　me　at　any　rate。〃

〃The　world　of　endless　oceans？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　the　unchanging　sunforever　white　and　？〃

〃Yes；　but　where　the　devil　is　the　Barrens？〃

〃Behind　the　sun；　beyond　the　great　endless　wall。〃

〃Do　they　intend　to　put　him　to　death？〃

〃No；　that　would　bewhat　do　you　call　it？　murder；　they　will　simply　leave　him　there　to　die　of　his　own　accord。　And　the　king　is　right。　I　never　saw　such　a　weakling。　He　would　taint　our　whole　race　with　his　presence。〃

Without　a　word　Thorndyke　abruptly　turned　from　the　officer　and　hastened　toward　the　apartment　of　the　king。　He　would　demand　the　return　of　poor　Johnston　or　kill　the　king　if　his　demand　was　not　granted。　In　his　haste　and　perturbation；　however；　he　lost　his　way　and　wandered　into　a　part　of　the　palace　he　had　not　seen。　At　every　step　he　was　more　and　more　impressed　with　the　magnificent　proportions　of　the　structure　and　the　grandeur　of　everything　about　it。

Passing　hurriedly　through　a　large　hall　he　saw　an　assemblage　of　beautiful　women　and　handsome　men　dancing　to　the　music　of　a　great　orchestra。　Further　onin　a　great　courta　regiment　of　soldiers　were　drilling；　their　rapid　evolutions　making　no　more　sound　than　if　they　were　moving　in　mid…air。　In　another　room　he　saw　a　great　body　of　men；　women　and　children　in　vari…colored　suits　bathing　in　a　pool　of　rose…colored；　perfumed　wate