the land of the changing sun-第24章

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The　two　refugees　were　momentarily　blinded。　Branasko　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　quickly　draw　his　companion　down　close　to　the　earth　behind　the　rock。　〃They　could　see　us　in　the　light；〃　he　whispered。

There　was　a　joyous　clamoring　of　voices　among　the　men；　and　they　withdrew　several　yards　to　look　at　the　sun。　This　drew　them　nearer　the　hiding…place　of　the　two　refugees。

〃Only　an　accident；〃　said　a　voice；　〃it　won't　happen　again。〃

Then　one　of　them　went　into　the　sun　and　the　lights　died　out。　In　a　moment　the　sun　began　to　move。　Slowly　and　majestically　it　swept　over　the　rocky　earth；　followed　by　the　crowd；　till　it　reached　a　great　hole　and　sank　into　it。

〃Gone　into　the　tunnel；〃　said　the　Alphian；　as　the　crowd　disappeared　behind　the　cliff。

〃What　are　we　to　do　now？〃　asked　Johnston。　〃We　certainly　can't　go　through　with　the　sun。〃

〃Wait　till　the　next　trip；〃　grimly　replied　Branasko。

The　rumbling　noise　from　the　big　hole　gradually　died　away；　and　the　two　men　left　their　hiding…place。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Johnston。　He　pointed　to　the　west；　where　a　red　light　shone　against　the　towering　cliffs。

〃It　must　be　the　internal　fires；〃　answered　Branasko；　with　a　noticeable　shudder。　〃Let's　go　nearer；　I　have　heard　that　there　is　a　point　near　here　where　one　can　look　down　into　the　Lake　of　Flame。〃

〃The　Lake　of　Flame！〃　echoed　the　American；　〃What　is　that？〃　〃It　is　where　all　of　the　dead　of　Alpha　is　cast　by　the　black　'vultures　of　death。'〃

Johnston　said　nothing；　for　it　was　difficult　to　keep　up　with　the　Alphian；　who　was　bounding　over　rocks　and　dangerous　fissures　toward　the　red　glow　in　the　distance。

At　every　step　the　atmosphere　got　warmer；　and　they　detected　a　slight　gaseous　odor　in　the　air。　Finally；　after　an　arduous　tramp　of　an　hour；　they　climbed　up　a　steep　hill　and　looked　sharply　down　into　a　vast　bubbling　lake　of　molten　matter　more　than　a　thousand　yards　below。　Branasko　noticed　a　stone　weighing　several　tons　evenly　balanced　on　the　verge　of　the　great　gulf；　and　pushed　it　with　both　his　hands。　It　rocked；　broke　loose　from　its　slender　hold　on　the　cliff　and　bounded　out　into　the　red　space。　Down　it　went；　lessen…　ing　as　it　sank　till　it　became　a　mere　black　speck　and　then　disappeared。

〃That's　where　the　dead　go；〃　said　Branasko　gloomily。

Just　then　the　American；　happening　to　glance　up；　saw　something　like　a　huge　black　bird　with　outspread　wings　circling　about　in　the　red　light　over　the　pit。　Branasko　saw　it；　too；　and　his　face　paled　and　a　tremolo　was　in　his　voice　when　he　spoke。

〃It　is　one　of　the　'vultures　of　death；'　don't　stir；　we　won't　be　seen　if　we　remain　where　we　are！〃　The　strange　machine　sank　lower　over　the　lake　of　fire；　till；　as　if　buoyed　up　on　the　hot　air；　with　faintly　quivering　wings；　it　paused。　A　man　opened　a　door　of　the　black　car　and　carelessly　threw　out　the　bodies　of　a　woman　and　a　child。

The　bodies　whirled　over　and　over　and　disappeared　in　the　pit；　and　the　man　closed　the　door。　The　machine　then　rose　and　gracefully　winged　its　flight　to　the　east。　In　a　moment　others　came　with　their　grim　burdens；　and　still　others；　till　the　mouth　of　the　pit　was　dark　with　them。

〃Something　has　happened；〃　whispered　Branasko；　〃some　great　calamity；　for　surely　so　many　people　do　not　die　in　Alpha　in　a　single　day。〃

For　an　hour　they　watched　the　coming　and　going　of　the　vultures；　till；　finally　the　last　one　hovered　over　the　lake　of　fire。　Suddenly　the　machine　swerved　so　near　to　Branasko　and　Johnston　that　they　shrank　close　to　the　earth　to　keep　from　being　seen。　Something　was　evidently　wrong　with　the　machine；　for　there　was　a　wild　look　of　desperation　on　the　driver's　face　as　he　tugged　excitedly　at　the　pilot…wheel。　But　all　his　efforts　only　caused　the　air…ship　to　dart　irregularly　from　side　to　side；　and；　now　and　then；　to　strike　the　rocks　of　the　pit's　mouth；　to　shoot　up　suddenly；　or　to　sink　dangerously　down　toward　the　fire。

〃He　is　losing　control　of　it；〃　whispered　Branasko；〃he　does　not　know　what　to　do。　See；　he　is　trying　to　lighten　the　load；　by　kicking　out　the　body。〃

That　was　true；　and；　as　the　machine　made　a　sudden　plunge　toward　the　cliff　a　few　yards　to　the　left　of　the　refugees；　the　dead　body；　which　the　driver　had　managed　to　move　to　the　door　with　his　feet；　fell　out　and　lodged　upon　the　edge　of　the　cliff　instead　of　falling　into　the　fiery　depths。　The　machine　bounded　up　a　few　yards　and　paused；　now　apparently　under　the　control　of　its　driver。　The　man　looked　down　hesitatingly　at　the　corpse　for　a　moment　and　then　lowered　the　machine　to　the　sloping　rock　near　where　the　body　lay。　He　alighted　and　cautiously　crept　down　the　steep　incline　to　the　body。　He　raised　it　in　his　arms　and　was　about　to　cast　it　from　him　when　his　foot　slipped；　and　with　a　cry　of　horror　he　fell　with　his　burden　over　the　cliff's　edge　into　the　red　abyss。

Johnston　uttered　an　exclamation　of　horror；　but　Branasko　was　unmoved。　After　a　moment　he　rose；　and　carefully　scanning　the　space　overhead；　he　crawled　on　hands　and　knees　toward　the　machine。　Johnston　heard　him　chuckling　to　himself　and　uttering　spasmodic　laughs；　and　he　watched　him　closely　as　he　reached　the　machine。　For　several　minutes　he　seemed　to　be　inspecting　it　critically；　both　inside　and　out；　then　he　stood　away　from　it；　a　bold；　black　silhouette　on　a　background　of　flame；　and　motioned　the　American　to　come　to　him。

Johnston　promptly；　but　not　without　many　misgivings；　obeyed　his　signal。　〃What　are　you　up　to？〃　asked　he；　as　the　Alphian　assisted　him　to　rise　from　his　hands　and　knees。

Branasko　touched　the　machine　and　smiled。　His　face　was　shining　with　enthusiasm。

〃The　question　of　our　returning　to　Alpha　is　settled；〃　he　said　sententiously。

〃How？〃

〃We　can　go　in　this。〃

〃Can　you　manage　it？〃

〃Easily；　that　fellow　must　have　been　drunk；　the　machine　is　in　good　order；　I　think。〃

〃When　do　you　propose　to　start？〃　and　the　American　eyed　the　funeral…　car　dubiously。

〃The　night　is　before　us；　we　could　not　get　a　better　time。〃　As　he　spoke　he　entered　the　car　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　wheel。　Johnston；　obeying　his　nod；　followed；　shuddering　as　he　remarked　the　traces　of　blood　on　the　floor。

〃All　right！〃　Branasko　turned　the　wheel　slowly；　and　the　wings　outside　began　to　flap；　and　the　car　mounted　into　the　air　like　a　startled　bird　and　flew　out　quickly　over　the　pit。

Branasko　bit　his　lip；　and　Johnston　heard　him　stifle　an　exclamation　of　impatience。　As　for　the　American；　he　was　at　once　thrilled　and　fascinated　by　the　awful　sight　below；　he　could　now　see　beneath　the　overhanging　mouth　of　the　pit；　and　look　far　down　into　a　boundless　lake　of　molten　matter　that　seemed　as　restless　as　an　ocean　in　a　storm。

Then　the　air　became　so　hot　he　could　hardly　breathe。　He　looked　at　the　Alphian　in　alarm。　The　latter　was　whirling　the　wheel　first　one　way　and　then　another　with　a　startled　look　of　fear　in　his　eyes；　and　then　Johnston　noticed　that　the　walls　of　the　pit　were　rising　about　them；　and　the　black　canopy　overhead　rapidly　receding。

They　were　sinking　down　into　the　fire。

Almost　wild　with　terror；　the　American　sprang　toward　the　wheel；　but　Branasko　pushed　him　away　roughly。

〃Stand　back；〃　he　ordered　gruffly。　〃It　is　the　heat；　let　me　alone！〃

The　American　sank　into　his　seat。　The　heat　became　more　and　more　intense。　Both　men　were　purple　in　the　face；　and　the　perspiration　was　rolling　from　their　bodies　in　streams。　Down　sank　the　machine。

〃I　can't　manage　it；〃　said　Branasko　hoarsely；　〃we'd　as　well　give　up。〃　Just　then　Johnston　noticed　the　mouth　of　a　cave　behind　Branasko。

〃Look；〃　he　cried；　〃can't　we　get　into　it？〃

Branasko　looked　over　his　shoulder；　and；　as　he　saw　the　cave；　he　uttered　a　glad　cry。　He　quickly　turned　the　wheel　and　drew　out　a　lever　at　his　right。　The　machine　obeyed　instantly；　it　swerved　round　suddenly　and　dived　into　the　cave。　The　cool　air　soon　revived　them；　and　Branasko　had　little　trouble　in　bringing　the　car　to　a　resting…　place　on　the　rocky　floor　of　the　cave。　Before　them　hung　impenetrable　darkness；　behind　a　curtain　of　red　light。

〃We　are　in　a　pretty　pickle　now；〃　said　Johnston　despondently；　as　they　alighted　from　the　car。

〃Nothing　to　do　but　to　make　the　best　of　it；〃　sighed　Branasko。

〃Perhaps　this　cave　may　lead　out　into　some　place　of　safety。〃

Johnston's　eyes　had　become　somewhat　accustomed　to　the　gloom；　and　he　began　to　peer　into　the　darkness。

〃I　see　a　light；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　cannot　be　a　reflection　from　the　fire　i