Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1911 — A Columbus of Space [ARTICLE]

A Columbus of Space

By Garrett P. Serviss.

Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co. o CHAPTER XII. «t■ * . . v-. 1 The Value Of A Good Fist. The sensation produced by Alas dramatic interruption was indesenliable. Everybody pressed nearer. Murmurs rose on all sides, whether of approval or dissent, I had no time to guess. The*white-haired judge, his face aflame with passion, sprang to his feet, with uplifted hand, as if about to attack Edmund. Instinctively, I felt for my pistol. But Ed.jun.l as if he had divined my thought, glanced sharply at me and shook his head. ’ We did not appreciate then what Ala had done, but we soon| learned what it was. Her act and her gestures had conveyed to the minds of the others a meaning unguessed by us. According to the immemorial customs of her race, in this embracing Edmund with her arm she had not merely taken him under her protection—she had proclaimed to all the world that he was her chosen mate. If we had known this at the beginning we should have been better able to understand the tremendous excitement in the assemblage. » And yet it ought to have been evident, too, from her expression. If ever defiant, self-sacrificing love wrote itself upon a woman’s face, it was visible in hers. She had need of all her* resolution, for the anger of the old man on the throne was nothing in comparison with the fury of a new actor who now thrust himself to the front. It was the Apollo-like young man who had led her from the airship on our first arrival at the aerial tower

No explanations were needed to enable us to understand the relation in which he stood to the parties. He was evidently Ala’s suitor, and jealousy had turned him into a maniac. He shouldered aside those who stood in his path, and in an instant confronted Edmund. He was more than six feet tall, broadshouldered, and had the powerful build of an athlete. My heart leaped into my throat, and again I gripped my pistol, but Edmund’s recent warning restrained me. Then, once more, a glow of admiration ran through me. He faced his formidable enemy without the slightest feor or flinching. Only I saw that his fists were clinched, and the recollection flashed upon me that he had been the favorite pupil of the best boxing master in New York. In a fraction of a second the two glared at each other, while Ala, with a low cry, sought to draw Edmund away. But the other sprang forward like a maddened bull. Whack! Edmund’s right fist caught his opponent on the point of the jaw, and the fellow shot back into the crowd and tumbled in a heap. Lightning is not quicker than Edmund’s next move. - “Out with your pistols and follow me!” he shouted to us, and seizing Ala, he pushed his way through the throng, which gave back at his impetuous onset. We were after him in an instant, pistols in hand. The sight of the latter had its effect. They knew the power of thf mysterious weapon, and their momentary fear gave us an initial advantage. Still, that would have availed us nothing in the end but for the fact which Edmund had counted upon, tha r there was a large portion of the assemblage who were our friends—or, rather, friends of Asa—and disposed to take her part.

Edmund had noted where her advocates were most numerous in the throng, and toward them he pushed. In a few seconds they had closed round us. The uproar became deafen-f ing. I doubt if ever so much noise was made on Venus before. It seemed to drive the crowd wild.' But Ala proved her queenly quality. With a proud air she drew herself erect, her eyes flashed, and with a few commanding gestures she reduced those immediately about us to silence. Then, at her order, an escort was formed, we were placed in the midst of it, and slowly we marched through the press toward the entrance of the chamber. No resistance was offered. The faces about us rather expressed astonishment than any intention at interference. Glancing behind I saw the white head of the old man on tue throne, violently agitated, but if he gave any orders concerning us they were not executed, and without opposition we passed out of the door. Turning to the righL we quickly entered an apartment—smaller then the others—bat no less splendid. Here there was another throne. Ala ad-

vanced to it, mounted the steps, retaining Edmund’s hand, and taking her seat, calmly 'faced the spectators, while we stood close by, at the foot of the throne. I think it will be best, in view of the dramatic events which were to follow, to tell you, in as few words as possible, the result of the episode that AT have just described. The room in which we now found ourselves was the private audience chamber of the queen. The apartment in which the examination had taken place was a kind of combination of a royal audience chamber and a supreme courtroom. It seems that under the laws in Venus there was a sort of joint jurisdiction between the queen and the supreme judge. In all judicial cases the two presided together.. At least, the queen had the right to preside with the judge whenever she chose. It certainly did not strike me as a very wise arrangement, for in case of disagreement how were they to arrive at a decision without a third person to cast a deciding vote ? That, however, was none of our affair, and it was lucky for us that on this occasion the Queen had not only chosen to exercise her prerogative, but had bent the law to her authority. I suspect that it usually happened that way whenever her feelings were interested, for a woman will have her will, whether she lives on the earth or on Venus. Owing probably to the fact that the victim of Edmund’s pistol was the son of the venerable supreme judge, all of Ala’s arguments in extenuation of the offense had been wasted until, seeing his imminent danger—her love though, perhaps, hardly appreciated by herself—suddenly flamed forth, and she determined to save Edmund at any cost. The essential justice of our case w «t& so evident to any unprejudiced mind that the sympathy of the majority of the audience had really been with the queen all the time, and to that fact we owed our escape. The insane jealousy of Ala’s unfair tunate suitor had greatly complicated the situation, and was the source of trouble for us in the future; but his adherents were not numerous enough to threaten serious danger after we had once found refuge in the Queen’s apartment.

Her authority asserted itself in tall force, and, as far as we were concerned, the episode seemed to be closed. After the excitement about the trial and the scene that followed it had died down we were assigned to a suite of apartments in the palace, Juba always remaining with us. We were continually on our guard, and all kept a sharp outlook for Ingra, the disappointed suitor, and his emissaries, because we had not the least doubt that he would have spies on ohr track and would make away with us if he could. But'for a long time we saw nothing of him. Without our calendar clock we lost track of the time, for here, where it was always daylight, there was nothing to count by. Yet sleep, as we found, was no less necessary on Venus than on the earth. These people spent about as much time in bed as we do, retiring for the purpose into unlighted apartments. Of course, we saw Ala frequently, and as it became gradually easier for us to comprehepd one another, we learned many interesting things. She had succeeded to the throne on the death of her miother, who had been Queen before her. Here there were no kings, the succession passing always to women. Her father also was dead, and she had no brothets or sisters. If she should die without leaving a daughter, the throne would pass to a

collateral line. The question of her marriage was, therefore, of the first importance. Ingra, the pretender to her hand, was of royal blood, and he had the backing of a strong faction. He was Ala’s third cousin, and though a young man of great beauty, she had no likeing for him. (To be continued.)