flush of shame came into Thorndyke's face over the remembrance that he had made no effort to aid poor Johnston, and was sitting listening with delight to the conversation of Bernardino. He rose suddenly.
“I must be doing something to aid him,” he said. “I cannot sit here inactive while he is in danger.”
“Be patient,” she advised, looking at him admiringly; “it is near night; see, it is the gray light of dusk; the sun is out of sight. To-night, if possible, I shall come to you. Perhaps I shall approach you without disguise if you are in the throne-room and my father does not object to my entertaining you, but for the present we must separate. Adieu.”
He bowed low as she turned away, and joined the throng that was passing along outside. An officer approached him. It was Captain Tradmos, who bowed and smiled pleasantly.
“I congratulate you,” he said, with suave pleasantness.
“Upon what?” Thorndyke was on his guard at once.
“Upon having pleased the king so thoroughly. No stranger, in my memory, has ever been treated so courteously. Every other new-comer is put under surveillance, but you are left unwatched.”
“He is easily pleased,” said the Englishman, “for I have done nothing to gratify him.”
“I thought he would like you; and I felt that your friend would have to suffer, but I could not help him.”
“He shall not suffer if I can prevent it.”
“Sh—be cautious. Those words, implying an inclination to treason, if spoken to any other officer would place you under immediate arrest. I like you, therefore I want to warn you against such folly. You are wholly in the king's power. Another thing I would specially warn you against——”
“And that is?”
“Not to allow the king to suspect your admiration for the Princess Bernardino. It would displease the king. She is much taken with you; I saw it in her eyes when she danced for your entertainment.”
Thorndyke made no reply, but gazed searchingly into the eyes of the officer. Tradmos laughed.
“You are afraid of me.”
“No, I am not, I trust you wholly; I know that you are honorable; I never make a mistake along that line.”
Tradmos bowed, pleased by the compliment.
“I shall aid you all I can with my advice, for I know you will not betray me; but at present I am powerless to give you material aid. Every subject of this realm is bound to the autocratic will of the king. It is impossible for any one to get from under his power.”
“Why?”
“The only outlet to the upper world is carefully guarded by men who would not be bribed.”
“Is there any chance for my friend?”
“None that I can see, but I must walk on; there comes one of the king's attendants.”
“The king has asked to speak to you,” announced the attendant to Thorndyke.
“I will go with you,” was his reply, and he followed the man through the crowded corridors into the throne-room of the king. Thorndyke forced a smile as he saw the king smiling at him as he approached the throne.
“What do you think of my palace?” asked the king, after Thorndyke had knelt before him.
“It is superb,” answered the Englishman, recalling the advice of Bernardino. “I am dazed by its splendor, its architecture, and its art. I have seen nothing to equal it on earth.”
The king rose and stood beside him. His manner was both pleasing and sympathetic. “I am persuaded,” said he, “that you will make a good subject, and have the interest of Alpha always at heart, but I have often been mistaken in the character of men and think it best to give you a timely warning. An attendant will conduct you to a chamber beneath the palace where it will be your privilege to converse with a man who once planned to get up a rebellion among my people.”
There had come suddenly a stern harshness into the king's tone that roused the fears of Thorndyke. He was about to reply, but the king held up his hand. “Wait till you have visited the dungeon of Nordeskyne, then I am sure that you will be convinced that strict obedience in thought as well as deed is best for an inhabitant of Alpha.” Speaking thus, he signed to an attendant who came forward and bowed.
“Conduct him to the dungeon of Nordeskyne, and return to me,” ordered the king.
Thorndyke's heart was heavy, and he was filled with strange forebodings, but he simply smiled and bowed, as the attendant led him away. The attendant opened a door at the back of the throne-room and they were confronted by darkness. They went along a narrow corridor for some distance, the darkness thickening at every step. There was no sound except the sound of the guide's shoes on the smooth stone pavement. Presently the man released Thorndyke's arm, saying:
“It is narrow here, follow close behind, and do not attempt to go back.”
“I shall certainly stick to you,” replied the Englishman drily. They turned a sharp corner suddenly, and were going in another direction when Thorndyke felt a soft warm hand steal into his from behind, and knew intuitively that it was Bernardino. The guide was a few feet in advance of them and she drew Thorndyke's head down and whispered into his ear.
“Be brave—by all that you love—for your life, keep your presence of mind, and——”
“What was that?” asked the guide, turning suddenly and catching the Englishman's arm, “I thought I heard whispering.”
“I was saying my prayers, that is all,” and the Englishman pressed the hand of the princess, who, pressed close against the wall, was gliding cautiously away.
“Prayers, humph—you'll need them later, come on!” and he caught the Englishman's arm and hastily drew him onward. Thorndyke's spirits sank lower. The air of the narrow under-ground corridor was cold and damp, and he quivered from head to foot.
IX
Branasko paused again in his walk towards the mysterious light.
“It cannot be from the internal fires,” said he, “for this light is white, and the glow of the fires is red.”
“Let's turn back,” suggested Johnston, “it can do us no good to go down there; it is only taking us further from the wall.”
“I should like to understand it,” returned the Alphian thoughtfully; “and, besides, there can be no more danger there than back among the hot crevices. We have got to perish anyway, and we might as well spice the remainder of our lives with whatever adventure we can. Who knows what we may not discover? There are many things about the land of Alpha that the inhabitants do not understand.”
“I'll follow you anywhere,” acquiesced Johnston; “you are right.”
They stumbled on over the rocky surface in silence. At times, the roof of
