Page:Amazing Stories Volume 01 Number 06.djvu/18

would have done a little reasoning among themselves."

"But what are they going to do with us now?" I asked.

"They're going to bring us to a trial of some kind. But don't forget that we've got a very powerful advocate."

One of the things which at first surprised me after our surrender was the fact that they did not throw a "crew" aboard our craft, instead of allowing us to navigate it unguarded. But this, after Edmund had told his story, only tended to strengthen my faith in Ala.

While we were dropping down toward the city, with a great throng of air-ships attending us, Edmund opened his heart concerning another curious point in the difficulties besetting us.

"I suppose you noticed how close we were to the cloud dome," he said. "Well, there's nothing surprising in the existence of a shell of clouds surrounding this part of Venus. Astronomers on earth looking at her long ago suspected it, and it strikes me as a providential thing for these people. Without it they could not endure the unending sunshine. But it's going to render it difficult for us to make them understand where we come from."

"How so?" asked Jack.

"Because they have never seen a star, and they can have no idea of the existence of other planets. The cloud dome floats above the level to which they can rise with safety, so I am sure that they have never penetrated it. Even if they did get above it, they would not see much on account of the sunshine. There would still be enough air there to diffuse the rays and make objects in the heavens invisible."

"But what difference does it make whether they know that we come from the earth, or think that we are from the other side of their own planet?"

"It makes this difference," Edmund replied, "that if they could be made to understand that we are entirely foreign to their world, they might treat us with greater consideration. Everything helps, and I have no doubt that the inspiration is as active here as it is at home. Anyway, I mean to do my best to make them understand where we come from."

When we returned to the great palace a change of treatment awaited us.

Instead of being conducted to a dungeon, we were led into a splendid apartment, and a repast was spread before us. We had need of it, for we had had nothing to eat since our escape. The room in which we found ourselves had no windows, but it was brilliantly lighted from the walls by something resembling the mercury vapor lamps we have at home.

Edmund thought that they were based upon a similar principle. We were placed at a table, Juba with us, and food was set before us. I observed that, as among the inhabitants of the caverns, the food consisted mainly of vegetables, except that there were birds of a sort unknown to us, but of an exquisite taste.

More interesting than the food, however, were those who served it. They were beautiful girls, attired after the manner of all the inhabitants here, and extremely graceful in their movements.

Jack was captivated at once.

"Jove!" he cried. "This is something like! Edmund, I'm obliged to you once more. I wish I could speak the language."

"You can," said Edmund, “but you don't know it. They understand you better than you think, and you would do well to keep a guard upon yourself."

Jack, however, was irrepressible. He ogled the pretty waitresses; and presently, with an engaging smile—or what he intended as such—he ventured to touch one of them on the arm. You should have seen the effect!

The girl drew herself up and escaped from his touch as if it had been that of a serpent. Then she looked at him. How she did look! It was a glance that shot straight through him.

But her resentment did not last. A minute later she smiled, and her beauty seemed more dazzling than before. Jack was quite overcome. He made an awkward attempt to express an apology, which was instantly comprehended; and the behavior of the girl and of her companions indicated that, while they would suffer no familiarity, they were easily mollified and wished us no ill.

They gave very little attention to Juba, who, nevertheless, blinked at them from under his eyeshades, and was evidently more amazed by their beauty than we were.

"You see," said Edmund, "that you are not among savages here. New York restaurant manners won't pass on Venus."

Suddenly Jack, whose thoughts were always jumping about, turned from his admiration of the girls and exclaimed.

"See here, Edmund, why in the world didn't they shoot at us when we were running away? There were enough of them to bring us down, even if they had been bad marksmen."

"They didn't shoot," was the reply, "because they've nothing to shoot with. I've already told you that I think they are an unwarlike people. But they're not cowards. You've seen evidence enough of that. They were not terrified by my killing that fellow, and I reckon that they'll fight if there should be occasion for fighting. Only I think that they are not natural slaughterers, like us, and I shouldn't be surprised if war is unknown on Venus."

"All the same, I'm glad we’ve got our automatic pistols yet," said Jack.

"Yes,' Edmund responded, "and we may have occasion for them; and for the rifles, too, if we can get them back; but it may be that they'll prove useful in a way very different from what you imagine."

We did not press Edmund for an explanation of this remark; but I was sure he had some particular reason for what he had said, and I turned it over in my mind without arriving at any conclusion.

When out repast was finished a number of "cops," as Jack gaily dubbed them, came to conduct us from the refectory.