to smile at him.

The sun seemed high when they rose from the water, but as it neared
the horizon its rate of descent seemed to increase. They had been in
the air for no more than three-quarters of an hour when it was twice
its own disk above the far distant hills. Almost immediately, it
seemed, it had halved that distance. And then the lower limb of the
blaring circle was sharply cut off by the hill crests and the sun sank
wearily to rest behind the edge of the world.

It seemed as if a swift chill breeze blew over the jungle, in warning
of the night. The trees became dark. A shadowy dusk filled the air
even up to where the plane flew thunderously on. And then, quite
abruptly, stars were shining and it was night.

* * * * *

Bell remembered, suddenly, and switched on the radio as an experiment.
The harsh, discordant dashes sounded in his ears through the roaring
of the motor. A beam of short waves was being sent out from his
destination. While he was on the direct path the monotonous signals
could be heard. When they weakened or died he would have left the way.

But they continued, discordant and harsh and monotonous, while the
last faint trace of the afterglow died away and night was complete,
and a roof of many stars glittered overhead, and the jungle lay dark
and deadly below him.

For nearly half an hour more he kept on. Twice he switched on the
instrument board light to glance at the motor temperature. The first
time it appeared a little high. The second time it was normal again.
But there was little use in watching instruments. If the motor failed
there was no landing field to make for.

A sudden faint glow sprang into being, many miles ahead. The pinkish
glare of many, many lights turned on suddenly. As the plane thundered
on the glow grew brighter. An illuminated field, for the convenience
of messengers who carried the poison for The Master to all the nations
which were to be subjected.

The glow went out as Bell was just able to distinguish long rows of
twinkling bulbs, and he saw the harsher, fiercer glow of floodlights.
He reached forward and touched Paula's shoulder. Conversation was
impossible over the motor's roar. Her hand reached up and pressed his.

Then he saw other lights. Bright lights, as from houses. Arc lights as
from storage warehouses, or something of the sort. A long, long row of
lighted windows, which might be dormitories or perhaps sheds in which
Th