ounding Venus is
indicated to earthly astronomers, during the planet's transit, by rings
of light due to the reflection and scattering of collected sunlight by
its atmosphere.

Astronomers on earth, he knew, had long been satisfied of the presence
of great cloud banks, as rocks and soils could not have such high
reflecting power. He knew that like the moon, Venus, when viewed from
the earth, presents different phases from the crescent to the full or
total stage.

Looking up at the sky from the quartz streets of Venus, Larner beheld,
in sweeping grandeur, massed cloud banks, many of them apparently rain
clouds.

Nern noted his skyward gaze, and said:

"We have accomplished meteorological control. Those clouds were brought
under control when we conquered interplanetary force, and what you call
gravity. We form them and move them at will. They are our rain factory.
We make rain when and where we will. This insures our crops and makes
for health and contentment.

"The air, you will note, is about the same or a little more moist than
the earth air at sea level. This is due to the planet's position nearer
the sun.

"We have been striving for centuries to make the air a little drier and
more rare, but we have not succeeded yet. The heavy content of
disintegrated quartz in our soil makes moisture very necessary for our
crops, so our moist atmosphere is evidently a provision of providence.
We are used to breathing this moist air, and when I first visited the
earth I was made uncomfortable by your rarified atmosphere. Now I can
adjust myself to breathing the air of either planet. However, I find
myself drinking a great deal more water on earth than on Venus."

* * * * *

In this fairyland which had enjoyed centuries of peace, health and
accord, stark terror now reigned. In some instances the finely-bred,
marvellously intelligent people were in a mental condition bordering on
madness.

This was especially true in the farming districts, where whole herds of
lats had been wiped out. Lats, Larner gleaned, were a common farm animal
similar to the bovine species on earth, only more wooly. On these
creatures the Venus dwellers depended for their milk and dairy supplies,
and for their warmer clothing, which was made from the skin. The hair
was used for brushes, in the building trades, and a thousand ways in
manufacturing.

Besides the domestic animals hundreds of people continued to meet death