are still
to be seen.

* * * * *

"And then our climate changed. There was, for us, a world
catastrophe, the cause and the details of which no one now knows
very clearly. It sent our cities, our great civilizations into
ruins. It left us with this barren waste with only occasional
lowland fertile spots which now by heredity we rulers control, each
to possess his own.

"But that past civilization gave us a scientific knowledge. Much of
it is lost--we are going down hill. But we have some of it left, and
we profligate rulers, as the workers call us, cherish it. But what
is the use of teaching it to the common people? We do very little of
that. And our weapons of war we keep to ourselves--except when there
is a raid and our loyal retainers go forth with us to do battle."

"So you discovered how to get into our Earth world?" Don repeated.

"Yes. Some years ago, and it was quite by chance. At first I
experimented alone--and then I took with me a young girl."

Again he smiled at Jane. "Tolla is her name. She is here in our camp
where our army is now, starting for New York. You will meet her
presently. She loves me very much, so she says. She wants some day
to lead my harem. I took her with me into the Unknown--into that
place you call Bermuda. I have been there off and on for nearly a
year of your Earth time, making my plans for what now is at last
coming to pass."

"So that's how you learned our language?" I said.

"Yes. It came easy to me and Tolla. That--and we were taught by two
girls whom a year ago I took from Bermuda and brought in here."

"And what became of them?" Jane put in quietly.

"Oh--why, I gave them away," he replied calmly. "A prince whose
favor I desired, wanted them and I gave them to him. Your Earth
girls are well liked by the men of my world. Their fame has already
spread."

* * * * *

He added contemplatively, "I often have thought how strange it is
that your great world and mine should lie right here together--the
one invisible to the other. Two or three minutes of time--we have
just made the transition. Yet what a void!"

"The scientists of your past civilization," I said, "strange that
they did not learn to cross it."

"Do you know that they did not?" he demanded. "Perhaps with secret
visitations--"

It brought to us a new flood of ideas. We had thought, up there in
St. Georges, that this Tako was a ghost. How could on