ut even she never caught a glimpse
of the great Central Sphere. YOU, differing from these, started with a
daring aim which you never lost sight of till you had fulfilled it. How
true are those words: 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you'! It is not
possible," and here he sighed, "that amid such wonders you could have
remembered me--it were foolish on my part to expect it."

"I confess I thought nothing of you," I said frankly, "till I was
approaching Earth again; but then my memory prompted me in time, and I
did not forget your request."

"And what did you learn?" he asked anxiously.

"Simply this. Azul said that I might deliver you this message: When
death lies like a gift in your hand, withhold it, and remember her."

"As if I did not always guide myself by her promptings!" exclaimed
Heliobas, with a tender smile.

"You might forget to do so for once," I said.

"Never!" he replied fervently. "It could not be. But I thank you, my
child, for having thought of me--the message you bring shall be
impressed strongly on my mind. Now, before you leave me to-night, I
must say a few necessary words."

He paused, and appeared to consider profoundly for some minutes. At
last he spoke.

"I have selected certain writings for your perusal," he said. "In them
you will find full and clear instructions how to cultivate and educate
the electric force within you, and thus continue the work I have begun.
With these you will also perceive that I have written out the receipt
for the volatile fluid which, if taken in a small quantity every day,
will keep you in health, strength, and intellectual vigour, while it
will preserve your youth and enjoyment of life to a very much longer
extent than that usually experienced by the majority. Understand me
well--this liquid of itself cannot put you into an uplifted state of
existence; you need HUMAN electric force applied strongly to your
system to compass this; and as it is dangerous to try the experiment
too often--dangerous to the body, I mean--it will be as well, as you
have work to do yet in this life, not to attempt it again. But if you
drink the fluid every morning of your life, and at the same time obey
my written manual as to the cultivation of your own inner force, which
is already existent in a large degree, you will attain to certain
advantages over the rest of the people you meet, which will give you
not only physical,