alms of every one as she
approached us. No one gave her anything, and occasionally a runner
seized her arm and tried to persuade her to return. But she caught none
of their excitement, and composedly pursued her course.

"Egad! This beautiful girl is braver than the whole Martian army!" I
exclaimed in amazement, as she calmly approached where I was standing by
the gate and extended her fair, plump hand. If she was asking alms, I
had nothing to give her; but here, at least, was one pacific, composed,
and reasonable person. Perhaps it was the queen, or a diplomatic envoy
of the ruler!

"Now is the time to demonstrate our friendliness," I exclaimed, and
reaching forth my hand I grasped hers in a warm clasp of welcome.

She looked up at me blankly. Her beautiful face carried no expression of
satisfaction or surprise. Her transparent complexion was neither paled
by fear nor flushed by pleasure. Her great dreamy eyes, of a deep liquid
blue, wandered unfixedly in their languid gaze. Still holding her soft
hand, which was far warmer than my own, I opened her fingers with my
other hand and pointed at her pink extended palm as if to inquire what
she wished. I watched her closely, but she made no sign, said nothing,
looked nothing.

"Since I do not know you, I can think of no more fitting name to call
you by than Miss Blank," I said, more to express my thought in
articulate sounds than anything else, for I had no idea she would
understand me. From her expression I could not judge whether she had
even heard me, to say nothing of comprehending. She was looking beyond
me, through the gate, as if searching others from whom she might ask
alms. Seeing none, she wheeled slowly about to return. Unwillingly I
released her hand, and stood unspeakably puzzled by the whole matter.
She was commanding in appearance, being taller than I by a few inches,
not slim, but well proportioned. She had the stately serenity of a
dreaming queen, but the blank, unresponsive soul of one who dwelt within
herself; and though she saw, she did not realize the existence or
meaning of anything outside.

"Doctor, will all your learning solve this riddle for me!" I exclaimed.
"Can all the Martian women be like this? She is beautiful of body and
strangely warm and winning to the touch, but as cold of heart as the
drifting snow that suffocates a poor lost lamb. She has had a strange
influence over me; a puzzling, baffling attraction. A suggestion of
something de