which expressed disapprobation. There were
some of the beings in the pit with them.

Madge knew they were there, too. She cried out in terror, "Will they
add to our misery?"

But the creatures in the vacuum were pinned to the spots they
occupied, as were Madge and Lambert. From their squeaks it was evident
they suffered, too, and were fellow prisoners of the mortals.

"Probably the cries we make disturb them," said Lambert. "Vibrations
to which we and they are not attuned are torture to the form we are
in. Evidently the inhabitants of this hell world punish offenders by
condemning them to this eternal torture."

"Why--why did they treat us so?"

"Perhaps we jarred upon them, hurt them, because we were not of their
kind exactly," said Lambert. "Perhaps it was just their natural hatred
of us as strangers."

* * * * *

They did not grow used to the terrible eternity of torments. No, if
anything, it grew worse as it went on. Still, they could visualize no
end to the existence to which they were bound. Throbs of awful
intensity rent them, tore them apart myriad times, yet they still felt
as keenly as before and suffered just as much. There was no death for
them, no release from the intangible world in which they were.

Their fellow prisoners squeaked at them, as though imploring them not
to add to the agony by uttering discordant cries. But it was
impossible for Madge to keep quiet, and Lambert shouted in anguish
from time to time.

There seemed to be no end to it.

And yet, after what was eternity to the sufferers, Madge spoke
hopefully.

"Darling John, I--I fear I am really going to die. I am growing
weaker. I can feel the pain very little now. It is all vague, and is
getting less real to me. Good-by, sweetheart, I love you, and I always
will--"

Lambert uttered a strangled cry, "No, no. Don't leave me, Madge."

He clung to her, yet she was becoming extremely intangible to him. She
was melting away from his embrace, and Lambert felt that he, too, was
weaker, even less real than he had been. He hoped that if it was the
end, they would go together.

Desperately, he tried to hold her with him, but he had little ability
to do so. The torture was still racking his consciousness, but was
becoming more dreamlike.

There was a terrific snap, suddenly, and Lambert lost all
consciousness....

* * * * *

"Water, water!"

Lambert, opening his eyes,