id face heavenward and extended her fair, fragile
hands toward the lowering sky and began to pray. "My Creator," she said
reverently, childishly, "I have never come to Thee, but they say that
people far away from this dark land, under Thy own sun, moon and stars
do ask aid of Thee, and I, too, want Thy help. Forgive me and my people.
They have been sinful, and vain, and thoughtless, but let them
not perish in utter gloom. Forgive them, O thou Maker of all that
exists--thou Creator of pain that we may love joy, Creator of evil that
we may know good, turn not from us! We are but thoughtless children--and
Thy children--give us time to realize the awful error of our hollow
pretensions! Give them all now, at once, if they are to die, that spirit
which is awakened in me by the awful majesty of Thy anger! Hear me, O
God!" And with a sob she sank on her knees, clasped her hands and raised
them upward. Thorndyke tried to lift her up, but she shook her head and
continued her prayer in silence. A marked change had come over Branasko.
He looked at Johnston and Thorndyke in a strange, helpless way, and
then, in a corner of the balcony the begrimed and tattered man fell on
his knees. He knew not the meaning of prayer, but there was something
in the reverent attitude of the princess that drew his untutored being
toward his Maker. He covered his face with his hands and his shaggy head
sank to his knees.

Johnston hastened back into the Auditorium. Returning in a moment, he
found the Englishman tenderly lifting Bernardino from her knees and
Branasko still crouching in a corner.

"What is the news?" asked Thorndyke.

"Everything is ready for the explosion. The prince seems only waiting
because he dreads failure. The people in there are so frightened that
they cannot move from their seats."

Just then Branasko raised a haggard face and looked appealingly at the
princess. She caught his eye.

"Fear nothing, good man," she said; "the God of the Christians will not
harm us; we are safe in His hands. I felt it here in my heart when I
prayed to Him. Oh, why has my father and the other kings of Alpha not
taught us that grand simple truth! But before I die I want to leave this
dark pit of sin, and look out once into endless, world-filled space."

A joyous flush came into the face of the Alphian. His fear had vanished.
She had promised him safety. He bowed worshipfully, but he spoke not,
for Bernardino was eagerly pointing to the sun.

"L