was huddled against the wall, and had fallen and
killed himself in his efforts to climb back to food and light.

"I saw him die. He told me that he had come from your land when he was a
child. His trouble was the lungs and he had fallen off to a skeleton. He
talked to me of your wide ocean land. Is it, indeed so great? And has it
no walls about it?"

"No, it is surrounded by water."

"I cannot understand," and, after a pause, in which Johnston could hear
the great fellow's heart beating, he continued; "That must be the Heaven
the man spoke about. And beyond the water is it always dark like this,
and do they banish people there as the king has us?"

"No; beyond are other countries. But is there no chance for us to escape
from here?"

The Alphian laughed bitterly. "None. What were you banished for?"

"I hardly know."

"Hold out your arm. There," as he grasped Johnston's arm in a clasp
of iron, "I see; you are undeveloped, unfit--none but the healthy and
strong are allowed to live in Alpha. It is right, of course; but it is
hard to bear. But I must lie down. I am wearied with constant rambling.
I am nervous too. I fell asleep awhile ago and dreamt I heard all my
friends in a great clamoring body calling my name, 'Branasko!' and then
I awoke and cried for help."

As he spoke he sank with a sigh to the ground and rested his head on his
elbows and knees and seemed asleep. The American sat down beside him,
and, for a long time, neither spoke. Branasko broke the silence; he
awoke with a start and eyed his companion in sleepy wonder.

"Ugh, I dreamt again," he grunted, "are you asleep?"

"No," was Johnston's reply. "I am hungry and thirsty and cannot sleep."

"So am I, but we must wait till it is lighter, then we can go in search
of food. When I was a boy I learned to catch fish in pools with my hands
and it has prolonged my life here. When the light comes again, I shall
show you how I do it."

"Then the day does break? I thought it was eternally dark here."

"It does not get very light, because we are behind the sun; but it is
lighter than now, for we get the sun's reflection, enough at least to
keep us from falling into the chasms."

Branasko lowered his head to his knees and slept again, but the
American, though wearied, was wakeful. Several hours passed. The Alphian
was sleeping soundly, his breathing was very heavy and he had rolled
down on his side.

Far away in the east the darkness gradually faded into