eart as I
realized that before I was alone in my misery, which, through a
thoughtless action, I had brought upon myself, but now my agony was
shared by a loving and trusting heart that had been joined to mine by
the decree of Fate.

The thought of the unhappiness I had brought into Zarlah's life maddened
me, and when at last the aerenoid rested upon the balcony of the
observatory, I stepped out, caring little whether wave contact had
ceased or not. I would enter the virator in any case, and at once fulfil
my obligation to Almos, through whose generosity I had been permitted to
visit this veritable paradise. Then, if wave contact with Paris still
existed my spirit would return to my body which lay there, but if not, I
felt that Fate would have thus solved the hopeless tangle into which it
had precipitated me.

As I proceeded across the balcony, I was astonished to observe a
high-speed aerenoid lying close to the one I knew belonged to Almos.
What could it mean! That a visitor would enter the observatory knowing
Almos to be absent, I could not conceive, as I was well aware of the
sanctity of a dwelling in the Martian mind, especially when that
dwelling was the theatre of such experiments and observations as the
observatory conducted by Almos.

Greatly perturbed I turned and entered the building, and, with all
haste, proceeded down the corridor. As I reached the portieres of the
large room, the sound of someone within moving about caused my heart to
beat wildly, and, thrusting aside the curtains, I beheld Reon.

For a moment I was mute with astonishment, then, as he smilingly
advanced with extended hand, I knew instantly that he was present at
Almos' request. Without further time for thought, I grasped his hand and
greeted him cordially, realizing that no matter what the object of his
visit was, it was known to Almos, and under no circumstances must I
appear surprised. Without waiting to be questioned, Reon offered me a
slip of paper on which I observed Almos' handwriting.

"I carefully followed your instructions, Almos, regarding the virator,
and, half an hour later, I turned off the current of super-radium. I was
just preparing to leave. You are late in returning, are you not?"

While Reon thus spoke, I had gained time to glance hastily over the
instructions that Almos had written upon the slip of paper which I held
in my hand, and I now replied, with every nerve strung in an effort to
appear calm:

"I am, Reon,