suddenly there was a blinding glare of light somewhere in the orbit of Jupiter's moons. Columns of incandescent vapour shot out into space, enveloping Jupiter and his moons, and covering a large portion of the sky. So bright was the light that it cast cold, dark shadows all over the part of Neptune that was turned towards it. Tongues of flame shot up from the luminous cloud of vapour, and waved this way, that way, as if they were agitated by a violent tempest. A thrill of horror and fear passed through the innumerable multitudes who were standing with their faces turned towards the sky and blanched by the white glare. What had happened? Had some terrible new explosive been discovered and used now for the first time, or had some awful convulsion of Nature overtaken the fighting myriads and overwhelmed both conqueror and conquered alike in an awful ruin? Telegraphic messages were sent, but no answer was received; all the means of
