THE PEOPLE OF THE COMET
tint of pink. Perhaps it had some relation to the revolving rim of the nucleus.
“ 'It was the first time that she showed fear. When I pointed, she reached up and clutched my hand; she drew it down and interposed her pretty body as if to shield me from even the thought of an ascent; her eyes went wide, startled, and there was a fear in them that I could not understand.
“ ‘It was useless to try to get at an explanation, so I caught hold of the creepers and drew myself to the top of the wrecked ether ship. Then I caught hold of the girl’s hands and drew her up beside me. The touch of her flesh sent a thrill through my body ; she was wonderful; beautiful; her bare arms and wild barbaric dress gave her a touch that I had never seen in a maiden. She landed on the top like a fairy, her eyes shining and her whole form vibrant. Skipping past my side, she parted the creepers that blocked the way to the door of the ether ship.
“ 'Inside I found just about what I expected—atomic engines wrecked and demolished, and the machinery torn away. What there was left gave evidence of a civilization about on a par with my own. In the dismantled interior I read a tragic story, a tragedy that had its beginning here and its end in the house up under the fern trees. What must have been their life upon the comet! It had been without hope until my coming. What must have been the thoughts of the father as he saw his end approaching — his daughter alone and unprotected?
“ 'She had known no world but this. She was like a fairy—a child of the heaven—the daughter of the stars!
“ 'What a story they had to tell! They had undoubtedly come from a planet far beyond the ken of our telescopes—from the vicinity of some star that we could study only through the spectrum!
“ 'I recalled the clock upon the wall of the old man’s chamber, the astronomical designs and calculations. He was a man of untold wisdom; he had charted the stars, not from a distance, but through actual travel. Would I get his story? Would I ever be able to exchange thoughts with this remarkable man? One thing—I must learn their language.
" 'We returned to the dwelling. On the way I began my lesson, picking up familiar objects, asking their name and giving their Sansar equivalent. The girl was delighted. The lesson was entered into with zeal on both sides. In a few moments I had words enough buzzing in my head to befog a linguist.
“ 'When we reached the house I went down to my own ether ship and returned with such articles as I thought would add to our comfort. After that I paid a visit to the father, whom I found asleep. And then I sat down to a repast spread for me by the daughter of the stars!
“ 'The lesson went on. One by one, I picked up the names of familiar objects, taking care to give their equivalent in Sanscrit. Suddenly I thought of the most interesting name of all. I pointed at my companion.
“ 'She did not understand; so I turned my finger upon myself.
" ' "Alvas,” I said.
“ ‘She smiled and repeated the word after me, only when she spoke it the word had a musical ring. She lingered over the name and repeated it over and over. Then I pointed at her again. She laughed this time and tapped her breast.
“ ' “Sora,” she said.
I pointed at the room where the father lay seeping.
" ' “Zin,” spoke the maiden.
“ ' Thus it was that I became acquainted with the star rovers, father and daughter.
CHAPTER EIGHT
" 'TIME had passed. Under the spell of Sora’s eyes I had lingered upon the wonderful nucleus, learning the language of Zar, and teaching the maiden the tongue of my own Sansar. I forgot all else but the light of her eyes and the witchery of her laughter; and a story that they had to tell—a story greater than even the universe itself.
“ 'I could not return to the Earth with both the sick father and the daughter, because of the limited capacity of the ether ship, therefore I had chosen to remain.
“ 'I knew now, by the light of the coma, that we had circled the sun and were on our way into the depths of Space. From the girl I learned that the nucleus was e cosmic mechanism, as automatic as a time clock and that it registered its approach to a star or sun by the wreaths of the revolving rim, which grew and dazzled as the comet approached the luminary and diminished upon its retrogression.
“ 'We had often noticed this from the Earth. We had noted that the brilliancy of the nucleus increases as it approaches the sun, but that it disappears as the comet retreats into the starry distance.
“ 'My interest as an astronomer over‘came my inclination as a King of Sansar. I was bound up in the mystery of the comet, and in the man and the maiden.
" 'From the girl I had been unable to learn anything definite concerning the planet Zar and the train of circumstance that had brought her father with a mere babe to the nucleus of the comet. I could only gather that he was an astronomer, even as myself. Our adventures, up to the discovery of the nucleus must have been very near parallel. Of the planet Zar I could learn very little that was definite, other than the fact that it was a member of a solar system different from our own.
“ 'That, of course, was a great deal. Tt proved that the comet was an interestellar body—and if I could gather more data I might establish my theory that it was merely an ion.
" 'The old man lingered. He had not spoken since the moment of my arrival. T had hopes that I could master the language in time to learn his story.
“ 'What did he know? And what were his theories? As an astronomer I was just as eager as I was as a lover. For by this time there was no doubt of my love for Sora.
“ ‘We spent much time at our lessons. Between times we made short trips about the nucleus. It was a wonderful little world, full of flowers, fern trees, myriad—colored birds, and queer harmless animals. The weather was always balmy. I discovered that the temperature of the comet was in no way dependent upon the sun, that the comet furnished its own heat as well as light. There was no night. And as the coma shone always, and as the tail of the comet was ever about us, there were no stars. We were imprisoned in the comet’s glory.
“ ‘But there were two things that the maiden would not let me visit—one was the summit of the lone mountain where I had seen the lake, the other was the rim of the nucleus.
“ ‘She gave me to understand, first, by signs, and afterward by words, that it was certain death to venture too close. I had seen enough of the rim upon my arrival to know that it was a terrible thing; but I was not so certain concerning the pink lake that I had seen upon the mountain. When I asked questions she grew white and pointed to the wrecked ether ship. She insisted that I stay away; and when she spoke in that manner and stamped her little foot it was law unto Alvas the Sansar. Though I was a king no longer, she was a queen.
“ 'The day came when the father awoke and called me to his bedside. Since my arrival he had lain in a sort of stupor. The girl told me that such had been his condition for a long time previous to my coming. She had grown accustomed to it.
“ 'I had known from the first that the man was dying. He was very old—
