for　diversion；　but　here；　there　is　a　delightful　surprise　at　every　turn。〃
  〃I　was　told　you　were　aeronauts；〃　returned　the　ruler；　deigning　to　cast　a　glance　at　the　silent　Johnston；　who　stood　with　eyes　downcast；　〃and　I　confess　that　it　interested　me　in　you。〃
  At　that　juncture　a　most　beautiful　girl　glided　through　the　curtains　at　the　back　of　the　throne　and　came　impulsively　toward　the　king。　Her　brown　hair　fell　in　rich　masses　on　her　bare　shoulders；　her　eyes　were　large；　deep　and　brown；　and　her　skin　was　exquisitely　fine　in　texture　and　color；　her　dress　was　artistic　and　well　suited　to　her　lithe　figure。　She　held　an　instrument　resembling　a　lute　in　her　hands；　and　stopped　suddenly　when　she　noticed　that　the　king　was　engaged；
  〃It　is　my　daughter；　the　Princess　Bernardino；〃　explained　the　king；　as　he　heard　her　light　step　and　turned　toward　her；　〃she　shall　sing　for　you；　and；　yes　（nodding　to　her）　you　shall　dance　also。〃
  As　she　took　her　position　on　a　great　rug　in　front　of　the　throne；　she　kept　her　eyes　on　the　handsome　Englishman　as　if　fascinated　by　his　appearance。　Thorndyke's　heart　beat　quickly；　the　blood　mantled　his　face　and　he　stood　entranced　as　she　touched　the　resonant　strings　with　her　white　fingers　and　began　to　play　and　sing。　An　innocent；　artless　smile　parted　her　lips　from　her　matchless　teeth；　and　her　face　glowed　with　inspiration。　Far　above　in　the　nooks　and　crannies　of　the　vast　dome；　with　its　divergent　corridors　and　arcades；　the　faint　echoes　of　her　voice　seemed　to　reply　to　her　during　the　pauses　in　her　song。　Then　she　ceased　singing　and　to　the　far…away　and　yet　distinct　accompaniment　of　some　stringed　instrument　in　the　orchestra；　she　began　to　dance。　Holding　her　instrument　in　a　graceful　fashion　against　her　shoulder　as　one　holds　a　violin；　and　with　her　flowing　white　gown　caught　in　the　other　hand；　she　bowed　and　smiled　and　instantly　seemed　transformed。　From　the　statuesque　and　dreamy　singer　she　became　a　marvel　of　graceful　motion。　To　and　fro　she　swept　from　end　to　end　of　the　great　rug；　her　tiny　feet　and　slim　ankles　tripping　so　lightly　that　she　seemed　to　move　without　support　through　the　air。
  Thorndyke　stood　as　if　spell…bound；　for；　at　every　turn；　as　if　seeking　his　approval；　she　glanced　at　him　inquiringly。　When　she　finished　she　stood　for　a　moment　in　the　centre　of　the　rug　panting；　her　beautiful　bosom；　beneath　its　filmy　covering　of　lace；　gently　rising　and　falling。　Then；　asking　her　father's　consent　with　a　mute　glance；　she　ran　forward　impulsively；　and；　kneeling　at　Thorndyke's　feet；　she　took　his　hand　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips。　And　rising；　suffused　with　blushes；　she　tripped　from　the　dais　and　disappeared　behind　the　curtain。
  The　king　frowned　as　he　looked　after　her。　〃It　is　a　mark　of　preference；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃It　is　one　of　our　customs　for　a　dancer　or　singer　to　favor　some　one　of　her　spectators　in　that　way。　My　daughter　evidently　mistook　you　for　an　ambassador　from　one　of　my　provinces；　but　it　does　not　matter。〃
  〃She　is　wonderfully　beautiful；〃　replied　the　tactful　Englishman；　pretending　not　to　be　flattered　by　the　notice　of　the　princess。
  〃Do　you　think　our　people　fine　looking　as　a　rule？〃　asked　the　king；　to　change　the　subject。
  〃Decidedly；　I　never　imagined　such　a　race　existed。〃
  Again　the　king　was　pleased。　〃That　is　one　of　the　objects　of　our　system。　Generation　after　generation　we　improve　mentally　and　physically。　We　are　the　only　people　who　have　ever　attempted　to　thoroughly　study　the　science　of　living。　Your　medical　men　may　be　numbered　by　the　million；　your　remedies　for　your　ills　change　daily；　what　you　say　is　good　for　the　health　to…day　is　to…　morrow　believed　to　be　poison；　to…day　you　try　to　make　blood　to　give　strength；　and　half　a　century　ago　you　believed　in　taking　it　from　the　weakest　of　your　patients。　With　all　this　fuss　over　health；　you　will　think　nothing　of　allowing　the　son　of　a　man　who　died　with　a　loathsome　hereditary　disease　to　marry　a　woman　whose　family　has　never　had　a　taint　of　blood。　Here　no　such　thing　is　thought　of。　To　begin　with；　no　person　who　is　not　thoroughly　sound　can　remain　with　us。　Every　heart…beat　is　heard　by　our　medical　men　and　every　vein　is　transparent。　You　see　evidences　of　the　benefit　of　our　system　in　the　men　and　women　around　you。　All　our　conveniences；　the　excellence　of　our　products；　our　great　inventions　are　the　result。〃
  〃I　have　been　wondering　about　the　size　of　your　country；〃　ventured　Thorndyke　cautiously。
  The　king　smiled。　〃That　will　be　one　of　the　things　for　you　to　discover　later；〃　he　returned。　〃But　this；　the　City　of　Moron；　is　the　capital；　our　provinces；　farming　lands；　smaller　cities；　towns　and　hamlets　lie　around　us。　Come　with　me　and　I　will　show　you　something。〃
  He　waved　his　hand　and　dismissed　a　number　of　courtiers　who　were　waiting　to　be　called；　and　rose　from　the　throne　and　led　the　two　captives　into　a　large　apartment　adjoining　the　throne…room。　Here　they　found　six　men　in　blue　uniforms　looking　into　a　large　circular　mirror　on　a　table。　They　all　bowed　and　moved　aside　as　the　king　approached。
  〃These　men　are　the　municipal　police；〃　explained　the　king；　resting　his　hand　on　the　gold　frame　of　the　glass；　〃they　are　watching　the　city。〃　And　when　the　strangers　drew　nearer　they　were　surprised　to　see　reflected；　in　the　deeply　concave　glass；　the　entire　city　in　miniature；　its　streets；　parks；　public　buildings；　and　moving　populace。　And　what　seemed　to　be　the　most　remarkable　feature　of　the　invention　was；　that　the　instant　the　eye　rested　on　any　particular　portion　of　the　whole　that　part　was　at　once　magnified　so　that　every　detail　of　it　was　clearly　observable。
  〃This　is　an　improvement　on　your　police　system；〃　continued　the　king。　〃No　sooner　does　anything　go　wrong　than　a　red　signal　is　given　on　the　spot　of　the　trouble　and　the　attention　of　these　officers　is　immediately　called　to　it。　A　flying　machine　is　sent　out　and　the　offender　is　brought　to　the　police　station；　but　trouble　of　any　nature　rarely　occurs；　and　the　duties　of　our　police　are　merely　nominal；　my　people　live　in　thorough　harmony。　Now；　come　with　me　and　I　will　give　you　an　idea　of　the　surrounding　country。〃
  As　the　king　spoke　he　led　them　into　a　circular　room；　the　roof　of　which　was　of　white　glass；　and　the　walls　were　lined　with　large　mirrors。
  〃This　is　our　general　observatory　from　which　every　part　of　Alpha　can　be　seen；〃　said　the　king　with　a　touch　of　pride　in　his　tone。　〃Look　at　the　mirror　in　front　of　you。〃
  They　did　as　he　requested；　and　at　first　saw　nothing；　but；　as　he　went　to　a　stone　table　in　the　centre　of　the　room　and　touched　an　electric　button；　a　grand　view　of　green　fields；　forests；　streams；　lakes　and　farm…houses　flashed　upon　the　mirror。　The　king　laughed　at　their　surprise　and　touched　another　button。　As　he　did　so　the　scene　shifted　gradually；　the　landscapes　ran　by　like　a　panorama。　A　pretty　village　came　into　sight；　and　passed；　then　a　larger　town　and　still　a　larger；　then　fields；　hills　and　valleys　and　forests　of　giant　trees。
  〃It　is　that　way　all　over　my　kingdom；〃　said　the　king；　〃in　an　hour　I　can　inspect　it　all。〃
  〃But　how　is　it　done？〃　asked　Thorndyke；　forgetting　himself　in　wonder。
  〃Through　a　telescopic　invention；　aided　by　electricity　and　the　clearness　of　our　atmosphere；〃　replied　the　king。　〃It　would　take　too　long　to　go　into　the　details。　The　views；　however；　are　reflected　to　this　point　from　various　observatories　throughout　the　land。　Such　a　system　would　be　impossible　in　any　other　country　on　account　of　the　clouds　and　atmospheric　changes；　but　here　we　control　everything。〃
  〃I　noticed；〃　returned　the　Englishman；　〃that　green　fields　lie　beside　ripening　ones　and　those　in　which　the　grain　is　being　harvested。〃
  〃We　have　no　change　of　seasons；〃　answered　the　king。　〃Change　of　seasons　may　be　according　to　nature；　but　it　is　in　the　province　of　man's　intellect　to　improve　on　nature。　But　I　must　leave　you　now；　I　shall　summon　you　again　when　I　have　the　leisure　to　continue　our　conversation。〃
  〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　asked　Johnston；　as　the　king　disappeared　behind　a　curtain　in　the　direction　of　the　audience　chamber。
  〃I　give　it　up；　I　only　know　that　the　old　fellow's　daughter；　the　Princess　Bernardino　is　the　most　beautiful；　the　most　bewitching　creature　that　ever　breathed。　Did　you　notice　her　eyes　and　form？　Great　heavens！　was　there　ever　such　a　vision　of　human　loveliness？　Her　grace；　her　voice；　her　glances　drove　me　wild　with　delight。〃
  〃You　are　dead　gone；〃　grumbled　the　American　despondently；　〃we'll　never　get　away　from　here　in　the　world。　I　can　see　that。〃
  〃I　gave　up　all　hope　in　that　direction　some　time　ago；〃　said　Thorndyke；　〃and　why　should　we　care？　We　were　awfully　bored　with　life　before　we　came；　for　my　part　I'd　as　soon　end　mine　up　here　as　anywhere　else。　Besides；　didn't　his　majesty　say　that　they　live　longer　under　his　system　than　we　do？〃
  〃I　don't　take　stock　in　all　he　says；〃　growled　the　American；　〃he　talks　like　a　Chicago　real　estate　agent　who　wants　to　sell　a　lot。　Why　doesn't　he　chop　off　our　heads　and　be　done　with　it？〃
  Thorndyke　burst　into　a　jovial　laugh。　〃You　are　coming　round　all　right；　that　is　the　first　joke　you　have　got　off　since　we　came　here；　his　royal　Nibs　may　need　a　court…jester　and　give　you　a　job。〃
  〃There　goes　that　blamed　sunlight　again；〃　exclaimed　Johnston；　grasping　his　companion's　arm；　〃don't　you　see　it　changing？〃
  〃Yes；　and　this　time　it　is　white；　like　old　Sol's　natural　smile；　but　isn't　it　clear？　It　seems　to　me　that　I　could　see