in　imminent　peril。〃
  〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　she　repeated　incredulously；　as　she　looked　to　westward。　The　green　glow　of　the　second　hour　of　the　afternoon　lay　over　everything。　She　stood　mute　and　motionless　for　a　long　time；
  looking　steadily　at　the　horizon；　then　she　started　suddenly；　changed　her　position；　and　shaded　her　eyes　from　the　sunlight。
  〃It　really　does　seem　to　me　that　there　is　a　cloud　rising；　and　it　is　unlike　any　cloud　I　ever　saw。〃
  〃I　see　it　too！〃　cried　the　Englishman；　〃it　must　be　that　the　water　has　already　reached　the　internal　fires。〃
  Bernardino　was　very　pale　when　she　turned　to　him。
  〃My　father　must　know　this　at　once；　come　with　me。〃
  Into　the　palace；　through　the　vast　rotunda；　past　the　throne；　and　into　the　very　apartment　of　the　king　himself　she　led　him　hastily。　A　royal　attendant　met　them　and　held　up　his　hands　warningly。　〃The　king　is　asleep；〃　he　said　in　an　undertone。
  〃Wake　him　　wake　him　at　once！〃　commanded　the　excited　girl。
  〃I　cannot；　it　would　offend　him；〃　was　the　reply。
  She　did　not　pause　an　instant；　but　darting　past　the　man　and　running　to　the　king's　couch；　she　drew　the　curtain　aside　and　touched　the　sleeper。　He　waked　in　anger；　but　her　first　word　disarmed　him。
  〃Alpha　is　in　danger。〃
  〃What！〃　he　growled；　half　awake。　〃The　sea　is　breaking　through　in　the　west；　and　running　into　the　internal　fires。〃
  〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
  〃A　dense　cloud　is　rising　in　the　west；　and：〃
  〃Impossible！〃　the　word　came　from　far　down　in　his　throat；　and　he　was　ghastly　pale。　He　ran　to　the　table　and　touched　a　button　and；　to　the　astonishment　of　Thorndyke；　the　walls　on　the　western　side　of　the　room　silently　parted；　showing　a　little　balcony　overlooking　the　street　below。　The　king　went　hastily　out　and　looked　toward　the　west。　The　others　followed　him。　The　princess　stifled　a　cry　of　alarm　when　she　glanced　at　the　sky。
  Great　black；　rolling　clouds　were　rapidly　spreading　along　the　horizon。
  The　king　looked　at　them　as　helplessly　as　a　frightened　child。　〃The　air！〃　he　groaned。　〃It　is　hot！〃　and　then　he　held　out　his　hand　to　the　princess；　and　showed　her　a　flake　of　soot　on　it；　and　he　dumbly　pointed　to　others　that　were　falling　about　them。
  〃How　did　you　discover　it？〃　he　asked；　and　Thorndyke　saw　that　he　was　trying　to　appear　calm。
  〃Mr。this　gentleman's　friend　has　returned　from　banishment；　and〃
  〃Returned！　has　the　wall　been　destroyed？〃
  〃No；　he　accidentally　discovered　the　danger；　and　came　in　a　flying…　machine　to　warn　you。〃
  〃Where　is　he？　bring　him　to　me；　quick！〃
  〃But　you　will　not　〃
  He　waved　his　hand　impatiently。　〃Go；　if　Alpha　is　saved　he　shall　be　at　libertyif　it　is　not；　what　does　it　matter？〃
  Thorndyke　hastened　away　after　Johnston；　who；　when　he　was　told　of　the　king's　words；　readily　accompanied　his　friend　to　the　presence　of　the　ruler。　They　found　him　with　his　daughter　still　on　the　balcony。
  〃How　did　you　discover　this？〃　asked　the　king；　turning　to　the　American。
  As　quickly　as　possible；　Johnston　related　his　adventures；　and　particularly　the　story　of　the　shooting　fountain　and　the　fall　of　salt　water。　The　king　did　not　wait　for　him　to　conclude。　He　ran　back　into　his　chamber；　touched　another　button；　and　the　next　instant　alarm…bells　were　ringing　all　over　the　city。
  〃A　signal　to　the　protectors；〃　explained　the　princess　to　Thorndyke；　〃by　this　time　they　are　ringing　all　over　Alpha。　Oh；　what　will　become　of　us？〃　as　she　spoke　she　leaned　over　the　balustrade　and　looked　down　into　the　street。　Vast　crowds　had　gathered　and　were　motionless；　except　at　points　where　the　purple…clad　〃protectors〃　rushed　from　public　buildings　to　assemble　in　squads　on　the　street　corner。
  Chapter　XVII。
  Bernardino　turned　to　look　after　her　father　as　he　was　leaving　the　room。
  〃He　is　going　to　the　observatory；〃　she　said　to　Thorndyke　and　Johnston。　〃Let　us　go　also。〃　And　they　followed　the　king　into　the　room　with　the　glass　roof　and　walls　covered　with　mirrors　which　he　had　shown　the　strangers　several　days　before。　A　white…headed　old　man　stood　at　the　stand；　his　fingers　trembling　over　the　half　circle　of　electric　buttons。　In　a　mirror　before　him　he　was　studying　the　reflection　of　a　town　of　perhaps　a　hundred　houses。　The　streets　were　filled　with　excited　citizens；　and　a　squad　of　protectors　stood　ready　for　action　near　a　row　of　flying…machines。
  〃Ornethelo；〃　said　the　king；　and　at　the　sound　of　his　voice　the　old　man　turned　and　bowed　humbly。
  〃All　right；〃　went　on　the　king；　〃I　will　take　your　place　a　moment。〃
  He　went　to　the　stand　and　touched　a　button。　Instantly　the　scene　changed；　fields；　forests；　streams　and　hills　ran　by　in　a　murky　blur；　and　then　a　larger　town　flashed　on　the　mirror。　Here　the　same　stir　and　alertness　characterized　the　scene。　The　gaze　of　every　inhabitant　was　fixed　on　the　threatening　horizon。　Rapidly　the　scenes　shifted　at　the　king's　will；　till　a　hundred　cities；　towns　and　villages　had　been　reviewed。
  〃Enough！　They　are　all　readyall　faithful；〃　groaned　the　king；　〃and；　Ornethelo；　they　may　all　have　to　perish　to…day；　and　all　for　our　ambition。　Poor　mortals！〃
  Ornethelo's　face　was　half　submerged　in　the　beard　on　his　breast；　but　he　looked　up　suddenly　and　spoke：
  〃For　their　sakes；　then；　we　ought　not　to　delay；　there　may　yet　be　hope。〃
  〃You　are　right；　Ornethelo。〃　There　was　a　ring　of　hope　in　the　voice　of　the　king。　〃Quick！　show　me　my　capitol；　that　I　may　see　if　all　the　protectors　are　ready。〃
  Ornethelo　touched　another　button；　and；　as　if　seen　from　a　great　height；　the　fair　and　wondrous　city　dawned　before　the　eyes　of　the　spectators。　In　every　street　policemen　and　protectors　and　flying…　machines　stood　in　orderly　readiness。　The　housetops　were　colored　with　the　variegated　costumes　of　men；　women　and　children。　Over　all　lay　the　wondrous　sunlight；　through　the　green　splendor　of　which　the　flakes　of　soot　were　falling　like　black　snow。
  The　king　touched　the　old　man's　arm。　〃I　must　see　beyond　the　walls；　are　the　connections　made？〃
  〃Ready；　sir。〃
  〃Try　them；　they　must　not　fail　me　now！〃
  The　old　man　tremblingly　unlocked　a　cabinet　on　the　table；　and　another　row　of　electric　buttons　was　displayed。　Ornethelo　touched　one。　Immediately　there　was　a　sharp　clicking　sound　under　the　stand；　and　the　view　was　swept　from　the　mirror。　Nothing　could　be　seen　but　a　dark　suggestion　of　towering　cliffs　and　yawning　caverns。
  〃Not　the　east；　Ornethelo；〃　cried　the　king　impatiently。　〃Go　on！　the　west！　the　west！〃
  The　black　landscape　flashed　by　like　a　glimpse　of　night　from　a　flying　train；　and　then　a　blur　of　redly　illuminated　smoke　in　rolling　billows　seemed　to　swell　out　from　the　surface　of　the　mirror　into　the　room。
  〃There；　slow！〃　cried　the　king；　and　then　a　frightful　scene　burst　upon　their　sight。　They　beheld　a　great　belching　pit　of　fire　and　flames。　The　sky　from　the　earth　to　the　zenith　was　a　vast　expanse　of　illuminated　smoke；　and　the　black　landscape　round　about　was　cut　by　rivulets　of　molten　lava　rolling　on　and　on　like　restless　streams　of　quicksilver。
  The　king　leaned　against　the　stand　as　if　faint　with　despair。　〃Call　Prince　Arthur！〃　he　ordered；　and　almost　at　that　instant　the　young　man　appeared。
  〃Father！〃
  The　king　pointed　a　quivering　finger　at　the　mirror；　and　said　huskily：
  〃Let　not　the　sun　go　down！　Let　its　light　be　white　as　at　noon。〃
  〃But；　father；　it　has　never　been　done　before；　it〃
  〃Alpha　has　never　faced　such　danger。　All　our　dream　is　about　to　end。　Go！〃
  Without　a　word　the　young　man　hastened　away；　and　it　seemed　scarcely　a　moment　before　the　sunlight　streaming　in　at　the　oval　glass　roof　changed　from　green　to　white。
  The　king　pushed　Ornethelo　impatiently　aside；　his　eyes　held　a　dull　gleam　of　despair；　and　he　seemed　to　have　grown　ten　years　older。　He　touched　a　button；　and　the　awful　scene　at　the　pit　gave　place　to　a　bright　view　of　the　capitol；　which　was　plainly　seen　from　its　crowded　centre　to　its　scattering　suburbs。　The　squads　of　〃protectors〃　stood　like　armies　ready　for　battle；　their　rigid　faces　still　toward　the　awful　west。
  〃They　are　readythe　signal！〃　yelled　the　king；　waving　his　hand；　〃the　signal！〃　Ornethelo　caught　his　breath　suddenly　and　tottered　as　he　went　across　the　room；　and　touched　a　button　on　the　wall。　The　king's　eyes　were　glued　on　the　mirrored　view　of　the　capitol；　his　trembling　hands　held　out；　as　if　commanding　silence。　Then　a　deafening　trumpet　blast　broke　on　the　ear。　The　masses　of　citizens　pressed　near　the　edges　of　the　roofs　and　close　against　the　walls　along　the　streets；　as　the　protectors　rushed　into　the　flying…　machines。　Another　trumpet…blast；　and　away　they　flew；　a　long　black　line；　every　instant　growing　smaller　as　it　receded　in　the　murky　distance。　The　princess；　white　and　silent；　led　Thorndyke　and　Johnston　back　to　the　balcony。　The　line　of　machines　was　now　a　mere　thread　in　the　sky；　but　the　ominous　cloud　in　the　west　had　increased；　and　fine　sand　and　ashes　were　added　to　the　fall　of　soot。
  〃What　was　that？〃　gasped　the　princess。　It　was　a　low　rumble　like　distant　thunder；　and　the　balcony　shook　violently。
  〃An　earthquake；〃　said　Thorndyke。　〃I　am　really　afraid　there　is　not　a　ghost　of　a　chance　for　us；　the　water　running　into　the　fire　is　sure　to　cause　an　eruption　of　some　sort；　and　even　a　slight　one　would　be　likely　to　enlarge　the　opening　to　the　ocean。〃
  Johnston　nodded　knowingly　as　he　looked　into　his　friend's　face；　but；　considering　the　presence　of　the　princess；　he　said　nothing。
  〃My　brother；　Prince　Marentel；　is　th