“But Walla—the girl—her senses are no longer in her control! What of her?”
“They are in mine, my son; and at the proper moment I shall restore them to her. She will safely reach her journey's end.”
“But the distance—what is it?”
“It is great. I cannot express it so that you will understand. It is many, many miles, as you would say.”
“Will she have reached the end of her journey before you enter the passage?”
“You mean before my body enters? Possibly not; but that will make no difference. My body is not myself. Once my spirit is unchained it can operate far more readily than at present. But time presses; see, the water stream grows larger. Either you must go or another—choose!”
“I will go," I replied boldly. “My determination is taken. Even though there were no danger I would still go, I cannot remain here alone.”
“Well spoken, my son. The danger, however, all lies in remaining. Come forward, bend before the tube and put your lips upon it. Fix your mind upon your body; will to remain near it and all the powers of heaven and earth cannot keep you from it, for the will of man is all-powerful, subject only to the will of the Supreme.”
The time had clearly come and I hesitated no longer.
Bending down over the golden tube I fixed my mouth upon it the instant Padma pulled out the plug.
All sense of fear seemed to have left me. As Mr. Mirrikh, Maurice and Ni-fan-lu had done before me, I drew in the fatal gas and straightened up.
The deed was done!
CHAPTER XX.
MY SECOND JOURNEY TO MARS.
Was there something wrong?
Was I alone, of all those who had inhaled the gas before me, proof against its powers?
I thought so then.
