Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/151

and blew up. Sometimes on clear nights thousands of inhabitants would turn out and gaze upwards in awe at the silent flashes and sheets of flame that darted about in the sky. Then, far beyond these, they could see a flaming nebulous cloud that moved slowly over the sky, vibrating and palpitating, and gradually changing its form, but always glowing with the same brightness. When examined by powerful telescopes, it was found to consist of sheets and jets of flame that continually dashed forth, apparently out of nothing, and clashed against one another. Beyond this and in the direction of Jupiter was another similar cloud moving slowly across the sky, sometimes like a long bright thread, then circular, then like a dim mist. These clouds lasted for some days; then, one after another, they broke up into small pieces. Evidently terrible battles were being fought in the neighbourhood of the second line of defence. Those who witnessed the appalling nature of the forces