“Of Tradr, Abruian scientists have many opinions. The one theory generally accepted is that once the satellite was a cold moon circling their planet, but it ‘caught fire’ from the great deposits of radium which are ever ‘burning’ and now gives to the planet its light and its heat. This theory is suggested to them by the fact that Abrui itself is rich in this element, and is to them what fire is to Earth. Thence, there is eldimun, an ore which is not found on Earth, but which is ignited in instantaneous combustion in the presence of radium, burning with a pinkish glow. This, as far as the Abruians have been able to learn, burns infinitely. Tradr glows pinkishly, and it is supposed without a doubt, therefore, that the satellite has also great deposits of eldimun. which upon catching fire, will burn far into the ages. It is hoped so by the Abruians.”
“Now, let me get this right,” said Kington after Dorr had finished his long tale. “In 1924 Professor Rollins sent Dana Gleason, whom he had chosen for a passenger for his rocket because of that person’s capabilities, not knowing that in truth she was a woman, masquerading all her life as a man, because of her dead father’s dislike for the female sex. You, Dick, inadvertently discovered her sex, and at the last minute decided to accompany her, rather than let the truth break the heart of the old scientist, who had become your friend there in Africa, and thus prevent realization of the man’s life ambitions, also because you believed that you and she could work together in his behalf?”
“Wait a minute, Wally, you put too much stress upon my altruistic motives. I went especially because of the woman I had discovered. I loved her.”
Kington waved the aside away. “It matters not what construction you wish to put on it . . . you might have halted the whole thing if you had confessed the truth to Rollins, and spent your life with her on good old earth. . . .”
“More likely I would have lost her altogether, you mean, Wally, if I had had the temerity to have exposed her. . . .”
“Oh well, whatever the intents or purposes were, they count for nothing now. It was the action! Well, to continue . . . your rocket passed Mars and then you two thought you were headed out into Space when you passed beyond Neptune. Instead, you struck Abrui!
“Now it happened that Miss Gleason was picked up by one, Moura-weit who was scouting about the planet when your shell exploded. He searched the ruins for the complexion and coloring of a Gor, one of the barbarians who roved the land into which your rocket had fallen. So he carried Miss Gleason off to his civilized country while you in turn fell into the hands of the barbarians themselves. And each of you thought the other had died in the ruins of your vehicles, each taking up life anew as you found it. To the barbarians you came in the light of a saviour, fitting an old prophecy of theirs that expressed a hope for one to lead them back to the lands of which their enemy, the Tabora, or silver men of Abrui, had despoiled them. Knowing you as I do, a man who can not listen to the plea of the underfellow without going to his aid, you took it upon yourself to bring these poor, down-trodden bronze men back to their birthright, unaware that the woman you loved now lived among the Gor’s oppressors.
“That you managed to overthrow the Tabora with your crude cannon and home-made gunpowder and rescued Dana Gleason from a marriage of convenience with this overbearing Moura-weit, who saw in her the means to his own ends, stacks of penny-novels, but it always was your lot, Dick, to do the right thing!” And Kington smiled as he recalled other times when Dorr had done the right thing.
Laugh wrinkles showed around Dorr’s brown eyes and together the two laughed over old times. It was then that Ezra-weit broke into a flood of words that were wholly unintelligible to the scientist and smiling, Elsie Rollins-weiti, interpreted them.
“My son,” said she, “understands English, only he is backward in speaking it—but he wishes me to tell you that Dorr is too self-effacing; that before dealing with him, you should know that without him Abrui could never know such peace as exists on that world at the present time. When Richard overthrew the Tabora, he forced the conquering Gora to accept his terms, namely, not to send the silver men back to the wastelands from which they had come in the past, conquering both Gora and Moata (golden men), but that the three races of Abrui, the golden men who had been Tabora’s slaves, the silver men and the bronze men should live at peace with each other on the shores of the single ocean Sehti. Seeing the justice in his demands, the three nations in turn forced Dick to become their Ur-Kirada (over-king) so that he would be at their helm and teach them how to live in accord. So at the present time, Richard Dorr, formerly of Earth, is no less than the First Citizen of his adopted world!”
DURING the time she spoke, a rare blush of red overspread the Ur-Kirada’s face, but he joined in the laugh that came at his expense.
The woman continued to speak in a voice that was as beautiful and as colorful as her face was lacking in those attributes. “And what’s more, Mr. Kington, Dick taught the Abruians the art of being kindly, not only to nations, but to individuals also. With the downfall of the Taboran state, Moura-weit, who had had himself created Urtor, or over-prince of Tabora with an eye to an Ur-Kiradaship, became an outcast because he had failed to save them from the ignominy of defeat and was looked upon as a traitor and a price was put on his head. His people had been awakened to the fact that this ambitious man sought power to meet his own selfish ends without thought for the people themselves, and now they were demanding his death and his dishonor. With the aid of Ubca-tor, his one loyal henchman, a prince of the realm, Dick arranged for Moura-weit’s escape from the planet in an interplanetary machine which was then but begun and which was finished in secret, and so allowed the man to flee the ire of his fellow-men. Then Dick told the people of what he had done, begged them to pardon Moura-weit so that when he should return home he should be accepted as their friend instead of as their enemy.”
Kington was thoughtful after that but soon he spoke again. “And what of this fellow? What happened to him? Is he safe at home in Abrui now, raising a thriving. brood of Abruians?” he asked and did not see the spasm of pain that crossed Elsie Rollins-weiti’s gentle face.
“That again,” said Dorr, “is another story. And although Abrui has forgiven the man his duplicity, and honor him for his great work and discoveries made in their behalf, he never returned to Abrui. There were only his wife and his son to return to his homeland when he met an honorable death on Kal, the planet he discovered in the star-system of Alpha Centauri, which, as you know, lies the closest of all the stars to our own solar universe. This, Wally, is Moura-weit’s wife,” he placed a hand over Elsie’s hand which was lying in her lap, “and the boy is Moura’s son.”
CHAPTER IV
Concerning Abrui
IT was Kington’s turn to feel embarrassment, but he felt that it was because of Dorr’s own negligence in not making a more fitting introduction that he had made the faux pax. Now Dorr realizing his own omissions went on to add; “Elsie is the niece of Professor Ezra Rollins, the man who invented the rocket that sent Dana and me to Abrui. She was an orphan at the time when the professor left for Africa, and he took her with him, then a child of ten, I believe. My mine, as you know, was but a few miles from the plantation Rollins purchased, and we became good friends.
“Elsie was about fifteen when the rocket made its departure, and for the next five years she continued to live with her uncle who had become a broken man when he realized what he had done in sending us two off into Space, possibly signing our death-warrant. Had he known at the time that Dana was a woman, he might have lost his mind entirely. As it was, the five years were spent by him in praying each night for a message from us. He had the duplicate of the radio set we carried in the rocket, which was destroyed when our shell exploded in Gora, and he hoped against hope to hear the welcome signal Dana had promised to use in announcing our arrival on Mars.
“And although Dana, with a corps of engineers, built one set after another and strove to send sound across space, she never did succeed. Instead when Mo
ura-weit and his ally, Ubca-tor, departed in their space-flyer from Abrui, Dana commissioned them to deliver a document in which she had described the world we had discovered. She also presented Moura with her own diary for proof that truly he came from her. So Moura-weit came to Earth with his message to the old scientist, who in turn demanded that he be carried with his niece into Space, so that he might see the wonders of the universe at first hand before he died.”
“Gad!” exclaimed Kington, “and you—Mrs. Weiti, you have been in the Void—you traveled to Alpha Centauri, you say? Did the Professor go with you to that distant world of Kal?”
Sadly Elsie shook her head. “No, he lived only a few months, and in that time we were still in the confines of the solar-system. In fact, he never reached Mars.”
“And you had the courage to go across Space?”
She nodded; “I would have followed Moura to the ends of the Cosmos!”
“What a man he must have been, despite what you’ve told me of his short-comings!”
“Moura-weit,” she exclaimed, “left Abrui with the hope of atoning for his sins, in turn to reap from the universe knowledge that would improve the lot of his world and through his efforts place its civilization on the pinnacle; but in the meantime he sought solace in the immensity of the Void. He saw himself apart now from the ambitious man he had been, and he had learned from Richard Dorr the mistake of putting one’s self above his fellow men. The remainder of his life, therefore, was spent in expiating his past sin. All he did henceforth was in behalf of Mankind. He went to the distant planet Kal only for the honor it would bring to his own people, and to save another from making the same mistakes as he himself had made! Can you wonder that I was glad to follow such a man?”
A silence fell on the gathering after that eulogy, but again Kington’s inquiring mind brought them back to the present.
“I wonder,” he asked, “if it would be asking too much—for you to tell me something of that tremendous journey and what you discovered at its end?”
The woman smiled a far-away smile, and some of the wonders she had seen were mirrored in her gray eyes. Then she shuddered as she recalled some of those terrific experiences that had deprived her of her love. “No ’one,” she said, “has ever heard the entire story of what actually took place, but I feel that it should be told. Perhaps, sometime, when I can compose my thoughts. . . .?”
Kington recognized the uselessness of further urging, for he was never one to thrust demands upon those who did not wish to comply. For the second time he fell to studying Ezra-weit. Pie could not get accustomed to the boy’s strange coloring. Dorr again took up the conversation, for as he had already said, he had come to Earth with a definite purpose and he wished to lose no time in getting down to business. He spoke now at length about his adopted world, explaining many of its features to his one-time chum.
“It has taken us almost twenty years to erase prejudice of race from Abrui, Wally, but at last the three races, golden, silver and bronze men, dwell in harmony side by side, and we hope in time, with the blending of the three, to develop true brotherhood of spirit. Now they have sent me as emissary back to my own world in hope that fellowship may be established between our two great worlds! Much has Abrui to offer Earth in the way of barter, just as Earth can give fair exchange to Abrui!”
“WHAT fields you open up, Dick. It’s—why—it’s almost beyond human conception,” lamely observed the renowned scientist. “Tell me something of Abrui’s needs. You say that she has untold deposits of radium? Our own progress in various lines of endeavor suffer because we have so little. In what state is it found—in uranium or some of the compounds?”
“It is in a raw state and much of its sources are untapped! To the Abruian, it is what fire is to us. Now, what Abrui needs most is iron and nickel, which are sadly lacking, strange to say, although there is plenty of lead, which is, of course, both the parent and the offspring of radium, and although the Abruians are most able in making use of that soft heavy metal alloyed with other metals, they need iron for steel and lighter materials. Aluminum is unknown.
“However, Abrui is far more interested right now to learn of your newest developments in the field of radio transmission. Radio is a very new science on the planet, introduced as it was by Dana, when she sought to send out messages to the Professor. She failed to reach him, but the Abruians seized upon the invention, for although they are as far developed in most of the sciences as Earth, more so in some, wire and wireless transmitting was unknown to them. Communication between nations and cities was carried on entirely by letter and messenger, although they have developed a science that the people of Earth have as yet entirely overlooked. That is the science of mental telepathy. So efficient are the Abruians that a man’s mind is wholly open to his fellow-beings unless he wills it differently. Also it is possible for them to project their thoughts in picture form upon screens for all to see, sometimes even to the next city, much in the same way as you are projecting by television today.
“Moura-weit was perhaps the greatest exponent of this art, and that is what added so greatly to his power over his people. He was able to detect the thoughts of a man in the next room or house, and he could alone throw his thoughts forth for all to see, whereas it is difficult as a rule for two or three men with their combined efforts to do this thing. Ezra-weit is fast learning to do likewise!”
Kington’s eyes again went to the strange youth, but as Dorr continued speaking, his attention reverted to the speaker.
“So, you see, when Dana gave them the rudiments of radio, the Abruians were wild with enthusiasm. They have made great strides with it, but still they lack some of its essentials, mainly because of their lack of the proper metals to bring about the proper changes. Nor have they television, since that was not invented when we left Earth twenty-five years ago. And it is to Earth that they look for furtherance of their own developments in this great field. I am certain that our fellow men would be delighted to have an enlarged market for their wares, while they could in turn find use for many of the Abruian commodities in the world markets.
“The Abruians, therefore, would like to propose a commercial interchange. They will build a fleet of space-flyers, modeled after Moura-weit’s ship, the Yodverl[1], the plans of which he gave freely to his world. Who knows but that in a few years we will have a passenger-line established whereby tourists from each of the worlds can visit the other planet? Does that not pique your imagination, Wally?” and Dorr was grinning broadly at the expression on the other’s face.
“Man alive!” the scientist exclaimed, “you are looking upon the first passenger of the new service. Or perhaps I’ll go as supercargo, or even stowaway, if necessary!”
They all laughed together over the man’s enthusiasm. It was hard to picture this rotund little man as a stowaway.
“Come,” said he, “we must announce this great news to the world! But wait—it is late—far past the luncheon hour, I fear. How inconsiderate I’ve been in keeping you talking while you must be starving. Now, now—not another word until we’ve eaten!” As he spoke, he rang a bell and Janson appeared for orders, including strict attention to the fact that no one, not even the King of England, was to be admitted to the house for the remainder of the day. Janson proved his worthiness in that moment by announcing that he had had the chef keep a luncheon ready to serve for the last hour and a half. And he led the visitors to rooms above where they might prepare themselves for the mid-day meal.
CHAPTER V
The Girl-Element Is Injected
TRUE to his word Kington would not allow a single word spoken of the future until the meal was eaten, but he in turn spent that time in entertaining his guests with a panorama of the world’s history of the preceding twenty-five years, much of which was digested with wonder and astonishment by the two self-exiled Earthlings. Ezra listened avidly to the talk, more interested, it appeared, in things of Earth than he had been in those of his own familiar world. However, he was never
too interested in what was said to forget his attentions to his mother, whom he seemed to observe so that her every wish was fulfilled without the need of a word. Too, he often asked a question in halting, carefully enunciated words when something was not quite clear to him. Janson, struck by the youth’s queer appearance, hovered around him as much as his duties of serving would allow.
With the meal ended, Kington ushered his guests into a drawing room, a large chamber excellently furnished in the newest prevailing fashion, which considered bodily comfort first. There were many deep, overstaffed chairs, well upholstered, with tables set conveniently at hand. Large windows admitted the afternoon sun and gave the room a warm feeling. The host saw to it that his guests were comfortable before he himself took a chair. Ezra found the cigarettes of his host to his liking and Dorr puffed on a Havana cigar with enjoyment.
“We have cigarettes on Abrui, now, made from a leaf that was found to be almost a counterpart of the tobacco leaf, except that it makes a poor grade of cigar,” the man said by way of apology for the attention he was giving his smoke.
“You must have found it very difficult at times to adjust yourself to the new world,” observed Kington.
Dorr nodded and his eyes took a dreamy look as he recalled some of those adjustments he had been called upon to make.
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