She has denied herself the ordinary amusements of her age. Her devotion to me has been beautiful." The voice of the old man trembled, and I fancied I could read in his hollow eyes the untold martyrdom of genius. "At last," he continued, "I have brought the matter into a practical shape, and like many other inventors, for the first time I stand in need of advice. Happening to see your article in the Magazine, I resolved to invite you to come and see what I have done in hopes that you might be able to advise and perhaps help me." "I think," said I, after a moment's reflection, "I think the next thing to be done is to make a large working machine, and try it on a voyage." "Quite so," he replied; "and I am prepared to build one that will go to any part of the earth, or explore the higher regions of the atmosphere, or go down under the sea, or even make a trip to one of the nearer planets, Mars or Venus as the case may be. But I am poor; my little fortune is all but exhausted, and here, at the end of the race, within sight of the goal, I lack the wherewithal to reach it. Now, sir, if you can see your way to provide the funds, I will give you a share in the profits of the invention." I pondered his words in silence. Visions of travel through the air in distant lands, above the rhododendron forests of the Himalayas, or the green Savannahs of the Orinoco, the coral isles of the Pacific; yea, further still, through the starlit crypts of space to other spheres were hovering in my fancy. The singular history of the man, too, had touched my feelings. Nevertheless, I hesitated to accept his offer there and then. It was hardly a proposal to decide upon without due consideration. "I will think it over and let you know," said I at length. "Have you any objection to my consulting Professor Gazen, the well-known astronomer? He is a friend of mine. Perhaps he will be able to assist us." "None whatever, so long as he keeps the affair to himself. You can bring him to see the experiments if you like. All I reserve is that I shall not be asked to explain the inner action of the machine. That must remain a secret; but some day I hope to show you even that." "Thanks." CHAPTER IV. THE ELECTRIC ORRERY. "Half-moon Junction! Change here for Venus, Mercury, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune!" So I called in the style of a Clapham railway porter, as I entered the observatory of Professor Gazen on the following night. "What is the matter?" said he with a smile. "Are you imitating the officials of the Universal Navigation Company in the distant future?" "Not so distant as you may imagine," I responded significantly; and then I told him all that I had seen and heard of the new flying machine. The professor listened with serious attention, but manifested neither astonishment nor scepticism. "What do you think about it?" I asked. "What should I do in the case?"