"My belief is that the moisture evaporated, then the surface of all that country became so unbearably hot--with no atmosphere as protection from the sun's rays--that the inhabitants were driven to the cañons." "What a life! No wonder they all died!" "That portion of the universe," said Cyrus, "is the desolation of desolation, the tragedy of tragedies. It is a world of ashes. And over everything an awful silence, a silence that frightens you. The stillness of death, compared to it, is a merry waltz." [Illustration: "AND OVER EVERYTHING AN AWFUL SILENCE"--_Page 214_] [Illustration: "----A WORLD OF DUST AND ASHES"--_Page 214_] "How did you happen to find this country?" "I had heard of it. You all know about it in a general way, as I have already said. But I tried to get there and happened to succeed." William shook his head. "Sorry to contradict you, Cyrus, but I never heard of such a place." Cyrus laughed. "Oh, yes, you have! Excuse me, but you have all read about it, and seen many pictures of it." Mr. Bressani took up the diamond. As he caressed the glistening marvel he asked: "Do other people know of these ruins?" "I think not." "You have never heard of any one else who has been there?" "Never." "Is the district difficult to reach?" "Very--almost impossible. In fact the trip is so long and risky that you need have no fear of other explorers. I tell you this merely that you may know the chances are small of the market being flooded with diamonds--at least from that quarter. Nobody else will try it. You may be sure of that. The diamonds are there, however, and plenty of them." [Illustration: "THE DIAMONDS ARE THERE, AND PLENTY OF THEM"--_Page 215_] "Plenty of them!" "Plenty--by the cart-load." William whistled. And the two older men whistled--in spirit--and raised their eyebrows. With the Bressani eyebrows still in the air their owner inquired: "You say this was lying on the top of the ground?" "Yes; among other fragments." "Fragments of what?" For a moment the visitor closed his eyes. "That is hard to answer. I was there at dusk. The light was peculiar, and uncertain--and changing. I should say there were fragments of cups and vases, of carved capitals, scraps of metal that might be architectural ornaments, all mingled with blocks of some white material, perhaps marble, or alabaster. And all finely carved." "These things were scattered about the ground?" "Scattered about, but not literally on the ground. Many were lying on a pavement of different colored stones--the floor of a building I should say. The outer walls and several columns were still standing." "It might have been a palace, a temple, a forum,--almost anything of size and importance." "You know nothing of the history of those people, of their manners and customs?" "Nothing, whatever." "Where could I find out? That is, of course, if we had your permission."