ward。
Miles away； gigantic luminous cliffs sprang sheer from
the limits of a lake whose waters were of milky opalescence。
It was from these cliffs that the spangled radiance came；
shimmering out from all their lustrous surfaces。 To left and
to right； as far as the eye could see； they stretchedand
they vanished in the auroral nebulosity on high！
〃Look at that！〃 exclaimed Larry。 I followed his pointing
finger。 On the face of the shining wall； stretched between two
colossal columns； hung an incredible veil； prismatic； gleam…
ing with all the colours of the spectrum。 It was like a web
of rainbows woven by the fingers of the daughters of the
Jinn。 In front of it and a little at each side was a semi…circular
pier； or； better； a plaza of what appeared to be glistening；
pale…yellow ivory。 At each end of its half…circle clustered a
few low…walled； rose…stone structures； each of them sur…
mounted by a number of high； slender pinnacles。
We looked at each other； I think； a bit helplesslyand
back again through the opening。 We were standing； as I have
said； at its base。 The wall in which it was set was at least ten
feet thick； and so； of course； all that we could see of that
which was without were the distances that revealed them…
selves above the outer ledge of the oval。
〃Let's take a look at what's under us；〃 said Larry。
He crept out upon the ledge and peered down； the rest of
us following。 A hundred yards beneath us stretched gardens
that must have been like those of many…columned Iram；
which the ancient Addite King had built for his pleasure ages
before the deluge； and which Allah； so the Arab legend tells；
took and hid from man； within the Sahara； beyond all hope of
findingjealous because they were more beautiful than his
in paradise。 Within them flowers and groves of laced； fern…
like trees； pillared pavilions nestled。
The trunks of the trees were of emerald； of vermilion； and
of azure…blue； and the blossoms； whose fragrance was borne
to us； shone like jewels。 The graceful pillars were tinted
delicately。 I noted that the pavilions were doublein a way；
two…storiedand that they were oddly splotched with circles；
with squares； and with oblongs ofopacity； noted too that
over many this opacity stretched like a roof； yet it did not
seem material； rather was itimpenetrable shadow！
Down through this city of gardens ran a broad shining
green thoroughfare； glistening like glass and spanned at reg…
ular intervals with graceful； arched bridges。 The road flashed
to a wide square； where rose； from a base of that same silvery
stone that formed the lip of the Moon Pool； a titanic struc…
ture of seven terraces； and along it flitted objects that bore
a curious resemblance to the shell of the Nautilus。 Within
them werehuman figures！ And upon tree…bordered prome…
nades on each side walked others！
Far to the right we caught the glint of another emerald…
paved road。
And between the two the gardens grew sweetly down to
the hither side of that opalescent water across which were
the radiant cliffs and the curtain of mystery。
Thus it was that we first saw the city of the Dweller；
blessed and accursed as no place on earth； or under or above
earth has ever beenor； that force willing which some call
God； ever again shall be！
〃Chert！〃 whispered Marakinoff。 〃Incredible！〃
〃Trolldom！〃 gasped Olaf Huldricksson。 〃It is Trolldom！〃
〃Listen； Olaf！〃 said Larry。 〃Cut out that Trolldom stuff！
There's no Trolldom； or fairies； outside Ireland。 Get that！
And this isn't Ireland。 And； buck up； Professor！〃 This to
Marakinoff。 〃What you see down there are peopleJUST PLAIN
PEOPLE。 And wherever there's people is where I live。 Get me？
〃There's no way in but inand no way out but out；〃 said
O'Keefe。 〃And there's the stairway。 Eggs are eggs no matter
how they're cookedand people are just people； fellow
travellers； no matter what dish they are in；〃 he concluded。
〃Come on！〃
With the three of us close behind him； he marched toward
the entrance。
CHAPTER XIII
Yolara； Priestess of the Shining One
〃YOU'D better have this handy； Doc。〃 O'Keefe paused at the
head of the stairway and handed me one of the automatics
he had taken from Marakinoff。
〃Shall I not have one also？〃 rather anxiously asked the
latter。
〃When you need it you'll get it；〃 answered O'Keefe。 〃I'll
tell you frankly； though； Professor； that you'll have to show
me before I trust you with a gun。 You shoot too straight
from cover。〃
The flash of anger in the Russian's eyes turned to a cold
consideration。
〃You say always just what is in your mind； Lieutenant
O'Keefe；〃 he mused。 〃Dathat I shall remember！〃 Later I
was to recall this odd observationand Marakinoff was to
remember indeed。
In single file； O'Keefe at the head and Olaf bringing up
the rear； we passed through the portal。 Before us dropped a
circular shaft； into which the light from the chamber of the
oval streamed liquidly； set in its sides the steps spiralled； and
down them we went； cautiously。 The stairway ended in a
circular well； silentwith no trace of exit！ The rounded
stones joined each other evenlyhermetically。 Carved on
one of the slabs was one of the five flowered vines。 I pressed
my fingers upon the calyxes； even as Larry had within the
Moon Chamber。
A crackhorizontal； four feet wideappeared on the
wall； widened； and as the sinking slab that made it dropped
to the level of our eyes； we looked through a hundred…feet…
long rift in the living rock！ The stone fell steadilyand we
saw that it was a Cyclopean wedge set within the slit of the
passageway。 It reached the level of our feet and stopped。 At
the far end of this tunnel； whose floor was the polished rock
that had； a moment before； fitted hermetically into its roof；
was a low； narrow triangular opening through which light
streamed。
〃Nowhere to go but out！〃 grinned Larry。 〃And I'll bet
Golden Eyes is waiting for us with a taxi！〃 He stepped for…
ward。 We followed； slipping； sliding along the glassy surface；
and I； for one； had a lively apprehension of what our fate
would be should that enormous mass rise before we had
emerged！ We reached the end； crept out of the narrow tri…
angle that was its exit。
We stood upon a wide ledge carpeted with a thick yellow
moss。 I looked behindand clutched O'Keefe's arm。 The
door through which we had come had vanished！ There was
only a precipice of pale rock； on whose surfaces great patches
of the amber moss hung； around whose base our ledge ran；
and whose summits； if summits it had； were hidden； like the
luminous cliffs； in the radiance above us。
〃Nowhere to go but aheadand Golden Eyes hasn't kept
her date！〃 laughed O'Keefebut somewhat grimly。
We walked a few yards along the ledge and； rounding a
corner； faced the end of one of the slender bridges。 From this
vantage point the oddly shaped vehicles were plain； and we
could see they were； indeed； like the shell of the Nautilus and
elfinly beautiful。 Their drivers sat high upon the forward
whorl。 Their bodies were piled high with cushions； upon
which lay women half…swathed in gay silken webs。 From
the pavilioned gardens smaller channels of glistening green
ran into the broad way； much as automobile runways do on
earth； and in and out of them flashed the fairy shells。
There came a shout from one。 Its occupants had glimpsed
us。 They pointed； others stopped and stared； one shell turned
and sped up a runwayand quickly over the other side of
the bridge came a score of men。 They were dwarfednone
of them more than five feet high； prodigiously broad of
shoulder； clearly enormously powerful。
〃Trolde！〃 muttered Olaf； stepping beside O'Keefe； pistol
swinging free in his hand。
But at the middle of the bridge the leader stopped； waved
back his men； and came toward us alone； palms outstretched
in the immemorial； universal gesture of truce。 He paused；
scanning us with manifest wonder； we returned the scrutiny
with interest。 The dwarf's face was as white as Olaf'sfar
whiter than those of the other three of us； the features clean…
cut and noble； almost classical； the wide set eyes of a curious
greenish grey and the black hair curling over his head like
that on some old Greek statue。
Dwarfed though he was； there was no suggestion of de…
formity about him。 The gigantic shoulders were covered with
a loose green tunic that looked like fine linen。 It was caught
in at the waist by a broad girdle studded with what seemed
to be amazonites。 In it was thrust a long curved poniard
resembling the Malaysian kris。 His legs were swathed in the
same green cloth as the upper garment。 His feet were
sandalled。
My gaze returned to his face； and in it I found something
subtly disturbing； an expression of half…malicious gaiety that
underlay the wholly prepossessing features like a vague
threat； a mocking deviltry that hinted at entire callousness
to suffering or sorrow； something of the spirit that was
vaguely alien and disquieting。
He spokeand； to my surprise； enough of the words were
familiar to enable me clearly to catch the meaning of the
whole。 They were Polynesian； the Polynesian of the Samoans
which is its most ancient form； but in some indefinable way
archaic。 Later I was to know that the tongue bore the same
relation to the Polynesian of today as does NOT that of
Chaucer； but of the Venerable Bede； to modern English。 Nor
was this to be so astonishing； when with the knowledge came
the certainty that it was from it the language we call Poly…
nesian sprang。
〃From whence do you come； strangersand how found
you your way here？〃 said the green dwarf。
I waved my hand toward the cliff behind us。 His eyes nar…
rowed incredulously； he glanced at its drop； upo