CHAPTER XII.

THE LANDING ON MERCURY. _(Narrative continued by Alan Newland.)_ With hardly more than a perceptible tremor our strange vehicle came to rest upon the surface of Mercury. For a moment Miela and I stood regarding each other silently. Then she left her station at the levers of the mechanism and placed her hands gently on my shoulders. "You are welcome, my husband, here to my world." I kissed her glowing, earnest face. We had reached our journey's end. My work was about to begin--upon my own efforts now depended the sa…