mountain side, almost full of snow. We, following his direction, glided down into it some thirty feet. Then he led us a few yards up the ravine, to a vast snow-pile, and pointed to an opening cut in the snow. Taking Maud by the hand, he led her towards it. She entered with him, and I followed close. A metal door stood in the snow. Aleriel opened it. A blaze of light came from within. Maud, who was in front, and thus could see more than I, gave a sudden scream, and fell backwards fainting in my arms. What could it be? As yet I had seen nothing but the light.
Aleriel took from his breast a phial, and poured a few drops on her lips. She revived almost at once, crying out, "Oh, do not go in! They are dreadful—so unearthly!"
"Who?" I said. "Let me see."
I leant forward, and once at least in my life I beheld a scene plainly of another world. It was a small room, encrusted all over with crystals of every colour and strange ornaments in curious designs. It rose into a little domeshaped roof, in the centre of which blazed a powerful electric light, which made all around glitter. On the walls were fixed a dozen or so curious instruments of a nature quite unknown to me. In the dome there fluttered a large
