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“The voice said, ‘Adam, may I speak with you?’ “I did not answer by word, but in amazement just nodded my consent. Almost at the same time, the air a few yards in front of me shimmered into a congealing form. It became a dome-shaped craft, sitting there on the sand. A lovely woman stood near it, facing me. Her smile was enough to tell me that it was this ship I had seen gracefully spiraling to earth. She simply stood there by the ship of ethereal beauty, and she beside it, of living beauty. “T tell you now, Orfeo, before you ask me. She was not Lyra, of whom you wrote in your book. And it was not the one who danced in the glass this evening. “The lady asked me, simply and directly, ‘Having nothing to lose and nothing to gain, Adam, would you like a trip into the new estate which to you, until now, has existed only as a dream, 1 a» or hope?’” “Even now I did not speak. I could only nod my consent. She thereupon walked straight up to me. She extended her hand toward the softly glistening ship, turned about and we walked together toward it. A sliding door silently provided an opening. What I could see of the inside of the craft glistened more intensely than the exterior. It was indeed identical to the one you described in the little paper containing your story. I could not help but recall your description as I entered. And then we sat. . .” “Hold it at minute, Adam ... hold it!” I exclaimed. “I knew something was out of place. The light struck me suddenly when you mentioned the little paper that carried my story. I can understand that. But several times this evening you mentioned my book. It isn’t even published yet. How did you know about the 19» » book?” “Tm sorry, Orfeo, I meant your newspaper story, I guess.” “Oh, no, Adam. You said you purchased the book at a lecture, and you even know its title, ‘The Secret of the Saucers.’ Also, you know ofa few things that are only in its manuscript, nowhere else. Has Earl told you about it?— Still, even he would not know as 1 ce wad 48 SON OF THE SUN much of it as you have told me.”