diaphragm behind the wires, hoping that the sound-waves would pass
between the wires, and vibrate the diaphragm, which, being made of
composition, would undoubtedly glow, but not more than the film had
done. This, I concluded, would not interfere with the image on the
wires, owing to the brilliancy of the latter.

I was now hopeful of success, and anxiously waited for the day to close.
Everything was in readiness by noon, and I had at least eight hours to
wait before Mars would be in a position for wave contact. But now
appeared an adversary with which I had not reckoned. Clouds began to
gather, thin and fleecy at first, but growing heavier as the afternoon
passed, until by evening the heavens were completely obscured. This was
a condition that might last for several days, and the dread of it filled
me with despair. How could I wait for days inactive, without seeing or
even hearing from my friend in Mars?

It now occurred to me how absolutely absorbed I had become in the
Martian investigation. Ordinarily a sociable person, in the past week I
had become a recluse. College friends that I had seen almost daily since
my return to Paris, I now completely neglected, even shunned, lest they
should call at my rooms some evening when I was in wave contact with
Mars. It also occurred to me that, as surely as my friendship and
necessity for them was declining, in like ratio was increasing an
attachment for an inhabitant of another world. I felt a strange soul
kinship for this Martian, which seemed to spring up the moment I saw his
image portrayed on my instrument. And the feeling was not one of
ordinary friendship. I felt I was drawn to him by some mysterious power,
that gave him the place of a brother in my affections--a power that
seemed to have brought us together, and now united us with a great
common and compelling interest. And yet as I pictured his handsome,