Addison and Cathy were at home, having just returned from their trip, when both heard this song in the air close to them.

“Cathy, dear, I hear the song, but I do not see the singer.”

“I saw Cresto singing near us.”

“Addison that is a song I composed for Ruth. Cathy, please do not wear black at her grave, or mourn for her; she will be so happy with me. Please try to remember this little verse:

Addison, you will be too busy to get lonely while Cathy is gone. Your new mine will keep you very busy, and in time will make you a very rich man.”

“I will give one-half of all I have to my Cathy to do as she pleases with.”

“You will both put the money in a good cause.”

A week later Ruth was holding Cathy in her arms. “O! Cathy, do you love me so much as to leave your husband and lovely new bungalow, just to visit me, dear?”

“Yes, Doll, I love you just that much, and a thousandfold more. Ruth, dear, let’s spend a month in talking and laughing our heads off? I have been so busy the rest and fun will do me good.”

“Cathy, I wish I could tell you how happy your visit has made me.”

“You dear little sweetheart, I love you!”

“My sweet Cathy!”

“Here is a letter, honey, for Mrs. Cathy MacRay.”

“O! thank you, Aunty Mary.”

“Ruth it is from my husband. I will read it to you, dear.”

“Please do if it is a love letter.”

“My Dear Cathy, my own darling wife:

I was very anxious to find out if Cresto knew about that mine. So after I kissed you good bye I took the next train out to hunt up the mine. I found it just where he said I would. I find the mine very rich. All he said is true. Finding this mine is a wonderful test for me. Please have a good time and enjoy your old friends. I will send you five hundred dollars to enjoy with Ruth. So go where you please and be happy. I am very busy now. I will write more next time. Please write soon. With love and a thousand kisses,

Your husband,

ADDISON.”

“Ruth, isn’t he a darling to send me so much money without my ever asking for a cent? We will spend this money together, my sweet Doll. Tomorrow we will go to New Orleans and buy some pretty dresses and get some new books. I am so tired I must go to sleep now.”

Ruth was only partly asleep when she heard this song in her room. Ione had taught the sweet song to Cathy and she was now singing it softly. The sweet tune was more beautiful than the words. She never had heard such wonderful music:

Ione sang and prayed with the young girls until they fell asleep. Ione was a perfect saint.

Cresto came again to Ruth that night in her dreams. I, Ruth, felt myself being lifted up gently. I saw dear Cathy there below me sleeping soundly. I wanted to take her with me. Cresto said she was not developed enough to go this time. I reached out my arms to take her anyway. Suddenly I was forced rapidly up, up, into terrible space again. Soon I saw the light again. Cresto asked me if I would like to go with him and see some of the beautiful homes and see more of the canals?

“Yes, I would love to go.”

“Doll, you may tell Cathy all about your visit, dear tomorrow, she is not strong enough to be away so long.”

We stopped on one of the farms in Mars. I saw a lovely swimming pool, a big, fine home, and many beautiful flowers in the front yard. Lovely fruits and nuts, and vegetables in the back. Some of the tops of the vegetables and many of the flowers were red. All the farms we saw looked perfect. I soon saw that honest scientific farming was fashionable in Mars.

“O Cresto, dear, our own Luther Burbank will be in his glory as soon as he comes here.”

“Dear, there are many Burbanks in other worlds, and many Edisons, too. The pure, cool, fresh air feels so refreshing and invigorating. Doll, the mountains used to be very high here but for years the Martians have cut the tops off to fill up the hollow places.”

“Our mountains are valuable cultivated hills now. There are only a few high peaks left. The grass on the hills looked lighter than ours. All flowers are more beautiful here and have more colors. Lovely birds sing sweetly early and late. O! Cresto, look at those lovely bright rainbows in the distance!”

“Darling, you see the lights of a beautiful city called Lastriste, it looks from here as if it were many beautiful rainbows—the rainbows looked as if they had a thousand different colors.”

I saw new shades of blue, green, violet and red, all mingled in one grand, glorious glimmering light. It is all lighted by wonderful electric lights. In this large city there are lovely flowers and trees around the temples and each home. No two houses are close together, even in the large cities.

“Ruth, my darling girl, the sun rises in beauty here and sets in more grandeur and glory than you have just witnessed. Our sunlight is bright and more vivacious than on earth. Our nights seem like twilight. Our darkest midnight in summer is only a soft calm, gentle, subtle, twilight. Our clouds float very high; we see each beautiful design distinctly. Science and our many trees cause the rain to come periodically. We have summer and winter, seed time and harvest, the same as you do. We live a simple life here. We love one another and help each other all we can. All those who own farms here are educated; they study agriculture, and gradually work their way to wealth and happiness. A farmer here is loved in the same manner as a banker or king on earth, only more.

“Our temples, our schools are free. We are happy. We have no slaves. Work is an honor here. Most commerce is carried on by means of these wonderful connecting canals—many great minds have worked on these perfect canals for years. These canals are the direct causes of our great wealth. The rich could control the waters of the earth the same as we do, in time. The money used for war alone would do it. Our big airships, our boats, our cars, are all propelled by electrical energy. Our airships carry from ten to one hundred people at once. All airships can sail very high or low. Many airships are made just for two,—just for lovers. I will order a little airship for two now, mentally. Darling, you see I do not need to hunt up a telephone. All Martians carry their own telephones in their heads. Long distance doesn’t cost us a cent. There are about ten beautiful live salty oceans here. Remember, dear, there is a natural law in all spiritual worlds. All water and land here is now under perfect control. Now, babe, I will show you from our airship the mighty net work of our vast great canals running from pole to pole, from north to south. Near the center of Mars they also run from east to west to irrigate little farms. High gates control these canals. Our Martians are wonderful engineers. These great gates are raised by wonderful machinery and operated by electricity. Doll, our public schools are still more wonderful and more numerous than the canals. Why not? We are a little higher than the earth; a little nearer Heaven. Dear, we are traveling at the rate of 186,280 miles a second, about as fast as wireless telegraphy. We are floating in space on electric waves and can travel as fast as thought. Earth-bound souls cannot travel at all beyond the first plane; they are wicked and have wasted their energy in sin and idleness. Come, Doll, my sweet child, and put your pretty, soft arms around my neck and kiss me, and I will show you the lovely sacred temple where our own future marriage ceremony will be performed as soon as you come home to me. Without law there is no happiness.”

“O Cresto, I wish I could always stay here in your arms.”

“Some day you can, pet. Your future happiness is very sacred to me, love. Here is the temple.”

“O! darling, is it a real true church? What perfect Christians you must be to build such a lovely high temple to worship in?”

“Darling child, there is no temple in any star, no matter how beautiful or rich that temple may be, is perfect enough to worship God in. Doll, next to my Father I love you—my own love, Doll! I hold the perfect mating of two souls.

“My lovely child, my own Ruth, I will take you to my mother’s home and introduce you to her; her name is Helios, my father’s name is Rupert; my mother is a sweet little blonde. I am the perfect picture of my father. She is keeping a few jewels I have bought for you, pet. The others you may select for yourself when you come.”

We soon came to a lovely, large country home, with beautiful flowers and a lawn. The side porch was covered with large black grapes. On the back porch hung dark red grapes, among yellow and white roses. On the left is a driveway, on the right is a small lake, a bath house, and a large swimming pool. We found Helios feeding the graceful pet swans and ducks on the lake. She was a pretty, dainty little woman, who led us into the house to her private rooms. Helios took out a small casket from her large cedar chest, and handed it to Cresto. He showed her a lovely diamond engagement ring,—the stone was perfect; a rope of large pearls with a brilliant ruby pendant. Cresto wound the pearls around Ruth’s small, white neck several times; a marvelous little watch, inlaid with emeralds and diamonds, Cresto’s picture was engraved inside, the watch hung on a delicate, long gold chain; there were all kinds of perfect rings, a handsome ruby bracelet, two big butterfly ruby pins, a beautiful yellow amber colored diamond necklace; at last a stately, pure gold crown inlaid with pink pearls and diamonds.

“Doll, I will place the tiara on your lovely head soon as you are my bride.”

Cresto took a heavily chased bottle and asked me to drink to our health, and wealth. It was a large, heavy quart-sized bottle. As soon as Cresto removed the crystal stopper it foamed like liquid air. It was full of electricity. It was sparkling and had the piquant taste of champagne.

“Babe, you will drink this as a tonic here instead of hot tea and coffee. Doll, my love, please drink some more of this new ambrosia. We have different kinds of ambrosia here, dear.”

“Cresto, I never tasted anything so delicious. We also have a liquid copperas that is used as a tonic. It takes a highly educated chemist to make these mineral beverages.”

The paper napkins were soft as silk—they burn all paper napkins and handkerchiefs when soiled. They only eat one small meal a day. The bread is slightly like our cakes in taste. It is airiated sweet bread, filled with ground nuts and dried fruit.

“Ruth, my pet, we eat all kinds of delicious fresh fruit and nuts. We drink milk and use lots of eggs. Sweetheart, you have been gone a long time. I must take you home.”

We began to float upward in space. O! it is heaven to soar so high.

“We use mind power to float. The more intelligent the spirit, the better they can soar,” said Cresto.

It was a strange new happiness to float in space with a man you respect and worship.

Cresto sang these soul-stirring words to me while he was holding me in his strong arms and carrying me home.