When I had deciphered the last word, when I had it borne fully in upon
me, the significance of it all, I turned to the one natural effort to
answer this Martian communication. I sent out from the battery of our
transmitter the longest wave of magnetic oscillation I could emit. The
message was simple: "Have received all. Await more. Transmission
perfect."
CHAPTER IV.
Again for weeks I watched the station. My assistants relieved me, and
amongst them was now included Miss Dodan. It was only a few days after
the Dodans found me at the register, absorbed in receiving my father's
message, that Miss Dodan called. She ran toward me at the open door of
the station, her face fixed in an anxious expression of half-alarmed
expectation.
"Did you really, Mr. Dodd, hear anything? Is it true that something came
from your father. Oh, tell me, can it be possible?"
I took her clasped hands in my own, looked into her face and told her
everything. She was the first visitor to the station since the day of
the marvellous experience. My assistants had promised secrecy, which I
reinforced effectively by doubling their salaries. I felt I ought not to
have revealed this thing to Miss Dodan, and when in the first impulse of
confidence everything so unwittingly passed my lips, I took her arm in
mine and walked out upon the broad plateau toward the opposite end
where our smaller experimenting station had been built.
"Miss Dodan," I said, "I am going to ask a great favor of you.
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