Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/183

Rh After some months had gone by, a message was flashed from planet to planet, stating that the Sirian fleet had met the second line of defence at Neptune, and was about to fight it. Later on the battle areas could be seen around Neptune with the aid of a powerful telescope as they glowed with the fire of artillery. Then a nebulous cloud sprang up at Jupiter, showing that the hostile fleets were growing ever nearer and nearer. Soon afterwards the moons of Jupiter collided, and many brave men felt their hearts stand still with fear when they saw those flames leap out into space and the glowing sky cast lurid, threatening shadows over the earth. No one had any idea of what had happened. Many thought that the end of all things was about to come to pass; others mistook the dazzling light for a fleet just outside the earth's atmosphere. Soon, however, a message was sent from Jupiter stating what had really happened and describing its own woes. But this only increased