The Washington times., 1906-02-04
CHAPTER XX-Continued.

khAE 4 X AA-LQnIlnueQ-
When We entered two priests We're M
work there; one of them stirring a cal
drOn with an iron rod, and the other
receiving its molten contents into a
moi of clay. They stopped To salute
Ayesha, but she bade them To continue
their task asking them if all went well
Very well. % He's" they answered.
and we passed through that cave and
sundTy doors and passages 70 "a little
chamber cut in the rock. There was mo-
lamp or fame of fire in 1T. and yet The
place was filled with gentle light.
which seemed 10 flow from the 0ppos-
ing wall
What were those priests doinge" I
said, more to break the silence than for
any other reason
why waste breath upon foolish ques-
uons?' she replied Are no metals
smelted in thy country. O Houv2 Now
hadst thou sought 10 know what ] am
doing-but that without seeing. thou
wouldst not believe. SO. doubJer. thou
shalt see"
Then she pointed 10 and baJe us don
two strange garments thar hung upon
the wall. made of materiaI which
seemed 10 be half cloth and half wood
and having headpieccs not unlike di-
Ver's helmet.
So, under her directions. Leo helped
me into mine. lacing il up behind. after
which. OF so l gathered from the sounds
Tor no light came through She helmet
she did the same service for him.
/ seem very much IN the dark" 7
said presently, for now there was ST.
lence again. and beneath this extiu-
guisher l felt alarmed and wished TO be
sure that I WAS not left alone
LAY, Holly / heard Ayesha's mock
ing voice make answer. lin the dark. as
thou vast ever. the thick dark of iz-
norance and UnbeIief Well. now. as
ever also, will give thee light" As she
smoke l heard something ron back: /
suppose that It must have been stone
door.
Then, indeed, there was light. YES.
even through the thickness Of that Dre-
pared garment such light as seemed In
ohnd me BY it ! saw that the wall op-
poSlte 10 uS had opened and that W..
were all three OF as uu the threshold of
another chamber. Al the end OF il stood
something like little altar of hard
black stone. and on this altar Law "a
mass or substance of the size II "A
child's head. but fashioned 7 ,IIDprs,
from fantasy, TO the obloug share of "a
human eve.
IeTlng ana intolcTable light- ID was
smut round by thick. tuuneI-Shapad
screens Of material that looked iilz.
nre brick, yet tt pierced Jrrm as though
tL,s ,LLus TMtSLe ogi muslin. More. the rays
thus directed upward struck fun uuon
a lump OF metal held iu place abava
them by massive framework
Ana what rays they We're, If AN The
.lI CuI oilaHl'hds of The world We're brought
together and set beneath "a nirnry
DuFnisnin& glass, the light flashed from
lhcm would not have been "a thousandf7
part 50 brilliant. They scorcre8 rr.,
eyes ana caused the skin of nv face
ana limbs TO smart, Yet Ayrsha stood
there unshlelded from them Av. st.
even went down the length uf the Room
ard, throwing back her veH Hanr uy-.r
thetn. as II seemed a woman of molten
steel in whose body the bones yyer. Wis.,
lble, ana examined the mass that was
supported by the hanging cradle.
III Is ready, and somewhat sooner
than / thought she said. Then. ms
though II were but feather Weicht
she lifted the lump IN her bare hands
and glided back with IL to where 5.e
stood, laughing ana saying.
Tell me now, . thou tril--eld HoI-
~. II thou has ever heard of a better
alehemist than this poor priesyess of "a
forgotten fatth?' And she thrust the
glowing substance up almost 90 IL
mask that hid my face.
Then / turned and ran. or rather.
w1ddied. for in that gear / could uot
= N44s tiit ti lllT tItfHbrI Enflt tHH
wall beyond stayed me. and there. with
my back toward her. thrust my he'll
meted head against il. for / fclj as
Ihough Ted-hUJ bredaWis had been
plunged into my eyes. So ] stood vn-.
she laughed and Knocked behind me I'm
III at length / heard the door close ana
the blessed darkness came like a
from heaven.
Then Ayesha began 10 loose Leo from
his ray-proof armOT. il 50 fl can be
called, and he in turn lOOscd me, s.
there IN that gentle radiance we stood
bilnk'.tE at each other like owls in the
while the tears stTeamcd q
our faces.
',,Wel. art satisfied. my HoGy?" she
asked
Satisfied with what?'' J answered
angrlly. for the smarting Of my eyes
was unhearable. Yes, with buruings
OF bedev.lments ] am wei satisied
And | also grumblcd Leo. who was
swearing sOftlv but continuously to him
sell IN the other corner of the place.
But Ayesha only laughed. OH she
laughed until she seemed the gcddC.- If
an merriment come TO earth. laughed
till she also wept. then said.
Why. what ingratitude is this2 Tbou
nv Leo, didst wish TO see the wonders
that l work. and thou. o Holly. didst ,
come unbidden after l bade thee sta
De liilu- ana now both of YOU arr. 1-5de
ana angry. ay. and weeoing nks. q child
with burnt finger. Here take this"