lerance for the human weakness which forgets the world for the smiles
of a woman.

"It had to end. Sooner or later, discovery was inevitable. One night I
told Naida that I must go. Over the scene that followed I will pass in
silence. It needed all the strength of a fairly straight, hard life to
help me keep to my decision.

"She understood at last, and consented to release me. But there were
obstacles--big ones. The snow on the lower mountain slopes had begun to
melt, and the water-gate in the valley by which I had entered was now
impassable. As a result, I must use another gate, which opened into a
mountain path, but which was always guarded. At first, on hearing this,
I gave myself up for lost, but Naida had a plan.

"Removing a bangle which she always wore, she showed me the secret mark
of Fire-Tongue branded upon the creamy skin.

"'I will put this mark upon your arm,' she said. 'In no other way can
you escape. I will teach you some of the passwords by which the brethren
know one another, and if you are ever questioned you will say that you
were admitted to the order by the Master of the Bombay Lodge, news of
whose death has just reached us.'

"'But,' said I, 'how can I hope to pass for an Oriental?'

"'It does not matter,' Naida replied. 'There are some who are not
Orientals among us!'

"Gentlemen, those words staggered me, opening up a possibility which had
seemed only shadowy before. But Naida, who had tremendous strength of
character, definitely refused to discuss this aspect of the matter,
merely assuring me that it was so.

"'Those who have successfully passed the ordeal of fire,' she said, 'are
put under a vow of silence for one month, and from moon to moon must
speak to no living creature. Therefore, once you bear the mark of
the Fiery Tongue, you may safely pass the gate, except that there are
certain signs which it is necessary you should know. Afterward, if you
should ever be in danger of discovery anywhere in the East, you will
remember the passwords, which I shall teach you.'

"So I was branded with the mark of Fire-Tongue, and I spent my last
night with Naida learning from her lips the words by which members of
this order were enabled to recognize one another. In vain I entreated
Naida to accompany me. She would allow herself to love and be loved; but
the vows of this singular priesthood were to her inviolable.

"She exacted an oath from me that I would never divulge anything which I
had se