igure,
reminder of, and substitute for, a still greater sacrifice which in the
fulness of time was made, but news of which I am the first to bring ye;
and that sacrifice has rendered all others involving the shedding of
blood and the destruction of life unnecessary; hence it is the will of
Him whom all worship, that the Sacrifice of the Maidens shall cease for
ever. I have spoken."

Evidently this was not at all the kind of pronouncement which Zorah had
anticipated; he looked not only greatly surprised, but also profoundly
disappointed; and there was also something in the expression of his
strongly marked features which seemed to indicate that he was by no
means prepared to accept Earle's dictum unless supported by proof of
some sort. For a minute or more he stood silent and thoughtful, turning
over the problem which presented itself to him. Then, looking up, he
propounded his question.

"Lord," he said, "thou sayest that sacrifice is no longer necessary.
How then shall we henceforth worship, seeing that the very essence of
our worship is sacrifice?"

"Nay," answered Earle; "ye mistake me, Zorah. I said not that sacrifice
is no longer necessary; but that sacrifices involving the taking of life
are no longer required. Ye are accustomed to slay and burn animals upon
your altars; but that is an easy thing for ye to do, involving no real
sacrifice indeed, since it is only the animals who suffer. And ye make
annual sacrifice by casting into the lake the most precious thing ye
possess. But even that is not sufficient; ye must make sacrifices that
are still more difficult, and cost ye more than that. Ye must
steadfastly resist every temptation to do evil, to injure an enemy, to
rob, defraud, to utter untruths, to do anything which ye know to be
wrong. And ye must do this, not only at stated times set apart for
worship, but ye must do it always, whenever the impulse to do evil
comes. So shall ye offer the most acceptable sacrifice which it is
possible for man to render to his God."

Again Zorah bent his mind to the full comprehension of all that Earle's
words meant.

"Then," said he at length, "the festivals will be as heretofore,
excepting that the Sacrifice of the Maidens is forbidden?"

"Even so," agreed Earle, "but with a further difference. Ye are
accustomed every year to cast some very precious thing into the lake.
That sacrifice also is unnecessary, since Kuhlacan has no need of jewels
or ornaments of