lled his heart. She was wise and beautiful, and she
seemed innocent, but Issachar was right; this girl was the minister of
an abominable creed; nay, for aught he knew, she was herself defiled
with its abominations, and her wisdom but an evil gift from the evil
powers she served. Could he, a prince of the royal blood of the House of
Israel and of the ancient Pharaohs of Khem, desire to have anything to
do with such an one, he a child of the Chosen People, a worshipper of
the true and only God? Yesterday she had thrown a spell upon him, a
spell of black magic, or the spell of her imperial beauty, which, it
mattered not, but to-day he was the lord of his own mind, and would
shake himself free of it and her.

*****

In the market-place below, the Levite Issachar also had watched the
passing of the priests and priestesses of El and Baaltis.

"Tell me, Metem," he asked of the Phoenician who stood beside him, his
head respectfully uncovered, "what mummery is this?"

"It is no mummery, worthy Issachar, but a ceremony of public sacrifice,
which is to be offered in the temple yonder, for the recovery from her
sickness of the Lady Baaltis, the high-priestess."

"Where then is the offering. I see none, unless it be those doves that
are tied to the wrists of the women?"

"Nay, Issachar," answered Metem smiling darkly, "the gods ask nobler
blood than that of doves. The offering is within, and it is the
first-born child of a priestess of Baaltis."

"O Lord of Heaven!" said Issachar lifting up his eyes, "how long will
you suffer that this murderous and accursed race should defile the face
of earth?"

"Softly, friend," broke in Metem, "I have read your Scriptures, and is
it not set out in them that your great forefather was commanded to offer
up his first-born in such a sacrifice?"

"Blaspheme not," answered the Jew. "He was commanded indeed, that
his heart might be proved, but his hand was stayed. He Whom I worship
delights not in the blood of children."

Here Issachar broke off, suddenly recognising the lady Elissa among the
white-robed priestesses. Watching her, he noted her glance at the window
of Aziel's chamber, and saw what she could not see, that the prince was
seated there. "This daughter of Satan spreads her nets," he muttered
between his teeth. Then a thought struck him, and he added aloud, "Say,
Metem, is it permitted to strangers to witness the rites in yonder
temple?"

"Surely," answered the Phoenician; "that