in amaze. "Twenty--million--pounds!" He repeated the
words much after the manner of a man who, recovering from a swoon,
says, "Where--am--I?"

They talked together for a few moments of the _how_ of the financing of
such a costly undertaking. Then suddenly, Bastin faced his friend, a
rare wistfulness in his face and in his voice, as he said:

"I wish, dear Cohen, you, and your dear people could see how futile all
this work is! I do not want to hurt you by speaking of Jesus of
Nazareth. But suffer me to say this, that probably the only references
which God's word makes to this Temple of yours, are in Daniel xii. 11
and in the Christian New Testament, Matthew xxiv. Mark xiii 2, 2
Thessalonians ii 14, and Revelation xi 1, _and there it is mentioned in
connection with Judgment_. In the first verse of _our_ eleventh of
Revelation, the temple is to be measured, but it is with a reed _like a
rod_. Not the ordinary measuring reed, but like a _rod_, the symbol of
Judgment.

"And that, dear Cohen, will be the end of your beautiful temple--it
will be destroyed in Judgment, and soon--all too soon--it will be
cursed and defiled by the abomination of desolation of which your
beloved prophet Daniel speaks, in the twelfth chapter and the eleventh
verse."

With a sudden new eagerness, but as sad as he was eager, he said: "In
your extremity, and in your desire to be established in the land of
your fathers, you talk of making a seven years covenant with Lucien
Apleon, Emperor of the European confederacy?"

Cohen, evidently impressed by Ralph's manner, nodded an assent, but did
not speak.

"Oh, Cohen, my friend, my friend!" Ralph went on. "Would to God you
and your people had your eyes open to the true character of that man,
Lucien Apleon! If you had, you would see from your own prophets that
he was prophesied to be your foe. Remember Daniel nine, twenty-seven
(according to the modern chaptering and verses) "He shall confirm the
covenant with many for _one week_: (a week of years, of seven years)
and in the midst of the week (at the end of the first three and a half
years) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and on
the battlements shall be the idols of the desolator."

Cohen's face was a picture of wondering amaze. Twice his lips parted
as though he would speak, but no sound came from them, and Ralph went
on:

"I could weep with very anguish of soul, dear friend, at all that you,
and every truly pi