with the
ceremony.

"Richard Seaton and Martin Crane, exchange the plain rings with Dorothy
Vaneman and Margaret Spencer."

They did so, and repeated, after the Karbix, simple vows of love and
loyalty.

"May the First Cause smile upon this temporary marriage and render it
worthy of being made permanent. As a lowly servant of the all-powerful
First Cause I pronounce you two, and you two, husband and wife. But we
must remember that the dull vision of mortal man cannot pierce the veil
of futurity, which is as crystal to the all-beholding eye of the First
Cause. Though you love each other truly, unforeseen things may come
between you to mar the perfection of your happiness. Therefore a time is
granted you during which you may discover whether or not your unions are
perfect."

A pause ensued, then Tarnan went on:

"Martin Crane, Margaret Spencer, Richard Seaton, and Dorothy Vaneman,
you are before us to take the final vows which shall bind your bodies
together for life and your spirits together for eternity. Have you
considered the gravity of this step sufficiently to enter into this
marriage without reservation?"

"I have," solemnly replied the four, in unison.

"Exchange the jeweled rings. Do you, Richard Seaton and Dorothy Vaneman;
and you, Martin Crane and Margaret Spencer; individually swear, here in
the presence of the First Cause and that of the Supreme Justices of
Kondal, that you will be true and loyal, each helping his chosen one in
all things, great and small; that never throughout eternity, in thought
or in action, will either your body or your mind or your conscious
spirit stray from the path of fairness and truth and honor?"

"I do."

"I pronounce you married with the eternal marriage. Just as the faidon
which you each now wear--the eternal jewel which no force of man,
however applied, has yet been able to change or deform in any
particular; and which continues to give off its inward light without
change throughout eternity--shall endure through endless cycles of time
after the metal of the ring which holds it shall have crumbled in decay:
even so shall your spirits, formerly two, now one and indissoluble,
progress in ever-ascending evolution throughout eternity after the base
material which is your bodies shall have returned to the senseless dust
from whence it arose."

* * * * *

The Karbix lowered his arms and the bridal party walked to the door
through a doubl