lsehoods?

Well, Bastin could for one. With no more surprise in his voice than if
he were talking about last night's dinner, he said:

"There must be a mistake somewhere, or perhaps I misunderstand you. It
is obvious that you, being a man, could not have destroyed the world.
That could only be done by the Power which made it and you."

I trembled for the results of Bastin's methods of setting out the truth.
To my astonishment, however, Oro replied:

"You speak wisely, Priest, but the Power you name may use instruments to
accomplish its decrees. I am such an instrument."

"Quite so," said Bastin, "just like anybody else. You have more
knowledge of the truth than I thought. But pray, how did you destroy the
world?"

"Using my wisdom to direct the forces that are at work in the heart of
this great globe, I drowned it with a deluge, causing one part to sink
and another to rise, also changes of climate which completed the work."

"That's quite right," exclaimed Bastin delightedly. "We know all about
the Deluge, only you are not mentioned in connection with the matter. A
man, Noah, had to do with it when he was six hundred years old."

"Six hundred?" said Oro. "That is not very old. I myself had seen more
than a thousand years when I lay down to sleep."

"A thousand!" remarked Bastin, mildly interested. "That is unusual,
though some of these mighty men of renown we know lived over nine
hundred."

Here Bickley snorted and exclaimed:

"Nine hundred moons, he means."

"I did not know Noah," went on Oro. "Perhaps he lived after my time and
caused some other local deluge. Is there anything else you wish to ask
me before I leave you that I may study this map writing?"

"Yes," said Bastin. "Why were you allowed to drown your world?"

"Because it was evil, Priest, and disobeyed me and the Power I serve."

"Oh! thank you," said Bastin, "that fits in exactly. It was just the
same in Noah's time."

"I pray that it is not just the same now," said Oro, rising. "To-morrow
we will return, or if I do not who have much that I must do, the lady my
daughter will return and speak with you further."

He departed into the cave, Yva following at a little distance.

I accompanied her as far as the mouth of the cave, as did Tommy, who
all this time had been sitting contentedly upon the hem of her gorgeous
robe, quite careless of its immemorial age, if it was immemorial and not
woven yesterday, a point on which I had no informatio