hat I may convince Bickley, the sceptic,
that there are powers which he does not understand, but that I have the
strength to move. Also, perhaps, that your lives may be spared for my
own purposes in that which is about to happen. Hearken! My labours are
finished; my calculations are complete," and he pointed to the sheets of
metal before him that were covered with cabalistic signs. "Tomorrow I am
about to do what once before I did and to plunge half the world in the
deeps of ocean and lift again from the depths that which has been buried
for a quarter of a million years."

"Which half?" asked Bickley.

"That is my secret, Physician, and the answer to it lies written here
in signs you cannot read. Certain countries will vanish, others will be
spared. I say that it is my secret."

"Then, Oro, if you could do what you threaten, you would drown hundreds
of millions of people."

"If I could do! If I could do!" he exclaimed, glaring at Bickley. "Well,
tomorrow you shall see what I can do. Oh! why do I grow angry with this
fool? For the rest, yes, they must drown. What does it matter? Their end
will be swift; some few minutes of terror, that is all, and in one short
century every one of them would have been dead."

An expression of horror gathered on Bastin's face.

"Do you really mean to murder hundreds of millions of people?" he asked,
in a thick, slow voice.

"I have said that I intend to send them to that heaven or that hell of
which you are so fond of talking, Preacher, somewhat more quickly
than otherwise they would have found their way thither. They have
disappointed me, they have failed; therefore, let them go and make room
for others who will succeed."

"Then you are a greater assassin than any that the world has bred, or
than all of them put together. There is nobody as bad, even in the Book
of Revelation!" shouted Bastin, in a kind of fury. "Moreover, I am not
like Bickley. I know enough of you and your hellish powers to believe
that what you plan, that you can do."

"I believe it also," sneered Oro. "But how comes it that the Great One
whom you worship does not prevent the deed, if He exists, and it be
evil?"

"He will prevent it!" raved Bastin. "Even now He commands me to prevent
it, and I obey!" Then, drawing the revolver from his pocket, he pointed
it at Oro's breast, adding: "Swear not to commit this crime, or I will
kill you!"

"So the man of peace would become a man of blood," mused Oro, "and ki