ain she grew splendid, almost divine; no more a
woman but as it were an angel. Some fire of pure purpose seemed to burn
up in her and to shine out of her eyes. Yet she said little. Only this
indeed:

"To everyone, I think, there comes the moment of opportunity when choice
must be made between what is great and what is small, between self and
its desires and the good of other wanderers in the way. This day that
moment may draw near to you or me, and if so, surely we shall greet it
well. Such is Bastin's lesson, which I have striven to learn."

Then she flung her arms about me and kissed me on the brow as a mother
might, and was gone.

Strangely enough, perhaps because of my mental exhaustion, for what I
had passed through seemed to overwhelm me so that I could no longer so
much as think with clearness, even after all that I have described I
slept like a child and awoke refreshed and well.

I looked at my watch to find that it was now eight o'clock in the
morning in this horrible place where there was neither morn, nor noon,
nor night, but only an eternal brightness that came I knew not whence,
and never learned.

I found that I was alone, since Bickley and Bastin had gone to fill
our bottles with the Life-water. Presently they returned and we ate a
little; with that water to drink one did not need much food. It was
a somewhat silent meal, for our circumstances were a check on talk;
moreover, I thought that the others looked at me rather oddly. Perhaps
they guessed something of my midnight visit to the temple, but if so
they thought it wisest to say nothing. Nor did I enlighten them.

Shortly after we had finished Yva appeared. She was wonderfully quiet
and gentle in her manner, calm also, and greeted all of us with much
sweetness. Of our experiences during the night she said no word to me,
even when we were alone. One difference I noticed about her, however;
that she was clothed in garments such as I had never seen her wear
before. They were close fitting, save for a flowing cape, and made of
some grey material, not unlike a coarse homespun or even asbestos cloth.
Still they became her very well, and when I remarked upon them, all she
answered was that part of our road would be rough. Even her feet were
shod with high buskins of this grey stuff.

Presently she touched Bastin on the shoulder and said that she would
speak with him apart. They went together into one of the chambers of
that dwelling and there remai