rock standing stark
against the sky. There was no movement below on the shore; there was
no shadow upon the lake. Yet with eyes fixed upon this scene she still
called the name, "David, David."

Sorez placed his hand upon her forehead. He concentrated the full
power of his mind upon the quest.

"Below--below--you must look below, not above. You must see nothing
but the altar of the Golden One. Below, deep, deep--look, search until
you find it."

Her features became smooth once more and she obeyed the command. She
said very distinctly this time.

"The altar is here."

"Below us?"

"Here."

He doubted--doubted even as the blood rushed through his veins with
the gladness of her words. He doubted as one will to prolong the joy
of the truth. But there still remained much else to be learned. It
was possible that the treasure was not so great as had been reported.
If only she could see it lying there; if only she could tell him of
the bars of yellow gold, of the glittering heaps of precious stones,
of the jumbled pile of golden plate which had lain there for so long!
The thought of it was enough to start the fever of desire. He wished
even that he could force her to go down there and bring up to him a
bit that he himself could touch and see and weigh. As he stood beside
her with the lust of this thing in his eyes, a shadow detached itself
from the shore. It may have been only the reflection of a tiny cloud.
But there were no clouds. It may have been just a bit of driftwood.
But it moved slowly and steadily towards the raft.

Sorez bent above the girl again.

"The Golden Man will tell you. Look into his eyes very hard."

The girl grasped the image more tightly and obeyed.

"Now go below, deep--deep."

For some reason, even as she had done in the room when first she had
held this thing, she drew back in fear at this.

"No! No!" she pleaded.

But Sorez had lost sight of her as a personality now; she was nothing
but a means to this one end; nothing but an adjunct to this heathen
idol. He repeated his command more decisively--more sternly. His words
were sharp--cold.

The shadow which had left the shore still came nearer--silently,
swiftly.

The girl rested her frightened eyes upon the brilliant jewels set
below the ugly, squat brow. They glowed in answer. They sparkled like
tiny fires. Her face grew strained--her breathing became more rapid.

"Deeper--deeper!"

The shadow had come very near. Had the girl n