rnal life and under our special care and
preparation you can live years of experience in hours of physical
time, and your soul thus equipped may courageously enter upon its
journey to the spirit world. Rest assured, my child, everything
possible shall be done for you."

"Ah, thank you; thank you, kind and good Father," exclaimed Sarthia,
casting herself at the feet of the Hierophant and, with tears
streaming from her eyes, kissing the hem of his robe.

"But, truly life is sweet, especially to the young, is it not, my
child?" said the Priest, gently raising Sarthia to his side and
holding her trembling form in a firm clasp. "Happily, there is an
alternative which we have to offer for your most careful
consideration and decision.

"Listen now, and give me your closest attention. Know you the young
Princess Nu-nah?" Sarthia bowed assent.

"For now these many weeks she lies in a semi-conscious condition,
the soul hovering about its earthly temple uncertain whether to go
or stay. In some respects her condition corresponds with your own,
only that with you, as dissolution approaches, your soul grows
brighter and more active, while hers becomes more and more latent;
this result being largely the difference of environment--a contrast
of the soul unfoldment possible in Temple life and that amid the
distractions of the outside world.

"To-night, the night of the full Moon, the Princess Nu-nah will be
brought to the Temple and the Rites performed initiatory to the
soul's great change. You, also, my child, must bear her company. The
same journey lies before you both and you can go hand in hand
through the dark valley of the shadow of death.

"And now, right here is a point where all will depend upon _your_
decision. It is possible for us, by aid of the arts of Magic known
to us, to bring your two souls in such magnetic rapport that at a
certain point the vibrations of the two will, for a single instant
of time, be in unison. At that momentous instant the polarity of the
two souls can be interchanged so that the subsequent vibrations of
your soul will draw you toward Nu-nah's body, while Nu-nah's soul
will be drawn toward your organism, and thus will be accomplished
the first great step in the drama.

"This great change will hasten the physical crisis in each organism.
But your soul, while connected with Nu-nah's body, can easily
overcome the malefic planetary influences which would destroy it if
she were there; while her