a Princess of the realm of materiality.
But, a new factor had now entered her being. A force, more subtle
than all Wisdom,--more potent than life or eternity itself,--had
transfused her soul--Love! Love, the first, the highest, the
all-embracing force of the mighty Universe, and with this new love
had been ushered also into being, Jealousy.

"Rathunor loved Nu-nah! Am I not a strange interloper? Was it not
worse by my decision to rob Nu-nah of her lover than to deprive her
of continued physical life?"

For, it seemed to her now, that life without love would be more than
the agonies of the lowest hells. Then again, to live with Rathunor
as his wife, while he all the time thought her to be Nu-nah, would
be an incessant torture, keener and more intense than if she were
chained by, as a third person, to behold him loving the actual
Nu-nah in her own body.

"Holy Father and revered Hierophant," she moaned, "help me, I can
not decide."

"My child," came the mental response to her call, "if you could be
assured that Rathunor would love _you_ in Nu-nah's body, would the
decision be easy?"

"Aye, indeed, dear Father."

"Then rest assured it will be as you desire. We give you our sacred
word that Rathunor will love _you_."

Then, raising his arm, as in benediction, he slowly repeated thrice,
like an incantation, the words, "Rest in Peace," and, ere the echoes
of his voice had died away, the soul of Sarthia had left forever its
earthly abode and Temple.

CHAPTER IV.

WITHIN THE ADYTUM.

For several days, after floating from her body into the Astral
world, Sarthia remained in a state of profound, dreamless slumber
and then gradually passed into a condition of semi-consciousness
with occasional fitful gleams of memory until one day she realized
herself in close proximity to two persons engaged in earnest
conversation and became fully aware of the momentous events that had
just transpired and her present disembodied situation. And with a
thrill indescribable she recognized the voice of Rathunor addressing
the Hierophant.

"And so, most revered Father, all things are progressing favorably
and toward a satisfactory culmination?" he said.

"Even so, my son," was the reply. "And yet," continued the Prince,
"save the one momentary gleam of recognition, upon the first night
of the ceremonies, the soul of the Princess Nu-nah, to all outward
appearance, has left entirely. The body is sustained, apparently, by
some