lf in that place and in Egypt for the first time.

The opening was not deep. Phut stood erect on a sloping pavement, and
began to descend along a narrow corridor with as much confidence as if
he had known the passage for a lifetime.

At the end of the corridor was a door. By groping the stranger found a
knocker, and struck three times with it. In answer came a voice, it was
unknown from what direction.

"Hast thou, who art disturbing in a night hour the peace of a holy
place, the right to enter?"

"I have done no wrong to man, child, or woman. Blood has not stained my
hands. I have eaten no unclean food. I have not taken another's
property. I have not lied. I have not betrayed the great secret,"
answered the man of Harran, calmly.

"Art Thou he for whom we are waiting, or he who in public Thou
declarest thyself to be?" inquired the voice, after a while.

"I am he who was to come from brethren in the East; but that other name
is mine also, and in the northern city I possess a house and land, as I
have told other persons."

The door opened, and Phut walked into a spacious cellar which was
lighted by a lamp burning on a small table before a purple curtain. On
the curtain was embroidered in gold a winged globe with two serpents.

At one side stood an Egyptian priest in a white robe.

"Dost them who hast entered," asked the priest, pointing at Phut, "know
what this sign on the curtain signifies?"

"The globe," answered the stranger, "is an image of the world on which
we live; the wings indicate that it is borne through space like an
eagle."

"And the serpents?" asked the priest.

"The two serpents remind him who is wise that whoso betrays the great
secret will die a double death, he will die soul and body."

After a moment of silence the priest continued,

"If Thou art in real fact Beroes" (here he inclined his head), "the
great prophet of Chaldea" (he inclined his head a second time), "for
whom there is no secret in heaven or on earth, be pleased to inform thy
servant which star is the most wonderful."

"Wonderful is Hor-set, [Jupiter] which encircles heaven in the course
of twelve years; for four smaller stars go around it. But the most
wonderful is Horka, [Saturn] which encircles heaven in thirty years;
for it has subject to it not only stars, but a great ring which
vanishes sometimes."

On hearing this, the Egyptian priest prostrated himself before the
Chaldean. Then he gave him a purple scarf and a m