on. He saw the dolphins
play over the bosom of the waters and the sea-gulls happy to ride the
waves. Then afar off he saw the bright columns where all day long the
sun kept working, drawing moisture to the sky from the waters to
spread it, even over the man's barren desert, to make it bloom.

Cursing again, the man with the dead soul left the waters and buried
himself beneath the earth, to hide in dark caves where neither light
nor sound could go. But a glowworm that lived in the cave made it all
too bright. By its lantern he saw the hidden mysterious forces
working. Through tiny paths warmth and nourishment ran to be near the
surface that baby seeds might germinate, live and flourish for man's
benefit. He saw great forests draw their strength from the very Earth
into which he had burrowed, to fall again in death into its kindly
arms and so to change into carbon and remain stored away for man's
future comfort. Then the man with the dead soul could live in earth no
longer, and neither could he go to the beasts, to the air, or to the
waters.

"I will return to my desert," he said, "for there is more of evil in
the gold and diamonds than anywhere else."

So he went back where the gold still shone from the veins in the
cliffs and the diamonds twinkled in the pitiless sun rays. But a
throne had been raised on a hillock and a king sat thereon with a
crown on his head and a trident in his hand.

"Who art thou who invadest my desert?" asked the man.

"Thy master," answered the king.

"And who is my master?" asked the man.

"The spirit of evil."

"Then would I dwell with thee," said the man.

"Thou hast served me well and thou art welcome," said the king.
"Behold!"

He stretched forth the trident and demons peopled the desert.

"These are thy companions. Thou shalt dwell with them, and without
torture, unless thy evil deeds be turned to good to torture me. Know
that thou hast passed from mortal life, and thy deeds of evil have
brought thee my favor. If thou hast been successful in reaping the
evil thou has sown, thou shalt be my friend. But know that for every
good thing that comes from it, thou shalt be tortured with whips of
scorpions."

So the man with the dead soul walked through rows of demons with whips
in their hands; but no arm was raised to strike, for he had sown his
evil well and the king did not frown on him.

Then one day a single whip of scorpions fell upon his shoulders.
Pain-racked he looked at