I follow him in
secret--and see that he is safe--and that you tell him that I am dead.
Swear that to me before your gods and I will keep my promise; swear
that you will tell him that I am dead."

And Madhu, the son of princes, put both hands to his forehead and bowed
before the woman; then stood erect, with hands upraised to heaven,
silent, wrestling with temptation; and having won, he spoke, his face
transfigured, his eyes half closed in agony.

"Thou star of heaven! Thou highest point of the Everlasting Hills,
behold hast thy great love triumphed. I love thee, but my heart could
hold no wife who loved another as thou hast shown thou lovest this man.
I----"

But, alas! Leonie, swept off her balance in her great relief, broke
across his words.

"Let us hasten quickly, quickly. You will tell the priest; you will
help me to set him--the man I love--free. Oh, come quickly, quickly!"

In her callous but uncalculated desire to use this man as a lever
wherewith to heave aside the mountain of trouble which threatened to
overwhelm Jan Cuxson; and, with the inexplicable cruelty of the woman
who loves, and will blissfully put a whole community to torture as long
as her beloved is saved a single hurt, she asked the one impossible
thing.

He moved so quickly, fiercely, closely to her that she backed until she
stood in a patch of moonlight which shone upon her face.

Higher she raised her face, and still higher, as she looked back
straight into the eyes intent on hers.

And Madhu Krishnaghar laughed savagely as he looked down upon her.

"Go!" he commanded; "go up the path to the temple gate to meet thy
fate. The Mother claims thee, and may thy blood and the blood of the
white man who has stolen thee from me flow upon her altar before she
shakes the earth in the fury of her displeasure."

Tortured, his soul sought relief in the fanaticism of his religion
which flared in his eyes; consumed with love, he called her back as she
turned to do the bidding of a stronger will than her own.

"Come!"

She stopped and turned, gave a vacant little laugh, and crept into his
arms when he held them out, and closed them about her without touching
her.

"Ah!" he whispered, "now that thou comest to me unknowingly I will have
none of thee. I love thee, love thee, love thee! Go to thy death that
my task may be well finished, and that everlasting torment may be
fastened upon the soul of him who stole thee from me! Go, beloved o