ond only the torture of the sacrifice required of him flared in
the soft brown eyes; and then in the pride of his great race, and with
an effort of will beyond all telling, he put his unbroken arm round the
woman he loved so well, lifted her, got somehow to his feet, and
walked, aye! walked steadily across the few yards which separated him
from the white man.

Cuxson, not realising his terrible plight, with eyes only for the woman
_he_ loved, wrenched Leonie from his hold and swept her from head to
foot with frantic eyes.

"What have you done to her?" he demanded fiercely. "Before the
earthquake what did you do to her? Tell me--or by God I'll----"

He stopped the bitter words in time to save himself from everlasting
remorse.

For Madhu Krishnaghar suddenly straightened his battered body, and
looked the white man in the eyes.

"She is safe, O white man, safe and unharmed. Take her, keep
her--carry her by the--the short road without the--the temple
gates--to--happiness, _I_ give _her_--to--you--because _I_--I
love--her--for ever!"

There was a moment's terrible silence in which the two men stood
divided, yet united, in their great love for the one woman.

The native of India put his hand to his forehead and salaamed before
the woman for whom he had sacrificed all, then turned slowly around
towards the place where the image of his god had so lately stood.

"Kali!" he called, and his young voice was as the clashing of golden
bells at sunset. "Kali! Mother of all--I come!"

And unwitting of the great reward awaiting those who attain everlasting
peace through the victory of the greater love, he crashed face
downwards, dead, upon the flower-strewn floor, and passed for ever into
the safe keeping of the one and only God.

CHAPTER LI

"When the day breaks and the shadows flee away!"--_The Bible_.

Jan Cuxson lifted Leonie's face to the light of the moon, and caught
his breath at the sight of the turned back eyes and drooping mouth.

This was the outcome of it all! _This_ was how she was left to him;
saved from physical hurt but with her mind for ever bound by the will
of yon dead priest. Hypnotised, mesmerised, to be under the influence
of the Goddess of Destruction until her death; maybe to pass her life
in the security of a padded cell; she, his Leonie, his love, his
wife-to-be.

He crushed her in fierce despair against his heart as the ground moved
gently under his feet, and prayed aloud to