oded form beside me and started back,
crying, 'A token, noble Rei.'

"I held up the Royal signet, and, bowing, he opened. Being come within
the Temple I lit the tapers that had been prepared. Then by their feeble
light we passed through the outer hall till we came to the curtains that
veil the sanctuary of the Holy Place, and here I quenched the tapers;
for no fire must enter there, save that which burns upon the altar of
the dead. But through the curtains came rays of light.

"'Open!' said Meriamun, and I opened, and hand in hand we passed in. On
the altar that is in the place the flame burnt brightly. The chamber is
not wide and great, for this is the smallest of the temples of Tanis,
but yet so large that the light could not reach its walls nor pierce
the overhanging gloom, and by much gazing scarcely could we discover the
outline of the graven shapes of the Holy Gods that are upon the walls.
But the light fell clear upon the great statue of the Osiris that was
seated behind the altar fashioned in the black stone of Syene, wound
about with the corpse-cloths, wearing on his head the crown of the
Upper Land, and holding in his hands the crook of divinity and the awful
scourge of punishment. The light shone all about the white and dreadful
shape that was placed upon his holy knees, the naked shape of lost
Hataska who this night had died at the hand of Meriamun. There she bowed
her head against the sacred breast, her long hair streaming down on
either side, her arms tied across her heart, and her eyes, whence the
hues of life had scarcely faded, widely staring at the darkness of the
shrine. For at Tanis to this day it is the custom for a night to place
those of high birth or office who die suddenly upon the knees of the
statue of Osiris.

"'See,' I said to the Queen, speaking low, for the weight of the haunted
place sank into my heart, 'see how she who scarce an hour ago was but
a lovely wanton hath by thine act been clad in majesty greater than all
the glory of the earth. Bethink thee, wilt thou dare indeed to summon
back the spirit to the body whence thou hast set it free? Not easily, O
Queen, may it be done for all thy magic, and if perchance she answereth
thee, it may well be that the terror of her words shall utterly
o'erwhelm us.'

"'Nay,' she made answer, 'I am instructed. I fear not. I know by what
name to call the Khou that hovers on the threshold of the Double Hall
of Truth, and how to send it back to its o