piercing shriek, she
fell back into the arms of Chios.

He heard footsteps approaching. He knew he must fly. Then, laying her on
a couch, he kissed her lovingly, saying:

'We must part, but will meet again. Saronia, dost hear me? I will see
thee at the Temple service: an oleander in thy bosom, I come to thee; a
myrtle flower, thou comest to me. Farewell, loved one!'

And he plunged into the darkness, and the thunders roared as if the
heavens would rend themselves in twain.

* * * * *

The priestess nerved herself and reclined listlessly. When the attendant
priestesses entered, she was pale as the white silk enfolding her form.

'What ails the noble lady?' said the foremost of the beautiful maidens.

'It has passed,' said Saronia. 'Summon the guard; bid them go to the
Temple and bring me word if disaster has fallen and smitten it. Hear ye
the mighty voices of the gods! See the quivering messengers of fire!
Haste away and bring me news!'

Then, falling into one of her mysterious reveries, from which no
priestess dared disturb her, they noiselessly glided from the room one
by one, each bearing a lamp of gold, and Saronia was left alone.

Soon the priestesses returned, with blanched cheeks, saying:

'Lady of Diana, at thy bidding the priests, with escort, entered the
sacred edifice, and discovered through the roof the fated bolt had
flown, wrecked the altar, and rent the veil; but the statue of the great
goddess remains unscathed. The watchmen are dead, blackened corpses. The
High Priest, chief of the Megalobyzi, has gone to the Temple. What shall
we do?'

For a moment the mighty priestess was lost in thought--'twas but for a
moment; then she raised herself and regained sublime dignity, saying:

'Altar and veil, the work of men's hands, are resistless as man to their
fate; but the image of she who is highest in heaven and strongest in
hell is safe from the lightnings, the storm, and the warrings of all the
invisible hosts which encircle us. And we, her own children, are safe in
her keeping--safe in the shade of Diana Triformis. Pour out your
prayers, let them rise to the heavens and spread round your homestead
and down to the underworlds. Pour out oblations! Chant forth your
praise-hymns for mercy on mercy rolling forth like the surging of
mightiest billows! Farewell, maidens of the goddess, farewell!'

Saronia that night was sleepless. She had again saved the life of Chios.
Sh