ch sheltered the exiles, the fugitive followers of God.

'Twas death before death to the priestess; 'twas the death of the old
faith, the birth of the new--the new one awakening the soul from its
slumber, refining the spirit, remoulding her nature, and bringing
together the Christ and His loved one.

The night-winds leapt from their slumbers, and shrieked like a soul in
pain, trampled the flowers in their fury, flew round the pine-clad
mountains, circled and circled again, till the girl was entombed in a
whirlwind, a whirlwind with centre of calm.

Within that sanctuary, guarded by the angel of the covenant, stood
Saronia, undismayed, determined, decided to serve the Son of Jehovah.

* * * * *

Her next step was to break away from the Temple service. Many methods
came to her--one such as to leave the place without disturbance, to
quietly move away; to flee; to live and breathe the fresh air, until
hunted down to meet death in the arena of the great theatre of Ephesus.
But to Saronia this was cowardly, and she resolved to meet her fate at
once. Life to her was valueless save for the good she might do. But what
greater good could she do than to openly witness for the new faith
before the priests and priestesses of the great Temple of Diana, and
receive the martyr's crown? It was a fitting prelude to the entrance
into the great life--to the life which ended never.

She would call an assembly of the priests and priestesses, and tell them
from her own lips the story of her new-born love. The time was fixed,
and as it was no uncommon thing for the priests and priestesses to meet
their chief in solemn assembly, no particular notice was taken of
Saronia's action in calling such.

So, at eventide, when the worship for the day was over, and the sun had
set, and the outer gates leading into the Temple were closed, the
priests and priestesses gathered before the great altar, to listen to
the voice of their beloved priestess.

* * * * *

The scene was one of solemn grandeur, as the priests with garments of
many-coloured textures ranged themselves in crescent rows on the right
of the altar as you enter the massive gates at the chief entrance. On
the left of the altar, in the same manner, stood the priestesses,
loveliest of the Ionian women, draped in white, yellow, rose-coloured,
and azure garments, with here and there a robe of black, sacred to
Hecate; whilst ot