d awakened within her--a feeling stronger than
humiliation, stronger than pride. It had risen, blinding and dazzling
her, as a great light might blind and dazzle; and she stood glorified
and exalted within its radiance.

As the door had closed upon her second visitor, a long sobbing sigh of
excitement, of tumultuous joy and fear shook her from head to foot; she
involuntarily drew her figure to its full height, and covered her face
with both hands, as though to ward off the light that lay across her
world.

But the great moment of joy and comprehension could not last; other and
more insistent factors were at work within her mind--claiming, even
demanding attention. Almost as the outer door closed upon Bale-Corphew,
her hands dropped to her sides and an expression akin to terror crossed
her eyes. With a mind rendered supersensitive by its own emotions, she
realized what the next five hours might hold; and like a tangible menace
the dark, angry face of the Arch-Mystic flashed back upon her
consciousness.

While he had been present in the room, while his turbulent voice had
filled her ears, she had been only partly alive to the threatened
danger; but now that his presence had been removed, now that she was
free to sift the meaning of his words, their full significance was borne
in upon her. With an alarming clearness of vision, she recognized that
behind his threats lay a definite meaning; that the man himself, at all
times passionate, and, on occasion, violent in temperament, had
suddenly become a danger--something as fierce and menacing as an
uncontrolled element.

She realized and understood this rapidly, as only the mind knows and
comprehends in moments of stress and crisis; and before her knowledge,
all ideas save one fell away like chaff before the wind. At all
costs--in face of every obstacle--she must warn and save the Prophet!

With a start of apprehension, she glanced at the clock and saw that the
hands marked ten minutes to seven. Moving to the fireplace, she once
more pressed the bell; and as Norris answered, turned to her, heedless
for perhaps the first time in her life of outward appearances.

"Get me my long black cloak, Norris," she said. "And a black hat and
veil. I am going out."

Norris's face expressed no surprise.

"You will be back to dinner, ma'am?" she inquired.

"No. I shall not want dinner. I may not be back till ten--perhaps
eleven. If I am late, no one need wait up." She walked to a mi