dissolution," was the reply.

"Ah, now," said Sarthia to herself resolutely, at this point turning
away from the vision, "now I understand it all," and with a feeling
of amaze at her newly-attained clairvoyance she fell into a deep and
refreshing sleep.




CHAPTER II.

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HIEROPHANT.


With the first waking moments a sharp pang recalled to Sarthia the
vision and its revealments of the previous night. But her mind had
fully recovered its philosophic tone and she proceeded about her
customary routine of duties, calm and firm, and, as is often the
case, in view of some inevitable and stupendous catastrophy close at
hand, life only seemed larger, more intensely real. So, when later
in the day she received summons to meet the great Hierophant and
High Priest, what, at any other time, would have seemed a most
momentous event, appeared now only in the light of the expected and
necessary.

As she was ushered into the presence of the Holy Father the whole
apartment seemed pervaded by an atmosphere of genial warmth and
electrical-giving life which somehow emanated from the inner nature
of the Priest himself, radiating also spiritual and mental, as well