love unknown,--and with my lips on hers, I will pray.. pray for
the pardon of passion grown stronger...than...life! ..."

He ceased, and swaying forward, fell, . . a shiver ran through his
limbs...one deep, gasping sigh...and all was over. The band of
torturers gathered round the body, uttering fierce oaths and
exclamations of dismay.

"Both dead!" said one of the individuals in white.. "'Tis a most
fatal augury!"

"Fatal indeed!" said another, and turning to the men with the
blood stained axes, he added angrily--"Ye were too swift and
lavish of your weapons--ye should have let these criminals suffer
slowly inch by inch, and yet have left them life enough wherewith
to linger on in anguish many hours."

The wretches thus addressed looked sullen and humiliated, and
approaching the two corpses, would have brutally inflicted fresh
wounds on them, had not the seeming chief of the party interfered.

"Let be.. let be!" he said austerely--"Ye cannot cause the dead to
feel, . . would that it were possible! Then might the glorious and
god like thirst of vengeance in our great High Priestess be
somewhat more appeased in this matter. For the unlawful communion
of love between a vestal virgin and an anointed priest cannot be
too utterly abhorred and condemned,--and these twain, who thus did
foully violate their vows, have perished far too easily. The
sanctity of the Temple has been outraged, . . Lysia will not be
satisfied, . . and how shall we pacify her righteous wrath,