"Now may all the gods in Heaven defend thee, thou unhappy,
desperate, distracted soul!" he said in trembling, affrighted
accents. "Thou dost implore the blessing of a Faith unknown! ... a
Mystery predicted but not yet fulfilled...a Creed that shall not
be declared to men for full FIVE THOUSAND YEARS!"




CHAPTER XXI.

THE CRIMSON RIVER.


At these unexpected words Theos sprang wildly to his feet. An
awful darkness seemed to close in upon him,--and a chaotic
confusion of memories began to whirl and drift through his mind
like flotsam and jetsam tossed upon a storm-swept sea. The aged
and shadowy-looking Zuriel stood motionless, watching him with
something of timid pity and mild patience.

"FIVE THOUSAND YEARS!" he muttered hoarsely, pressing his hands
into his aching brows, while his eyes again fixed themselves
yearningly on the Cross.. "Five thousand years before. ... before
WHAT?"

He caught the old man's arm, and in spite of himself, a laugh,
wild, discordant, and out of all keeping with his inward emotions,
broke from his parched lips,--"Thou doting fool!" he cried almost