know themselves. Gently they suggested these things, gently these sayings took root, almost unperceived.

“Our temple which we have built is very mighty. It can never fall,” they said.

Some few there were who would have spoken for Eline, but they were timid and afraid of those who talked so boastfully. Wherefore they were silent. It is true that one or two attempted to recall the noble deeds of the absent one, and to point out that she had really built the temple; they had supplied only the labor; yet the fruits of it were theirs and the world’s.

“True,” said the wicked and faithless ones, “she had a great mind for building; but she made mistakes. She herself said so. We have learned by those mistakes and we know. She would have made the temple teachings too common altogether. Why, she actually began to turn into a teacher of virtues of which the world is weary, instead of building as at first. She had taught all she knew, but we can teach greater things, and better things; we can teach the world twenty different styles of building in metals, wood, stone, and marble; of ornaments and decorations enough to last for a century. Thus we honor her; thus we carry on her work and make it grow—although she made mistakes.”

“Indeed she did make mistakes,” said one, “and the greatest mistake of all was when she chose such faithless craftsmen for the temple work. Shame on you!”

“O faithful one!” said they. “Such faith deserves a great reward. To you we will entrust the duty of finding her. We will give you all you need for the voyage—a ship and provisions enough for a year!”

ADRIFT ON THE SEA

XII

So those treacherous ones cast adrift on the ocean the one who remained faithful. And those others who would have spoken out for their absent Teacher were silenced against their own better natures. For those wicked ones had been great among them, and they were afraid.

It was thought that in no long time the winds and the waves would destroy the little ship with its lonely voyager; yet with stout heart, knowing that he might not return alone, he held on fearless and determined. Sometimes it seems that those who so follow the voice of their inner wisdom in dauntless courage are helped by nature, as though she ever loves such brave hearts. I have heard the story told how the great Columbus who found a new world was beset by his followers to return. How nature sent him messages that he was nearing land—birds and driftwood, branches of trees and floating weed. He read the message with the eyes of one who loves all nature well, and promised sight of land to his men in three days, a promise that was fulfilled.

So it was that the little ship with the one who remained faithful did a greater work than ever those desired who sent it.

Slowly, slowly, in the Temple, it came about that the guardians forgot their duty, forgot that they were there to guard the temple in sacred trust for humanity; and as the wicked ones among them wished, they busied themselves about many things; but not the one thing needful, the welfare and the progress of mankind.

How can the tale be told? A tale that is new, yet old—old beyond count of years.

For the enemies of the world, with whom those wicked ones were leagued, came suddenly by night, when the sacred lamp which sent rays of hope over the great ocean was allowed to flicker and to go out. And those enemies destroyed the temple so that scarcely one stone remained upon another. And with it were destroyed those weak ones who failed in their trust. All perished and with them perished for a time the Light of the World.

XIII

It is said, how truly I know not, that beneath the foundation pillars of the temple was wisely prepared by Eline a vault, a vast cave wherein were hidden the most sacred records of the temple and the sacred secret name which they had forgotten.

To her over the sea came the knowledge of the faithless guard, and in her agony she called upon that sacred name if by chance the temple should be saved.

In days of old men knew that there is a power in words, a power now forgotten. Stories there are which tell of city walls falling at a trumpet blast, of cities rising as if by magic at a word, of mighty doors thrown open, of nature spellbound by a song, of mighty names the jinns and genii of the desert obey.

And this sacred name was such a one as these; for with its whispering a mighty thrill passed out over the world and the foundations of the sea were shaken. Vast continents were destroyed, and men said the world was at an end. Terrible was the time, but Eline knew that it was better so; for the remnant of the living might one day restore the ancient glory of that land. But had it been that the land remained, those wicked ones would have lived and worked to destroy the whole world so that not even a remnant should be left in the bosom of the waters to re-people the earth.

After many days, tossed and beaten by the waves, the little ship with the outcast faithful one came drifting to the land where Eline was.

The winds and the sea conspired, as it seemed, to urge the ship on her voyage, and the dwellers of the ocean pointed the way, watchful ever and untiring in their duty. Small as it was, and ill-found, Eline chose this ship for her return, and once again she came to the place where the temple had stood—she and that faithful one.

She gazed on the ruins of that sacred spot and sadly looked at the tops of the mighty pillars just rising above the waves of the sea which at times filled the arches in between so that no man might pass beneath.

Unseen guards there were, Eline knew, guards who would keep that spot free for future generations of a world to come. Water-nymphs, sea-sprites, and earth-goblins, undines, gnomes, and sylphs dwelt there as sentinels of a sacred trust, and Eline was content to go.

“For,” she said, “the secret vault of the sacred name yet stands intact until these same faithless ones shall come again, purified by many wanderings and trials, and shall again guard that new-old temple with me. That time they shall not fail!”

And a ray of glorious hope shone in her face as she left the ruined temple.

“I will return!” she said. “I will return!”

“I WILL RETURN”