through　it　spedthe　Shining　One！
  Straight　down　that　radiant　path；　its　high…flung　plumes　of
  feathery　flame　shimmering；　its　coruscating　spirals　whirling；
  its　seven　globes　of　seven　colours　shining　above　its　glowing
  core；　it　raced　toward　us。　　The　hurricane　of　bells　of　diamond
  glass　were　jubilant；　joyous。　　I　felt　O'Keefe　grip　my　arm；
  Yolara　threw　her　white　arms　out　in　a　welcoming　gesture；　I
  heard　from　the　tier　a　sigh　of　raptureand　in　it　a　poignant；
  wailing　under…tone　of　agony！
  Over　the　waters；　down　the　light　stream；　to　the　end　of　the
  ivory　pier；　flew　the　Shining　One。　　Through　its　crystal　_pizzicati_
  drifted　inarticulate　murmuringsdeadly　sweet；　stilling　the
  heart　and　setting　it　leaping　madly。
  For　a　moment　it　paused；　poised　itself；　and　then　came
  whirling　down　the　flower　path　to　its　priestess；　slowly；　ever
  more　slowly。　　It　hovered　for　a　moment　between　the　woman
  and　the　dwarf；　as　though　contemplating　them；　turned　to　her
  with　its　storm　of　tinklings　softened；　its　murmurings　infinitely
  caressing。　　Bent　toward　it；　Yolara　seemed　to　gather　within
  herself　pulsing　waves　of　power；　she　was　terrifying；　glori…
  ously；　maddeningly　evil；　and　as　gloriously；　maddeningly
  heavenly！　　Aphrodite　and　the　Virgin！　　Tanith　of　the
  Carthaginians　and　St。　Bride　of　the　Isles！　　A　queen　of　hell
  and　a　princess　of　heavenin　one！
  Only　for　a　moment　did　that　which　we　had　called　the
  Dweller　and　which　these　named　the　Shining　One；　pause。　　It
  swept　up　the　ramp　to　the　dais；　rested　there；　slowly　turning；
  plumes　and　spirals　lacing　and　unlacing；　throbbing；　pulsing。
  Now　its　nucleus　grew　plainer；　strongerhuman　in　a　fashion；
  and　all　inhuman；　neither　man　nor　woman；　neither　god　nor
  devil；　subtly　partaking　of　all。　　Nor　could　I　doubt　that　what…
  ever　it　was；　within　that　shining　nucleus　was　something　sen…
  tient；　something　that　had　will　and　energy；　and　in　some　aw…
  ful；　supernormal　fashionintelligence！
  Another　trumpetinga　sound　of　stones　openinga　long；
  low　wail　of　utter　anguishsomething　moved　shadowy　in　the
  river　of　light；　and　slowly　at　first；　then　ever　more　rapidly；
  shapes　swam　through　it。　　There　were　half　a　score　of　them
  girls　and　youths；　women　and　men。　　The　Shining　One　poised
  itself；　regarded　them。　　They　drew　closer；　and　in　the　eyes　of
  each　and　in　their　faces　was　the　bud　of　that　awful　inter…
  mingling　of　emotions；　of　joy　and　sorrow；　ecstasy　and　terror；
  that　I　had　seen　in　full　blossom　on　Throckmartin's。
  The　Thing　began　again　its　murmuringsnow　infinitely
  caressing；　coaxinglike　the　song　of　a　siren　from　some
  witched　star！　　And　the　bell…sounds　rang　outcompellingly；
  callingcallingcalling
  I　saw　Olaf　lean　far　out　of　his　place；　saw；　half…consciously；
  at　Lugur's　signal；　three　of　the　dwarfs　creep　in　and　take
  places；　unnoticed；　behind　him。
  Now　the　first　of　the　figures　rushed　upon　the　daisand
  paused。　　It　was　the　girl　who　had　been　brought　before　Yolara
  when　the　gnome　named　Songar　was　driven　into　the　nothing…
  ness！　　With　all　the　quickness　of　light　a　spiral　of　the　Shining
  One　stretched　out　and　encircled　her。
  At　its　touch　there　was　an　infinitely　dreadful　shrinking
  and；　it　seemed；　a　simultaneous　hurling　of　herself　into　its
  radiance。　　As　it　wrapped　its　swirls　around　her；　permeated　her
  the　crystal　chorus　burst　forthtumultuously；　through　and
  through　her　the　radiance　pulsed。　　Began　then　that　infinitely
  dreadful；　but　infinitely　glorious；　rhythm　they　called　the　dance
  of　the　Shining　One。　　And　as　the　girl　swirled　within　its　spar…
  kling　mists　another　and　another　flew　into　its　embrace；　until；
  at　last；　the　dais　was　an　incredible　vision；　a　mad　star's
  Witches'　Sabbath；　an　altar　of　white　faces　and　bodies　gleam…
  ing　through　living　flame；　transfused　with　rapture　insupport…
  able　and　horror　that　was　hellishand　ever；　radiant　plumes
  and　spirals　expanding；　the　core　of　the　Shining　One　waxed
  growing　greateras　it　consumed；　as　it　drew　into　and　through
  itself　the　life…force　of　these　lost　ones！
  So　they　spun；　interlacedand　there　began　to　pulse　from
  them　life；　vitality；　as　though　the　very　essence　of　nature　was
  filling　us。　　Dimly　I　recognized　that　what　I　was　beholding　was
  vampirism　inconceivable！　　The　banked　tiers　chanted。　　The
  mighty　sounds　pealed　forth！
  It　was　a　Saturnalia　of　demigods！
  Then；　whirling；　bell…notes　storming；　the　Shining　One　with…
  drew　slowly　from　the　dais　down　the　ramp；　still　embracing；
  still　interwoven　with　those　who　had　thrown　themselves　into
  its　spirals。　　They　drifted　with　it　as　though　half…carried　in
  dreadful　dance；　white　faces　sealedforeverinto　that　sem…
  blance　of　those　who　held　within　linked　God　and　devilI
  covered　my　eyes！
  I　heard　a　gasp　from　O'Keefe；　opened　my　eyes　and　sought
  his；　saw　the　wildness　vanish　from　them　as　he　strained　for…
  ward。　　Olaf　had　leaned　far　out；　and　as　he　did　so　the　dwarfs
  beside　him　caught　him；　and　whether　by　design　or　through　his
  own　swift；　involuntary　movement；　thrust　him　half　into　the
  Dweller's　path。　　The　Dweller　paused　in　its　gyrationsseemed
  to　watch　him。　　The　Norseman's　face　was　crimson；　his　eyes
  blazing。　　He　threw　himself　back　and；　with　one　defiant　shout；
  gripped　one　of　the　dwarfs　about　the　middle　and　sent　him
  hurtling　through　the　air；　straight　at　the　radiant　Thing！　　A
  whirling　mass　of　legs　and　arms；　the　dwarf　flewthen　in　mid…
  flight　stopped　as　though　some　gigantic　invisible　hand　had
  caught　him；　andwas　dashed　down　upon　the　platform　not　a
  yard　from　the　Shining　One！
  Like　a　broken　spider　he　movedfeeblyonce；　twice。
  From　the　Dweller　shot　a　shimmering　tentacletouched　him
  recoiled。　　Its　crystal　tinklings　changed　into　an　angry　chim…
  ing。　　From　all　aboutjewelled　stalls　and　jet　peakcame　a
  sigh　of　incredulous　horror。
  Lugur　leaped　forward。　　On　the　instant　Larry　was　over　the
  low　barrier　between　the　pillars；　rushing　to　the　Norseman's
  side。　　And　even　as　they　ran　there　was　another　wild　shout　from
  Olaf；　and　he　hurled　himself　out；　straight　at　the　throat　of　the
  Dweller！
  But　before　he　could　touch　the　Shining　One；　now　motion…
  lessand　never　was　the　thing　more　horrible　than　then；　with
  the　purely　human　suggestion　of　surprise　plain　in　its　poise
  Larry　had　struck　him　aside。
  I　tried　to　followand　was　held　by　Rador。　　He　was　trem…
  blingbut　not　with　fear。　　In　his　face　was　incredulous　hope；
  inexplicable　eagerness。
  〃Wait！〃　he　said。　　〃Wait！〃
  The　Shining　One　stretched　out　a　slow　spiral；　and　as　it　did
  so　I　saw　the　bravest　thing　man　has　ever　witnessed。　　Instantly
  O'Keefe　thrust　himself　between　it　and　Olaf；　pistol　out。　　The
  tentacle　touched　him；　and　the　dull　blue　of　his　robe　flashed
  out　into　blinding；　intense　azure　light。　　From　the　automatic　in
  his　gloved　hand　came　three　quick　bursts　of　flame　straight
  into　the　Thing。　　The　Dweller　drew　back；　the　bell…sounds
  swelled。
  Lugur　paused；　his　hand　darted　up；　and　in　it　was　one　of
  the　silver　_Keth_　cones。　　But　before　he　could　flash　it　upon　the
  Norseman；　Larry　had　unlooped　his　robe；　thrown　its　fold
  over　Olaf；　and；　holding　him　with　one　hand　away　from　the
  Shining　One；　thrust　with　the　other　his　pistol　into　the　dwarf's
  stomach。　　His　lips　moved；　but　I　could　not　hear　what　he　said。
  But　Lugur　understood；　for　his　hand　dropped。
  Now　Yolara　was　thereall　this　had　taken　barely　more
  than　five　seconds。　　She　thrust　herself　between　the　three　men
  and　the　Dweller。　　She　spoke　to　itand　the　wild　buzzing　died
  down；　the　gay　crystal　tinklings　burst　forth　again。　　The　Thing
  murmured　to　herbegan　to　whirlfaster；　fasterpassed
  down　the　ivory　pier；　out　upon　the　waters；　bearing　with　it；
  meshed　in　its　light；　the　sacrificesswept　on　ever　more
  swiftly；　triumphantly　and　turning；　turning；　with　its　ghastly
  crew；　vanished　through　the　Veil！
  Abruptly　the　polychromatic　path　snapped　out。　　The　silver
  light　poured　in　upon　us。　　From　all　the　amphitheatre　arose　a
  clamour；　a　shouting。　　Marakinoff；　his　eyes　staring；　was　lean…
  ing　out；　listening。　　Unrestrained　now　by　Rador；　I　vaulted　the
  wall　and　rushed　forward。　　But　not　before　I　had　heard　the
  green　dwarf　murmur：
  〃There　is　something　stronger　than　the　Shining　One！　　Two
  thingsyeaa　strong　heartand　hate！〃
  Olaf；　panting；　eyes　glazed；　trembling；　shrank　beneath　my
  hand。
  〃The　devil　that　took　my　Helma！〃　I　heard　him　whisper。
  〃The　Shining　Devil！〃
  〃Both　these　men；〃　Lugur　was　raging；　〃they　shall　dance
  with　the　Shining　one。　　And　this　one；　too。〃　He　pointed　at　me
  malignantly。
  〃This　man　is　mine；〃　said　the　priestess；　and　her　voice　was
  menacing。　　She　rested　her　hand　on　Larry's　shoulder。　　〃He
  shall　not　dance。　　Nonor　his　friend。　　I　have　told　you　I　dare
  not　for　this　one！〃　She　pointed　to　Olaf。
  〃Neither　this　man；　nor　this；〃　said　Larry；　〃shall　be　harmed。
  This　is　my　word；　Yolara！〃
  〃Even　so；〃　she　answered　quietly；　〃my　lord！〃
  I　saw　Marakinoff　stare　at　O'Keefe　with　a　new　and　curi…
  ously　speculative　interest。　　Lugur's　eyes　grew　hellish；　he
  raised　his　arms　as　though　to　strike　her。　　Larry's　pistol
  prodded　him　rudely　enough。
  〃No　r