surface　weaved　the　same　unnameable　symbols。　　The　Golden
  Girl　pressed　upon　its　side；　it　slipped　softly　back；　a　torrent　of
  opalescence　gushed　out　of　the　openingand　as　one　in　a
  dream　I　entered。
  We　were；　I　knew；　just　under　the　dome；　but　for　the　mo…
  ment；　caught　in　the　flood　of　radiance；　I　could　see　nothing。　　It
  was　like　being　held　within　a　fire　opalso　brilliant；　so　flash…
  ing；　was　it。　　I　closed　my　eyes；　opened　them；　the　lambency
  cascaded　from　the　vast　curves　of　the　globular　walls；　in　front
  of　me　was　a　long；　narrow　opening　in　them；　through　which；
  far　away；　I　could　see　the　end　of　the　wizards'　bridge　and　the
  ledged　mouth　of　the　cavern　through　which　we　had　come；
  against　the　light　from　within　beat　the　crimson　light　from
  withoutand　was　checked　as　though　by　a　barrier。
  I　felt　Lakla's　touch；　turned。
  A　hundred　paces　away　was　a　dais；　its　rim　raised　a　yard
  above　the　floor。　　From　the　edge　of　this　rim　streamed　upward
  a　steady；　coruscating　mist　of　the　opalescence；　veined　even　as
  was　that　of　the　Dweller's　shining　core　and　shot　with　milky
  shadows　like　curdled　moonlight；　up　it　stretched　like　a　wall。
  Over　it；　from　it；　down　upon　me；　gazed　three　facestwo
  clearly　male；　one　a　woman's。　　At　the　first　I　thought　them
  statues；　and　then　the　eyes　of　them　gave　the　lie　to　me；　for
  the　eyes　were　alive；　terribly；　and　if　I　could　admit　the　word
  SUPERNATURALLYalive。
  They　were　thrice　the　size　of　the　human　eye　and　triangular；
  the　apex　of　the　angle　upward；　black　as　jet；　pupilless；　filled
  with　tiny；　leaping　red　flames；
  Over　them　were　foreheads；　not　as　ourshigh　and　broad
  and　visored；　their　sides　drawn　forward　into　a　vertical　ridge；
  a　prominence；　an　upright　wedge；　somewhat　like　the　visored
  heads　of　a　few　of　the　great　lizardsand　the　heads；　long；
  narrowing　at　the　back；　were　fully　twice　the　size　of　man…
  kind's！
  Upon　the　brows　were　capsand　with　a　fearful　certainty
  I　knew　that　they　were　NOT　capslong；　thick　strands　of
  gleaming　yellow；　feathered　scales　thin　as　sequins！　　Sharp；
  curving　noses　like　the　beaks　of　the　giant　condors；　mouths
  thin；　austere；　long；　powerful；　pointed　chins；　theFLESH
  of　the　faces　white　as　the　whitest　marble；　and　wreathing　up　to
  them；　covering　all　their　bodies；　the　shimmering；　curdled；
  misty　fires　of　opalescence！
  Olaf　stood　rigid；　my　own　heart　leaped　wildly。　　What
  what　were　these　beings？
  I　forced　myself　to　look　againand　from　their　gaze
  streamed　a　current　of　reassurance；　of　good　willnay；　of
  intense　spiritual　strength。　　I　saw　that　they　were　not　fierce；
  not　ruthless；　not　inhuman；　despite　their　strangeness；　no；
  they　were　kindly；　in　some　unmistakable　way；　benign　and
  sorrowfulso　sorrowful！　　I　straightened；　gazed　back　at　them
  fearlessly。　　Olaf　drew　a　deep　breath；　gazed　steadily　too；　the
  hardness；　the　despair　wiped　from　his　face。
  Now　Lakla　drew　closer　to　the　dais；　the　three　pairs　of　eyes
  searched　hers；　the　woman's　with　an　ineffable　tenderness；
  some　message　seemed　to　pass　between　the　Three　and　the
  Golden　Girl。　　She　bowed　low；　turned　to　the　Norseman。
  〃Place　Larry　there；〃　she　said　softly〃there　at　the　feet　of
  the　Silent　Ones。〃
  She　pointed　into　the　radiant　mist；　Olaf　started；　hesitated；
  stared　from　Lakla　to　the　Three；　searched　for　a　moment　their
  eyesand　something　like　a　smile　drifted　through　them。　　He
  stepped　forward；　lifted　O'Keefe；　set　him　squarely　within　the
  covering　light。　　It　wavered；　rolled　upward；　swirled　about　the
  body；　steadied　againand　within　it　there　was　no　sign　of
  Larry！
  Again　the　mist　wavered；　shook；　and　seemed　to　climb
  higher；　hiding　the　chins；　the　beaked　noses；　the　brows　of　that
  incredible　Trinitybut　before　it　ceased　to　climb；　I　thought
  the　yellow　feathered　heads　bent；　sensed　a　movement　as
  though　they　lifted　something。
  The　mist　fell；　the　eyes　gleamed　out　again；　inscrutable。
  And　groping　out　of　the　radiance；　pausing　at　the　verge　of
  the　dais；　leaping　down　from　it；　came　Larry；　laughing；　filled
  with　life；　blinking　as　one　who　draws　from　darkness　into　sun…
  shine。　　He　saw　Lakla；　sprang　to　her；　gripped　her　in　his　arms。
  〃Lakla！〃　he　cried。　〃Mavourneen！〃　　She　slipped　from　his
  embrace；　blushing；　glancing　at　the　Three　shyly；　half…fear…
  fully。　　And　again　I　saw　the　tenderness　creep　into　the　inky；
  flame…shot　orbs　of　the　woman　being；　and　a　tenderness　in　the
  others　tooas　though　they　regarded　some　well…beloved
  child。
  〃You　lay　in　the　arms　of　Death；　Larry；〃　she　said。　　〃And　the
  Silent　Ones　drew　you　from　him。　　Do　homage　to　the　Silent
  Ones；　Larry；　for　they　are　good　and　they　are　mighty！〃
  She　turned　his　head　with　one　of　the　long；　white　hands
  and　he　looked　into　the　faces　of　the　Three；　looked　long；　was
  shaken　even　as　had　been　Olaf　and　myself；　was　swept　by　that
  same　wave　of　power　and　ofofwhat　can　I　call　it？HOLINESS
  that　streamed　from　them。
  Then　for　the　first　time　I　saw　real　awe　mount　into　his　face。
  Another　moment　he　staredand　dropped　upon　one　knee
  and　bowed　his　head　before　them　as　would　a　worshipper　be…
  fore　the　shrine　of　his　saint。　　AndI　am　not　ashamed　to　tell　it
  I　joined　him；　and　with　us　knelt　Lakla　and　Olaf　and　Rador。
  The　mist　of　fiery　opal　swirled　up　about　the　Three；　hid
  them。
  And　with　a　long；　deep；　joyous　sigh　Lakla　took　Larry's
  hand；　drew　him　to　his　feet；　and　silently　we　followed　them
  out　of　that　hall　of　wonder。
  But　why；　in　going；　did　the　thought　come　to　me　that　from
  where　the　Three　sat　throned　they　ever　watched　the　cavern
  mouth　that　was　the　door　into　their　abode；　and　looked　down
  ever　into　the　unfathomable　depth　in　which　glowed　and
  pulsed　that　mystic　flower；　colossal；　awesome；　of　green　flame
  that　had　seemed　to　me　fire　of　life　itself？
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  The　Wooing　of　Lakla
  I　HAD　SLEPT　soundly　and　dreamlessly；　I　wakened　quietly　in
  the　great　chamber　into　which　Rador　had　ushered　O'Keefe
  and　myself　after　that　culminating　experience　of　crowded；
  nerve…racking　hoursthe　facing　of　the　Three。
  Now；　lying　gazing　upward　at　the　high…vaulted　ceiling；　I
  heard　Larry's　voice：
  〃They　look　like　birds。〃　Evidently　he　was　thinking　of　the
  Three；　a　silencethen：　〃Yes；　they　look　like　BIRDSand　they
  look；　and　it's　meaning　no　disrespect　to　them　I　am　at　all；　they
  look　like　LIZARDS〃and　another　silence〃they　look　like
  some　sort　of　gods；　and；　by　the　good　sword…arm　of　Brian
  Boru；　they　look　human；　too！　　And　it's　NONE　of　them　they　are
  either；　so　whatwhat　thewhat　the　sainted　St。　Bridget　are
  they？〃　Another　short　silence；　and　then　in　a　tone　of　awed
  and　absolute　conviction：　〃That's　it；　sure！　　That's　what　they
  areit　all　hangs　inthey　couldn't　be　anything　else〃
  He　gave　a　whoop；　a　pillow　shot　over　and　caught　me　across
  the　head。
  〃Wake　up！〃　shouted　Larry。　　〃Wake　up；　ye　seething　caldron
  of　fossilized　superstitions！　　Wake　up；　ye　bogy…haunted　man
  of　scientific　unwisdom！〃
  Under　pillow　and　insults　I　bounced　to　my　feet；　filled　for　a
  moment　with　quite　real　wrath；　he　lay　back；　roaring　with
  laughter；　and　my　anger　was　swept　away。
  〃Doc；〃　he　said；　very　seriously；　after　this；　〃I　know　who　the
  Three　are！〃
  〃Yes？〃　I　queried；　with　studied　sarcasm。
  〃Yes？〃　he　mimicked。　　〃Yes！　　Yeye〃　He　paused　under
  the　menace　of　my　look；　grinned。　　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　he　con…
  tinued。　　〃They're　of　the　Tuatha　De；　the　old　ones；　the　great
  people　of　Ireland；　THAT'S　who　they　are！〃
  I　knew；　of　course；　of　the　Tuatha　De　Danann；　the　tribes　of
  the　god　Danu；　the　half…legendary；　half…historical　clan　who
  found　their　home　in　Erin　some　four　thousand　years　before
  the　Christian　era；　and　who　have　left　so　deep　an　impress　upon
  the　Celtic　mind　and　its　myths。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Larry　again；　〃the　Tuatha　Dethe　Ancient
  Ones　who　had　spells　that　could　compel　Mananan；　who　is　the
  spirit　of　all　the　seas；　an'　Keithor；　who　is　the　god　of　all　green
  living　things；　an'　even　Hesus；　the　unseen　god；　whose　pulse　is
  the　pulse　of　all　the　firmament；　yes；　an'　Orchil　too；　who　sits
  within　the　earth　an'　weaves　with　the　shuttle　of　mystery　and
  her　three　looms　of　birth　an'　life　an'　deatheven　Orchil
  would　weave　as　they　commanded！〃
  He　was　silentthen：
  〃They　are　of　themthe　mighty　oneswhy　else　would　I
  have　bent　my　knee　to　them　as　I　would　have　to　the　spirit　of
  my　dead　mother？　　Why　else　would　Lakla；　whose　gold…brown
  hair　is　the　hair　of　Eilidh　the　Fair；　whose　mouth　is　the　sweet
  mouth　of　Deirdre；　an'　whose　soul　walked　with　mine　ages
  agone　among　the　fragrant　green　myrtle　of　Erin；　serve　them？〃
  he　whispered；　eyes　full　of　dream。
  〃Have　you　any　idea　how　they　got　here？〃　I　asked；　not
  unreasonably。
  〃I　haven't　thought　about　that；〃　he　replied　somewhat　test…
  ily。　　〃But　at　once；　me　excellent　man　o'　wisdom；　a　number
  occur　to　me。　　One　of　them　is　that　this　little　party　of　three
  might　have　stopped　here　on　their　way　to　Ireland；　an'　for　good
  reasons　of　their　own　decided　to　stay　a　while；　an'　another　is
  that　they　might　have　come　here　afterward；　havin'　got　wind
  of　what　those　rats　out　there　were　contemplatin'；　and　have