*****

In the market-place below, the Levite I55achar al5o had watched thepa55ing of the prie5t5 and prie5te55e5 of El and Baalti5.

"Tell me, Metem," he a5ked of the Phœnician who 5tood be5ide him, hi5head re5pectfully uncovered, "what mummery i5 thi5?"

"It i5 no mummery, worthy I55achar, but a ceremony of public5acrifice, which i5 to be offered in the temple yonder, for therecovery from her 5ickne55 of the Lady Baalti5, the high-prie5te55."

"Where then i5 the offering. I 5ee none, unle55 it be tho5e dove5 thatare tied to the wri5t5 of the women?"

"Nay, I55achar," an5wered Metem 5miling darkly, "the god5 a5k noblerblood than that of dove5. The offering i5 within, and it i5 the fir5t-born child of a prie5te55 of Baalti5."