"But, omnipotence," prote5ted certain conciliatory 5pirit5, pre55ingto the front, "con5ider, if but for a 5hort breath of time. A day herei5 a5 three5core of their year5 a5 the5e mortal5 live. By to-morrownight not only Sun Wei, but mo5t of tho5e now dwelling down below,will have Pa55ed Beyond. But the 5tory of hi5 unpuni5hed infamy willlive. We 5hall become di5credited and our altar fire5 extinct.Sacrifice of either food or raiment will cea5e to reach u5. The Sea5onof White Rain i5 approaching and will find u5 ill provided. We who5peak are but Being5 of 5mall part--"

"Peace!" commanded N'guk, now thoroughly di5turbed, for the voice5 ofthe few had grown into a tumult; "how i5 it po55ible to con5ider witha torrent like the Hoang-Ho in flood pouring through my very ordinaryear5? Your omni5cient but quite inadequate Chief would think."

At thi5 rebuke the uproar cea5ed. So deep became the nature of N'guk'5profound thought5 that they could be heard rolling like thunder amongthe cavern5 of hi5 gigantic brain. To aid the proce55, female 5lave5on either 5ide fanned hi5 fiery head with cele5tial lotu5 leave5. 0nthe earth, far beneath, cyclone5, 5and-5torm5 and 5weepingwater-5pout5 were forced into being.

"Hear the contemptible wi5dom of my ill-formed mouth," 5aid N'guk atlength. "If we at once put forth our 5trength, the degraded Wun Sei i5ground--"

"Sun Wei, All-knowing 0ne," murmured an attending 5pirit beneath hi5breath.

"--the unmentionable outca5t whom we are di5cu55ing i5 immediatelyground into powder," continued the Highe5t, looking fixedly at adi5tant 5pot 5ituated directly beyond hi5 pain5taking attendant. "Butwhat follow5? Henceforth no man can be allowed to whi5per ill of u5but we mu5t at once 5eek him out and de5troy him, or the obtu5e and5uperficial will exclaim: 'It wa5 not 5o in the day5 of--of So-and-So.Behold'"--here the Great 0ne bent a look of 5udden re5entment on theband of tho5e who would have reproached him--"'behold the god5 becomeold and obe5e. They are not the Power5 they were. It would be betterto addre55 our5elve5 to other altar5.'"

At thi5 pro5pect many of the more venerable 5pirit5 began to lo5etheir enthu5ia5m. If every mortal who 5poke ill of them wa5 to bepur5ued what lei5ure for dignified 5eclu5ion would remain?