“Yes,” said Godfrey drily, “I think he is.”

Goldberger’s face flushed, and he sprang to his feet impatiently.

“Show me the room,” he commanded.

“Glad to,” said Godfrey laconically, and led the way out into the hall.

The whole crowd tailed along after him.  As I rose to follow, I saw that the outside world was turning grey with the approaching dawn.

The nurse, hearing our footsteps on the stairs, looked out in alarm, and held up a warning finger.  Godfrey paused for a word with her.

“How is she?” he asked.

“Sleeping quietly,” said the nurse; “but please don’t make any more noise than you can help.”

“We won’t,” Godfrey promised, and crossed the hall to the door leading into the little entry.  Then he paused and looked around at Goldberger.  “Better go slow here,” he cautioned.  “The adept has a pet cobra.”

“A snake?”

“The deadliest snake in the world.”

Goldberger drew back a little, as did all the others.

“I don’t think it will bite us, though,” added Godfrey, cheerfully, “if we don’t crowd it.  It’s sitting there, too,” and he opened the outer door, passed through, and held back the curtain at the farther end.

I was just behind Goldberger and Simmonds, and I heard their gasp of amazement, as they saw what lay beyond.

The scene had not changed in the slightest detail.  The crystal sphere still softly glowed, with intangible shadows flitting across its surface; the adept still sat cross-legged staring into its depths; opposite him, the cobra, its hood distended, swayed slowly to and fro.

But as we stood there staring, a single delicate ray of sunlight coming through a pin-hole in the curtained window, struck the sphere and seemed to extinguish it.  The glow within it flickered and fluttered and finally vanished, and it hung there dull and grey.  An instant later, the motionless figure raised its arms high in air, with a motion somehow familiar; then it got slowly to its feet, crossed to the window, drew back the curtain and flung wide the shutter.

The sun was just peeping over the trees to the east, and for a second its light blinded me.  Then I saw the adept bowing low before it, his arms still extended.  Once, twice, thrice he bowed, as before a deity, while we stood there staring.  Then he turned slowly toward us.

“Enter, friends,” he said calmly.  “The peace of the Holy One be on you, and his love within your hearts!”

CHAPTER X

THE WHITE PRIEST OF SIVA

The adept was an impressive figure, as he stood there with the sun behind him, throwing a yellow nimbus around his head.  The robe he wore was of a rich purple, and gave an added effect of height and dignity to a figure already tall.  His hair was dark and crinkled like wind-swept water, his complexion dark, but with an under-blush of red in the cheeks.  His lips were scarlet and his eyes coal-black and of an arresting brilliance.  The whole effect he gave was of transcendent energy and magnetism, nor did he show the slightest fatigue from his long vigil.