The Mark of the Beast

had no precedent upon which to base their order of procedure as regarded the official opening

he modern repugnance to blood-shedding, and all the consequent unpleasantness of the sacrificial ceremonies, caused

tionalization to synchronize with their New Year, which would properly fall the next month, on

and long before the hour advertised on the programmes-7-3

on," and the great silken flag, with its "Covenant" sign, flew

, there came first the standard bearer. The heel of the standard pole was socketted in a deep barrel of leather that ran from the saddle to the stirrup. The rider was a man of enormous strength, and he had need to be, to bear the strain of the breeze that tugged at

mighty of stature, noble in pose, mounted on his jet-black mare, and attired as he had been overnight, rode Apleon, the Emperor-Dictator of the World.

was his name that filled throats of the acclaim

leon rode in, a fan-fare of trumpets gave him greeting. Then when the last intricate brazen note had soun

le. Then, in the comparative stillness, Apleon dismounted from his horse, took the diamond-studded key from the hand of the High

, meant, "in the name of the Devil

, faced the people and priests, and began to recite selected parts of Solomon's pr

ccasion to be as the beginning of a new era, a new year. And as the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, in Egypt, saying: 'This month shall be the beginning of months: i

of voice, he slipped into his synag

a memorial of blowing of trumpets and holy convo

-and instantly the weird, curious, quaverin

f the shophar died

of Israel, sacrif

hed from his girdle flashed for a moment in the air; there was a swift movement of the sacrificial priest's

wed, until the moment when the carcass of the lamb w

gathered, as another turbaned priest brough

he altar, the voice of

cried, in commanding tones. "

ng his fingers, he drew back his arm suddenly, sharply, then jerk

cloud that hung over the sacrifice, the "covenant" sign floated in white amid the blood-red cloud. Another movement and the red cloud melted away, but like

ment George Bullen was puzzled. Then he recalled

eth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, a

natural power exhibited by Apleon, was the awed silence, and

ws, was, if possible, greater than upon any

people lifted their heads. With almost an instantaneousness, the heavens darke

s, raced earthwards down the blackened heavens. No one, native of the land, o

us, stunned by the thunder; and scores lost their sigh

its gold and marbles into the valley below. No man could keep his footing in the courtyard or on that summit,

ng-doors of the Temple. But the hurricane was before t

e one word "Soh!" and they stood absolutely still, save for a long, shu

thunderous roar of the wind. Peal followed peal with hideous, horrible swiftness.

ting of the storm, it ceased. The blackness of the heavens rolled away like mist before the rising sun, and while all the western horizon

y music of the powerful band, the volatile spirits of the multitude revived, and the loud "hu

f the procession of the ceremony at the Temple, or of aught else had escaped hi

mperor's Palace. Then, when the last of the guests had passed in, t

d now poured out through the gates-for, with the practical r

bout half-a-mile outside the city. He moved

t the fringe of the crowd which grew closer and closer, as well as greater, every moment, he was amazed to see two very striking looking Easterns, clothed in sac

ted. Eastern, it was, it is true, but unlike, and more beautiful than anything he knew of. The calm of it was wondrous, and George involuntarily found himself saying over: "Thou wilt kee

returned to earth

r for a blazing wrath in his deep-set orbs. Not that the first man's eyes and face were incapable of fiery indignation,

y, their voices clear, far-reaching, their tones perfectly natural-there

usness. Then in deeply solemn tones, they spoke of the presence of the "Mark of the Beast," upon the persons of so many thousands of the people, and warned all who would not discard

the snarl of wolves in it, greeted this last part of the

them! mur

ld-be murderers swept over, around, and past the mound on which the two faithful witnesse

the Beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall mak

itnesses, Enoch and Elijah, the only two men who never passed through mortal death, and hence are the only two saints who can become God's witnesses,

ey known it, they had come off very lightly in being only disappointed, for God's witnesses had the power "when any one willed to injure them, to send forth fire o