“Plenty of time. Plenty of time,” he said quietly. “Haven’t you yet learnt that ‘time’ is as ‘magic’ as most other things? What have you two been talking about?” The children glanced at one another. “I was telling her all about it,” said Rachel. “About the Pyramid, you know, and Babylon, and the statue at Rhodes. I wouldn’t have told anyone else, but when I found that she was a ‘seven’ girl too——” “But before that?” interrupted Mr. Sheston, settling himself comfortably into an arm-chair. “We were talking about Diana,” said the other Diana. “It’s my name, and Rachel had been reading about her in the Bible. And my father painted a picture of her, so she was asking me about it.” “Well,” returned Mr. Sheston, “let’s go on talking about Diana, because there’s a great deal to say. There was a famous temple built for her once upon a time, wasn’t there? Where was it?” “At Ephesus,” said Rachel promptly. “And where is Ephesus?” “In Asia Minor,” answered Rachel again. “By the sea. Not so very far from Rhodes,” she added, with a meaning glance. Mr. Sheston got up, and to the children’s surprise, altered the position of his arm-chair till it faced the window. Then he fetched two other chairs, and placed one on either side of his own seat. This done, he took from his coat pocket a leather case, and out of the case drew a photograph. Then he pointed to the two small chairs on either side of the big one. “Sit down, one on each side of me,” he said. When the children, too interested and puzzled to ask questions, had done as he directed, he held the picture in such a position that both of them could see what it represented. “Is it the temple of Diana?” ventured Rachel as she glanced at the photograph of a huge building. “Well, not the picture of the temple itself, because that has ceased to exist, and lies buried under ruins. But it’s a picture of what scholars think the temple must have been like when it was standing.... And they’re not very far out,” he added. But this he murmured as though to himself, as he again rose and walked towards the window. Rachel and Diana watched him breathlessly while he propped the photograph against the rim of one of the glass panes. After this had been successfully accomplished, he returned to his seat, and looking from one little girl to the other, said, “Stand up. Close your eyes. Bow seven times in the direction of the picture.” The children exchanged glances before they obeyed. [Illustration] “Open your eyes.” These were the next words—and they were necessary, for till they were spoken, both of them felt all at once so drowsy that they had no wish to raise their eyelids. At the command, however, four eyes flew open in eager expectation—of what, their owners scarcely knew. The scene they actually beheld was surprising enough to force a little scream of astonishment from both of them—even though Rachel, who had been through “adventures” before, guessed at fresh wonders to follow.