track of him by the sound of his shoes on the stone, but the absolute darkness and the unfamiliar path made their steps uncertain a

rength. There was a perceptible increase in temperature and the atmosphere, changing from a chill, became muggy and oppressive. Marsyas,

t overhead, passed, and, when the darkness became sufficiently feeble, they discovered that th

a spok

ere many of his private grudges were satisfied. But there are no evidences, now. The place was ope

h had been chattering, made a sh

ackals have ceased to haunt the place since the

e edge and drew back with a whimper. But the second servitor, who had not spoken since Marsyas had first seen

d. They moved interminably. Once or twice Eutychus became hysterical from the depression, but the stolid servitor smote

hem, high above the level upon which they had been walking.

her than myself would have been hopelessly entangled in

th a gasp of joy faltered that it was daylight. Several minutes

ere to be seen; the sun stood directly in the zenith. Marsyas was lost; but the prince smiled in immense satisfaction and, seeking a grassy spot,

g time no

f the long journey under the earth, and the embroidered shoes for evidences of con

wear through the bowels of the earth. Eheu! I was

d a grin overspread the face of Silas; but

rmation. "Yonder," pointing north, "the road runs which shall lead us hence. We are an hour's journe

Canaan was beautiful, indeed a land of milk and honey. The wind laden with spring sweets struck a chill in his soul; the singing birds hurt him with a pain greater than he could endure. His heart was bruised, his every sensation sore and weighted with a numb consciousness that a dread thing had happened and that it was useless to pray and hope now. The pr

did him to death sowed ashes on my heart. But the time of the Lord God, slow as it approaches, fell at last. The only bitterne

e!" was the bitter rejoinder. "Vengeance can not

y: be thy requital

erience. It did not lessen his pain; but it gave him expression and

een wholly undone by these and an offensive personality. Wherefore the people hate him with a fervor which Vitellius must respect. But Jonathan fancies that if he can make him a name as a defender of the faith, the rabble will applaud, and thou and I and Vitellius and the discerning Jews will achieve no more against him than flies whining about a wall!

as' brow

his zeal for an usurper of the robes of Aaron! Shedding sweet blood-doing irreparable deeds to serve a vain end, to further a useles

le silence that his return to spirits seem not to gr

us' extreme methods to empty the whole Pr?torium into

e garments that covered him. He remembered that he had not brought his soil

thee! The vengeful spirit is not of choice a patient thing! I shall wait-but to achieve mine ends. God prosper

Agrippa without

i, for the

g thee and thou art a living example of that which bef

" Marsyas said grimly. It was an

-Gadi, and it were better for thee and for the brotherhood that thou be

e, the peoples of parchment, the events of old history, the ambitions of the soul and go forth amid arrogant heathen godlessness to meet precarious f

id a hand

n to thy study in safety," he said as gently as if he were speaking to a child. But i

"I will afford thee protection an

led him down to a little meanderin

, pointing back

, white and majestic on her heights. The morning blue that encroaches upon the noon in early spring softened the spectacle with a te

government of Solomon; sacred with the presence of the Shekinah in the Holy of Holies. Here, Sheba might have stood first to be shown the glories of Solomon; here, Alexande

, but thou shalt return to it justified; I shall return to

ssene away and sign

ful thoughts could be diverted. Stirring incidents of the Herod's own astounding history, graphic accounts of great pageants, of contests of famous athlet?, or of gorgeous cities, vivaciously t

ssenic master and centered his broad loves on one or two. Evil happenings had wrenched these from him and his affections wandered and wavered, los

the most unassailable on the Asiatic seaboard. From the plains of Esdraelon in their dip toward the sea, the city was seen, set broadside to the

stopped. A house of a single story stood before them, its roof barely

rsyas, "into the unctuous hosp

panion across a small court, knocked at the

followed the prince into a small recess cut off by curtains from the interior of the house. A bron

us stumbling as he went, because his eyes were engaged in attempting to attract th

er. She bowed and departed and presently one of the cu

ran to the prince and fl

r thee!" she exclaimed. "That thou shouldst enter

lightly and

. For the first time her eyes lighted on Marsy

pardon," s

gh a lattice, and since his journey to Nazareth Marsya

a had married his cousin, but its attributes were refined almost to ethereal extremes. Flesh could not have been whiter nor coloring more delicate. The effect rendered was an impression of exquisite frailty, produced as much by the pathos in the over-large black eyes and the serious cut of th

not so unfortunate that he is not willing to help us. W

of Israel; the large eyes fill

has bread and a roof-tree. I pra

Nazareth suddenly seemed infelicitous here, but it wa

od be with thee; I

the pretty

rink; set wine and such meats as we have, and

motioning to Marsyas', waited until his pr

d furnished with rough seats and tables of unoiled cedar. It was a cheerless room, fit for t

r one of the tables and two or three p

silver, "hath been my moneyer for ye

oy and two girls, rushed in from the rear of

r of food. As she passed the young Essene she tripped on an unevenness in the floor and would have fall

eyes to Eutychus' face, caught a look from the servitor that was livid with hate. Shock

at his left, bade Marsyas sit beside him.

a bouquet peculiarly subtle and penetrating. He raised the frosty cup between his fingers-

r hath fortune to give, and a heart to be won

er forehead against h

icked-fo

d thee or our young friend to pray it with me. But my devic

thou fail i

iled from Rom

despair on the prince's part was most unwelcome. His own fortunes were too much entangled with Agrippa's for him to

as to

ss," he said,

uccess is so delib

uld it be long before he s

rn, for thy own comfort, Marsyas, the vagabond to whom thou hast attached thyself doth not grasp after another man

listened

is pillaged: so am I. Judea is despised: so am I! Judea weltereth in her own blood: am I not sprung from a murdered sire, who was son of a

drew his hand acr

s it not natural that I should relieve her when I, myself, a

ith a gesture

ower of vows! Help me to

e fiend, gave Judea the most brilliant reign since the glories of Solomon and the most monstrous since Ahab, the nominal independence off

is man before him. Herod Agrippa was the son of Aristobolus, who was murdered in his youth before his capabilities developed. The Herods, Philip and Antipas, had been mild because they were incapable. The recurrence of mental strength in the bl

dy made its conquest over the Essene. "I can not prove myself until I am given

ged, lord," Mar

hast even now bespoken God's favor for me-be then, His instrument! Thou art

. The peril in the Herod blood, in his

own ends? But hear me! Thou aspirest to that place of which I have no knowledge, among peoples whose paths I never cross, into

pa sm

shall pay thee that debt. I have said. And

and Marsyas, watchi

nce said slowly,

feet, and for a mom

it for the