ds who kept it fell back at sight
of him with looks of consternation.

"Israel!" cried one, and dropped his lantern.

Israel whispered, "Keep your tongue between your teeth!" and hurried on.

At the door of his own house, which was also closed, he knocked again,
but more fearfully. The black woman Habeebah opened it cautiously, and,
seeing his jellab, she clashed it back in his face.

"Habeebah!" he cried, and he knocked once more.

Then Ali came to the door. "What Moorish man are you?" cried Ali,
pushing him back as he pressed forward.

"Ali! Hush! It is I--Israel."

Then Ali knew him and cried, "God save us! What has happened?"

"What has happened here?" said Israel. "Naomi," he faltered, "what of
her?"

"Then you have heard?" said Ali. "Thank God, she is now well."

Israel laughed--his laugh was like a scream.

"More than that--a strange thing has befallen her since you went away,"
said Ali.

"What?"

"She can hear!"

"It's a lie!" cried Israel, and he raised his hand and struck Ali to
the floor. But at the next minute he was lifting him up and sobbing and
saying, "Forgive me, my brave boy. I was mad, my son; I did not know
what I was doing. But do not torture me. If what you tell me is true,
there is no man so happy under heaven; but if it is false, there is no
fiend in hell need envy me."

And Ali answered through his tears, "It is true, my father--come and
see."

CHAPTER XII

THE BAPTISM OF SOUND

WHAT had happened at Israel's house during Israel's absence is a story
that may be quickly told. On the day of his departure Naomi wandered
from room to room, seeming to seek for what she could not find, and in
the evening the black women came upon her in the upper chamber where her
father had read to her at sunset, and she was kneeling by his chair and
the book was in her hands.

"Look at her, poor child," said Fatimah. "See, she thinks he will come
as usual. God bless her sweet innocent face!"

On the day following she stole out of the house into the town and made
her way to the Kasbah, and Ali found her in the apartments of the wife
of the Basha, who had lit upon her as she seemed to ramble aimlessly
through the courtyard from the Treasury to the Hall of Justice, and from
there to the gate of the prison.

The next day after that she did not attempt to go abroad, and neither
did she wander through the house, but sat in the same seat constantly,
and seemed to be waiting patiently. She