rt at her hostess.
Before she could get a preliminary idea of the woman she was to meet,
John spoke lightly:

"Be wearied no longer. I have brought you a mystery--a stranger,
without the countersign, asking audience with you."

"Go back to the fortress," the young woman answered. "Sometime you
will find strangers awaiting you there, also without the password. You
will lose Jerusalem trifling with me. I have spoken!"

John filliped her ear as he passed through into a corridor which must
have led into the Temple precincts. Under the light, Laodice saw that
he was a middle-aged Jew, not handsome, but luxuriant with virility.
His face showed great ability with no conscience, and force and charm
without balance or morals. Here, then, thought Laodice, is the first
of Philadelphus' enemies.

The idler in the exedra, meanwhile, was awaiting the speech of her
visitor.

"Art thou she whom I seek?" Laodice asked. "Amaryllis, the Seleucid?"

"I am called by that name."

"I was bidden," Laodice continued, "by one whom we both know, to seek
asylum with thee."

"So? Who may that be?"

Laodice whispered the name.

"Philadelphus Maccabaeus."

The Greek's eyes took on a puzzled look. Then she surveyed the girl
and as a full conception of the beauty of the young creature before
her formed in the Greek's mind, the perplexity left her expression.
Her air changed; a subtle smile played about her lips.

"He sent you to me for protection?"

"Until he arrives in Jerusalem," Laodice assented.

"But he is already here."

It was the moment that Laodice had avoided fearfully ever since she
had gathered from that winsome stranger by the roadside that his
companion was her husband. Although, after that fact had been made
known to her, she had felt that she ought to join Philadelphus and
proceed with him to the Holy City, she had endured the exposure of the
hills, the want and discomfort of insufficient supplies and the
affronts of wayfarers, that she might spare herself as long as
possible her union with the unsafe man who had become even more
hateful by comparison with the one who had called himself Hesper.

"Perchance thou wilt lead me to him," Laodice said finally.

Amaryllis made no immediate answer. It would have been a natural
impulse for her to wish to inquire for the girl's business with the
man that the Greek as hostess was expected to conceal. But Amaryllis
had her own explanation for this visit. It had been plain to