sea, and before we were her teachers she had gone through the school
and discipline of life. While she was yet a heathen she had taken up her
cross and proved herself as faithful as though she were a child of the
Lord. All that was lacking to her--Faith, Love and Hope--she has found
under your roof. I thank thee for this soul thou hast found Sister, in
the name of the Lord."

"Not I, not I," said the widow. "Her heart was frozen, but it is not I
but the innocent faith of the blind child that has melted it."

"She owes her salvation to him and to you," replied the bishop, "and
they both shall be baptized together. We will give the lovely boy the
name of the fairest of the disciples, and call him John. Selene for the
future, if she herself likes it, shall be known as Martha."

CHAPTER XVIII.

Selene and Helios were baptized, and two days after dame Hannah with
her adopted children and Mary, escorted by the presbyter Hilarion and
a deacon, embarked in the harbor of Mareotis on board a Nile-boat which
was to convey them to their new home, the town of Besa in Upper Egypt.
The deformed girl had hesitated as to her answer to the widow's question
whether she would accompany her. Her old mother dwelt in Alexandria, and
then--but it was this "then" which helped her abruptly to cut short
all reflection and to pronounce a decided "yes," for it referred to
Antinous.

For a few minutes it had seemed unendurable to think that she should
never see him again, for she could not help often thinking of the
beautiful youth, and her whole heart ought to belong solely to the One
who had with His blood purchased peace for her on earth and bliss in the
world to come.

The day after being baptized, Selene had gone to Paulina's town-house,
and there, with many tears had taken leave of Arsinoe. All the affection
which bound the sisters together found expression at this moment of
parting. Selene had heard from Paulina that Pollux was dead, and she
no longer grudged her rival sister that she grieved for him more
passionately than herself, though at first her peace of mind had more
than once been disturbed by memories of her old playfellow.

She felt it hard to leave Alexandria, where most of her brothers and
sisters were left behind, and yet she rejoiced to think of a distant
home, for she was no longer the same creature that she had been a few
months since, and she longed for a remote scene of a new and sanctified
life.

Eumenes and