d the congregation
instinctively.

'I did not foresee the _Shamash_ would put himself so brazenly forward
to hide his guilt, or that he would be asked to drink. But when the
_Epikouros_ (atheist) put the bottle to his lips, expecting to taste
blood, and found instead good red wine, doubtless he felt at once that
the God of Israel was truly in heaven, that He had wrought a miracle
and changed the blood back to wine.'

'And such a miracle God wrought verily,' cried the Rabbi, grasping the
physician's hand, while the synagogue resounded with cries of 'May thy
strength increase,' and the gallery heaved frantically with blessings
and congratulations.

'What wonder,' the physician wound up, as he bent again over the
ghastly head, with its pious ringlets writhing like red snakes, 'that
he fell stricken by dread of the Almighty's wrath!'

And while men were bearing the convulsive form without, the Cantor
began to recite the Grace after Redemption. And then the happy hymns
rolled out, and the choristers cried 'Pom!' and a breath of jubilant
hope passed through the synagogue. The mighty hand and the
outstretched arm which had redeemed Israel from the Egyptian bondage
were still hovering over them, nor would the Prophet Elijah for ever
delay to announce the ultimate Messiah.

THE HIRELINGS

THE HIRELINGS

I

Crowded as was the steamer with cultured Americans invading Europe,
few knew that Rozenoffski was on board, or even that Rozenoffski was a
pianist. The name, casually seen on the passengers' list, conveyed
nothing but a strong Russian and a vaguer Semitic flavour, and the
mere outward man, despite a leonine head, was of insignificant port
and somewhat shuffling gait, and drew scarcely a second glance.

He would not have had it otherwise, he told himself, as he paced the
almost deserted deck after dinner--it was a blessing to escape from
the perpetual adulation of music-sick matrons and schoolgirls--but
every wounded fibre in him was yearning for consolation after his
American failure.

Not that his fellow-passengers were aware of his failure; he had not
put himself to the vulgar tests. His American expedition had followed
the lines recommended to him by friendly connoisseurs--to come before
the great public, if at all, only after being launched by great
hostesses at small parties; to which end he had provided himself with
unimpeachable introductions to unexceptionable ladies from
irresistible perso