nd feast upon the house-tops."

Almamen looked hard at the keen, sharp, Arab features of the Jew; and at
length he answered, "And how can Israel be restored? wilt thou fight for
her?"

"I am too old, son of Issachar, to bear arms; but our tribes are many,
and our youth strong. Amid these disturbances between dog and dog--"

"The lion may get his own," interrupted Almamen, impetuously,--"let us
hope it. Hast thou heard of the new persecutions against us that the
false Nazarene king has already commenced in Cordova--persecutions that
make the heart sick and the blood cold?"

"Alas!" replied Elias, "such woes indeed have not failed to reach mine
ear; and I have kindred, near and beloved kindred, wealthy and honoured
men, scattered throughout that land."

"Were it not better that they should die on the field than by the rack?"
exclaimed Almamen, fiercely. "God of my fathers! if there be yet a spark
of manhood left amongst thy people, let thy servant fan it to a flame,
that shall burn as the fire burns the stubble, so that the earth may
bare before the blaze!"

"Nay," said Elias, dismayed rather than excited by the vehemence of his
comrade,--"be not rash, son of Issachar, be not rash: peradventure thou
wilt but exasperate the wrath of the rulers, and our substance thereby
will be utterly consumed."

Almamen drew back, placed his hand quietly on the Jew's shoulder, looked
him hard in the face, and, gently laughing, turned away.

Elias did not attempt to arrest his steps. "Impracticable," he muttered;
"impracticable and dangerous! I always thought so. He may do us harm:
were he not so strong and fierce, I would put my knife under his left
rib. Verily, gold is a great thing; and--out on me! the knaves at home
will be wasting the oil, now they know old Elias is abroad." Thereat the
Jew drew his cloak around him, and quickened his pace.

Almamen, in the meanwhile, sought, through dark and subterranean
passages, known only to himself, his accustomed home. He passed much
of the night alone; but, ere the morning star announced to the mountain
tops the presence of the sun, he stood, prepared for his journey, in his
secret vault, by the door of the subterranean passages, with old Ximen
beside him.

"I go, Ximen," said Almamen, "upon a doubtful quest: whether I
discover my daughter, and succeed in bearing her in safety from their
contaminating grasp, or whether I fall into their snares and perish,
there is an equal chance t