se. When we come to know him we choose to be his
followers. If we are indifferent to him, he may, at times, look on
without interfering in our lives except to send us occasionally great
trouble, or great joy, as an appeal to us. His mercy is great. He pities
and pleads with us, yet he leaves us free."

"And what, think you, will be the effect upon Arabia of this rising?"

Yusuf shook his head. "I know not," he said. "We cannot see now, nor
mayhap until ages have rolled by; but 'at eventide it shall be light.'"

So talked Amzi and the priest until the gray dawn shone in, and the
voice of Bilal, the muezzin, was heard calling from the mosque:

"God is great! There is no God but God! Mohammed is the prophet of God!
Come to prayers! God is great!"

CHAPTER XV.

THE PERSECUTION BEGINS.

"In doing good we are generally cold and languid and
sluggish.... But the works of Malice and Injustice are quite in
another style."--_Burke._

Among those left dead on the field of Bedr were the father, uncle and
brother of Henda, the wife of Abu Sofian. Fierce and savage as was her
nature, she was yet capable of deep feeling, and her love for her
kindred was one of the ruling passions of her life.

When the caravan at last reached Mecca in safety, she rushed to meet Abu
Sofian, weeping wildly, wringing her hands in grief, and throwing dust
on her long hair. She besought him frantically to avenge their death,
and he, knowing that the debt of "blood revenge" was now upon him, and
that blood alone would wipe the stain from his honor, gathered two
hundred swift horsemen and set out almost immediately for Medina.

On the way he ravaged the whole country, burning the villages and
date-groves of Mohammed's followers.

When within three miles of Medina the prophet sallied out to meet him. A
brief contest took place, and Abu Sofian was once more defeated in what
was jestingly called the Battle of the Meal Sacks.

The Moslems were exultant over their success, but Abu Sofian returned to
Mecca, the blood-dues still unpaid, and with bitter enmity gnawing at
his heart.

In the meantime Mohammed began to assume all the airs of an independent
sovereign. He married a beautiful maiden, Hafza, to whom he entrusted
the care of the Koran, according as it was revealed; and shortly
afterwards he issued a decree by which all true believers were ordered
to face Mecca when praying. Thus early in his career of conquest he had
fixed