ay it was far-fetched."

"It is exactly in unison with the figurative language of the East,"
replied Mrs. Wyndham. "The Arab praises the swiftness of his steed, at
this day, by saying, that before his hoof touches the ground, he is out
of sight. That's a bold figure for you."

"I love poetical expressions," said Amy.

"And I prefer plain English, not Arabian," answered John.

"I think I can answer for one thing," said Charlie. "When Jaddus showed
Alexander that prediction, he did not lay much stress upon the verse
about the great horn being broken while it was yet strong, and four
others coming up in its place. It all came true enough, but Alexander
would not have liked that part as well as the rest, about his
conquests."

"Do you, who are fresh from school, remember the names of the four
generals and kingdoms who succeeded him?" rejoined Mrs. Wyndham.

"Ptolemy seized Egypt; Seleucus, Syria and Babylon; Lysimachus, Asia
Minor; and Cassander took Greece for his share of the plunder. But
though these were notable horns, they were none of them in _his_
power--none could compare with Alexander."

"Auntie," said Amy, "don't you think Alexander must have seen these
predictions--you know how much he favored the Jews, and what especial
privileges he gave them in his city, Alexandria?"

"Well, perhaps so," said Mrs. Wyndham, smiling. "I see you want to
believe it, at any rate. There is no proof to the contrary, so you might
as well indulge your organ of wonder."

CHAPTER VII.

SEQUEL TO THE ORPHAN'S TALE.--WHO CAN HE BE?--ELEMENTS.--THE
ASTROLOGERS.

On Monday morning, our merry party at the Grange breakfasted rather
earlier than usual, and Mr. Wyndham and Alice Bolton set off for
Philadelphia, full of eagerness to hunt up an uncle for little Margaret
Roscoe. Charlie told him, laughingly, that he was sure he would persuade
some one to be her uncle, if rich Mr. Roscoe did not prove to be the
right man: he could pick one up somewhere along the streets. But Mr.
Wyndham replied, with an offended air, that he was sorry he had not yet
learned his worth: good uncles, like him, were not to be met with every
day--they should be valued accordingly.

"Do you remember the anecdote about Frederic the Great, of Prussia?"
asked his wife.

"There are many funny stories told of him," answered Mr. Wyndham; "which
is the one you refer to?"

"One Sunday, a young minister preached an admirable sermon before him,
showing u