salem alone, but through all
the earth, there might be forgiveness, and hope, and salvation for all
who in faith partake of its merits!"

The solemn feast now commenced. The bread was blessed by Salathiel,
broken, and then distributed around. The first cupful of wine was
silently shared; but when the second was passed around, the lesser
Hallel, being the 113th and 114th psalms, were chanted in low subdued
tones.

Suddenly, in the midst of a verse, every voice was silenced at once,
every head turned to listen. The clank of a weapon that had fallen on
the paved courtyard below, was to the startled assembly above what the
blood-hound's bay is to the deer.

"The Syrians have found us; we are betrayed!" ejaculated Abishai,
starting up and drawing his sword.

"Fly! fly!" was echoed from mouth to mouth. The apartment in which the
Hebrews were assembled had two doors--one communicating by a staircase
with the courtyard below, the other, on the opposite side of the room,
leading to the roof, which was near enough to other dwellings to afford
a tolerable chance of escape to those who should make their way over
them under cover of the dusk. It was partly on account of this
advantage presented by Salathiel's house that it had been chosen as the
scene of the Paschal Feast. The second door, through which escape
might thus be effected, had been prudently left wide open, and at the
first alarm there was a general rush made towards it.

Terror so often has the effect of confusing the mind, that the
impressions made by passing events, though painfully vivid in
colouring, are not distinct in their outlines. Zarah could have given
no clear account of the scene which followed, which was to her like a
horrible dream. The instinct to make her escape was strong; but as she
attempted to fly, the maiden's veil caught in something, she knew not
what--it was three or four seconds--they seemed as many hours--before
she could extricate it. Zarah heard thundering noises at the one door,
rushing sounds of flight at the other; then there was a bursting open
of the frail barrier which divided her from the enemy, and Zarah felt
rather than saw that the place was filled with soldiers! One sight was
indelibly stamped on her brain--it was that of Abishai all streaming
with blood, his eyes glaring and glazed, his teeth clenched, as he
hissed out the word "apostate!" in the last pangs of death. Zarah knew
that it was death.

Then rude hands