t a timid, gentle, loving girl,
subject to fears, shrinking from danger, peculiarly sensitive to pain
whether physical or mental. Though related both to Solomona and
Hadassah, Zarah had neither the calm fortitude of the one, nor the
exalted spirituality of the other; she deemed herself alike incapable
of uttering the inspired words of a prophetess, or showing the firm
endurance of a martyr.

And it was a martyr's trial that was now looming before the imprisoned
maiden: she would, like Solomona and her sons, have to renounce either
her faith or her life. To Zarah this was a terrible alternative, for
though, but a few hours previously the poor maiden had longed for death
to come and release her from sorrow, the idea of its approach, heralded
by such tortures as Hebrew captives had had to undergo, was unspeakably
dreadful to the tender spirit of Zarah.

"Oh, I fear that I shall never endure to the end; my courage will give
way; I shall disgrace myself, my country, my race, and draw on myself
the wrath of my God!" exclaimed Zarah, starting up in terror, after
rehearsing to herself the ordeal to which her faith was likely to be
exposed. "Woe is me!--what shall I do--what shall I do--is there no
way of escape?" Those massive stone walls, those thick iron bars were
sufficient answer to the question. Zarah leant against the wall, and
raised her clasped hands towards the glimpse of sky seen between those
dark bars.

"Oh, my God, have mercy upon me!" she cried; "feeble, utterly helpless
in myself, I cast myself upon Thee! Thou hast said, _When thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee; when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned_. Carry the weak lamb in Thy bosom; let
me feel beneath the everlasting arms!" The tears were flowing fast
down Zarah's cheeks as she sobbed forth her almost inarticulate prayer:
"I ask not to be saved from death--not even from torture--if it be Thy
will that I should endure it; but oh, save me from falling away from
Thee; save me from denying my faith, and breaking the heart of my
mother!---And I shall surely be saved!" said Zarah more calmly, her
faith gaining strength from the exercise of prayer. "Perhaps the Lord
will make the pain tolerable--He to whom all things are possible can do
so--or He may even send an angel to protect me, as He sent His bright
and holy ones to guard Elisha." The imagination of Zarah pictured a
being with glorious wings flying down to he