own freedom
and life. If there was something more than gratitude in the maiden's
feelings towards the Greek, it was a sentiment so refined and purified
by grief that it cast no dimness over the mirror of conscience.

But Zarah knew that her life could not always flow on thus. It was a
most unusual thing in her land for a maiden thus to dwell alone,
without any apparent protection save that of a single handmaid. It was
a violation of all the customs of her people, an unseemly thing which
could only be justified by necessity. The daughter of Abner was also
in constant peril of having her retreat discovered by those who had
searched for herself and her father in vain, but who might at any day
or any hour find and seize her as a condemned criminal, and either put
her to death, or send her as a captive to Antiochus Epiphanes.

Often, very often had Zarah turned over the subject of her peculiar
position in her mind, and considered whether she ought not to leave the
precincts of Jerusalem, and secretly depart for Bethsura. There the
orphan could claim the hospitality of her aged relative Rachel, should
she be living yet, or the protection of the Asmonean brothers, who,
being her next of kin, were, according to Jewish customs, the maiden's
natural guardians. But Zarah shrank from taking this difficult step.
Very formidable to her was the idea of undertaking a journey even of
but twenty miles' length, through a country where she would be liable
to meet enemies at every step of the way. Zarah had no means of
travelling save on foot, unless she disposed of some of the few jewels
which she had inherited from her parents; and this she was not only
unwilling to do, but she feared to do it lest, through the sale of
these gems in Jerusalem, she should be tracked to her place of retreat.
Anna was faithful as a servant, but could never be leaned upon as an
adviser--she would obey, but she could not counsel; and her young
mistress, timid and gentle, with no one to guide and protect her, felt
her strength and courage alike insufficient for an adventurous journey
from Jerusalem to Bethsura.

The possible necessity which might arise of her having to place herself
under the protection of Maccabeus, should Rachel be no longer living at
Bethsura, greatly increased Zarah's reluctance to leave her present
abode. The maiden remembered too well what Hadassah had disclosed of a
proposed union between herself and Judas, not to feel that it