ly concerns me; it seems to me as if he
stood to me now in the place of a father."

The spirits of Lycidas rose at the word; again his heart was buoyant
with hope.

"Our first object now, beloved one," said he, "must be to place your
person in safety. As you will not seek refuge in Attica, we will bend
our course southward--if such be your wish--and find out your aged
relative at Bethsura. I would fain that she dwelt in any other
direction; for Bethsura itself holds a Syrian garrison, the army of
Lysias is advancing, and southern Judaea is so infested by armed bands
that travelling is scarcely safe. Have you no friends, no relatives,
in Galilee, or on the sea-coast?"

Zarah shook her head. "I know not of one," she replied. "Rachel
dwells not in Bethsura but near it, and in a spot so retired that the
enemy is scarcely likely to find it out. If the country be infested by
armed bands--they are the followers of Maccabeus, and from them we have
nothing to dread."

Though Lycidas was not a little disappointed at having to give up his
first scheme--that of bearing off Zarah to the coast, and thence to
Attica--he could not but respect her scruples, and own that the course
upon which she had decided was not only the most dutiful but the most
wise. It was agreed therefore that Zarah, under the escort of Lycidas,
should start at the hour which the Greek had first proposed; but that,
instead of Joppa, her destination should be Bethsura--at which place,
by travelling all night, she might hope to arrive before dawn.

While Zarah was concluding these arrangements with Lycidas, Anna
returned from Jerusalem. The face of the faithful servant expressed
anxiety; a warning dropped in her ear by a Hebrew acquaintance had
rendered her uneasy on account of her mistress. "Beware! dogs are on
the scent of the deer." Heartily glad was the handmaid to find that
the Athenian lord had come to aid the escape of Zarah; his talents, his
courage, the gold which he so lavishly spent, would, as she thought,
clear away all difficulties attending their flight.

The Greek soon left the lady and her attendant to make needful
preparations for a journey so sudden and unexpected as that which was
before them.

CHAPTER XXXI.

NIGHT TRAVELLING.

The enforced hastiness of Zarah's departure rendered it perhaps less
painful than it would otherwise have been. Zarah had little time to
indulge in tender regrets on leaving a spot which memory