h variety of
trees he had noticed here and there in forest-like clumps throughout
the oasis. Timokles found no difficulty in descending with the doum
palms' help, and he reflected that perhaps food for the leopard was
often brought up this way, and thrown to the creature through the
roof's holes. No one had come to-day with food, because the
Christian had been sent to keep the leopard company!

The village, some distance away, was quiet. Scarcely had he gone a
score of steps before he saw a star reflected in a spring at his
feet. Timokles dropped upon his knees, and with thankfulness drank
of the refreshing water. How he had longed for some, as he had lain
on the roof under the parching sun this day! He bathed his scratched
arm, which had ceased to bleed but still felt very sore.

Carefully Timokles crept over the fallen remnants of the old
building. Then he turned from the direction in which the village
lay, and set his face toward the northern limestone hills.

He was concealed among them when the sun rose. It would be folly for
him to venture out alone upon the desert without food, even if he
had water in his small skin bottle. As the morning went by, Timokles
saw a few desert hares, but otherwise he was alone. Toward evening,
being compelled to find some food, he searched the district, and
found, under the stones, the nest of some wild bees. With much
difficulty Timokles obtained a little of the honey.

A falling stone attracted Timokles' attention. Turning with quick
affright, he saw a woman. There was a startled suspicion in her
eyes, as she gazed at him. She held a young gazelle that had strayed
away and had been the object of her search near these hills.
Suddenly the woman disappeared without a word.

CHAPTER V.

"Let me hide speedily!" Timokles warned himself.

He ran, but shouts arose behind, and before he could conceal
himself, two men came running after him. The woman's shrill cry was
audible. The men came up with Timokles, and laying hold of him in a
manner not wholly rough but still imperative; they brought him back
with them to the spot where the woman still stood.

The three looked at him with curious yet not wholly unfriendly eyes,
and Timokles felt relieved on seeing that he was not recognized as
any one whom they had seen before. This spot was so far from that on
which the building stood where he had been given to the leopard,
that the lad concluded these people had not witnessed tha