in Jerusalem and Tyre, was
still in their possession or in that of their descendants.

The black eyes of Florus glistened as he heard.

"Their names," he said, snatching at his tablets. But as yet Caleb was
not minded to give the names. First, he intimated that he desired to
arrive at a formal agreement as to what proportion of the property, if
recovered, would be handed over to him, the heir. Then followed much
haggling; but in the end it was agreed that as he had been robbed
because his father was supposed to favour the Romans, the lands and a
large dwelling with warehouse attached, at Tyre, together with one-half
the back rents, if recoverable, should be given to the plaintiff.
The governor, or as he put it, Caesar, for his share was to retain
the property in Jerusalem and the other half of the rents. In this
arrangement Caleb proved himself, as usual, prescient. Houses, as he
explained afterwards, could be burned or pulled down, but beyond the
crops on it, land no man could injure. Then, after the agreement had
been duly signed and witnessed, he gave the names, bringing forward good
testimony to prove all that he had said.

Within a week those Jews who had committed the theft, or their
descendants, were in prison, whence they did not emerge till they had
been stripped, not only of the stolen property, but of everything else
that they possessed. Either because he was pleased at so great and
unexpected a harvest, or perhaps for the reason that he saw in Caleb
an able fellow who might be useful in the future, Florus fulfilled his
bargain with him to the letter.

Thus it came about that by a strange turn of the wheel of chance, within
a month of his flight from the colony of the Essenes, Caleb, the outcast
orphan, with his neck in danger of the sword, became a man of influence,
having great possessions. His sun had risen indeed.

CHAPTER X

BENONI

A while later Caleb, no longer a solitary wanderer with only his feet
to carry him, his staff to protect him, and a wallet to supply him with
food, but a young and gallant gentleman, well-armed, clad in furs and a
purple cloak, accompanied by servants and riding a splendid horse, once
more passed the walls of Jerusalem. On the rising ground beyond the
Damascus gate he halted and looked back at the glorious city with her
crowded streets, her mighty towers, her luxurious palaces, and her
world-famed temple that dominated all, which from here seemed as a
mountain c