essel, and there I burned her many years ago. See those blackened
timbers half buried in the sand upon the beach; doubtless they are her
ribs."

"It is strange that I should return hither, and thus, Nou," said Miriam
sighing.

"Strange, indeed, but mayhap there is a meaning in it. Before you came
in storm to grow to womanhood in peace; now, perchance, you come on a
peaceful sea to pass through womanhood in storm."

"Both journeys began with death, Nou."

"As all journeys end. Blackness behind and blackness in front, and
between them a space of sunshine and shadow--that is the law. Yet have
no fear, for dead Anna, who had the gift of prophecy, foretold that you
should live out your life, though with me, whose days are almost done,
it may be otherwise."

Miriam's face grew troubled.

"I fear neither life nor death, Nou, who am willing to meet either as
may chance. But to part with you--ah! that thought makes me fear."

"I think that it will not be yet awhile," said Nehushta, "for although
I am old, I still have work to do before I lay me down and sleep. Come,
Caleb calls us. We are to disembark while the weather holds."

So Miriam entered the boat with her grandfather and others who had
escaped, for the faces of all of them were set towards Jerusalem, and
was rowed to the shore over that very rock where first she drew her
breath. Here they found Jews who had been watching for the coming of the
galley. These men gave them a kind reception, and, what they needed even
more, food, fire and some beasts of burden for their journey.

When all were gathered on the beach Caleb joined them, having handed
over the galley to another Jew, who was to depart in her with those
that waited on the shore, upon some secret mission of intercepting Roman
corn-ships. When these men heard what he had done at Tyre, at first they
were inclined to be angry, since they said that he had no authority to
risk the vessel thus, but afterwards, seeing that he had succeeded, and
with no loss of men, praised him and said that it was a very great deed.

So the galley put about and sailed away, and they, to the number of some
sixty souls, began their journey to Jerusalem. A little while later they
came to a village, the same where Nehushta had found the peasant and his
wife, whose inhabitants, at the sight of them, fled, thinking that they
were one of the companies of robbers that hunted the land in packs,
like wolves, plundering or murdering all t