with all that remained of my fortune. Your
hyaena-men caught my wife, and tormented her until she showed it them.
They fell upon it, and, with their comrades, ate it nearly all. My wife
died of starvation and her wounds, my children died of starvation, all
except one, a child of six, whom I fed with what remained. Then she
began to die also, and I bargained with the Roman, giving him jewels and
promising to show him the weak place in the wall if he would convey the
child to his camp and feed her. I showed him the place, and he fed her
in my presence, and took her away, whither I know not. But, as you know,
I was caught, and the wall was built up, so that no harm came of my
treason. I would do it again to save the life of my child, twenty times
over, if needful. You murdered my wife and my other children; murder me
also if you will. I care nothing."

"Wretch," said Benoni, "what are your miserable wife and children
compared to the safety of this holy place, which we defend against the
enemies of Jehovah? Lead him away, and let him be slain upon the wall,
in the sight of his friends, the Romans."

"I go," said the victim, rising and stretching out his hands to the
guards, "but may you also all be slain in the sight of the Romans, you
mad murderers, who, in your lust for power, have brought doom and agony
upon the people of the Jews."

Then they dragged him out, and a voice called--"Bring in the next
traitor."

Now Miriam was brought forward. Benoni looked up and knew her.

"Miriam?" he gasped, rising, to fall back again in his seat, "Miriam,
you here?"

"It seems so, grandfather," she answered quietly.

"There is some mistake," said Benoni. "This girl can have harmed none.
Let her be dismissed."

The other judges looked up.

"Best hear the charge against her first?" said one suspiciously, while
another added, "Is not this the woman who dwelt with you at Tyre, and
who is said to be a Christian?"

"We do not sit to try questions of faith, at least not now," answered
Benoni evasively.

"Woman, is it true that you are a Christian?" queried one of the judges.

"Sir, I am," replied Miriam, and at her words the faces of the Sanhedrim
grew hard as stones, while someone watching in the crowd hurled a
fragment of marble at her.

"Let it be for this time," said the judge, "as the Rabbi Benoni says, we
are trying questions of treason, not of faith. Who accuses this woman,
and of what?"

A man stepped forward, that