ould not see. When it passed she looked up, and there before
her, very handsome and stately, though worn with war and hunger, stood
Caleb, sword in hand and clad in a breast plate dinted with many blows.
At the sight, Miriam's courage came back to her; at least before him she
would show no fear.

"Are you sent to carry out my sentence?" she asked.

He bowed his head. "Yes, a while hence, when the sun sinks," he answered
bitterly. "That judge, Simeon, who ordered you to be searched, is a man
with a savage heart. He thought that I tried to save you from the wrath
of the Sanhedrim; he thought that I----"

"Let be what he thought," interrupted Miriam, "and, friend Caleb, do
your office. When we were children together often you tied my hands and
feet with flowers, do you remember? Well, tie them now with cords, and
make an end."

"You are cruel," he said, wincing.

"Indeed! some might have thought that you are cruel. If, for instance,
they had heard your words in that tower last night when you gave up my
name to the Jews and linked it with another's."

"Oh! Miriam," he broke in in a pleading voice, "if I did this--and
in truth I scarcely know what I did--it was because love and jealousy
maddened me."

"Love? The love of the lion for the lamb! Jealousy? Why were you
jealous? Because, having striven to murder Marcus--oh! I saw the fight
and it was little better, for you smote him unawares, being fully
prepared when he was not--you feared lest I might have saved him from
your fangs. Well, thanks be to God! I did save him, as I hope. And now,
officer of the most merciful and learned Sanhedrim, do your duty."

"At least, Miriam," Caleb went on, humbly, for her bitter words, unjust
as they were in part, seemed to crush him, "at least, I strove my best
for you to-day--after I found time to think."

"Yes," she answered, "to think that other lions would get the lamb which
you chance to desire for yourself."

"More," he continued, taking no note. "I have made a plan."

"A plan to do what?"

"To escape. If I give the signal on your way to the gate where I must
lead you, you will be rescued by certain friends of mine who will hide
you in a place of safety, while I, the officer, shall seem to be cut
down. Afterwards I can join you and under cover of the night, by a way
of which I know, we will fly together."

"Fly? Where to?"

"To the Romans, who will spare you because of what you did
yesterday--and me also."

"Becaus