panions of the fallen man stared at him. Then one laughed, for
death was too common a sight to excite pity or surprise, and said:

"He was ever a greedy fellow. Let us hope that he has gone where there
is more to eat."

Then, preceded by Caleb, they marched through the long cloisters, passed
an inner door, turned down more cloisters on the right, and, following
the base of the great wall, came to its beautiful centre gate, Nicanor,
that was adorned with gold and silver, and stood between the Court of
Women and the Court of Israel. Over this gateway was a square building,
fifty feet or more in height, containing store chambers and places where
the priests kept their instruments of music. On its roof, which was
flat, were three columns of marble, terminated by gilded spikes. By the
gate one of the Sanhedrim was waiting for them, that same relentless
judge, Simeon, who had ordered Miriam to be searched.

"Has the woman confessed where she hid the Roman?" he asked of Caleb.

"No," he answered, "she says that she knows nothing of any Roman."

"Is it so, woman?"

"It is so, Rabbi."

"Bring her up," he went on sternly, and they passed through some
stone chambers to a place where there was a staircase with a door of
cedar-wood. The judge unlocked it, locking it again behind them, and
they climbed the stairs till they came to another little door of stone,
which, being opened, Miriam found herself on the roof of the gateway.
They led her to the centre pillar, to which was fastened an iron chain
about ten feet in length. Here Simeon commanded that her hands should
be bound behind her, which was done. Then he brought out of his robe a
scroll written in large letters, and tied it on to her breast. This was
the writing on the scroll:

"Miriam, Nazarene and Traitress, is doomed here to die as God shall
appoint, before the face of her friends, the Romans."

Then followed several signatures of members of the Sanhedrim, including
that of her grandfather, Benoni, who had thus been forced to show the
triumph of patriotism over kinship.

This done the end of the chain was made fast round her middle and
riveted with a hammer in such fashion that she could not possibly escape
its grip. Then all being finished the men prepared to leave. First,
however, Simeon addressed her:

"Stay here, accursed traitress, till your bones fall piecemeal from
that chain," he said, "stay, through storm and shine, through light
and darkness, while Ro