urs before.

Passing through the outer doors into the archway where the great gate by
which the Romans had gained access to the Temple stood wide, the captain
turned into the Court of Israel, where some soldiers who were engaged
in dividing spoil looked up laughing and asked him whose baby he had
captured. Paying no heed to them he walked across the court, picking his
way through the heaps of dead to a range of the southern cloisters which
were still standing, where officers might be seen coming and going.
Under one of these cloisters, seated on a stool and employed in
examining the vessels and other treasures of the Temple, which were
brought before him one by one, was Titus. Looking up he saw this strange
procession and commanded that they should be brought before him.

"Who is it that you carry in your arms, captain?" he asked.

"That girl, Caesar," he answered, "who was bound upon the gateway and
whom you have orders should not be shot at."

"Does she still live?"

"She lives--no more. Thirst and heat have withered her."

"How came she there?"

"This writing tells you, Caesar."

Titus read. "Ah!" he said, "Nazarene. An evil sect, worse even than
these Jews, or so thought the late divine Nero. Traitress also. Why, the
girl must have deserved her fate. But what is this? 'Is doomed to die as
God shall appoint before the face of her friends, the Romans.' How are
the Romans her friends, I wonder? Girl, if you can speak, tell me who
condemned you."

Miriam lifted her dark head from the shoulder of the captain on which it
lay and pointed with her finger at the Jew, Simeon.

"Is that so, man?" asked Caesar. "Now tell the truth, for I shall learn
it, and if you lie you die."

"She was condemned by the Sanhedrim, among whom was her own grandfather,
Benoni; there is his signature with the rest upon the scroll," Simeon
answered sullenly.

"For what crime?"

"Because she suffered a Roman prisoner to escape, for which deed," he
added furiously, "may her soul burn in Gehenna for ever and aye!"

"What was the name of the prisoner?" asked Titus.

"I do not remember," answered Simeon.

"Well," said Caesar, "it does not greatly matter, for either he is safe
or he is dead. Your robes, what are left of them, show that you also are
one of the Sanhedrim. Is it not so?"

"Yes. I am Simeon, a name that you have heard."

"Ah! Simeon, here it is, written on this scroll first of all. Well,
Simeon, you doomed a high-born