n to go past, marching eight by eight, hundreds
upon hundreds of them, and once more the mob shouted and rejoiced over
these unfortunates, whose crime was that they had fought for their
country to the end. The last files passed, then at a little distance
from them, tramping forward wearily, appeared the slight figure of a
girl dressed in a robe of white silk blazoned at its breast with gold.
Her bowed head, from which the curling tresses fell almost to her waist,
was bared to the fierce rays of the sun, and on her naked bosom lay a
necklace of great pearls.

"Pearl-Maiden, Pearl-Maiden!" shouted the crowd.

"Look!" said Nehushta, gripping the shoulder of Marcus with her hand.

He looked, and after long years once more beheld Miriam, for though he
had heard her voice in the Old Tower at Jerusalem, then her face was
hidden from him by the darkness. There was the maid from whom he had
parted in the desert village by Jordan, the same, and yet changed.
Then she had been a lovely girl, now she was a woman on whom sorrow
and suffering had left their stamp. The features were finer, the deep,
patient eyes were frightened and reproachful; her beauty was such as we
see in dreams, not altogether that of earth.

"Oh! my darling, my darling," murmured Nehushta, stretching out her arms
towards her. "Christ be thanked, that I have found you, my darling."
Then she turned to Marcus, who was devouring Miriam with his eyes, and
said in a fierce voice:

"Roman, now that you see her again, do you still love her as much as of
old time?"

He took no note and she repeated the question. Then he answered:

"Why do you trouble me with such idle words. Once she was a woman to be
won, now she is a spirit to be worshipped."

"Woman or spirit, or woman and spirit, beware how you deal with her,
Roman," snarled Nehushta still more fiercely, "or----" and she left her
hand fall upon the knife that was hidden in her robe.

"Peace, peace!" said Marcus, and as he spoke the procession came to
a halt before his windows. "How weary she is, and sad," he went on
speaking to himself. "Her heart seems crushed. Oh! that I must stay here
and see her thus, who dare not show myself! If she could but know! If
she could but know!"

Nehushta thrust him aside and took his place. Fixing her eyes upon
Miriam she made some effort of the will, so fierce and concentrated that
beneath the strain her body shook and quivered. See! Her thought reached
the captive, for s