ook such sheep and cattle as they could find, and with them
many of the young folk, to be sold as slaves, so that the rest are left
empty and desolate. Such are the things that chance in this unhappy
land. But, woman, who are you?"

"I am one shipwrecked!" answered Nehushta, "and I bear with me a
new-born babe--nay, the story is too long to tell you; but if in this
place there is any one who can nurse the babe, I will pay her well."

"Give it me!" said the woman, in an eager whisper; "my child perished in
the slaughter; I ask no reward."

Nehushta looked at her. Her eyes were wild, but she was still young and
healthy, a Syrian peasant.

"Have you a house?" she asked.

"Yes, it still stands, and my husband lives; we hid in a cave, but alas!
they slew the infant that was out with the child of a neighbour. Quick,
give me the babe."

So Nehushta gave it to her, and thus Miriam was nurtured at the breast
of one whose offspring had been murdered because the head of the village
had quarrelled with a Roman tax-collector. Such was the world in the
days when Christ came to save it.

After she had suckled the child the woman led Nehushta to her house, a
humble dwelling that had escaped the fire, where they found the husband,
a wine-grower, mourning the death of his infant and the ruin of his
town. To him she told as much of her story as she thought well, and
proffered him a gold piece, which, so she swore, was one of ten she had
about her. He took it gladly, for now he was penniless, and promised
her lodging and protection, and the service of his wife as nurse to the
child for a month at least. So there Nehushta stayed, keeping herself
hid, and at the end of the month gave another gold piece to her
hosts, who were kindly folk that never dreamed of working her evil or
injustice. Seeing this, Nehushta found yet more money, wherewith the
man, blessing her, bought two oxen and a plough, and hired labour to
help him gather what remained of his harvest.

The shore where the infant was born upon the wrecked ship, was at
a distance of about a league from Joppa and two days' journey from
Jerusalem, whence the Dead Sea could be reached in another two days.
When Nehushta had dwelt there for some six months, as the babe throve
and was hearty, she offered to pay the man and his wife three more
pieces of gold if they would travel with her to the neighbourhood of
Jericho, and, further, to purchase a mule and an ass for the journey,
whi