harged
the Arab children of Siloam with the theft. Mr. Jones was also in
Jerusalem, but could not be persuaded to attend at Miss Todd's
behest. He was steadily engaged in antiquarian researches, being
minded to bring out to the world some startling new theory as to
certain points in Bible chronology and topography. He always went
about the city with a trowel and a big set of tablets; and certain
among the more enthusiastic of the visitors to Jerusalem had put him
down as an infidel.

There were also Mr. and Mrs. Hunter--a bridegroom and bride, now on
their wedding trip; a somewhat fashionable couple, who were both got
up with considerable attention as to oriental costume. Mrs. Hunter
seemed to think a good deal about her trousers, and Mr. Hunter's mind
was equally taken up with the fact that he had ceased to wear any.
They had a knowing way of putting on their turbans, and carried their
sashes gracefully; those, however, who had seen Mr. Hunter roll
himself into his sash, were of opinion that sooner or later he would
suffer from vertigo in his head. Miss Baker and her niece had fallen
in with these people, and were considered to be of the same party.

There was a clergyman to be there, one Mr. Cruse, the gentleman who
had been so keenly annoyed at the absence of potatoes from the dinner
board. He was travelling in charge of a young gentleman of fortune,
a Mr. Pott, by whose fond parents the joint expense of the excursion
was defrayed. Mr. Cruse was a University man, of course; had been
educated at Trinity College Cambridge, and piqued himself much on
being far removed from the dangers of Puseyism. He was a man not of
a happy frame of mind, and seemed to find that from Dan to Beersheba
everything in truth was barren. He was good-looking, unmarried, not
without some talent, and seemed to receive from the ladies there
assembled more attention than his merits altogether deserved.

Mr. M'Gabbery had talked of not going, but had been over-persuaded by
the good-natured Miss Todd. He had become almost overwhelmed by the
intensity of his feelings in regard to the sacred associations of the
place, since George Bertram had contrived to seat himself between
Miss Baker and Miss Waddington. Up to that moment, no one had been
merrier than he. He had, so he had flattered himself, altogether cut
out Mr. Cruse in that special quarter, the good graces namely of
those two ladies, and had been prepared to take on his own shoulders
all t