young life;
his keen insight searched her soul, his pious heart rose to meet the
strength and courage of hers; and when he quitted her, as he walked
home with the deacon, the first words with which he broke a long silence
were:

"While you were asleep, God vouchsafed me an edifying hour through that
heretic child of earth."

CHAPTER XX.

When the door in the tall prison-wall was closed behind the women,
Joanna made her way through streets still sultry under the silence of
the night, Rustem following with the child.

The giant's good heart was devoted to Mary, and he often passed his
huge hand over his eyes while she told him all that the scene they had
witnessed meant, and the fearful end that threatened Paula. He broke
in now and again, giving utterance to his grief and wrath in strange,
natural sounds; for he looked up to his beautiful sick nurse as to a
superior being, and Mandane, too, had often remarked that they could
never forget all that the noble maiden had done for them.

"If only," Rustem cried at length, clenching his powerful fist, "If
only I could--they should see..." and the child looked up with shrewd,
imploring eyes, exclaiming eagerly:

"But you could, Rustem, you could!"

"I?" asked Rustem in surprise, and he shook his head doubtfully.

"Yes, you, Rustem; you of all men. We were talking over something in
the prison, and if only you were ready and willing to help us in the
matter."

"Willing!" laughed the worthy fellow striking his heart; and he went on
in his strangely-broken Greek, which was, however, quite intelligible:
"I would give hair and skin for the noble lady. You have only to speak
out."

The child clung to the big man with both hands and drew him to her
saying: "We knew you had a grate ful heart. But you see..." and she
interrupted herself to ask in an altered voice:

"Do you believe in a God? or stay--do you know what a sacred oath is?
Can you swear solemnly? Yes, yes..." and drawing herself up as tall as
possible she went on very seriously: "Swear by your bride Mandane--as
truly as you believe that she loves you...."

"But, sweet soul...."

"Swear that you will never betray to a living soul what I am going
to say--not even to Mother Joanna and Pulcheria; no, nor even to your
Mandane, unless you find you cannot help it and she gives her sacred
word...."

"What is it? You quite frighten me! What am I to swear?"

"Not to reveal what I am now going to tell you."