she did not know who it could be, to let one of the men from the cottages go home with them, and look about the house and see that no one was there. Pythonissa did not think this necessary, she said she could not tell who the stranger was, but she dared to say it was some forgotten acquaintance, whom she should have been glad to have seen. She denied that she was at all frightened about him, but she trembled all the time she spoke.

They went on with their work, and she recovered gradually from her symptoms of terror, but it was late before they had bound up their bundle of osiers and prepared to return home. Twilight, the short twilight of the east, was yielding to evening, and the noiseless host of heaven were stealthily appearing one by one, while the dewy earth was also displaying her gems, and the pale lustre of the glow-worm was thickly strewed over the marshy ground. Sephora felt her soul in unison with this peaceful illumination of nature, by which she nightly honours her Almighty Creator. She looked towards

VOL. I.

I

Nicanor's cottage, but the shade of the trees fell so dark upon it, that she could not have discerned the spot where it stood, but for the feeble glimmering of a lamp that shone through the aperture which served for a window. Nor did this vaporous light seem to her unworthy company for the purer ray of heaven and earth, for it was associated in her mind with that conscious peace, that secret joy, which seems so inseparably connected even with the endeavour to comfort others.

CHAPTER IX.

Ir was almost dark when they reached their eottage; Zepho was never in the house at that time, as he went home every night to his family. Sephora as she entered it, and went into her mother's room to strike a light, could not help thinking of the figure she had found there in the morning, and the circumstance of her having seen something that looked like his black robe, going into the porch after she had left it, now created more suspicion and alarm in her mind than it had done before. She was however glad to observe that Pythonissa did not betray any particular anxiety or fear, and having kindled some dry boughs of cedar, the bright blaze soon dispelled all her own foolish imaginations, and left her mind at liberty to enjoy those grateful emotions of a thankful heart, which her mother's continued and increasing amendment inspired her with.

She felt so much more comfort and con

fidence respecting her than she had formerly done, that she had now left off that watchful way of sleeping and starting up, fancying that she heard her call. But this night, when she was in the soundest repose, she was suddenly awakened by hearing, or imagining that she heard the hoarse voice of the stranger, saying, in a low, stern tone," Remember your promise." She called out, "Who is there?" but no answer was returned. The room was quite still, and in so much darkness that nothing could be seen in it or out of it, but the clear constellation of Orion, which shone through the open lattice. The voice had seemed as if it was close to her ear. She lay listening for some further sound till the morning dawned, but hearing nothing, and seeing then that there was no one in the room, she concluded it was a dream, and not a reality, by which she had been disturbed.

The next day was one on which they usually prepared for the feast of tabernacles, which was soon to be celebrated on that part of the plain of Esdraelon, called the plain of Zaa

naim.

It was a day of great expectation and joy. Sephora and her mother were up with the sun, and soon set forward towards the ford, at the little village of Hircanus, which stood on the banks of the Kishon. But when they got there, the waters were so swollen that they could not pass, and many impatient and joyous groups, as well as themselves, were waiting on the banks of the river to be ferried over in a little boat, which could only take in two at once. But as the very hinge on which the pleasure of the day turned was social gratitude and enjoyment, those who were passed over first waited for the others, and sat down in various parties along the margin of the stream, resting from their rural burdens. All were laden with something, either with the fruits of the earth, or with implements of husbandry or instruments of music. Some were crowned with large flat baskets filled with the products of the season. The burnished orange, the paler lemon, the rough coated almond, the luscious fig, the blooming plum, the clustering grapes, the netted melon, and the