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orning；　the　mouths　she　goes　to　feed　must　be　very　hungry。〃

When　at　last　she　reached　the　King's　Garden　she　slackened　her　gait；　for　then　the　grim　city　of　the　lepers　was　in　view；　extending　far　round　the　pitted　south　hill　of　Hinnom。

As　the　reader　must　by　this　time　have　surmised；　she　was　going　to　her　mistress；　whose　tomb；　it　will　be　remembered；　overlooked　the　well　En…Rogel。

Early　as　it　was；　the　unhappy　woman　was　up　and　sitting　outside；　leaving　Tirzah　asleep　within。　The　course　of　the　malady　had　been　terribly　swift　in　the　three　years。　Conscious　of　her　appearance；　with　the　refined　instincts　of　her　nature；　she　kept　her　whole　person　habitually　covered。　Seldom　as　possible　she　permitted　even　Tirzah　to　see　her。

This　morning　she　was　taking　the　air　with　bared　head；　knowing　there　was　no　one　to　be　shocked　by　the　exposure。　The　light　was　not　full；　but　enough　to　show　the　ravages　to　which　she　had　been　subject。　Her　hair　was　snow…white　and　unmanageably　coarse；　falling　over　her　back　and　shoulders　like　so　much　silver　wire。　The　eyelids；　the　lips；　the　nostrils；　the　flesh　of　the　cheeks；　were　either　gone　or　reduced　to　fetid　rawness。　The　neck　was　a　mass　of　ash…colored　scales。　One　hand　lay　outside　the　folds　of　her　habit　rigid　as　that　of　a　skeleton；　the　nails　had　been　eaten　away；　the　joints　of　the　fingers；　if　not　bare　to　the　bone；　were　swollen　knots　crusted　with　red　secretion。　Head；　face；　neck；　and　hand　indicated　all　too　plainly　the　condition　of　the　whole　body。　Seeing　her　thus；　it　was　easy　to　understand　how　the　once　fair　widow　of　the　princely　Hur　had　been　able　to　maintain　her　incognito　so　well　through　such　a　period　of　years。

When　the　sun　would　gild　the　crest　of　Olivet　and　the　Mount　of　Offence　with　light　sharper　and　more　brilliant　in　that　old　land　than　in　the　West；　she　knew　Amrah　would　come；　first　to　the　well；　then　to　a　stone　midway　the　well　and　the　foot　of　the　hill　on　which　she　had　her　abode；　and　that　the　good　servant　would　there　deposit　the　food　she　carried　in　the　basket；　and　fill　the　water…jar　afresh　for　the　day。　Of　her　former　plentitude　of　happiness；　that　brief　visit　was　all　that　remained　to　the　unfortunate。　She　could　then　ask　about　her　son；　and　be　told　of　his　welfare；　with　such　bits　of　news　concerning　him　as　the　messenger　could　glean。　Usually　the　information　was　meagre　enough；　yet　comforting；　at　times　she　heard　he　was　at　home；　then　she　would　issue　from　her　dreary　cell　at　break　of　day；　and　sit　till　noon；　and　from　noon　to　set　of　sun；　a　motionless　figure　draped　in　white；　looking；　statue…like；　invariably　to　one　pointover　the　Temple　to　the　spot　under　the　rounded　sky　where　the　old　house　stood；　dear　in　memory；　and　dearer　because　he　was　there。　Nothing　else　was　left　her。　Tirzah　she　counted　of　the　dead；　and　as　for　herself；　she　simply　waited　the　end；　knowing　every　hour　of　life　was　an　hour　of　dyinghappily；　of　painless　dying。

The　things　of　nature　about　the　hill　to　keep　her　sensitive　to　the　world's　attractions　were　wretchedly　scant；　beasts　and　birds　avoided　the　place　as　if　they　knew　its　history　and　present　use；　every　green　thing　perished　in　its　first　season；　the　winds　warred　upon　the　shrubs　and　venturous　grasses；　leaving　to　drought　such　as　they　could　not　uproot。　Look　where　she　would；　the　view　was　made　depressingly　suggestive　by　tombstombs　above　her；　tombs　below；　tombs　opposite　her　own　tomball　now　freshly　whitened　in　warning　to　visiting　pilgrims。　In　the　skyclear；　fair；　invitingone　would　think　she　might　have　found　some　relief　to　her　ache　of　mind；　but；　alas！　in　making　the　beautiful　elsewhere　the　sun　served　her　never　so　unfriendlyit　did　but　disclose　her　growing　hideousness。　But　for　the　sun　she　would　not　have　been　the　horror　she　was　to　herself；　nor　been　waked　so　cruelly　from　dreams　of　Tirzah　as　she　used　to　be。　The　gift　of　seeing　can　be　sometimes　a　dreadful　curse。

Does　one　ask　why　she　did　not　make　an　end　to　her　sufferings？

THE　LAW　FORBADE　HER！

A　Gentile　may　smile　at　the　answer；　but　so　will　not　a　son　of　Israel。

While　she　sat　there　peopling　the　dusky　solitude　with　thoughts　even　more　cheerless；　suddenly　a　woman　came　up　the　hill　staggering　and　spent　with　exertion。

The　widow　arose　hastily；　and　covering　her　head；　cried；　in　a　voice　unnaturally　harsh；　〃Unclean；　unclean！〃

In　a　moment；　heedless　of　the　notice；　Amrah　was　at　her　feet。　All　the　long…pent　love　of　the　simple　creature　burst　forth：　with　tears　and　passionate　exclamations　she　kissed　her　mistress's　garments；　and　for　a　while　the　latter　strove　to　escape　from　her；　then；　seeing　she　could　not；　she　waited　till　the　violence　of　the　paroxysm　was　over。

〃What　have　you　done；　Amrah？〃　she　said。　〃Is　it　by　such　disobedience　you　prove　your　love　for　us？　Wicked　woman！　You　are　lost；　and　heyour　masteryou　can　never；　never　go　back　to　him。〃

Amrah　grovelled　sobbing　in　the　dust。

〃The　ban　of　the　Law　is　upon　you；　too；　you　cannot　return　to　Jerusalem。　What　will　become　of　us？　Who　will　bring　us　bread？　O　wicked；　wicked　Amrah！　We　are　all；　all　undone　alike！〃

〃Mercy；　mercy！〃　Amrah　answered　from　the　ground。

〃You　should　have　been　merciful　to　yourself；　and　by　so　doing　been　most　merciful　to　us。　Now　where　can　we　fly？　There　is　no　one　to　help　us。　O　false　servant！　The　wrath　of　the　Lord　was　already　too　heavy　upon　us。〃

Here　Tirzah；　awakened　by　the　noise；　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　tomb。　The　pen　shrinks　from　the　picture　she　presented。　In　the　half…clad　apparition；　patched　with　scales；　lividly　seamed；　nearly　blind；　its　limbs　and　extremities　swollen　to　grotesque　largeness；　familiar　eyes　however　sharpened　by　love　could　not　have　recognized　the　creature　of　childish　grace　and　purity　we　first　beheld　her。

〃Is　it　Amrah；　mother？〃

The　servant　tried　to　crawl　to　her　also。

〃Stay；　Amrah！〃　the　widow　cried；　imperiously。　〃I　forbid　you　touching　her。　Rise；　and　get　you　gone　before　any　at　the　well　see　you　here。　Nay；　I　forgotit　is　too　late！　You　must　remain　now　and　share　our　doom。　Rise；　I　say！〃

Amrah　rose　to　her　knees；　and　said；　brokenly　and　with　clasped　hands；　〃O　good　mistress！　I　am　not　falseI　am　not　wicked。　I　bring　you　good　tidings。〃

〃Of　Judah？〃　and　as　she　spoke；　the　widow　half　withdrew　the　cloth　from　her　head。

〃There　is　a　wonderful　man；〃　Amrah　continued；　〃who　has　power　to　cure　you。　He　speaks　a　word；　and　the　sick　are　made　well；　and　even　the　dead　come　to　life。　I　have　come　to　take　you　to　him。〃

〃Poor　Amrah！〃　said　Tirzah；　compassionately。

〃No；〃　cried　Amrah；　detecting　the　doubt　underlying　the　expression〃no；　as　the　Lord　lives；　even　the　Lord　of　Israel；　my　God　as　well　as　yours；　I　speak　the　truth。　Go　with　me；　I　pray；　and　lose　no　time。　This　morning　he　will　pass　by　on　his　way　to　the　city。　See！　the　day　is　at　hand。　Take　the　food　hereeat；　and　let　us　go。〃

The　mother　listened　eagerly。　Not　unlikely　she　had　heard　of　the　wonderful　man；　for　by　this　time　his　fame　had　penetrated　every　nook　in　the　land。

〃Who　is　he？〃　she　asked。

〃A　Nazarene。〃

〃Who　told　you　about　him？〃

〃Judah。〃

〃Judah　told　you？　Is　he　at　home？〃

〃He　came　last　night。〃

The　widow；　trying　to　still　the　beating　of　her　heart；　was　silent　awhile。

〃Did　Judah　send　you　to　tell　us　this？〃　she　next　asked。

〃No。　He　believes　you　dead。〃

〃There　was　a　prophet　once　who　cured　a　leper；〃　the　mother　said　thoughtfully　to　Tirzah；　〃but　he　had　his　power　from　God。〃　Then　addressing　Amrah；　she　asked；　〃How　does　my　son　know　this　man　so　possessed？〃

〃He　was　travelling　with　him；　and　heard　the　lepers　call；　and　saw　them　go　away　well。　First　there　was　one　man；　then　there　were　ten；　and　they　were　all　made　whole。〃

The　elder　listener　was　silent　again。　The　skeleton　hand　shook。　We　may　believe　she　was　struggling　to　give　the　story　the　sanction　of　faith；　which　is　always　an　absolutist　in　demand；　and　that　it　was　with　her　as　with　the　men　of　the　day；　eye…witnesses　of　what　was　done　by　the　Christ；　as　well　as　the　myriads　who　have　succeeded　them。　She　did　not　question　the　performance；　for　her　own　son　was　the　witness　testifying　through　the　servant；　but　she　strove　to　comprehend　the　power　by　which　work　so　astonishing　could　be　done　by　a　man。　Well　enough　to　make　inquiry　as　to　the　fact；　to　comprehend　the　power；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　first　necessary　to　comprehend　God；　and　he　who　waits　for　that　will　die　waiting。　With　her；　however；　the　hesitation　was　brief。　To　Tirzah　she　said；

〃This　must　be　the　Messiah！〃

She　spoke　not　coldly；　like　one　reasoning　a　doubt　away；　but　as　a　woman　of　Israel　familiar　with　the　promises　of　God　to　her　racea　woman　of　understanding；　ready　to　be　glad　over　the　least　sign　of　the　realization　of　the　promises。

〃There　was　a　time　when　Jerusalem　and　all　Judea　were　filled　with　a　story　that　he　was　born。　I　remember　it。　By　this　time　he　should　be　a　man。　It　must　beit　is　he。　Yes；〃　she　said　to　Amrah；　〃we　will　go　with　you。　Bring　the　water　which　you　will　find　in　the　tomb　in　a　jar；　and　set　the　food　for　us。　We　will　eat　and　be　gone。〃

The　breakfast；　partaken　under　excitement；　was　soon　despatched；　and　the　three　women　set　out　on　their　extraordinary　journey。　As　Tirzah　had　caught　the　confident　spirit　of　the　others；　there　was　but　one　fear　that　troubled　the　party。　Bethany；　Amrah　said；　was　the　town　the　man　was　coming　from；　now　from　that　to　Jerusalem　there　were　three　roads；　or　rather　pathsone　over　the　first　summit　of　Olivet；　a　second　at　its　base；　a　third　between　the　second　summit　and　the　Mount　of　Offence。　The　three　wer