Of a sudden, as it were, the curtain had been drawn, and she had seen this young man's secret spirit and learned that it was a consuming fire.

It had come home to her that every word he spoke was true, that he who was orphaned and not liked even by the gentle elders of the Essenes, loved but one being upon earth--herself, whereas already his bosom seethed with many hates.

She was sure also that any man for whom she chanced to care, if such an one should ever cross her path, would, as Caleb had promised, go in danger at his hands, and the thought frightened her.

Most of all did it frighten her when she saw him glower upon Marcus, although in truth the Roman was nothing to her.

Yet, as she knew, Caleb had judged otherwise.
But if she saw little of him, of this Miriam was sure enough--that he was seldom far from her, and that he found means to learn from day to day how she spent her hours.