Then, in a loud whisper, some one said: "David, David, do thee speak." It was the voice of Faith Claridge.

Perturbed and anxious, she had come to the meeting with her father.

They had not slept for nights, for the last news they had had of Benn Claridge was from the city of Damascus, and they were full of painful apprehensions.
It was the eve of the first day of winter, and David's banishment was over.

Faith had seen David often at a distance--how often had she stood in her window and looked up over the apricot-wall to the chair-maker's hut on the hill! According to his penalty David had never come to Hamley village, but had lived alone, speaking to no one, avoided by all, working out his punishment.

Only the day before the meeting he had read of the massacre at Damascus from a newspaper which had been left on his doorstep overnight.