, they
thought their death was sure. But without a shout or a cry they knelt,
as with one accord, at the mouth of the precipice, with their backs
to it, men and women and children, knee to knee in a line, and joined
hands, and looked towards the soldiers, who were coming steadily down on
them. On and on the soldiers came, eye to eye with the people, and their
swords were drawn.

Israel gasped for his breath, and waited to see the people cut in pieces
at the next instant, when suddenly they began to sing where they knelt
at the edge of the precipice, "God is our refuge and our strength, a
very present help in trouble."

In another moment the soldiers had drawn up as if swords from heaven
had fallen on them, and Israel was crying out of his dry throat, "Fear
nothing! Only deliver your bodies to the Governor, and none shall harm
you."

Absalam rose up from his knees and called to his father and his son.
And standing between them to be seen by all, and first looking upon both
with eyes of pity, he drew from the folds of his selham a long knife
such as the Reefians wear, and taking his father by his white hair he
slew him and cast his body down the rocks. After that he turned towards
his son, and the boy was golden-haired and his face was like the
morning, and Israel's heart bled to see him.

"Absalam!" he cried in a moving voice; "Absalam, wait, wait!"

But Absalam killed his son also, and cast him down after his father.
Then, looking around on his people with eyes of compassion, as seeming
to pity them that they must fall again into the hands of Israel and his
master, he stretched out his knife and sheathed it in his own breast,
and fell towards the precipice.

Israel covered his face and groaned in his heart, and said, "It is the
end, O Lord God, it is the end--polluted wretch that I am, with the
blood of these people upon me!"

The companions of Absalam delivered themselves to the soldiers, who
committed them to the prison at Shawan, and Ben Aboo went home in
content.

Rumour of what had come to pass was not long in reaching Tetuan, and
Israel was charged with the guilt of it. In passing through the streets
the next day on his way to his house the people hissed him openly.
"Allah had not written it!" a Moor shouted as he passed. "Take care!"
cried an Arab, "Mohammed of Mequinez is coming!"

It chanced that night, after sundown, when Naomi, according to her wont,
led her father to the upper room, and fetched t