low, and his hands grasping the table, upon
which the tears were raining down in heavy drops.

It was some little time before they could question Jonas further.
Martha and Mary had embraced him as if he had been the son of one,
the brother of the other. Simon solemnly blessed him, and welcomed
him as one from the dead. Then they gathered round to hear his
story.

"John and I both escaped all the dangers of the siege," he said.
"We were wounded several times, but never seriously. God seemed to
watch over us; and although at the last, of the six hundred men
with which we entered Jerusalem there were but twelve who remained
alive, we were among them."

"Yes, yes, we knew that," Martha said. "News was brought by a young
man of his band, who belonged to a village on the lake, that twelve
of you had escaped together on the day the Temple fell. The others
all returned to their homes, but no news ever came of you; and they
said that some party of Romans must have killed you--what else
could have befallen you? And now we are in February--nearly six
months have passed--and no word of you!"

"We were carried off as slaves," Jonas said, "and taken, like
Joseph, to be sold in Egypt."

"And have you seen him, since?" Simon asked.

"Yes, I saw him in Egypt."

"And he was well then?"

"Quite well," Jonas replied. "I was sent to Rome, and thence
managed to make my way back by ship."

"We must purchase him back," Simon said. "Surely that must be
possible! I have money, still. I will make the journey, myself, and
buy him."

And he rose to his feet, as if to start at once.

"Well, not now," he went on, in answer to the hand which Martha
laid on his shoulder, "but tomorrow."

While he was speaking, Mary had touched Jonas, gazing into his face
with the same eager question her eyes had asked Isaac. The thought
that Jonas was not alone had flashed across her. He nodded
slightly, and looked towards the door. In a moment she was gone.

"John!" she cried, as she ran out of the house; at first in a low
tone, but louder and louder as she ran on. "John! John! Where are
you?"

A figure stepped out from among the trees, and Mary fell into his
arms. A few minutes later, she re-entered the room.

"Father," she said, going up to Simon, while she took Martha's hand
in hers, "do you remember you told me, once, that when you were a
young man you went to hear the preaching of a teacher of the sect
of the Essenes, whom they afterwards s