ght of the myriads of
bright-winged angels who in the Better Land had flown to do His bidding,
and of the thousands upon thousands of faithful followers, not yet born,
who would some day share His throne. "I am a King, but not of this
world." And at His simple words Pilate's heart misgave him still more.

Who _could_ this strange man be, who was so far above all other men?
Where had He come from? And where was His kingdom? Was He in some
mysterious way connected with the heavens?

Oh, how he wished that those Jews had settled the matter amongst
themselves, and that he could avoid having anything to do with it! They
were resolved, he could see, on having His blood; and he dared not go
altogether against them. Yet how could he condemn _a Man like that_?

But, suddenly, his face brightened. Some one in the crowd said that
Jesus belonged to Galilee. Then he could send Jesus to Herod, the
tetrarch of Galilee, who was then in Jerusalem, having come up to the
feast. By doing so he should throw the responsibility on to Herod, and
should then not be compelled either to vex the Jews, on the one hand,
and thus bring about his own punishment, or to crucify this Man, who was
so great a mystery to him, and, perhaps, bring down upon himself the
anger of the gods.

Pilate heaved a great sigh of relief, as Jesus was led away to Herod.
Now he was free, he thought, and, if that more than innocent Man were
put to death, as He would be, he, at least, would be guiltless of his
blood, and very cleverly he had managed it, without stirring up against
himself the wrath of the Jews.

But it was not to be so.

Before long the dreaded mob returned. Herod had sent Jesus away, finding
no fault in Him. And the Jews brought him again to Pilate.

Heavily as lead the hooting and the yelling fell upon the governor's
ears. What should he do? What _could_ he do? Oh, if only he had not
acted so wrongly in the past, he might have dared to do right now! If
only he had not violated the Roman law he might now have vindicated its
majesty! He might have told the Jews that he, a Roman governor, could
not think of so gross an injustice as condemning such a Man, and that
they were only actuated by envy and hatred. Oh, if he could only wipe
out his past offences, and stand clear concerning the Jews, he might,
also, stand clear concerning this Jesus, who was called the Christ!

But his hands were stained with crime; and, like a child who tells a
second falseho