d adventurous life; steeds were
stalled in ruined chambers, and tall camels raised their still visages
among the clustering columns, or crouched in kneeling tranquillity amid
fallen statues and prostrate obelisks.

Two months had scarcely elapsed since Alroy and Jabaster had sought
Scherirah in his haunt, and announced to him their sacred mission. The
callous heart of him, whose 'mother was a Jewess,' had yielded to their
inspired annunciations. He embraced their cause with all the fervour
of conversion, and his motley band were not long sceptical of a creed
which, while it assuredly offered danger and adventure, held out the
prospects of wealth and even empire. From the city of the wilderness
the new Messiah sent forth his messengers to the neighbouring cities, to
announce his advent to his brethren in captivity. The Hebrews, a
proud and stiff-necked race, ever prone to rebellion, received the
announcement of their favourite prince with transport. The descendant
of David, and the slayer of Alschiroch, had double claims upon their
confidence and allegiance, and the flower of the Hebrew youth in the
neighbouring cities of the Caliphate repaired in crowds to pay their
homage to the recovered sceptre of Solomon.

The affair was at first treated by the government with contempt, and the
sultan of the Seljuks contented himself with setting a price upon the
head of the murderer of his brother; but, when several cities had been
placed under contribution, and more than one Moslem caravan stopped,
and plundered in the name of the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,
orders were despatched from Bagdad to the new governor of Hamadan,
Hassan Subah, to suppress the robbers, or the rebels, and to send David
Alroy dead or alive to the capital.

The Hebrew malcontents were well apprised by their less adventurous
but still sympathising brethren of everything that took place at the
head-quarters of the enemy. Spies arrived on the same day at the city
of the wilderness, who informed Alroy that his uncle was thrown into
a dungeon at Hamadan, and that a body of chosen troops were about to
escort a royal harem from Bagdad into Persia.

Alroy attacked the escort in person, utterly discomfited them, and
captured their charge. It proved to be the harem of the Governor of
Hamadan, and if for a moment the too sanguine fancy of the captor
experienced a passing pang of disappointment, the prize at least
obtained, as we have seen, the freedom