tarlight, the priest bowed his head, and a
throng of pent-up emotions throbbed in his breast.

"Spirits of the stars, show me God. If this Jesus be indeed the Son of
God, show me him. Give me faith, such faith as had he of the withered
hand, that I too may stretch forth my hand and be made whole; that I may
look, and in looking, see."

This was his prayer. Ah, yet, the "spirits of the stars" were as a
bridge to the gulf which, he fancied, lay between him and Infinite
Mercy.

CHAPTER III.

YUSUF MEETS AMZI, THE MECCAN.

"Mecca's pilgrims, confident of Fate,
And resolute in heart."

--_Longfellow._

The next morning, Yusuf, against the remonstrances of Musa and his wife,
prepared to proceed on his way. Like the Ancient Mariner, he felt forced
to go on, "to pass like night from land to land," until he obtained that
which he sought.

When he was almost ready to depart, a horseman came galloping down the
valley, with the news that a caravan, en route for Mecca, was almost in
sight, and would make a brief halt near the stream by which Musa's
tents were pitched. Yusuf at once determined to avail himself of the
timely protection on his journey.

Presently the caravan appeared, a long, irregular line--camels bearing
"shugdufs," or covered litters; swift dromedaries, mounted by tawny
Arabs whose long Indian shawls were twisted about their heads and fell
in fringed ends upon their backs; fiery Arabian horses, ridden by Arabs
swaying long spears or lances in their hands; heavily-laden pack-mules,
whose leaders walked beside them, urging them on with sticks, and giving
vent to shrill cries as they went; and lastly a line of pilgrims, some
trudging along wearily, some riding miserable beasts, whose ribs shone
through their roughened hides, while others rode, in the proud security
of ease and affluence, in comfortable litters, or upon animals whose
sleek and well-fed appearance comported with the self-satisfied air of
their riders.

A halt was called, and immediately all was confusion. Tents were
hurriedly thrown up; the pack-mules were unburdened for a moment; the
horses, scenting the water, began to neigh and sniff the air; infants,
who had been crammed into saddle-bags with their heads out, were hauled
from their close quarters; the horsemen of Musa, still balancing their
tufted spears, dashed in and out; while his herdsmen, anxious to keep
the flocks from mixing with the