ound to the garden at the other side of the house.
There we can sit and talk, and at the same time keep watch that no one
else enters. It is not likely that any one will do so, for the place
is secluded, and none would know that these men were here; still a
peasant might enter to sell fowls or fruit, therefore it were best to
keep an eye upon the entrance."

They went round to some seats placed beneath trees on the other side
of the house. A fountain worked by the water of a little rill on the
hillside played in front of them, and a few tame waterfowl swam in a
shallow basin around it. Everything was still and peaceful, and to
Chebron it seemed as if the events of the last three weeks had been a
hideous dream, and that they were again sitting in the garden of their
house at Thebes.

"Now, first of all," Mysa said, "I must have my questions answered.
How are my father and mother and everyone?"

Jethro took Amuba's arm and turned away.

"We will leave you, Chebron, to tell Mysa what has taken place. It
will be better for you to do so alone."

Ruth rose from her seat to leave also, but Mysa put her hand on her
arm.

"I am frightened, Ruth; stay with me."

"You told me, Mysa," Chebron began, "that they had told you tales that
our father was dead, and that it was I who killed Paucis."

"Yes; but I did not believe them, Chebron. Of course I did not for a
moment--at least not for a moment about you. But when I thought of
those bad men at the gate, and the crash we heard, and the noise of
the people rushing in shouting, I thought--I was afraid--that perhaps
it might be true about our father. But, oh, Chebron, surely it is not
so?"

"Alas! Mysa, it is true! They cruelly slew our father. I wish I had
been there to have fallen by his side; but you know Amuba and I were
away. Jethro fought desperately to the last, and would have died with
him had not our father himself commanded that in case anything
happened to him he was to take charge of me, and to carry me out of
the land."

Mysa was crying bitterly now. Presently she looked up.

"But why should you want to leave the land, Chebron? Surely--surely it
is not true that you----"

The thing seemed too terrible for her to put into words.

"That I killed poor Paucis? That is true also, Mysa."

Mysa gave a little cry of horror.

"Oh, Ruth!" she cried, "this is too dreadful!"

Ruth put her arms round the sobbing girl. "You may be sure, Mysa, that
your brother did n