,
silent woman from brooding over her grief was Miriam. The desolate heart
clung to the prophetess, and she accompanied her when she practised in
the huts of the poor the medical skill she had learned and took them
medicines and alms.

The last messengers Amninadab and his wife received on the roof
described the hardships of the journey and the misery they had witnessed
in dark hues; but if one, more tender-hearted than the rest, broke
into lamentations over the sufferings endured by the women and children
during the prevalence of the desert wind, and recalling the worst
horrors impressed upon his memory, uttered mournful predictions for the
future, the old man spoke cheering words, telling him of the omnipotence
of God, and how custom would inure one to hardship. His wrinkled
features expressed firm confidence, while one could read in Miriam's
beautiful, yet stern countenance, little of the courageous hope, which
youth is wont to possess in a far higher degree than age.

During the arrival and departure of the messengers she did not quit
the old couple's side, leaving to her sister-in-law Elisheba and her
servants the duty of offering refreshments to the wearied men. She
herself listened intently, with panting breath, but what she heard
seemed to awaken her anxiety; for she knew that no one came to the house
which sheltered Aaron save those who were adherents of her brothers, the
leaders of the people. If such men's blitheness was already waning, what
must the outlook be to the lukewarm and refractory!

She rarely added a question of her own to those asked by the old man
and, when she did so, the messengers who heard her voice for the first
time looked at her in surprise; though musical, the tones were unusually
deep.

After several messengers, in reply to her inquiries, declared that
Hosea, the son of Nun, had not come with the others, her head drooped
and she asked nothing more, till pallid Milcah, who followed her
everywhere, raised her dark eyes beseechingly and murmured the name of
Reuben, her captive husband. The prophetess kissed the poor desolate
wife's forehead, glanced at her as if she had neglected her in some
way, and then questioned the messengers with urgent eagerness concerning
their news of Reuben, who had been dragged to the mines. One only had
learned from a released prisoner that Milcah's husband was living in the
copper mines of the province of Bech, in the neighborhood of Mt. Sinai,
and Miriam