shadow, had followed him through the little door which
he forgot to lock, and was now hidden among those very trees, he might
have remembered a proverb to the effect that snakes hide in the greenest
grass and the prettiest flowers have thorny stems. But he thought of no
such thing, who was lost in happy anticipations of a moonlight interview
with a lovely and cultured young lady, whose image, to speak truth, had
taken so deep a hold upon his fancy, that sometimes he wondered how he
would be able to banish it thence again. At present he could think of
no better means than that which at this moment he was following
with delight. Meetings in moonlit gardens tend proverbially to
disenchantment!

Presently Marcus caught the gleam of a white robe followed by a dark
one, flitting towards him through the dim and dewy garden, and at the
sight his heart stood still, then began to beat again in a disorderly
fashion. Had he known it, another heart a few yards behind him also
stood still, and then began to beat like that of a man in a violent
rage. It seems possible, also, that a third heart experienced unusual
sensations.

"I wish she had left the old lady behind," muttered Marcus. "No, I
don't, for then there are brutes who, if they knew, might blame her";
and, luckily for himself, he walked forward a few paces to meet the
white robe, leaving the little belt of trees almost out of hearing.

Now Miriam stood before him, the moonlight shining on her delicate face
and in her tranquil eyes, which always reminded him of the blue depths
of heaven.

"Sir," she began----

"Oh, I pray you," he broke in, "cease from ceremony and call me Marcus!"

"Captain Marcus," she repeated, dwelling a little on the unfamiliar
name, "I beg that you will forgive me for disturbing you at so
unseasonable an hour."

"Certainly I forgive you, Lady Miriam," he replied, also dwelling on
her name and copying her accent in a fashion that made the grim-faced
Nehushta smile.

She waved her hand in deprecation. "The truth is, that this matter of
Caleb's----"

"Oh, may all the infernal gods take Caleb! as I have reason to believe
they shortly will," broke in Marcus angrily.

"But that is just what I wish to prevent; we have met here to talk of
Caleb."

"Well, if you must--talk and let us be done with him. What about Caleb?"

Miriam clasped her hands. "What do you know of him, Captain Marcus?"

"Know? Why, just this: a spy I have in my troop has foun