who will be gone with the sunrise on the third day that he
may escape danger. Joel hath been bidden with Lazarus, and Anna doth
desire that we come to help her with the serving," Martha said as a
beginning to her comment on the hospitality of Simon.

While they discussed the feast to be given by their neighbor, Lazarus
joined them and said to Martha, "I am going to Simon's and Anna doth
desire that thou come to plan with her for the feast to-morrow. Wilt
thou also go, Mary?"

"Who goeth?"

"Joel goeth. Joseph hath gone to the roof and Jesus doth rest on the
couch in the window."

"I go with thee," and Martha rose and turned to Mary, who said, "Nay, I
go not. I will stay and gather lilies."

"Hast thou not yet learned the heart of man doth delight in meat and
drink--not in lilies?"

"Thou forgettest the Master, my sister. The guest of honor will he be
before his long going away, and thinkest thou he will not know whose
hand plucked the lilies?"

"Mary hath the last word on thee, Martha," Lazarus said, laughing.
"Let us be going," and they crossed the garden to the gate that opened
into the court of Simon.

After they had gone, Mary went the length of the garden to her lily
beds. While she was gathering the blossoms, Jesus came from the house
and looked about him, and as he passed into the shade of the big olive
tree, he discovered Mary. He stopped and watched her, as with her arms
full of lilies she came toward the pool. In the silver light of the
moon her soft white garments and silky veil lent spirit-like appearance
to her slender body, and her face was beautiful with a rare beauty not
born of flesh. When she reached the pool she knelt and placed the lily
stems in the water. Rising, she hesitated a moment, then turned into
the walk leading to the old stone wall where she often stood to watch
down the roadway for expected guests. For a few moments she leaned
against the vine-grown stones gazing away into the moonlit distance.
Then she dropped her head on her arms which lay folded across the top
of the wall.

In a little while the stillness of the garden was broken by a voice
which said, "Mary." She looked up with a start. Again she heard her
name, "Mary."

Recognizing the voice she ran to the shade of the olive tree
exclaiming, "Master! Master!"

She found Jesus sitting on the old stone bench and knelt beside him on
a foot-stone. "Rest thou beside me," he said to her.

"Nay. Nay. At th