CHAPTER IV.

"THE WAY OF THE CROSS."

T was the hour of sunset, and ere the golden ball sank below the horizon, its last gorgeous rays were lighting up the armour of a party of horsemen, who rode slowly towards Jerusalem. The leader of the little cavalcade had a military, commanding appearance, and his flashing eyes, now fixed intently on the setting sun, and the firm lines round his mouth, marked him to be one with more than ordinary powers of mind and will.

Near him, and yet a little separate from the rest, were two men, who rode in perfect silence; one had a careless, frank countenance, and lips that seemed made to smile; but the other was widely dif ferent,-dark, earnest, and rather sunken eyes, pale lips closely compressed, and though younger than his companion, many deep lines were traced in his forehead. It was Joseph: months had passed since he left his wife and joined the army of the false Christ, and now he was returning to Jerusalem, where the whole army would shortly muster. The weeks of anguish he had gone through had not been without their effect upon him; but the expression of his careworn face was just as firm and resolute as when Leila had seen him last. The still passionate love he bore her often raised conflicting emotions in his heart, but he crushed them down, and resolved with the strength of an iron will that he would continue to hold aloof and treat her with indifference, until (as he expressed it) "the fanatical ideas had been driven from her mind."

Suddenly his companion, Phineas, exclaimed in a low voice, "Look at the king now, Joseph, does he not appear fit to rule the world, with that noble commanding *air ?"

"As he will do when his kingdom is established in Jerusalem," replied Joseph; "All kings shall bow down before him, all nations shall serve him.' The vile

Roman dogs shall be extirpated from the holy city, and righteousness shall reign therein; I would that time were come," he added, "I am weary of these scenes of war and bloodshed!"

"Fainthearted?" asked his companion with a smile.

"Nay, where Jehovah is, there victory is certain," said Joseph, quickly; but his manner was not as hopeful as his words, and he relapsed into silence until Phineas said, emphatically,

"The Romans, I fancy, are not only those whom our leader would extirpate from Jerusalem."

"Who, then ?”

"Who! can you ask, Joseph? I mean, of course, those contemptible Nazarenes. Methinks they may look out for troubles when we enter the city; I firmly believe that of any service we could render to the king the most acceptable would be, to trace one of these parties to their worshipping-place, and there seize them. Mark my words, they are the most dangerous foes we have, the number of converts is increasing terribly."

But this Joseph could not endure, and he quickly turned the conversation to other subjects.

A few days afterwards, however, Phineas came to him with the news that he had been so fortunate as to discover the meeting-place of a number of Christians; he had spoken to the chief, and had received orders that he and Joseph, at the head of a party of soldiers, should go to the cave on the first day of the week, surprise the Christians, and take them prisoners.

He described minutely the position of the cave, and to Joseph's relief he fancied it could not be the one of which Leila had spoken to him, but still, though the very possibility of betraying her made him shudder, as a soldier he had to obey his commander, and he agreed to go.

Ever since hearing Ione's story, Leila had felt less desolate, for the two griefstricken women felt drawn to each other,

and their love increased daily. But the young Jewess could not understand Ione's deliberate and despairing rejection of the crucified Saviour, or her bitter declaration that all the gods were alike cruel; and when Leila told her narratives of the love of Jesus, Ione merely replied, "How can we tell that it is true?"

Though at Ione's earnest request Leila still treated her as a servant before others, yet when alone all distinction was laid aside, and they conversed together as friends of equal rank, which indeed they

were.

Leila was deserted by her Jewish friends, and in the bitterness of her wounded pride Rachel utterly refused to see her daughter, so Leila would have been lonely indeed had it not been for Ione's companionship; and now that deception no longer existed she became less silent and mournful, and often told long stories of her bright childhood, and the happy home at Athens, where she and her father had lived in luxury and peace; only with regard to one were her lips completely sealed, and that was Cyril, her lost husband.

One morning when the Christians met, the priest told them that he had good reason to believe that their place of worship was discovered, and that they could no longer venture to assemble in it, but would resort to another of the many caves near the city. Leila was sorry to leave the place which to her had truly been "the House of God, and the Gate of Heaven," but she was thankful for safety to worship anywhere, and rejoiced in the return of the festival, when, early in the morning, before the city was awake, she and Ione started together.

The way led past a grove, and under the shadows of the tries two men were walking up and down, apparently watching for something. As the women approached them, Leila drew nearer to her companion with a vague sensation of fear, which changed to terror as she saw Ione's face. She had seen one of them at least, and though their eyes had met but for a single instant, yet in that time she had recognised the author of all her woes, the Greek Cineas. He also had seen her, and

with a smile of fiendish exultation he began to walk towards her, but not quickly, so as to attract attention. For one moment Ione remained motionless, her blue eyes flashing, her lips and cheeks perfectly colourless, then she seized Leila's hand, and turning a corner flew down a by-path with which Leila was unacquainted, nor did she slacken her pace until they reached their destination unseen and in safety.

The soothing service calmed Leila into repose, but Ione had more cause for agitation, and her face retained its deathlike hue and her eyes their gleaming light. This was the first time that she had ever actually been present at the services, but in her terror she had hurried into the cave with Leila, and as her thoughts were far away, the words had but little effect upon her, until all the little band gathered round the priest, and joined in offering the Eucharistic Sacrifice; then, as she saw the look of ineffable peace that stole over Leila's face, a feeling of envy rose in her heart. If this peace were but a delusion, would it not be sweeter to be deluded, and so at rest, than to suffer such misery as she did day by day? This life was but a burden to her, but that which lay beyond (if indeed such an one existed) was shrouded in a mist and great darkness more dreary still; and as she listened to the glorious hymn of praise, which, in a wild Hebrew chant, arose from the lips of all the worshippers, the thought shot across her, "Had the God of Heaven really come down to this sinful world because He loved the inhabitants of it?" but soon the gleam of light died away in unbelief.

The quivering strains still echoed through the cave when another sound arose on the morning air. From heaven to earth, from rest to tumult! But such is ever this life, hereafter the peace will be unbroken. Ione was the first to hear the sound, and darting across the cave to Leila, she cried, "We are discovered! But there may yet be a chance of escape; follow me!" but before they could move, several savagelooking men rushed into the cave fully armed.

The aged priest walked to meet the intruders, and eyed them calmly. For

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a moment they quailed before his serene dignity; then, turning to his flock, he said quietly, 'My children, remember, He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved;"" and without resistance he suffered himself to be bound hand and foot, and seated on a stone, without the power of moving.

Leila was torn forcibly from Ione, bound, and dragged into the open air with several of the other captives. Some were passionately pleading with the soldiers, some calm, some striving for calmness, when suddenly a piercing shriek rent the air, it was from Leila.

As she sat on the ground, gazing at the cruel soldiers, and feeling thankful that there was no face there that she knew; one of the leaders had ridden up to the spot, and was cheering on his men, the other was still some way off, but as he came nearer his figure seemed familiar to her; then his eyes met hers, there was a mutual recognition, and Leila knew that she was betrayed to imprisonment, perhaps to death, by her husband.

And Joseph! When the dreadful truth burst upon him that his wife was a captive, made so by men under his own command, his first impulse was to spring to the ground, and desire them to leave her utterly unmolested; but no, his self-command should not fail, the fiercer the trial the stronger should his resolution prove; but his face grew white as ashes, and the lines round his mouth became deeper. He withdrew his eyes from the fragile form of his wife, and riding up to his colleague Phineas, he said in a low, hoarse voice,

"We have succeeded well in thoroughly alarming these Nazarenes; shall we desire our men to free them and go? I hardly think they will venture to assemble again." "Nonsense!" returned the other, angrily, "you are not half a commander. Let the men do their work, and throw these rebellious fanatics into prison."

"Well, you can order them, I have an engagement elsewhere," and Joseph gallopped from the spot.

The captives, about twelve in number, together with the priest, were carried to Jerusalem, and there crowded into one

low dungeon; but it was a relief to feel that doors were between them and the coarse, violent soldiers, and that the heavy fetters were gone from their hands and feet. Ione came up to Leila, who sat as though stunned, and whispered to her, "Leila, can you feel now, even now, that Jesus, whom you call your Redeemer, loves you?"

A soft light shone in Leila's eyes as she answered, "He has promised to be present with us even to the end of the world, and I feel He is here now; He is going before me in the midst of all the darkness, and sorrow;-and, Ione, He suffered far more for us than we can ever do for Him."

But when at night the band of faithful witnesses raised their voices in a song of praise, and the priest spoke words of cheering kindness and consolation, the Jewess wrapped herself in her white mantle and lay down to rest, if not to sleep; she lay gazing calmly through the one small grating at the brilliant stars, while her thoughts strayed back to the happy childhood in the old house in Jerusalem, when she was the darling of her father, and her mother's sole companion; and then the days of betrothal, when the new love was growing daily more precious to her, and the short married life before her troubles came. But with those troubles she had found peace, the Day-Star from on high had visited her, and each fresh trial had brought fresh proofs of the consoling love of Christ. Now that she had lost all earthly affection save that of her faithful Greek friend, the love of Jesus became more real and sweet to her. If night was brooding darkly overhead, yet ever in advance of her was the pillar of heavenly glory, beckoning her on to realms of eternal day, and following it she was safe. Of the probable anguish before her she hardly thought; her Father had strengthened her thus far, and He would surely continue to do so. Only sometimes would tears rush to her eyes, and passionate prayers for faith and patience to her lips, and that was at the remembrance of her husband, not yet enrolled under the banner of Christ crucified, and of her mother, who was striving to