Scarcely had he spoken when, over the shoulder of the hill of Gibeah, appeared the familiar outline of the Bedouin steed and the thread-like lance. But from the uplifted point floated the pennant denoting the peaceful intent of the comer, who rode leisurely on. Judas himself went to meet him. "Peace be to you!" "Peace!" The rider dismounted, and, planting his lance, bowed low to the ground. "I am Nadan, son of Yusef. My father bids me say, 'Let there be peace between him and the son of Mattathias." "Let there be peace!" responded Judas. He picked from the ground a round stone, broke it in twain upon a rock, and gave the half to Nadan. "Nay, let me give better pledge of our covenant," said the young man. "The highway from Jericho is this hour filled with the herds of Ben Aaron of Masada, and ten score men are coming to you." "The road is dangerous for so few," interjected Judas. "Not so," replied Nadan, "since this----" He held in his hand a piece of stone not dissimilar to that Judas had given him. "Ben Aaron holds the other half. Is it enough?" Judas' face revealed an instant of incredulity; but the eager frankness of the young man dispelled it. "It is enough," he replied. "When Masada falls of its own weight into the sea then the covenant of the son of Yusef may be broken." "My thanks," said Nadan, "and since I have found some favor, I would ask for more." "You have but to speak it." "Son of Mattathias, the house of Elkiah in Jerusalem is in alliance with the Greeks." "It is true." "That may be broken." "How?" "Elkiah's daughter is fair, and she pleases me," said Nadan, a blush blending finely with his proud mien. "You have seen her?" "She has been in my power." "Where is she?" Had not Nadan's eyes been upon the ground he would have detected something in Judas which would have halted his proposal; but he continued: "She has been in my power. I could have carried her to my tent, yet I delivered her to her kinsman. She comes with his men." A sunburst could not have changed Judas' aspect more than did the glad news. Nadan quite naturally misinterpreted it as an evidence of the favor with which the Maccabæan received his proposal, and he enthusiastically pursued his scheme. "I could have taken her to my tent, for she was mine. But, son of Mattathias, I have wider thoughts for us both. With the tribesmen as your allies you can hold this land. Quickly the city will fall. Two thousand spears will follow the call of Yusef or his son. These you may have if you give me the daughter of Elkiah to wife, and assure me of the property of that house as her dowry." "The woman is not mine to give," said Judas.