"And you are fleetly still," chimed in Aunt Susanna. "Oh, yes, Ruth, she refers to a race about two years ago when someone brought in a Greek courier to run with me and I showed him my heels before a crowd of over two thousand people. Now I will begin back on my love story: One afternoon when we were all up on the commons, they got up a race between Delila and me. She was an inch taller and a year older than I. So well do I remember when we were waiting for the signal and I was so confident of winning, but we had not gone far before I discovered I had my match. If we had had twenty steps more to run I would have won, but as it was they all cried Delila--Delila, when Jesus caught me up in his arms and said, 'Now, Mary (you know he always calls me Mary), would you not rather be called the sweetest girl than the faster runner?' Then, after he had wiped the tears and gotten me to laughing, he said, 'I want you to do something for me, will you?' and I said, 'Yes, you know I will, what is it?' 'I want you to go over to Delila and say, "When my legs get as long as yours I will race you again."' 'I will not,' said I. Then he turned and looked the other way, but I shook his hand and said, 'Do you hear me? I say I will not go near the old thing.' Then he turned and spoke as he often spake, 'Why, Mary.' I stood a moment and then dropped my elevated chin, let go of his hand and ran to Delila and told her just what he told me to, and she laughingly said, 'You would have won anyhow if you had not stumbled at the start.' So we began talking and both went back to Jesus, who bought us a piece of melon, and he laughed when we ate it by one taking a bite and then the other, until it was gone." "Do you know," inquired Ruth, "that Delila has married that rich man who had been a leper and they are living in Bethany, near Jerusalem? Jesus told me only a few days ago about two sisters in Bethany, Mary and Martha, who are relatives of Simon and live near him with their brother Lazarus. Simon has a beautiful home, where our folks, when at Jerusalem, go over and stay nights. Joseph of Aramathaea and Nicodemus are often there, they help Jesus in many ways, always giving him money and a place to stay. Jesus said he is going back to Jerusalem again, but mother and all of us are trying to persuade him not to do so. If he does, and we all go, will you both go with us? Mother wants to know." "I think we will," replied Aunt Susanna, and so they talked on until the golden dawn awoke the little songsters, who sang the three to sleep on the hillside by the sea. "Do you know, Lena," said Ruth, as they were walking in the twilight, "that mother thinks I had better not go to Jerusalem. She says only she and James will follow Jesus, for if we all go the rabbis may burn our home." "I have heard that, Ruth, for some time. Some influence caused me to think that way, but I did not mention it. Say, Ruth, why do people call me a sinner and say I am possessed with devils?"