"I do not fear for myself, Theophilus, but for you and Naomi. If Javan knew of our visits to Bethany--if Javan knew that his sister and his cousin were disciples of Jesus--oh, I believe no ties of blood would prevent him from denouncing you to the tyrants who make religion a mask for cruelty and murder." "Silence, dear Claudia," said Naomi in a low whisper; "your eagerness makes you forget that you are perhaps within hearing of the person whom you think you saw lurking so near. Let us proceed quickly. I cannot share your fears, but I dread my father's inquiries as to the cause of our long absence." A short time sufficed to bring them to the threshold of Zadok's house, where Deborah met them with a countenance of alarm and anxiety. "Why are you so late, my children?" she exclaimed. "I have been watching from the housetop in great uneasiness, until it became so dark that I could no longer distinguish the road up the Mount of Olives. Javan came in soon after you left the house, and asked eagerly in what direction you had walked out. My fears told me that you were gone to Bethany; but I concealed my suspicions, and tried to persuade your brother that you were gone by Solomon's pool, towards the valley of Hinnom. He looked stern and angry, and without replying hurried from the house." "Then," cried Claudia, "my fears were not unfounded, and it was Javan himself who followed us. Something in the figure of the person I saw reminded me of him; and yet I tried to believe it could not be. Gracious Heaven! preserve us from his vengeance!" Both Theophilus and Naomi were greatly alarmed at what Deborah had communicated, for they had lately heard Javan express himself with so much bitter hatred towards the Nazarenes that they felt convinced he would use all his influence for the persecution and destruction of any who bore the name; and they feared that even those who were of his near kindred would be sacrificed to his zeal and fanaticism. Claudia entreated Theophilus to leave them instantly, that Javan might not return and find them together; and also that he might repair to his father's apartments and inform him of what had occurred. He complied with her wishes, and was passing across the vestibule, towards the gallery that led to the suite of rooms occupied exclusively by his parents, when Javan entered, and in a voice of assumed kindness called to him to return. "Come, Theophilus," he said, "I have seen but little of you lately, my time has been so much engaged. I have to thank you for so well supplying my place, and giving a brother's protection to Naomi in her evening rambles. Let us go altogether to the terrace, and join my father and mother, and you can entertain us with an account of your lengthened excursion, for you have been absent so long that you must doubtless have wandered far beyond the pool of Solomon."