[Illustration: Bedouin Arabs] CHAPTER XIII. Hannah hastily left the chamber in which Mary and Javan were conversing, and her benevolent mistress rejoiced that her little scheme for withdrawing her from the notice of the inquisitive stranger had succeeded. She hoped that he would regard her merely as a common domestic, whose part it was to attend and read to her employer, but who might take no part in her religious opinions, and be no object for his persecution, should such be the evil intention which brought him to the house. But it was not to secure her own safety alone that Hannah so instantly obeyed her beloved mistress. She did not abandon her to danger, and seek to avoid sharing it. The faithful creature fled from the house; and though it was now the second watch of the night, and the dim light of the twinkling stars was all that remained to guide her feet, she hurried down the Mount of Olives, crossed the valley, and in a surprisingly short time reached a small postern gate in the wall of the city, that opened into a passage leading immediately to Zadok's house. The great gates of the city had been closed and guarded at the usual hour; and Hannah knew that she should have great difficulty in obtaining an entrance by presenting herself at any of them. But she had frequently passed through this private door, on errands from Mary to her friends Amaziah and Judith, and she believed that they possessed the means of opening it at all hours; she therefore called loudly on the name of one of their domestics, and was quickly heard and answered. She requested permission to see Judith immediately; and as Zadok had put no restrictions on his brother's family, and allowed them to receive whom they would in their own apartments, she was led without delay to the room where they were assembled.