“‘That we know not. It was not until hours after Mysa was carried off that any one thought of her. We were too overwhelmed with grief at the death of our dear lord and the loss of Mysa to give a thought to the young Israelite. Then one asked, where was she? No one had noticed her. We went to Mysa’s chamber, thinking that the villains who carried our young mistress off might have slain her; but there were no signs of her there.’ “‘But she was with Mysa, was she not,’ I asked, ‘when the attack was made? Did she not pass in with her when she came in from the garden?’ “‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘they came in together and passed through us; for we gathered in the front chamber, being greatly frightened at the clamor at the gate. As they passed us our young mistress said, “Keep silent; what is the use of screaming and crying?” “I asked if she was sure Ruth was not carried off as well as Mysa. “‘Quite sure,’ she said. ‘One bore a figure and the other three cleared the way.’” “‘And that was the last time,’ I asked, ‘that any of you saw the Israelite?’ “‘It was,’ she answered. ‘She must have passed out by the door at the end of the passage, which she might well have done without being observed by any of us.’ “This was a new mystery. Why Ruth should have fled I could not guess, because as soon as the soldiers appeared there was no more danger in remaining. Besides, I did not think Ruth was one to shrink from danger. However, there was no more to be learned, and I again went out into the streets.” CHAPTER XIII. THE SEARCH FOR MYSA. “Perhaps Ruth had gone to tell my mother that Mysa was lost,” Chebron suggested when Jethro had gone so far in his story. “That could hardly have been,” Jethro replied, “for I should have told you that your mother returned early this morning to the house with many relatives, and that all were weeping and mourning round the body of your father. Had Ruth gone to her, she would either have returned with her, or Lyptis would have heard where she was.” “Did you hear how my mother bore her misfortunes, Jethro?”