Azariah with his daughters and little Daniel were watching the ceremonies of the last and greatest day of the feast from the roof of the Governor’s house, where they were joined by Micah and by Joseph, who, it will be remembered, had shared with him the disastrous command of the city during the absence of Judas in Gilead. Joseph was exultant; Micah’s face was grave and even sad. “Thank the Lord, Azariah,” cried Joseph, “for He has dealt with the traitor after his deservings.” “Whom mean you?” asked Azariah; “for we have had more traitors here than one.” “Whom should I mean but Menelaüs, the false priest who sat in Aaron’s seat?” “And what has befallen him?” “The King has caused him to be put to death. He was in little favour when they took him home, for Lysias said that he had wrought all the mischief that had been done. And when they came to Antioch the matter of Oniah was brought against him, for there were many who loved the old man, and had taken it ill that his death had not been fully avenged. And when the young King heard the story, Menelaüs being present, and having nothing to say against it, he cried, ‘I wonder that the King, my father, suffered this murderer to escape, but he shall not go unpunished any more. Take him, and cast him alive into the Tower of Ashes.’ So they took him and did as the King had commanded.” “And what is the Tower of Ashes?” asked the little Daniel, who had been listening to this conversation with a sort of terrified interest. Micah answered his question. “At Berea is a tower, the bottom of which is full of ashes, and in the tower is a machine which revolves and plunges the criminal who is bound to it deep into the ashes until he is smothered. But as for this unhappy man, the Lord have mercy upon him!” Joseph turned fiercely upon him. “I marvel,” he said, “that you should pray for this fellow, who was worse than the heathen. He has but had his deservings.” “And where should I be, if I had had mine?” answered Micah. “I walked in the same way with this Menelaüs, and sinned against the Law, even as he sinned, and but that God had mercy upon me, surely I had come to the same end.” “Don’t be sorry, uncle,” said the boy, holding up his little face for a kiss; “I am sure that God has forgiven you, for He knows how bravely you have fought for Him, and how many of the heathen you have killed with your sword.” “May it be so, dear child! But though He has forgiven me, yet I must reap as I have sown.” “And who shall be high priest in this traitor’s place?” asked Joseph, after a pause. “For Oniah, the son of him that was slain at Antioch, is in the land of Egypt, and he takes part with the unfaithful brethren who would build another Temple among the temples of the heathen, leaving the place which the Lord has chosen to set His name there.”