The drought continued, and the horrors of famine caused by the failure of all crops, was felt in Samaria. Ahab was in despair. Everywhere horses and other animals were dying, for there was not the scantiest grass or herbage of any kind for them to eat, and everywhere the streams were dry. The chief officer of Ahab's household was a man named Obadiah. He was a faithful servant of God, and during the bitter persecutions of Jezebel, had hidden an hundred persons who worshipped God, in a cave and fed them there. Ahab now took Obadiah, and set out on a desperate search for pasturage and water for the animals, the king going one way and his servant the other, on what seemed a hopeless errand. Before Obadiah had gone very far, Elijah suddenly stood before him. Quickly the prophet told him to go to Ahab and tell him _"Elijah is here."_ Obadiah feared that Elijah would disappear before he could bring the king to him, but, reassured by Elijah, he set forth to find Ahab. [Image: A FIELD IN PALESTINE TO-DAY. From a photograph.] Now Ahab had been searching throughout his kingdom for the mysterious stranger who had warned him of the coming drought, three years before; so, as soon as he learned from Obadiah that the stranger had reappeared, he went to meet him. When he saw the prophet, he asked him, _"Art thou he that troubleth Israel?"_ Elijah answered that he had not troubled Israel, but that Ahab's evil reign, and that of his father before him, had been the cause of the drought. Then Elijah denounced the idolatry of Ahab, and followed this with a command to assemble his people on Mount Carmel, and bring also all the priests and attendants of Baal and Ashtoroth. Ahab did not dare to disobey, and a great, weary, listless crowd assembled on the sun-burned slopes of the mountain. The priests were there in gorgeous vestments, and the king, himself, all eager and expectant. A spring of water, apparently undiscovered before, flowed not far away. Elijah appeared with only one attendant, and soon his voice rang out. _"How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."_ The amazed people stood speechless. Then Elijah spoke again, saying he was hut one prophet, while before him were four hundred and fifty of Baal's prophets. Then he proposed a test of powers. [Image: CULTIVATING THE LAND IN PALESTINE TO-DAY. From a photograph.] He asked that two bullocks might be provided. The priests of Baal should take one, and prepare it for sacrifice by laying it on the wood upon the altar to their god, but they were to put no fire tinder it. The other bullock he would prepare in the same way. Then the priests of Baal were to call upon their god, and he would call upon his God, and the God, that answered by sending fire to consume the sacrifice offered to him, was to be the God of the people. The answer of the people, dejected with long endurance of misery, was ready, and as one man they shouted, "It is well spoken."