"Come, my lad," he said, "come," and he began to move away at once. "We must not delay a moment in this Land. It infects those who linger within it with a sleeping sickness that once given way to is almost impossible to combat. Come lad with me and 'let thine eyes look right on and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.' Do you not see how the long grass is waving? Enemies are hiding within it ready to hurl their poisoned darts at you. You are lost if you hesitate. Hold communion with the King as you pass them and they dare not touch you." "Ah! But have I a King now?" sighed Amer. "Has He not said, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out.' Can we doubt His mercy? He who died for us." "Since you have released me from the chain I begin to think that you may have been the answer to my cry. I cried unto the Lord to have mercy upon me." "And He has heard your cry," said Heman. CHAPTER VIII. STRAYING FROM THE PATH. Belthiah and Iddo passed the outskirts of the Land of Achshaph on their journey. Iddo looked curiously into the green glades of the land, and what she saw there fascinated her. "Mother," she cried, "look at the flowers in those lanes, they are lovely. I have never seen such large ones; surely I may pluck some of them." "You could not pick them without going out of your path, my child," said her mother, "see, your path only skirts the land. It is not the way the King has appointed you to tread." Iddo still looked longingly at the flowers. "It would only be a very little way out of the path," she murmured, "and it seems such a pity to pass them by." Her mother was silent as she walked steadily forward, but Iddo lagged behind. Only a yard or two from her path were flowers such as she had never seen or dreamt of. Their blossoms were sprinkled in rich profusion over the grass; blossoms of deep purple and red, while in the distance she caught sight of others of bright blue, which attracted her still more. Iddo hesitated a moment. There would be time to run and pick a few before her mother had turned the next corner. The temptation was strong, and suddenly the girl gave way to it. Leaving her path she ran into the green glade, and stooping down picked as many flowers as her hands could hold. Then sitting down in the grass she began to decorate herself with them, placing some in her waistband, and other blossoms in her hair. "How pretty," sighed a voice by her side. Iddo looked round quickly, and saw a dainty little lady standing beside her, dressed in very fine clothing. The girl was startled, and suddenly remembered that she had wandered away from her right path; but the little creature in front of her did not look alarming, so though Iddo rose from the ground she lingered by her side. Besides, the compliment that had been paid to her was not lost upon the girl. "These flowers are lovely," she murmured.