your relatives. Make haste away from this place before the reinforcements
come, or nothing will save you from the dungeon. I beseech you in the
name of the king and your beloved family!"

Instantly the plea had its effect. The young man drew back, and, hastily
uttering a few words to his companions, led them away before they could
be recognized by the gathering crowd.

"The officer is a loyal friend of our house," the youth explained, "and
we have him to thank for getting us out of this trouble, temporarily at
least. But the affair has attracted enough notice so that there is sure
to be an inquiry to-morrow, and I for one will put the city of my birth
behind me before the dawn of day. The son of Salome and the nephew of
King Josiah will never again bring disgrace upon those he loves. To-night
I flee to parts unknown, and bitter indeed will be the punishment of
those of you who are apprehended for our offenses."

In the vicinity of the Temple stood a beautiful dwelling. From outward
appearances one would readily conclude that the inmates of that fair
abode were not common personages. Wealth and taste were shown on every
hand. To this house, in the heart of Jerusalem, came the young man who
had rendered himself so conspicuous in the quarrel with the guard. He
reached the place by a circuitous route and hastily entered. Although the
hour was late two Hebrew maidens of rare beauty awaited his coming. They
were in a state of anxious solicitude for the return of their erring
brother, whose conduct of late had been such as to cause the most intense
anxiety on the part of the pious household, for Ezrom belonged to the
nobility of Judah and was a blood relation of the reigning monarch.
Seeing his excited countenance, the sisters understood that something
unusual had befallen him, and the elder of the two sprang to his side.