"What calamity has occurred to you, my dear brother?" she cried.

"Be calm, sweet Serintha," he replied, "and I will tell you all."

He then informed his sisters that with his three friends he had been
guilty of taking up arms against the authorities--a crime punished with
great severity.

As Ezrom and his young men companions were connected with families of
high station in Jerusalem, even having royal blood in their veins, they
had the privilege of carrying weapons and were in the habit of going
armed with swords. This unfortunate custom had only served in the end to
get them into serious trouble, and Ezrom for one felt compelled to leave
home during the night.

These startling disclosures brought from both of his sisters a cry of
agony. They implored him to remain, promising to exert every influence to
save him from punishment.

Ezrom's mind was firmly made up, however, and he declared that he never
would face the impending exposure. He gathered together a few articles of
clothing while his sisters followed him from room to room with painful
sobs. He was soon ready. His younger sister, Monroah, fell on his neck in
a paroxysm of grief. Ezrom could utter but a few broken words when he
essayed to bid them farewell. His favorite harp stood by his side.

"Take this, my sweet Monroah," he said, in trembling accents, "and
whenever thy hand shall strike its chords of melody remember that thou
art loved with all the strong affection of a brother's heart. And now, in