he said. "But keep your mind easy, friend; I have not accepted
Mohammed's claims. I am open to conviction yet, and I am not hasty to
believe. In fact, I must confess, Yusuf, an entire lack of that fervor,
of that capacity for religious feeling, which is so marked a trait in my
Persian priest."

"Yet you, too, professed to be a seeker for truth," said Yusuf,
reproachfully.

"My desire for truth is simply to know it for the mere sake of knowing
it," said Amzi.

Yusuf sighed. He did not realize that he had to deal with a peculiar
nature, one of the hardest to impress in spiritual things--the
indifferent, calculating mind, which is more than half satisfied with
moral virtue, not realizing the infinitely higher, nobler, happier life
that comes from the inspiration of a constant companionship with God.

"Alas, I am but a poor teacher, Amzi," he said. "You know, perhaps, more
of the doctrines of these Christians than I; yet I am convinced that to
me has come a blessing which you lack, and I would fain you had it too.
And I know so little that it seems I cannot help you. You will, at
least, come and talk with Nathan?"

"As you will," said Amzi, in a half-bantering tone. "Prove to me that
these Hebrews are infallible, and I shall half accept their Jewish
philosophy."

"You cannot expect to find them or any one on this earth infallible,"
returned Yusuf, quietly. "I can only promise that you will find in them