Some belated travelers were coming slowly up the road. He heard an ass's
feet and low voices.

The sheep heard them also. Had they been waiting for them? They rose one
by one--the whole flock--to their feet, and turned in a body toward the
approaching sounds.

Zia stood up with them. He waited also, and it was as if at this moment
his soul so lifted itself that it almost broke away from his body--
almost.

Around the curve an ass came slowly bearing a woman, and led by a man
who walked by his side. He was a man of sober years and walked wearily.
Zia's eyes grew wide with awe and wondering as he gazed, scarce
breathing.

The light upon the hillside was so softly radiant and so clear that he
could

[Illustration with caption: "Zia's eyes grew wide with awe and wondering
as he gazed, scarce breathing"--Page 38]

see that the woman's robe was blue and that she lifted her face to the
stars as she rode. It was a young face, and pale with the pallor of
lilies, and her eyes were as stars of the morning. But this was not all.
A radiance shone from her pure pallor, and bordering her blue robe and
veil was a faint, steady glow of light. And as she passed the standing
and waiting sheep, they slowly bowed themselves upon their knees before
her, and so knelt until she had passed by and was out of sight. Then
they returned to their places, and slept as before.