Blemmyes are coming. Is Paulus with my father?"

"No, but I know where he is."

"Then you must call him," said the young man. "Him first and then
Gelasius, and Psoes, and Dulas, and any more of the penitents that you
can find. They must all go to the castle by the ravine. Now I will go
to my father; you hurry on and show that you are to be trusted." As he
spoke he put his arm round her waist, but she slipped shyly away, and
calling out, "I will take them all the message," she hurried off.

In front of the cave where she had hoped to meet with Paulus she found
Sirona; she did not stop with her, but contented herself with laughing
wildly and calling out words of abuse.

Guided by the idea that she should find the Alexandrian at the nearest
well, she went on and called him, then hurrying on from cave to cave she
delivered her message in Hermas' name, happy to serve him.




CHAPTER XX.

They were all collected behind the rough wall on the edge of the ravine-
the strange men who had turned their back on life with all its joys and
pails, its duties and its delights, on the community and family to which
they belonged, and had fled to the desert, there to strive for a prize
above and beyond this life, when they had of their own free-will
renounced all other effort. In the voiceless desert, far from the