"It is hard to leave her," said Israel, "for she is alone; and who will
protect her when I am gone?"

"God lives," said the Mahdi, "and He is Father to the fatherless."

"But what Jew," said Israel, "would not repeat for her her father's
troubles, and what Muslim could save her from her own?"

"Who that trusts in God," said the Mahdi, "need fear the Kaid?"

"But what man can save her?" cried Israel again.

And then the Mahdi, touched by Naomi's tears as well as her father's
importunities, answered out of a hot heart and said--

"Peace, peace! If there is no one else to take her, from this day
forward she shall go with me."

Naomi looked up at him then with such a light in her beautiful eyes
as he has often since, but had never before seen there, and Israel ben
Oliel who had been holding at his hand, clutched suddenly at his wrist.

"God bless you!" he said, as well as he could for the two angels, the
angel of love and the angel of death, were struggling at his throat.

Israel looked steadily at the Mahdi for a moment more, and then said
very softly--

"Death may come to me now; I am ready. Farewell, my father! I tried to