Then came a momentary break in the frightful scene.  He passed through the last inhabited spot in the approach to the heart of the Wilderness—­the tiny village of Engedi, where were located the ancient limestone reservoirs of water which supplied the lower regions of the territory.  The few inhabitants of this remote outpost of primitive civilization gazed in wonder and awe at the lonely figure passing them with unseeing eyes and with gaze seemingly able to pierce the forbidding hills which loomed up in the distance hiding lonely recesses into which the foot of man had never trodden, even the boldest of the desert people being deterred from a visit thereto by the weird tales of unholy creatures and unhallowed things, which made these places the scene of their uncanny meetings and diabolical orgies.

On, and on, pressed the Master, giving but slight heed to the desolate scene which now showed naught but gloomy hills, dark canyons, and bare rocks, relieved only by the occasional bunches of stringy desert grass and weird forms of cacti bristling with the protective spines which is their armor against their enemies.

At last the wanderer reached the summit of one of the higher foot-hills and gazed at the scene spreading itself before Him.  And that scene was one that would have affrighted the heart of an ordinary man.  Behind Him was the country through which He had passed, which though black and discouraging was as a paradise to the country which lay ahead of Him.  There below and behind Him were the caves and rude dwellings of the outlaws and fugitives from justice who had sought the doubtful advantage of security from the laws of man.  And far away in the distance were the scenes of John the Baptist’s ministry, where He could see in imagination the multitude discussing the advent of the strange Master, who had been vouched for by the Voice, but who had stolen swiftly away from the scene, and had fled the crowds who would have gladly worshipped Him as a Master and have obeyed His slightest command.

Then as the darkness of the succeeding nights fell upon Him, He would sleep on some wild mountain cliff, on the edge of some mighty precipice, the sides of which dropped down a thousand feet or more.  But these things disturbed Him not.  On and on He pressed at the appearance of each dawn.  Without food He boldly moved forward to the Heart of the Hills, where the Spirit guided Him to the scene of some great spiritual struggle which he intuitively knew lay before Him.

The Words of the Voice haunted Him still, though He lacked a full understanding of them, for He had not yet unfolded the utmost recesses of His Spiritual Mind.  “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”—­what meant these words?  And still, no answer came to that cry of His soul which sought in vain for a freeing of that riddle.