He, too, disdained to conceal the joy of his heart, and Hur stood beside the reunited lovers, as they clasped each other’s hands, and exchanged greetings, at first mutely, then with warm words.

“I knew you would come!” cried the maiden, and Hosea answered with joyful emotion.

“You might easily suppose so, oh Prophetess; for your own voice was among those that summoned me here.”

Then in a calmer tone, he added:  “I hoped to find your brother also; I am the bearer of a message of grave import to him, to us, and to the people.  I see that you, too, are ready to depart and should grieve to behold the comfort of your aged hosts destroyed by hasty acts that may yet be needless.”

“What do you mean?” asked Hur, advancing a step nearer to the other.  “I mean,” replied Hosea, “that if Moses persists in leading the tribes eastward, much blood will flow uselessly to-morrow; for I learned at Tanis that the garrison of Etham has been ordered to let no man pass, still less the countless throng, whose magnitude surprised me as I rode through the camp.  I know Apu, who commands the fortifications and the legions whom he leads.  There would be a terrible, fruitless massacre of our half-armed, untrained people, there would be—­in short, I have urgent business to discuss with Moses, urgent and immediate, to avert the heaviest misfortune ere it is too late.”

“What you fear has not escaped our notice,” replied Hur, “and it is in order to guard against this peril that Moses has set forth on a dangerous quest.”

“Whither?” asked Hosea.

“That is the secret of the leaders of the tribes.”

“Of which my father is one.”

“Certainly; and I have already offered to take you to him.  If he assumes the responsibility of informing you. . . .”

“Should he deem it a breach of duty, he will keep silence.  Who is to command the wandering hosts tomorrow?”

“I.”

“You?” asked Hosea in astonishment, and Hur answered calmly: 

“You marvel at the audacity of the shepherd who ventures to lead an army; but the Lord of all armies, to whom we trust our cause, is our leader; I rely solely on His guidance.”

“And so do I,” replied Hosea.  “No one save the God through whom Miriam summoned me to this spot, entrusted me—­of that I am confident—­with the important message which brings me here.  I must find Moses ere it is too late.”

“You have already heard that he will be beyond the reach of any one, myself included, until to-morrow, perhaps the day after.  Will you speak to Aaron?”

“Is he in the camp?”

“No; but we expect his return before the departure of the people, that is in a few hours.”

“Has he the power to decide important matters in Moses’ absence?”

“No, he merely announces to the people in eloquent language what his illustrious brother commands.”

The warrior bent his eyes with a disappointed expression on the ground, and after a brief pause for reflection eagerly added, fixing his gaze on Miriam: