than before and behold them turn from the God of their fathers to again worship animal-headed idols, your father’s curse will overtake you, the wrath of the Most High will strike the blinded man, and despair will be the lot of him who led to ruin the weak masses for whose shield the Most High chose him.  So I, a feeble woman, yet the servant of the Most High and the maiden who was dearer to you than life, cry in tones of warning:  Fear your father’s curse and the punishment of the Lord!  Beware of tempting the people.”

Here she was interrupted by a female slave, who summoned her to her house—­and she added in low, hurried accents:  “Only this one thing more.  If you do not desire to be weaker than the woman whose opposition roused your wrath, sacrifice your own wishes for the welfare of yonder thousands, who are of the same blood!  With your hand on these stones you must swear . . . .”

But here her voice failed.  Her hands groped vainly for some support, and with a loud cry she sank on her knees beside Hur’s token.

Joshua’s strong arms saved her from falling prostrate, and several women who hurried up at his shout soon recalled the fainting maiden to life.

Her eyes wandered restlessly from one to another, and not until her glance rested on Joshua’s anxious face did she become conscious where she was and what she had done.  Then she hurriedly drank the water a shepherd’s wife handed to her, wiped the tears from her eyes, sighed painfully, and with a faint smile whispered to Joshua:  “I am but a weak woman after all.”

Then she walked toward the house, but after the first few steps turned, beckoned to the warrior, and said softly: 

“You see how they are forming into ranks.  They will soon begin to move.  Is your resolution still unshaken?  There is still time to call the elders.”

He shook his head, and as he met her tearful, grateful glance, answered gently: 

“I shall remember these stones and this hour, wife of Hur.  Greet my father for me and tell him that I love him.  Repeat to him also the name by which his son, according to the command of the Most High, will henceforth be called, that its promise of Jehovah’s aid may give him confidence when he hears whither I am going to keep the oath I have sworn.”

With these words he waved his hand to Miriam and turned toward the camp, where his horse had been fed and watered; but she called after him:  “Only one last word:  Moses left a message for you in the hollow trunk of the tree.”

Joshua turned back to the sycamore and read what the man of God had written for him.  “Be strong and steadfast” were the brief contents, and raising his head he joyfully exclaimed:  “Those words are balm to my soul.  We meet here for the last time, wife of Hur, and, if I go to my death, be sure that I shall know how to die strong and steadfast; but show my old father what kindness you can.”