"My sister," replied the lad briefly. "She is blind," he added, moved by a sudden impulse.
"Blind? Ah, the pity of it, the pity of it!" said the man, passing his hand swiftly across his eyes. "Would to God"--then he broke off suddenly and commanded his dromedary to lie down; the beast obeyed, moaning and shaking his head. "He also smells water, yet hath he drunken his fill yester eve. Be quiet, Neha! thou shalt again drink.--And the little one is blind?"
"Yes, but she hath wonderful hearing," said Seth proudly. "She heard the tinkle of thy harness bells before I saw thee."
"Yes, yes! I know, no one better, it was once so with me, but seeing is also good. Thanks be to the Wonderful, the Prophet of Israel, I know that now!"
The lad looked at the man in puzzled silence. They had now approached the great rock, in the shadow of which the blind girl was sitting.
"Greetings to thee, little one!" said the stranger, sitting down in the sand near the child and looking earnestly into her dark sightless eyes.
"Who is it that is speaking to me?"
"Do not fear, Anat, I am here," said Seth, quietly possessing himself of one of the slender brown hands.
"I am not afraid; the voice is good."
"Where dwellest thou?" continued the stranger.