“The Queen of the Essenes, whose name is Miriam, sent me,” replied the man.
Now both of them sprang to their feet.
“What token do you bear?” asked Marcus in a slow, restrained voice, “for know, we thought that lady dead.”
“This,” he answered, and drawing the ring from his robe he handed it to him, adding, “Do you acknowledge the token?”
“I acknowledge it. There is no such other ring. Have you aught else?”
“I had a letter, but it is lost. The Roman soldiers robbed me of my robe in which it was sewn, and I never saw it more. But the ring I saved by hiding it in my mouth while they searched me.”
Marcus groaned, but Nehushta said quickly:
“Did she give you no message? Tell us your story and be swift.”
So he told them all.
“How long was this ago?” asked Nehushta.