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will we fling off the Roman yoke and become the true and
unconquered lords of Palmyra。 And I； too； Must join them；〃 he
added。
＇1＇ The 〃head man；〃 or chief of the 〃fahdh；〃 or family。
But the young girl detained him。 〃Wait； cousin；〃 she said； 〃watch
and wait。 Our fahdh will scarce attempt so brave a deed to…day；
with these new Roman soldiers in our gates。 That were scarcely
wise。
But the boy broke out again。 〃So； they have seen each other；〃 he
said； 〃both sides are pressing on！〃
〃True； and they will meet under this very portico；〃 said Bath
Zabbai； and moved both by interest and desire this dark…eyed
Syrian girl； to whom fear was never known； standing by her
cousin's side； looked down upon the tossing sea of spears and
lances and glittering shields and helmets that swayed and surged
in the street below。
〃So； Odaenathus！〃 said Rufinus； the tribune； reining in his horse
and speaking in harsh and commanding tones； 〃what meaneth this
array of armed followers？〃
〃Are the movements of Septimus Odaenathus； the head…man； of such
importance to the noble tribune that he must needs question a
free merchant of Palmyra as to the number and manner of his
servants？〃 asked Odaemathus haughtily。
〃Dog of a Palmyrean； slave of a camel…driver；〃 said the Roman
angrily； 〃trifle not with me。 Were you ten times the free
merchant you claim； you should not thus reply。 Free； forsooth！
None are free but Romans。〃
〃Have a care； O Rufinus；〃 said the Palmyrean boldly； 〃choose
wiser words if you would have peaceful ways。 Palmyra brooks no
such slander of her foremost men。〃
〃And Rome brooks no such men as you； traitor；〃 said Rufinus。 〃Ay；
traitor； I say；〃 he repeated； as Odaenathus started at the word。
〃Think not to hide your plots to overthrow the Roman power in
your city and hand the rule to the base Sapor of Persia。 Every
thing is known to our great father the Emperor； and thus doth he
reckon with traitors。 Macrinus； strike！〃 and at his word the
short Gallic sword in the ready hand of the big German
foot…soldier went straight to its mark and Odaenathus； the
〃head…man〃 of Palmyra； lay dead in the Street of the Thousand
Columns。
So sudden and so unexpected was the blow that the Palmyreans
stood as if stunned； unable to comprehend what had happened。 But
the Roman was swift to act。
〃Sound； trumpets！ Down； pikes！〃 he cried； and as the trumpet peal
rose loud and clear； fresh legionaries came hurrying through the
Damascus arch； and the pilum＇1＇ and spatha of Rome bore back the
shields and lances of Palmyra。
＇1＇ The pilum was the Roman pike； and the spatha the short
single…edged Roman sword。
But； before the lowered pikes could fully disperse the crowd； the
throng parted and through the swaying mob there burst a lithe and
flying figurea brown…skinned maid of twelve with streaming
hair； loose robe； and angry； flashing eyes。 Right under the
lowered pikes she darted and； all flushed and panting； defiantly
faced the astonished Rufinus。 Close behind her came an equally
excited lad who； when he saw the stricken body of his father on
the marble street； flung himself weeping upon it。 But Bath
Zabbai's eyes flashed still more angrily：
〃Assassin； murderer！〃 she cried； 〃you have slain my kinsman and
Odhainat's father。 How dare you； how dare you！〃 she repeated
vehemently； and then； flushing with deeper scorn； she added：
〃Roman； I hate you！ Would that I were a man。 Then should all
Palmyra know how〃
〃Scourge these children home；〃 broke in the stern Rufinus； 〃or
fetch them by the ears to their nurses and their toys。 Let the
boys and girls of Palmyra beware how they mingle in the matters
of their elders； or in the plots of their fathers。 Men of
Palmyra； you who to…day have dared to think of rebellion； look on
your leader here and know how Rome deals with traitors。 But；
because the merchant Odaenathus bore a Roman name； and was of
Roman rankho； soldiers！ bear him to his house； and let Palmyra
pay such honor as befits his name and station。〃
The struggling children were half led； half carried into the
sculptured atrium＇1＇ of the palace of Odaenathus which； embowered
in palms and vines and wonderful Eastern plants； stood back from
the marble colonnade on the Street of the Thousand Columns。 And
when in that same atrium the body of the dead merchant lay
embalmed and draped for its 〃long home；〃＇2＇ there； kneeling by
the stricken form of the murdered father and kinsman； and with
uplifted hand； after the vindictive manner of these fierce old
days of blood； Odaemathus and Zenobia swore eternal hatred to
Rome。
＇1＇ The large central 〃living…room〃 of a Roman palace。
＇2＇ The Palmyreans built great tower…tombs； beautiful in
architecture and adornment； the ruins of which still stand on the
hill slopes overlooking the old city。 These they called their
〃long homes；〃 and you will find the word used in the same sense
in Ecclesiastes xii。； 5。
Hatred； boys and girls； is a very ugly as it is a very headstrong
fault； but as there is a good side even to a bad habit； so there
is a hatred which may rise to the heighth of a virtue。 Hatred of
vice IS virtue； hatred of tyranny is patriotism。 It is this which
has led the world from slavery to freedom； from ignorance to
enlightenment； and inspired the words that have found immortality
alike above the ashes of Bradshaw the regicide and of Jefferson
the American。 Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God。
But how could a fatherless boy and girl； away off on the edge of
an Arabian desert； hope to resist successfully the mighty power
of Imperial Rome？ The story of their lives will tell。
If there are some people who are patriots； there are others who
are poltroons； and such a one was Hairan； the elder brother of
young Odhainat； when； succeeding to his dead father's wealth and
power； he thought less of Roman tyranny than of Roman gold。
〃Revenge ourselves on their purses； my brother； and not on their
pikes；〃 he said。 〃 'T is easier and more profitable to sap the
Roman's gold than to shed the Roman's blood。〃
But this submission to Rome only angered Odhainat； and to such a
conflict of opinion did it lead that at last Hairan drove his
younger brother from the home of his fathers； and the lad； 〃an
Esau among the Jacobs of Tadmor；〃 so the record tells us； spent
his youth amid the roving Bedaween of the Arabian deserts and the
mountaineers of the Armenian hills； waiting his time。
But； though a homeless exile； the dark…eyed Bath Zabbai did not
forget him。 In the palace of another kinsman； Septimus Worod； the
〃lord of the markets；〃 she gave herself up to careful study； and
hoped for the day of Palmyra's freedom。 As rich in powers of mind
as in the graces of form and face； she soon became a wonderful
scholar for those distant daysmistress of four languages：
Coptic； Syriac； Latin； and Greek； while the fiery temper of the
girl grew into the nobler ambitions of the maiden。 But above all
things； as became her mingled Arabic and Egyptian bloodfor she
could trace her ancestry back to the free chiefs of the Arabian
desert； and to the dauntless Cleopatra of Egypt；she loved the
excitement of the chase； and in the plains and mountains beyond
the city she learned to ride and hunt with all the skill and
daring of a young Diana。
And so it came to pass that when the Emperor Valerian sent an
embassy from Rome to Ctesiphon； bearing a message to the Great
King； as Sapor； the Persian monarch； was called； the embassy
halted in Palmyra； and Septimus Hairan； now the head…man of the
city； ordered； 〃in the name of the senate and people of Palmyra；〃
a grand venatio； or wild beast hunt； in the circus near the
Street of the Thousand Columns； in honor of his Roman guests。 And
he despatched his kinsman Septimus Zabbai； the soldier； to the
Armenian hills to superintend the capture and delivery of the
wild game needed for the hunt。 With a great following of slaves
and huntsmen； Zabbai the soldier departed； and with him went his
niece； Bath Zabbai； or Zenobia； now a fearless young huntress of
fifteen。 Space will not permit to tell of the wonders and
excitement of that wild…beast hunta hunt in which none must be
killed but all must be captured without mar or wound。 Such a
trapping of wolves and bears and buffaloes was there； such a
setting of nets and pitfalls for the mountain lion and the Syrian
leopard； while the Arab hunters beat； and drove； and shouted； or
lay in wait with net and blunted lance； that it was rare sport to
the fearless Zenobia； who rode her fleet Arabian horse at the
very head of the chase； and； with quick eye and practised hand；
helped largely to swell the trophies of the hunt。 What girl of
to…day； whom even the pretty little jumping…mouse of Syria would
scare out of her wits； could be tempted to witness such a scene？
And yet this young Palmyrean girl lo