feet were bare. He had walked all the way from Jerusalem in three days, and was the bearer of important dispatches from Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, Mr. Finn. He drew the packet from his bosom, and kissed my brother's hands as he presented it, and then stood resting on his long, thick staff.
I found that the letters contained directions for my brother to proceed immediately to Nablûs, to report the state of affairs there, and to ascertain the true cause or causes of the disturbances in the town and in the mountain districts around. A letter from Mrs. Finn advised and invited me to accompany him as far as Nablûs; that an escort might meet me there to take me on to Jerusalem to spend Easter with her. Rumors had reached Hâifa every day for some time past of skirmishes, and even pitched battles, between the supporters of Mahmoud Bek Abdul Hady, the newly-appointed Governor of Nablûs, and the partisans of his predecessor in office. A tour through the Jebel Nablûs district was in consequence considered rather hazardous, and rain would be sure to set in in a day or two. However, I consented to go, on the condition that my brother would promise to travel exactly as if he were alone, both with regard to the selection of the route and of the halting-places, and the length of each day's journey. This settled, he proved to me that he understood I was in earnest by saying, "Then we will start at sunrise to-morrow, for that is what I should do if I were going alone."
This was a sudden change in our plans. Till past midnight I was busy packing portmanteaus, and providing for the safety of the house and furniture for an indefinite period, and guarding against the intrusion of rats and mice, moth and rust.
In the mean time my brother was in his office, in earnest consultation with his agent and our Governor, Saleh Bek. The latter asked to see me. I went to him, and he said, "My sister, you have a brave heart. You
