Then he turned from the direction in which the village
lay, and set his face toward the northern limestone hills.
He was concealed among them when the sun rose. It would be folly for
him to venture out alone upon the desert without food, even if he
had water in his small skin bottle. As the morning went by, Timokles
saw a few desert hares, but otherwise he was alone. Toward evening,
being compelled to find some food, he searched the district, and
found, under the stones, the nest of some wild bees. With much
difficulty Timokles obtained a little of the honey.
A falling stone attracted Timokles' attention. Turning with quick
affright, he saw a woman. There was a startled suspicion in her
eyes, as she gazed at him. She held a young gazelle that had strayed
away and had been the object of her search near these hills.
Suddenly the woman disappeared without a word.
CHAPTER V.
"Let me hide speedily!" Timokles warned himself.
He ran, but shouts arose behind, and before he could conceal
himself, two men came running after him. The woman's shrill cry was
audible. The men came up with Timokles, and laying hold of him in a
manner not wholly rough but still imperative; they brought him back
with them to the spot where the woman still stood.
The three looked at him with curious yet not wholly unfriendly eyes,
and Timokles felt relieved on seeing that he was not recognized as
any one whom they had seen before.
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