The Portland daily press., 1898-01-13
Chapter ".


There YVES silence for a moment after
she was gone. Then Mohammed, with
ewes on the ground, said quietly, II I'M
derstand you'll am not of your people. l
hadn't forgotten the barrier between us
but you were not strict jew, was not
{. straight Muslin. and | thought
rrhen YOU were wrong, SIR said the
old man; II wish my child to remain a
Jewish woman, and not to become the wife
of an outlaw and an infidel.''
Mohammed drew himself up at the IN
suit, but commanding his anger he
answered as quietly as before. so am
lit to be your own partner Isaac Laredo,
not your daughter 3 husband. Yet 1t was
for Rachel / served you all those years as
Jacob served Laban, and she was the
hope and sunshine of my life. But my
love was a blunder. The breach between
us is irreparable. am severely punished
for my presumption.
He was going out with heavy steps
when Isaac who was still tuning IN mis-
passion, cried, "WaitP'
Mohammed faced back to him.
"Have you ever spoken of this to Rachel
herself?'' he asked.
tfNeYerr' said MOhammed.
fsThen l warn you not to do SO.
Mohammed shook his head slowly, and
with smile Of inexprsssible sadpess.
= tHaye no fear" he said. 81 shall not
appeal over your head to any love for me
in your daughters heart. l will take
my answer. I will go away-I will carry
my disappointment with me. Twill follow
the work I have undertaken. Before
daybreak shall be far in the mountains.
I will try to forget the heaven blind
days I have spent in this house, ana per
haps time may come when shall think
of your own words with less pain. Hard
as they are will not answer them-I will
not retort them upon you, Isaac Laredo
You are Jew, and it was jew who
said, Resist not evil You are Rachel'f
father also, and I give you this promise
for your comfort. as long as you live, as
long as your daughter is with you, nc
word of love shall pass between her ano
me-
"And after thatP" said Isaac, what
after thatf"
latter that, said 3Mohammed, draw.
ing himself up and speaking resolutely
letter that, Gods will be done.
He went out as he had entered, quietly,
slowly. solemnly, only with head bent
and eyes on the ground. While he die
so. going down by the steps of the patio
to the left, another man came up the
steps of the patio to the right, and stood
for q moment to watch him descending.
1t was Omar Benani, who had come bach
drunk.
Chapter V.
Isaac Laredo stood in his anger by the
bureau until Mohammed's last words
were spoken; then he turned about, white
with rage, muttering, "Presumptuous
infdeI!' and came face to face witt
Omar. who stood grinning at him in thu
open doorway.
Back again, jew" said Omar.
"Who sent for you, STRIP cried Isaac.
Omar laughed a drunken laugh and
L. +as nj
vexed are we, eh, Jew, ehp'
tLeave my house instantly" sscried
Isaac.
mot I-not till you've heard what I've
come to tell you Listen! Tomorrow
morning I'll be pitched into prison for 6
debt I do not owe. You might have
saved me from that degradation, old grey
me mercy, and by all the Saints and the
Prophet you shall give me eeretribution
You refused me your dirty money, but al
sure as [ come out of the Kasbah, III
take what you value more-I'll take syoul
daughter. Dye hear me, you misery
skinfiint. I'll take your daughter.
Silence wretchl" cried Isaac, shrek
ingiin his rage.
you'll be dead and gone then, ole
man, and she'll be mine, and this house
will be,mine. and everything you have
in the world willibe mine"
Liar Scoundrell' cried Isaac, hi
voice coming thick and hoarse.
"Choke, Jew. ohoke-why don't your
cried Omar, rolling with mocking laugh
ter.
Isaac could command himself no longer
He lifted his clenched fist and strucl
Omar on his grinning face.
Then Omar's eyes flashed. Strike me
will you, Jew? Take THAT, then-ant
that-and that, and after every word {
blow fell on Isaac's breast with the
weight and thud of sfedge hammer.
The old man fell heavily. and Omai
reeled into the room. Seeing on th'
bureau the bag of money which r: Moham
meo hadsleft, he snatohedeitSup, laughing
hideously in.hisfdrunken fury, and. say
ing with chuckle,
Money! And I am to go to prison FOL
the want of it,"
Isapc scrambled to his feet with sfac'
fercely distorted. "Thief! Robber
VilIain:" he shrieked, and1ha threw him
self1on Omar again in his effort to grail
at the bag.
There was q struggle. Omar dashed
TIE money at Isaac's head and cried
''Take it, then. and take my curse along
with it!'i
Isaac fell once more, this time with c
deep groan and gurgling cry OF y" Muir
derer, murderer"
The lamp had been thrown over ant
extinguished. There was another groar
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