The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-24

WOAlu smile again and say only the
one word: Walt, whereat Namarah
would grow almost angry, and tears OF
.vexation would spring into her eyes.
Then would Jephthah rouse himself
and stand upright on his strong legs
and lift her in his mighty arms as
though she were still the little maid
he used to toss and dandle, and hold
her high above his. head, and refuse to
let her down from this unseemly alti-
tude until the break Of her childish
Laughter had blown away her tears.
CHAPTER II. IS.
1t happened one fair morning, when
earth and sky, seemed all to meet in a
blessed promise Of tranquility and
peace, that Namarah stood in the midst
OF her garden, with a small basket on
her arm, from which she was scat
9terlng grain to a flock of white doves,
which, futtering from far and near,
came to her feet and sank down there
"a moving mass of snowy plumage, from
which her slender figure, clad in spot
less white, rose up like human ema-
nation from their pure loneliness of
hue and outline. Her face and throat
and hands were pure white, too, and
a look of deep serenity was upon her.
The sky above seemed not more still
and placid.
She raised her hand and put few
grains OF the food into her mouth, and
at the motion some of the doves were
frightened and flew up, with a whir-
ring noise, only to circle round and
come back again and fall to nodding
and dipping about for the grain. at
her feet. Presently one of the flock
flew up and alighted on her shoulder,
then another and another. Namarah
opened her. red lips and showed the
dark grains held tight between her
little white teeth: at which pecking
and auttering began among the three
tame doves, as she would offer her
mouth first to one and then another.
1t was evidently familiar game
which all the participants enjoyed.
Suddenly there was great whirring
and fluttering, and the whole flock few
wildly off, and were out of sight be-
hind the trees, before Namarah, left
quite alone, perceived the cause of
their fright. A young man, taller even
than Jephthah, her father, but with
the ruddiness of youth and dawning
manhood upon his beardless face, stood
before her, all in shining armor, on
which the moving light danced and
glinted. He had taken off his helmet
and sunlight kissed sunlight in the
gold Of his thick curls: And behold.
when Namarah turned and looked at
him, strange thing came to pass
Her white cheeks, which no one had
ever seen other than calm and color
less, were all at once suffused with
pink, as If rose had been suddenly
placed beneath piece of fair white
cambria; and in that moment she be-
came a hundred times more beauti-
full than she had ever been before. The
young man colored, too, and bent his
golden head, as she said:
If this be the maiden, Namarah, thy
father Jephthah hath sent me to ask
of thee some pieces of his armor that
he hath need Of.
Is he going into fight?" the maid
en- asked, the rose disappearing from
her cheeks. Twill he not see me, to
say farewell?'
There is. in truth, some danger OF
fight" the young man answered,
for the times are troublous and
mighty man. like Jephthah must be
ever ready; but his name is great and
terrible, and in going forth to put
down the enemy that hath SO suddenly
arisen, think the report that thy IA
Sther Jephthah leadeth the host will
be enough, and that there will be no
bloodshed. But, maiden" he added,
more gently seeing that her face
looked still affrighted, 81 pray thee
have no fear for the safety Of thy ia
sther. | will even guard his body with
my own" And, as he spoke, he looked
on her and loved her.
Namarah met the look, and the
trouble of her face grew deeper. She
felt the disturbing power of that quiet
gaze, but all her thought was for her
father.
Maiden" the young man muir
INJURED, in a voice that had softened
cadence, already, even today, there
hath been a surprise attack, and your
father hath been in danger; but it.
please God that I should be near him,
to protect him, as could, and for this
cause Jephthah, thy father, hath
chosen me to be his armor bearer, SO
that in future my place will be beside.
him; and / say but the truth when I
tell thee that will protect his life
with my own +.
But, truly" said Namarah, chou
art very noble. and life to thee is even
also dear. !"
Life would be dear to me no longer
maiden" he made answer. sif should
look upon thy face to tell thee that /
lived and Jephthah, thy father, was
slain.
This time, when he spake the words
.thy father" it seemed unto the maid
en- that his voice dwelt upon them by
the space of half second. The idea
glanced through her agitated mind
like lightning, but afterward she be-
thought herself of it. But now the
young man spake again, and reminded
her Of his errand
Ny lord Jephthah hath sent thee
his blessing through me, he said, aand
he prays thee to be of good cheer, and
to dread no danger for him.
s !" cannot choose but dread - the