The Holly chieftain., 1900-04-13

heart that It y even TO- Thou mover
newest . mothers care and lovo, and
though. God knowsth, ! have trisd to
1T thea fsel NO lack Of tenderness,
yst often Il doth trouble me that thou
hast ON earth NO binding tie Of love
save this TO me; and 1t would even
all my soul with comfort to see thee
wed 10 one who might worthily cher
ish thy youth and protect thy tender
ness"
But Namarah, with her face still hid
against him, only shook her head. as
II in strong opposition to his words.
'Child. bethink thee" Jephthah said.
when he had gently kissed and stroked
her head in silence q moment, at
must never be for thee to die unwed,
for who knows but the will and pur-
pose Of the great God may be that thou
shalt be chosen among women to be
the mother of thy peoples deliverer?
1t hath even seemed to me that In the
eyes of the Almighty thy meekness and
pnreness and humility may have
found such grace, that this reat hon
OF. wherewith one woman is to be hon.
ors& above all others. may come to rest
upon thee. Forget not this, my daugh-
ter. and order thy mind to become a
true and loving wife. as thou hast been
to me true and loving daughter
Whether this glory above all glories
may be destined for thee or not, grieve
not thy fathers heart by refusing to be
wed, so that he may see thee with thy
children about thee before he dieth
and sleepeth with his fathers"
Namarah made no answer, but her
futtering breath grew calm and though
she spake no word to signify her ac-
Quiescence in his desires, yet neither
did she gainsay him any more. thing
whereat her father marveled. How
ever. he spake not the thought that.
was in his mind, but was thankful in
the silence OF his heart.
After these weak and faint-hearted
words, the brave spirit of the girl cana
to her again, and she went about her
household duties. and particularly
the preparations for her IA
ther's going forth to war
with a courage even greater than her
won't Her father she loaded more
and more with endearments and cares
ses, but she ever avoided speech about
his coming dangers in the field, except
that once she said to him suddenly,
and with her head tent low over her
work:
will it be that thou takest with
thee thine armor-be -bearer-the young
man. Adina?"
And Jephthah answered..
.Ay."
Then" said she, with her head still
benz, ut is well done. for truly he hath
said to me that he would shield thy
body with his own. But go not into
danger, my father. Be careful of his
life and of thine own"
| Thou speakest unwisely, maiden.
and not as soldiers daughter. Thou
knowest that in battle brave man
must not shun the place of danger, but
If he trusteth In the Lord no harm
can hurt him. Adina also is a man
that feareth God, and therefore will we
trust to be delivered and brought home
In safety" it4
"Amen!" the maiden said, full rev.
erently. and bent her head more lowly
yet, as one who prayeth.
The full rhoon rose o'er Jephthah's
garden on the eve Of his going forth
to battle. and Jephthah's daughter
stood alone and held her heart to lis
ten. Her white robe futtered in the
cool air Of evening and clung about her
slender limbs; and standing there, her
pale face settled into q mute repose,
she looked like fair white statue,
clad in wlnd-blown raiment. No
sound disturbed the stiffness of the
night, except the cooling of the doves in
their house close by But, after lonlg
waiting. there mingled with this the
tread Of approaching footsteps The
folds of her white gown trembled on
her breast. as II the heart beneath
them futtered. Nearer came the foot
steps through the itrees. beneath the
overhanging vines. until the moonlight
revealed the tall form and noble fea-
lures of the young man Adina.
"Is 1t thou, o maiden?" he asked,
stopping few PAGES from her. The
God of Israel bless thee that thou
heardest my prayer. and hast let me
speak to thee, before 60 to battle.
Hast thou no thought, Namarah, of
the words l have come to speak?"
The doves cooed and gabbled with
their little muttering sounds, but Ma
marah answered not. They stood
pace or two apart-the maiden Mama