The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-06-14
CHAPTER VII

When Jephthah, at her bidding stood
up, that Namarah might lift from him
the weight of his heavy armor. he
turned and looked upon Adina, and a
great cry broke from him, and he sank
backward into his seat and covered
his face with his hands. But Namarah
bent above him and drew away his
hands, kneeling on her knees before
MIN, and holding them in both her
own.
NAY, grieve thee not, my father"
she said. tenderly. "Let it be done
to me according as thou has pnmed ,,
Thy life is mine, and vowed to mel"
burst forth Adina, hotly, taking step
toward her, as if he would wrest her
from her father. But the compelling
eyes of the maiden Namarah arrested
him, and he turned, and began to pace
the apartment with the angry strides
of Gagged beast.
"Ah, woe. my daughter" Jephthah
spake, that thy father, who hath SO
loved thee, should bring thee now such
hurt. 1t had pleased me we'll that thou
shouldest wed Adina. 1t was but the
morning of this day on which I
dreamed these dreams, and to what are
they come? Alas, my daughter, why
earnest thou forth to meet me, so con-
trary to thy wont and usage? Thou
vast ever affrighted before the soldiery
and held backward when they came
about the door,"
Il was even bold and fearless, my
father, against my usual wont, because
happy case, Namarah slipped from her
that love had made me SO, and in the
presence Of my lord, Adina, had but
one fear only, lest might fail of my
honor to him-who knew not my ways
as thou knewest them-and appear UNI
loving and ungracious in his eyes.
At these words Adina's motions
grew more gentle and he checked him
in his walk, and came and stood near
by, his chin sunk in his palm, as be-
fore, and his eyes, with most mighty
tenderness in them, bent upon Ma
marah.
But how knewest thou, my daugh-
ter, that the victory was won and thy
fathers host returning, seeing l sent
no messenger before me, but made
haste myself to bring thee tidings?"
Then Namarah turned her fair face
upward, and said:
"Adina, speak. Let it be known
unto Jephthah, my father, that the
thing that is come upon us was partly
Of our own doing-thine and mine"
Then Adina, softened, mayhap, by
the sight of the old mans suffering,
and more yet by the nobleness and
submission of Namarah's spirit, an
swered, and said:
These words be true, o Jephthah,
for it was even that sent unto the
maiden tidings. by which she gained
the knowledge of our approach
But how sendest thou these It'd
ings." said Jephthah, seeing that 1
gave thee no leave to take a mes-
senger?'
Therein the fault was mine," Ma
marah said, If fault there be-for,
were it not the will of God, naught
that was done or is to be were pos
sible-seeing that gave unto Adina
one of my carrier birds, to send me
word of thy triumph and return, and
the bird. in truth, brought me the It'd
ings this morning. Seest thou not
then therefore, oh. my father, that this
thing that is befallen us was to be?"
Then Jephthah bowed his head upon
his hands and uttered mighty groan.
How sayst thou, my daughter, that
we shall be delivered? Knowest thou
not that according to my vow thou
must be offered burnt sacrifce?''
AS he spake these awful words, the
maiden's face grew whittier stills though
the courage of her eyes faltered not,
and through all the body Of the young
man Adina there ran a great SILVER
that again made to shake his armor
that it ratified and sounded. seeing
which, Namarah rose and ran to him,
fearing lest he might even fall to the
ground, SO greatly he tottered and