St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-11-22
faye, my lord" she answered,

AYE, my lord" she answered,
softly.
''Then thou must take that punish
.slent shall give, and that is" The
| king stopped suddenly and looked at
the prisoner, who sprang forward,
as if to speak. Then he bent little
| and put foot forward and his face
grew white and set as he strained
every muscle to break his bonds.
Lower he bent, the veins swelled like
great cords, and he swayed as the
rope broke and set him free. He
clutched at the heavy curtains, and,
regardless of the king, he reached
the girl who had covered with fear
against the couch.
| Ruth! Dost thou not know me?
Thou shalt not suffer for mel"
Like bird she nestled close to
| him, raising soft hands to caress the
face she could not see, murmuring
words of love and radiant happiness.
David! Thou here-and safe-I
did not know-the jewel"
Twas long before the king spoke.
his eyes watching the two who stood
there forgetting all but their great
love and happiness, while his lips
smiled as if well pleased. When at
last they turned, he only laughed and
pointed to doorway.
| II will need thee soon-to pro-
nounce just punishment" he said.
''Wait there
| "And thou claim'st the jewel,
though thou sayest it was not truly
thine?" asked the king.
"Yea, my lord, for she gave it to
me when she was but child. Ny
wife had given it to her with other
things which should have been the
boys. And at his death took them
for my own, as was but just" The
old man leaned heavily on his staff
and glared angrily at the king from
beneath his heavy brows.
"And thou, too, dost claim the jew
ell, for thou sayst it was promised
thee in payment for her freedom -
The king looked searchingly at the
thin, sharp face and restless black
eyes of the other man.
"Aye, my lord" he whined, as he
anxiously clasped and unclasped his
hands. "Surely twas but right that
she should do what she wished with
her own
The two old men grew pale as the
curtains parted and two others came
in, man and girl, who shrank
against him as she heard the voices.
The king turned sternly to the two
old men.
II have heard the truth from her
and somewhat else from thee. Geber
thy daughter has told me all ana
cleared herself from blame. Abner
thy son, was taken prisoner, charged
of the theft, which thou hast left
him to bear without help from thee,
Thou dost claim the jewelEand thou;
and I say that when two men shall
claim a treasure, the son of the one
shall marry the daughter of the other
and they two shall hold it SAFE" With
quick motion the king bent for
ward, and, taking the hand of the
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it cleaning spot of crimson bound
with gold. Still holding it there, he
looked at her with little smile.
'''Tis thine. So have decreed. See
that thou keep it SAFE"
Slowly she turned it in her fingers
as if to assure herself that it was
truly the Great Ruby that she knew
so well For moment she hesitated
then she held it out with smile.
eff, then, tits mine, my lord the
king, wilt thou not take it from me
as a token of my gratitude for the
great happiness that thou hast given
me?" she asked, softly.
The kings eyes rested on the jew
ell, for twas well known that he loved
it dearly.
"And what sayest thou? Dost give
up the treasure willingly?" he asked
as he turned to David.
''Tis not mine, my lord; but if
had aught to say in the matter, and
thou takest it, twill be but small ex'
change for the great treasure thou
givest me-"
And the kings hand shut the fam
ing ruby from the envious sight OF
two, while the others turned to
one another with eyes filled only
with the softer light of love.-Ledgel
Monthly.