The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-22

tires ana ndSteneC TO the Snelter.
There Rachel, choking with terror and
tears, gave the story Of the morning.
Deborah made no interruption, and
after the disjointed and unhappy re-
cital was complete she sat for some
moments, motionless and silent. Then
she arose and made as if to leave the
tent, but Rachel caught at uer hand in
alright.
"Nay, be not so frightened" the old
woman SAID soothingly. Il so to looh
for Atsu. He will come in little
while"
With that she went forth. After
time, more than two hours in truth,
but infinitely longer to Rachel, the
voice Of the taskmaster was heard
without talking with Deborah He was
permitting no curb to the expression
of his rage.
''The gods rend his heart to ribbonso'
he painted after tempest Of anathema.
Course the insatiate brute! Are there
not enough of Egypt's women who are
willingly loose that he must destroy
the purest spirit on earth? He shall
not have her, if 1 take his life to save
herr
After a moments savage rumination
he broke out again.
"He has US on the hip! We shall be
put to it to hide her away from him
now. Do thou go to her-nay, I will
CO."
Rachel heard him enter the tent and
walk across the mating on the floor.
She flung her arm over her face and
huddled closer to the linen covered
heap Of straw against which she ha6
thrown herself. Even the eyes Of the
taskmaster were intolerable in her
shame Atsu plunged into the heart Of
his subject at once.
There is no escape in the choosing
Of the tens now, Rachel. I have said
that I would not vex thee again with
my love. Once I offered thee marriage
as refuge. Ny love and the shelter Of
my name are thine to take or leave. l
will urge thee no more
BE paused for space, and, as she
made no answer, he went on as though
she had rejected him explicitly.
'aThen shall hide thee somewhere In
Egypt. The ruse is not secure, but 1t
may serve"
She sat up and put the hair back
from ner face.
Thou good Atsu," she said in
voice subdr ed with much weeping,
wilt thou nd more to mine already
hopeless in iebtedness to thee? Art
thou blind 10 the i'll use thou invitest
upon thine own head in thy care for
me? Let me imperl thee no more. ls
there no other way"
He shook his head. Slowly her face
fell, and she sighed for very heaviness
of spirit. Atsu stopped and took her
hand.
make ready and let us leave this
place" he said kindly, "and thou canst
decide In the securer precincts Of Mem
phis what thou wilt do. Lose no time. "
He turned away and, signing 70 Debo-
rah to follow him, left the tent.
Rachel rose and began her prepara-
lions to depart. The formidable block
ade in the way to safety seemed to
clear, and her heart leaped at the an
ticipation Of freedom or stopped at
the suggestion Of failure. She fastened
slowly, for her excitement made most
Of her movements vain. Her hands
trembled and held things insecErely;
she forgot the place of many Of her
belongings in that humble, orderly
house. Alternately praying and fear
ing. she stopped now and then to be
sure that the sounds Of the camp were
not those of the returning servants.
The simple apparel gathered together,
she collected the remaining mementos
Of her family, saved with so much pain
and guarde.l with such diligence bE
old Deborah These were trinkets OF
gold and ivo-y, bits Of frail gauzes in
which a wondrous perfume fingered
and a scro) of sheepskin bearing the
records Of the house. And after all
these had been found and gathered to-
gether she furtively put the straw
| aside and drew forth the collar OF gold
en- rings.
With the first CLINT of light on the
red metal the hope and animation in
/ her heart went out. What Of Ken
kenes? No thought came to her now
but the mos. unhappy. The obligations
which she would have gladly laid On
him had faI:en to Atsu. She dared not
confess to him her love, and she could
not give him gratitude. He had en-
tered her life like a bewilderinS radl-
ance. but It was Atsu who had saved
her and e-9naneipated her and would
save her again.
She thrust the collar into her bosom
with a SOB and went Oh mechanically
with her preparations. But during one
of her movements the coins clinked
musically. She clutched them, and
they rag again softly. They re-
preached her, and in that irresistible
way-gently. They made sound even
L L.