The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-04


ions. The wine was at her hand. and
shs filled the beaker and held It while
he drank. Then she kissed him and,
hiding her face In bis breast. wept soft
tears. And. though he held her very
close and had In his heart q great long
Ing to soothe her. he could not speak.
After z httIs she spoke.
II had not dreamed that there was
such artince In Miriam. She told me az
Q nobleman that had served God IN
Israel and was In need Of comfort In
HE tent But che bridled her tongue
and governed her expressiou 10 cum
ninsly that did not dream the here
was mine ,mine!' ~
Then ON sudden she disengaged
herself from his arms and, gaining her
feet. cried out with her hands over her
blushins face:
"And now know why she and Hur
--oh. ! know why they came with me
and brought me to the tentw
NAY. now; may ! not guess alsof''
KenkeEses laughed, though Z little DUE
sled over her evident confusion. "They
had q mind to peep and spy upon our
lovemaking Perchance they are with
out this instant. Come hither ahd let
~ not disapp0int them"
she dropped her hands and looked q,
him with flaming cheeks and smiling
eyea. There was more In her look than
be could fathom. but he did not puzzle
longer when she came back to her
place and hid her face away from him.
1t " the love of riper years that
makes the Lips OF lovers silent But
Keukenes and Rachel were very young
and wholly demonstrative, and they
had NEED Of many words to supplement
the testimony Of caresses. They had
much to tel. and they left no avowal
unma3e.
But 1t last Kenkenes' voice wearied,
and Rachel noted Il. 80 In her pretty
authoritative way che stroked his lashes
down and bade him sleep. When she
removed her hands and ciasped them
above his head, his eyes did not open.
Al abe bent over him abe noted with
. great sweep Of tenderness how young
10 was. In all her relations with Ken.
kenes che had seen him In the manifest
roles. She had depended upon him.
looked up To him, and had felt secure
In his protection. Now she contemplat.
ed a face from which content had
erased the mature lines that care had
drawn. The curve Of his lips, the
length OF the dropping lashes. the
roundnesa Of cheek and the softness OF
throat were youthful--boyish. With
this enlightenment her love for him e,s-
perienced a TRANSPORTATION. She seem
Cd to grow older than he; thu maternal
element leaped to the fore. their posi-.
tons were instantly reversed. It was
hers to care for him!
After long time his arms relaxed
about her. and she undid them and dis
posed them in easy position. Lifting
the fllet from his brow, she smoothed
out the mark 1t had made and settled
the cushions more softly under his
head. From the heap Of coverings she
took the ampaest and the softest and
spread IL over him. Remembering that
the wind from the sen blew shrewdly
at night she laid rugs about the edges
OF the tent which futtered In the
breeze, and returned again to his side.
After another space Of rapt contem-
plation Of his unconscious face she
went forth and drew the entrance to-
gether behind her.
The next daybreak was the happiest
Israel had known In a hundred years.
Egypt, overthrown and humbled, was
behind them; God was with them, and
Canaan was Just ahead-perhaps only
beyond the horizon. Few but would
have laughed at the glory Of Babylo-
MIA. Assyria and the great powers.
For had II not been promised that
out OF Israel nations should be made
and kings should come?
The march was to be taken up i'm
metiiately. and In the cool Of the morn
Ing the host was ready to advance.
Rachel had not permitted herself to
be seen until the tent OF Miriam was
struck. She knew that Kenkenes was
without. waiting for her. and with the
delightful Inconsistency Of maidenhood
she dreaded while she longed to meet
her beloved again. And when the mo-
ment arrived she slipped across the
open space to tho camel that was to
bear her into Canaan. but In the shad-
ow OF the faithful creature Kenkenes
overlook her and folded her In his
arms.
"A blessing on thee. my sweet! And
/ am blessed In having thee once
more"
"Didst thou sleep well?" she asked.
Most industriOusly. since I made
Up what lost and overlapped a little.
And yet was abroad nj dawn prOwl-
Ing about thy tent lest thou shouldst
fee ne once again. Rachel"-his voice
sobered, and his face grew serious
rachel, wilt thou wed me this day?"
~ uyoro nnlx. so 80, -. ...-,