The state herald., 1909-10-22

stranger. Show them to me and I
will believe"
The girl laughed very low, and took
from her neck a bag of antelope skin.
no larger than her closed hand. and
gave 1t to him with the thin thong by
which 1t had hung.
When you have seen them in the
sun you will want Others" she said.
Il will take you to the place. and
when you have filled your sack with
them you will love me enough to take
me away. 1t is not far t. the place.
In two hours we can go and come.
Tomorrow night, about this time, I
will wake you again. II will not be
safe to unbar the door. so you must
let me down from this roof by camel
rope, and then follow me-"
When Baraka was gone the stranger
sat up on his carpet and opened the
small bag to feel the stones, for he
knew that he could hardly see them
in the starlight; but even the touch
and the weight told him something
and he guessed that the girl had not
tried to deceive him childishly with
bits of glass. Though the bag had
been in her bosom. and the weather
was hot, the stones were as
cold as jade; and moreover he felt
their shape and knew at once that
they might really be rough rubies, for
he was well versed in the knowledge
Of precious stones.
When the day began to dawn he
went down from the roof to the com.
mon room Of the fore-house, where
guests were quartered, yet although
there was no other stranger there he
would not take the bag from his neck
to examine the stones. lest some one
should be watching him from n place
OF hiding; but afterwards, when he
was alone In the foothills and out of
sight Of the town. searching as usual
for new plants and herbs, he crept
into low cave ut noon. and sat down
Just inside the entrance. SO that he
could see any one coming while still
long way of. and there he emptied
The contents OF the little leathern wal
let into his hand. and saw that Bara.
ka had not deceived him; and as he
looked closely at the stones in the
strong light at the entrance of the
cave. the red of the rubies was re.
fected In the blue OF his bright eyes.
and made little purple glare in them
that would have frightened Baraka;
and he smiled behind his great yellow
beard.
He took from an inner pocket a
folded sheet on which n map was
traced in black and green ink. much
corrected and extended In pencil: and
he studied the map thoughtfully In the
cave while the great heat OF the day
lasted; but the lines that his eye fol.
lowed did not lead towards Persia,
Palestine. and Egypt. where Baraka
wished to live with him In n marble
palace and eat fat quails and fig
paste.
She came to him again that night
on the roof. bringing with her small
bundle. tightly rolled and well tied
up. He wrapped his blanket round
her body. and brought II up under her
arms so that the rope should not hurt
her when her weight came upon II,
and SO he let her down over the edge
", 'ne Ioo, 10 me GROUND ana threw
'no 'opo a,'cr ner' ana ne let himself
W., Io'u'ns ny MS nahus' so That
, nea n was n''s'ns NJ the fuii
''nt." VI MS long arms ne had only
n few feet to drop. for he wished 20
take the rope with him.
barakas mousse was Mt the head OF
'he IOWA. towards the foothills; every
one WIS seepihg' ana there was no
moon "he followed the stony sheep
Track mat struck into the hills only
rev huhdred PAGES from the last
houses ana the stranger followed her
closely, lie mad MS sack on his shoui'
uer' MS oook OF plants and herbs was
Sung pehihd MIN by strap, and In
MS pockets he had all the money he
carried Tor MS travels and his letters
10 ,he chieis. ana weapon; but he
mad Ieft all his other belongings. judy
inH them 10 be OF no ynlttp COmDurod