The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-11

XIII MIN. Wn1le Ben-11uf Was Walt
ing unsuspiciously in the reception
hall the would-be assassins APP
peared before him. Ben-Hur at
once OWNED the plot.-Kansas
City Times.
From "Ben-Hur," by Lew Wallace.
IE undid the sash around his
waist and, barring his head and
i i casting off his white Jewish
gown, stood forth in an undertunic not
unlike those of the enemy, and was
ready, body and mind. Folding his
arms he placed his back against the
pillar and calmly waited.
The examination of the statue was
brief. Directly the Northman turned
and said something in the unknown
tongue; then both looked at Ben-Hur.
"A few words more and they advanced
toward him.
who are you?" he asked in Latin.
The Northman fetched smile, which
did not relieve his face of its brutalism,
and answered.:
"Barbarians."
This is the palace of Idernee. Whom
do you seek? Stand and answer"
The words were spoken with earnest
ness. The strangers stopped; and in his
turn the Northman asked, "Who are
|you?"
"A Roman"
The giant laid his head back upon his
shoulders.
H. H. a,.1 + II
once came from COW kicking salted
stone; but not even a god can make a
Roman of Jew"
The laugh over, he spoke to his COM
panion again, and they moved nearer.
'Ioldw said -Hur, quitting the
pillar. "one word"
They stopped again.
"a wordn' replied the Saxon, folding
his immense arms across his breast, and
relaxing the menace beginning to
blacken his face. "A word, Speak"
You are Thord the Northman."
The giant opened his blue eyes.
you were lanista in Romeo"
Thord nodded.
"I was your scholar"
NO" said Thord, shaking his head.
'By the beard of Irmin. l have never
had Jew to make fighting man off,
But l will prove my saying"
"How?"
you came here to kill me-"
THAT is true"
Then let this man fight me singly,
and l will make the proof on his body
CLEAN of humor shone in the
Northman 8 face. He spoke to his COM
panion, who made answer then; he re-
piled with the naivete of a diverted
child:
wait till l say begin"
BY repeated touches of his foot, he
pushed a couch out on the floor and
proceeded. leisurely to stretch his burly
form upon it, when perfectly at ease,
he said simply: "Now begin"
without ado Ben-IIur walked to his
antagonist.
defend myself" he said.
The man. nothing loath, put up his
hands.
AS the two thus confronted each 9TH
er in approved position, there was no
discernible inequality between them
on the CpatIdTys tHt9 Wtlc DIS IKE as
brothers. To the strangers confident
smile. Ben-Hur opposed an earnestness
which, had his skill been known, would
have been accepted fair warning of
danger. Both knew the combat was to
be mortal.
Ben-Hur feinted with his right hand.
The stranger warded. slightly advanc-
inc, his laff arm, Eere he couId ratt,rr
to guard, Ben-Hur caught him by the
wrist in grip which years at the oar
had made terrible as vice. The sur
prise was complete, and no time given.
TO throw himself forward; to push the
arm across the mans throat and over
his right shoulder and turn him left
side front; to strike surely with the
under the ear-were but petty divisions
of the same act No need of a second
blow. The myrmidon fell heavily and
without cry and lay still.
| Ben-Hur turned TO Thord.
"Ha, What. By the beard of Irminv'
the latter cried. in astonishment. rising
to sitting posture. Then he laughed
lit better myself"
He viewed Ben-Hur coolly from head
to foot, and, rising. faced him with un-
disguised admiration.
1T was my trick-the trick / have
practiced for ten years in the schools
of Rome. You are not Jew. Who are
you?"
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