Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-05

" nat iuOu tluSt tOiICu Is lOSt SUE
cried. but If all thy money is gone
how wilt thou pay me all that thou
owest mc?"
Jether proudly raised his head
Thou dost wrong my friends he said
calmly. They are men of honor. They
will repay me"
He started toward the group OF
friends. Nadina again babe him pause
."Wait," she whispered. There is a
Way by which thou maycst once more
have gold in plenty" .Ielhcr locke, at
her anxiously. not comprehcnding. and
she continued: Put. the wealthy son
Of AbsalOm. doth ever gamble with the
dice and for large stakes. Thou hast
nimblc fingers. With the dice that
shall give thee thou wilt never lose
But use thy skill carefully so that no
one else stands close to thee"
From her dress she took two dice and
sought to hate him take them.
"Neyer lose?' repeated .Jethcr. In
credulously. Then rs he understood
/ that the dice must be loaded with some
heavy substance to make certain side
always show on top he cried iudg
nantly: Thou meanest to play with
false dice? Woman. know full VIII
! am fool, but a cheat am no:,
Take thy false dice with thee"
Nadina carefully put the dice back
in the pocket Of her dress, but there
was an evil light in her eyes rs she
saw the young lad so to his friends,
and she murnurcd under her breath,
Every well, Master Jether, but thou
shalt not cheat me either
Jether linked his arm In that of lola
II have loaned thee much money.
TOla," he said easily and confidently.
Now need COO shekels. Or caust
thou repay thousand? IT'S but a.
small part Of that which have loaned
thee"
Tola threw back his head and laugh
ed uproariously. Nadia and Morbel,
noticing the laughter approached to
learn the cause Of Tola's hilarity
"Art thou indeed mad" cried Tola,
almost in commissions with laughter,
"or Is 1t the wine that speaks through
thy lips and bids something come out
Of nothing?'
JctheA looked at Tola In amazement,
dimly comprehending. Tola turned
away with laugh as Jethcr took Ma.
dia by the arm and spoke to him:
"And thou Nadia. thou wilt repay
small part of the loan have made
theeT"
Nadia bowed in mock gravity as be
replied. AYE. truly, that shall with
great JOY if thou wilt lend it to me-
80 thou art like the other" NUT
tered Jether bitterly. The sense of
having been swindled BY these false
friends was being forced upon him.
He had still one hope. however-Mcr-
bel had seemed like a true friend az
he had never borrowed He turned to
Mcrbel, smiling.
"But thou, Merbel, thou art II true
friend surely. Never once hast thou
ever asked me for shekel. Now that
| need wilt end?'
Mcrbel. with look Of unutterablc
disappointment. waved him aside II,
disgust.
If ! have not borrowed. Icther, am
| not punished for my delay! meant
to borrow this very day, and now thou
hast naught TO lend. Oh, Tola, Tola.
what hust thou done to me? Thou
dldst say this man was made of gold.
and. like a fool. waited my tnrn when
there's no turn at all for me. A cup
Of wine--a cup Of wine to better days
when friends speak truth to frlcnds!'
As the dsconsolate Jcther turned
sadly away from the group OF para.
sites WHO had feasted and wlncd ut
his expense Toln drew him aside con.
6dcntialy.
"Hast thou In truth already spent
thine nlf' he asked.
II have now only that which Is due
me from you and others"
"Tlien thou shalt know how true
friend Mn to thee. give
"Ah, what?"
what thou shalt not repay advice,
Cot We AWAY from here as fast as legs