The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-07-19
Copyright. 1917. by william Elliott,
y. Ray Comstock and Morris Gest.
CHAPTER XIII.
0aaI, Harder Than Steel.


with all the strength he could
command, faced him defiantly.
Il will not be treated like beggar.
am thy brother"
Gaal laughed.
with all thy weakness I had thought
thy pride was greater than to crawl
home and beg for forgiveness With
whole world In which to hide they face
thou must needs come here. Here,
where once thou thought to play the
master In thy silly way, thou dost come
looking worse than any leper might.
Stay. thou canst not, except overnight.
And be seen here, thou canst not. No.
thou must go on thy way. Yet on my
land no man-not even my brother
shall he found dead OF starvation.
Therefore. II thou will but go quietly.
there he the goat shed or among the
empty kennels. I, myself, will bring
thee food. Thy sandals are but holes.
There's an old pair lying In the dog
house that they have chewed upon I'm
sport. They will serve thee better.
And ! shall bring thee an old coat to
cover thy nakedncss, not for love of
thee. for do despisc thee, but because
the law teaches kindness To beggar."
Thou art yet more hard than I had
thought. Gaal," replied Jether sadly.
ITO such as thee justice doth indeed
seem hard" rctorted the elder brother.
Il do not have to argue with thee. /
say this TO thee-quickly. before a
servant sees thee. thou shalt 20 into
the goat shed and there wait for me
Thou shalt have thy food. thy sandals
and coat and straightway go thy
road the first thing In the morning
without a word to any one
Jether smiled bitterly. Lose thy
fears. Gaal." he said. II have not
come to take aught Of thine from thee
neither thy food nor thy old sandals
nor such a coat as thou wouldst give
me. But ! would look once more upon
my mothers face. for | may not ever
again have the chance"
"No." cried Gaal, clinching his fist
angrily. That thou shalt not do. Nor
couldst thou look upon thy fathers face
either. for should he see thee I'm thy
rags and misery. when for his pride's
sake he has told all neighbors that
thou art greatly honored In a city
many days travel from here. thou
wouldst stand smitten by the lightning
OF his anger. Thou couldst not look
into his eyes"
Jether bowed his head In submis-
sion. After all what Gaal had said
must he true.
81 did but seek 10 look upon him
hidden-and see also my mother" he
said.
"She hath found comfort In forget.
ting thee" lied Gaal. seeking to SEND
him away quickly and fearful Of the
coming Of u servant. Thou wouldst
not steal this comfort from her by
showing thyself I'm rags?"
Jethcr faced him Indignantly.
Thou lest" he cried. MY mother
hath not forgotten me. How canst
thou know my mother. thou whose
heart Is like the stony groundi My
mother yearns for me. From the day
I went away know her prayers have
risen to God for me. And were she
here her arms would be around me,
though all else would shrink to see my
sores. Thou Hest when thou sayest
my mother hath forgotten me-"
With a snap Of the finger Gaal turn
ed away from him.
"Bahr' he said roughly. II could
smite thee to the earth with my one
finger. yet spare thee. And as spare
thee, so would l spare her. Should she
see thee now, when her strength fails
her almost unto death. see thee as thou
art when l have told her that father
hath spoken wisely and that thou hast
won honor in u distant city-then her
death would be upon thy head
~ have indeed caused enough Of
woe. The goat shed or the kennels
shall hide me, as thou wishest. l shall
steal naught Of thy portion. A young
goat with a kinder heart than thine
shall share Its mothers milk with me
as kneel down beside II. Then shall
go on-on out into the darkness
Slowly his faltering footsteps carried
the lettering. weakened frame across
the courtyard and into the Enclosure
where were kept the dogs and the
goats. A dog barked In the distance.
Then another. and another Then there
was silence.
Jesse strobe forth from the house to
listen wonderingiy. lie found Gaal
staring toward the goat shed with anx-
ious eyes.
"Why dost thou remain hereY' asked
Jesse. "Isaught wrong with the dogsY'
NAY. my father" answered Gaal
quickly. But go thou within"
81 am anxious about the stranger
who hath passed through Hebron and
who may have news OF Jether." replied
Jesse sadly. But hope hath almost
left me In mine old age"
eff thou nearest the worst thy
strength may leave thee" argued Gaal.
"Nay. l shall hope again. But thou,
Gaal- 20 thou within and bid thy