The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-25

lore me. Thou sayest he holds rae
cheap. eh? Wait and see"
And Tisha strolled In the direction
OF the distant Jether, while NAdfna
followed sadyk into tho house.
CHAPTER XIII.
Tisha, maddened by the reluctance
OF Jether to worship At the shrine 1T
! Ishtar. yet full Of excitement az she
realised that for love of her he might
renounce his God as she had boosted
she would make him change his re-
tfgion. LED Jether to the very foot OF
the shrine and poured out another
goblet OF wine.
Above them, towering many seet
high. was the great craven image of
the goddess OF love OF the Babylonians.
great nisshapen statue OF wood and
stone. with hideous contour that was
but emphasized by. the thin gold with
which part of the statue was covered.
this goddess of the idoiators seemed
scarcely like to inspire faith or rev.
erence in any but OF human beings.
Yet she poured out the wine, Tisha
bowed low before the image and then
offered the wine to Jether.
| First cup OF wine in honor of ,ur
Lady Ishtar." cried Tisha. Our god
dess of Babylonia."
i But Jether. with . nareless dread
gnawing at his heart, still hesitatei.
j my Father taught me that of all
/ the sins. not one compares with wor-
Shipping an idol" he said. weakly.
! ''Dost thou prefer 4 God no man hath
seen to one thy Tisha lovesy The
girl held him tight In her embrace and
her uplifted face silently offered her
lips to his. yet when I kiss thee
thus, and thus" she CRIED passionateiv,
do not sin, for. as my mother said.
. NJ N ca IN snA4 hon
who hast scoffed at Ishtar."
Jether's madness was now beyond
control What woufdst thou. temp
tress7' he whispered, hoarsely.
Repeat after me, my Jether. al
speak oh. Ishtar. Queen Of the
Heavens and the Earth, glorify thy
name"
As one In a dream. Jether repeat
ed: 'Dh. Ishtar. Queen of the Heavens
and the Earth. / glorify thy name"
Now drink deeply" cried Tisha.
draining a goblet OF wine. Jether did
likewise.
And now comes the greater test"
declared Tisha. Repeat after me:
And ] forever renounce the God OF
Israel
Way, that I cannot say" faitered
Jether. drawing back in terror.
WHAT tainted Tisha, sarcastfcal-
ly. ''Dost thou prefer God no man
hath seen TO thy beloved
And l forever renounce the 600 OF
Israel cried Jether, madiy taxing her
IN his arms again. just as the glare OF
the fame before the altar grew sud
denly bigger, and in the fash ~ light
the apostate staggered back a. though
fearing the wrath OF the one and only
God whom ne had OUTRAGED by the m
holy sacrince to the Babyionian goa
dess' all TOT love OF woman.
CHAPTER XIV.
Jether. appalled, at the magnitude OF
of Israei, drank feverishiy IS though
to forget in strong drink the memory
OF his deed. And Tisha, curling up
in his arms in the great divan Of tho
courtyard OF the house OF Nadina. n
few minutes later. half extricated her
self from his embrace. looked at him
seductively.
In the gateway came 3 merry thron8
with much laughter and loud talking
HAdranut, an ARABIAN horse dealer.
:, led the throng, and with him wore
other friends--Madai. MerbeI and Par.
sodias. the Mede. all Of whom had
girls Of Jerusalem with then,--care-
sang and danced FOR all who would
pay the piper. Behind them. In more
solemn dignity and alone. walked
HaEgai. a Judean. who had once
sought to befriend Jether. And with
them all was Tola. the gay and festive
Toia. In Joyous mood.
Tisha clapped her hands thrice
whereupon Four Nubian slaves brouxh:
big baskets OF fruit. and cushions fol
the ladies. Refreshments were served
/ wine flowed freely. and there wa
much laughter and ribald talk.
: As Tisha. clasped in the arms oil
! sJether. toyed with the scarf given hirr
} by Naomi the day he left the house 81
Jesse, Ahab, the servant OF Put whs
, had been waiting without the gate. an-
) preached them.
Thy pardon. good MASTER" bowed