The Washington times., 1921-12-18

Half q dozen mothers Graded
emaciated infants swaddled like
Egyptian mummies, or held by the
hand walking children that were
crippled or ophthalmic. Round
these was fringe OF onlookers that
Included man with performing
monkey. and desert Arab brow.
bound with camel's hair.
Rama crouched on her heels be-
side the mattress on which Astarte
lay. David stood erect. There was
q slight. straight cleft between his
brows as though he were trying to
remember something. )
From a doorway q half-grown
girl emerged bearing bowl Of
thick, greasy water. which she emp
tied upon the slippery ccbblss.
With the bowl In her hands she
looked shrewdly at the little crowd,
then re-enteredl the doorway.
Turning the corner at the head OF
the street man appeared, followed
by several others. His garment
was white. and his head-cloth, which
was bound with q twist Of red.
He was above the middle height
and moved with an unconscious,
grave, yet simple self-containment
such as invests q dweller in the
fllimitable desert. where the lion
crouches on flat-torped rock and
man is a moving atom on the open
hand Of God, and death and Tie
riddle Of life and the multitude G
the stars draw very near.
A clamor broke out.
Master, have mercy meuCyJ
Master-master!"
It was the appeal of the ban6Ageo
leper. who rocked himself bacle
ward and forward as he sat.
Rama uttered nothing. but her
lips were apart and her ANXIOUS,
hopeful eyes were upon the nsn IN
white. Behind him were the three
or four men who had followed him
into the street. They wore stained
and ragged raiment Of many colors,
like the raiment of beggsrs.
David had not heard the outcry
Of the leper. had not seen the tallish
man In white who moved 10 self.
containedly. Passionate and ful
filed love had spread for him q
golden bed of spices; he had wor.
shipped. thirsted. enjoyed. sdcred.
Then the sword had fallen.
He could not readjust himself. He
tried to realize what had boon
what was-and the straight cleft
deepened between his straight
brows.
He heard Rama speak.
Master she said.
Suddenly ne was awsre that he
was looking into the eyes Of . man
who had paused opposite him.
man in a garment Of white woollen
stuff whose brows wero ~N"d"a By
a white head-cloth h~'-' w'th Q
twist of red.
TIE eyes of this man were Of .
grayish-blue. For two, or perhaps
three, moments he looked with Q
steady and calm directness. straight
at David. then stopped. seeming 10
touch the girl upon the mattress.
There was little quick cry from
Rama. "Oh!"
Master, have mercy!" howled
the leper, his voice rising hoarse
and frantic like that of an exhaust.
ed criminal strapped to the rack.
Suddenly he was silent. The tail
man In white had laid hand upon
him.
David David! She's opening
her eyes!"
David turned.
Astarte's breasts heaved like
those Of an awakening sleeper. Her
eyelids lifted. Her eyes. sleepy
looking. iiouidly dark, met the hight.
and she blinked. It was as natural
as m~rr'ng coming up over the pur.
pie mountains of Moab.
In the street there was a great
chattering. The old man who had
been afflicted with running ulcers
~'o~d rnon hts feet. ees'nriug with
eloquent outturned palms to a knot
of neighbors. The blood-poisoned
nan was sitting up on her pal.
- SMILING N a gentle. dazed way
~ those who pressed round her.