The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-30
IN The DAYS OF HEROp
THE KING.

BY Mary ]. Hitchcock.
Copyright, 1922. by Wheeler Syn
dictate, Incl 49,
The last faint rays of daylight
had long since vanished from the
Judean hills, and it was in graft
tude for the darkness that An.
drew's lips moved In a whiaper ed
prayer, while his eyes, straining
past the far-off plains, watched the
lights that winked like evil things
In the gardens of HerOd's Pleasur-
ance. 1t was winter in Judea, but
/ the night promised to be unusually
dark; exen now Andrew left it, like
a cloak, shutting down around him.
Presently he turned toward the
sheep-runs in the outer fold, as the
low growing of the dogs and old
Exra's voice told him that the hour
had struck.
1T is time, my son." the head
| shepherd said, as he came within
the circle cast by the firelight!
,, Think you that Miriam will be
W2ltln6 LOT rescue
The old mans voice trembled
with emotion and his hands were
hot az he laid them on Andrews
head. 1t was NO cas- ytask the youth
had set himself. What Herod's SOL
diers seized they seldom gave back,
and since the hour when the other
shepherds had returned from the
town, where they had gone to be
registered according to the law. the
old mans heart had been troubled
At the tales they told Of the seixing
of young girls, who had been hur-
ried to the >Pleasurence to await
the time of Herod's choosing. That
1 Marian, the betrothed of Andrew.
had been among the number had
reused the men Of the fold to an
ger. But Andrew would consent 70
nothing they proposed. The rescue
would be at best Z difficult thing.
Give him two Of the best trained
and fiercest dogs and he would go
alone
ITS the only way" he had said
in answer to every protest. Fres-
emily. az he sped through the en-
veloping darkness, the dogs rum
ming silently at his heels, he said
1t again and again, till it seemed
/ to beat on his heart like refrain.
Had he been less occupied with
thoughts of Miriam as he sped
down the steep lanes that led to the
| little town Of Bethlehem he must
have noted how still the night had
become; but he saw. nothing to
marvel at till, Just abreast OF the
I little stable, which was over
against the inn, the dogs hung
back and had to be coaxed, urged
commanded into following him past
the place.
| AS the white walls of the Pleas.
urance doomed through the sha.
dows the dogs seemed 70 catch the
warm, live fragrance which told
them Miriam was somewhere
ahead: they ran eagerly. with
frantic whisperings, giving voice
Z, when ct last they caught sight Of
her ON the wall.
/ Breathlessly Andrew helped hel
down and into the long. dark sha'
dows, calling to the dogs to be still
Game there any harm to you with.
= In that placer he questioned. and
his heart bounded ct her softly.
spoken reply:
i may! It was easy TO slip away
and hide against the time Of yonI
coming!.
!! After that they said little. fol
pursuit VA certain and the whole
town now lay between them and
the comparative safety Of oil
Ezra's folds. Impatient to gain tina,
ihaven, Andrew must needs stop Il
coax the dogs as before whom the,
came against the little stone stable
near the INN. When some distance
tbeyond, Miriam looked hack AMI
called to Andrew to behold hov
the little stable appeared to b
bathed n . soft radiance coming
from within.
Pausi4g for breath. and to EMO.
for Q moment the sense OF securit,
lAttaine4. both girl and man wer'
fptartle4 to see Wide ribbons o
Hight streaming from the easter
II y tstiu soms hears bsfors The