Evening star., 1926-10-16
CHAPTER V.

Laila hung her head. With sigh.
she drew up her mantle so it covered
her smooth, polished black hair and
half concealed her eyes. Then she
went out into the rain.
The house where alaryam dWelt
was not in view from the door OF
Laila's home. Slowly and thought
fully she traversed the rain-soaked
path, Alntil she stood before the other
dwelling. Then she stopped. She
could see through the open door, and
the figure of Maryam's father bend
ing over his heap of sheepskins was
outlined against the fire. Maryam
herself fitted back and forth.
With a shrug of her shoulders, Laila
turned away and took her course
toward the main part OF the village.
A Pharisee passed her, erect and
grim. A leather thong was bound
around his left arm, holding in posi-
ton little leather case. She knew
the case contained a parchment roll,
with extracts from the Scriptures. His
cloak was fringed with white.
The woman stood far to one side,
until he passed. He did not cast his
glance upon her, but took his austere
way through the rain, unbending and
Sedate.
Toward the center of the group of
houses was one somewhat larger than
the rest. A roof of grasses and straw
sheltered the doorway, and stones had
been laid in regular pattern to form
a pavement, extending past the front
of the house to the rear.
Under the shelter Of the portico
stood a short, round man, with pleas
ant face and twinkling eyes. His robe
was ornamented in the Greek fash.
ion, and his feet were covered with
leather, made into rough shoes-a
rarity in Palestine.
Laila came to halt before him and
bowed, humbly.
An expression of puzzlement
crossed his face, and he looked about
him. The open space between his
dwelling and the next houses was de-
serted, except for some children, play
ing.
What do you seek, woman?" he
asked, not unkindly.
Are you Ezra, the elder?" she in
quired, her hands clasped before her,
submissively.
II am" he said.
"a soldier dwells in my house. and
I want him to go away" she said.
II know" he answered. "A Roman
soldier with a broken bone. But what
have to do with you, or him?"
"You are one of the elders, and am
in need Of aid" Laila pleaded. He
cast his sword at Jacob, the pub
lican@"
"If only his sword had struck the
mark" breathed Ezra, fervently.
"But it did not strike" the woman
said, land Jacob will revenge himself
on me, since he may do nothing to An
tonius. And further-this soldier has
sent me to call Maryam, my neigh
boris daughter, to come to him."
The elder started. 1.-THE daughter
Of Jared?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "You know that
If I approach her, I shall be stoned
from the village. If fail him, An
tonius will surely injure me-he has
threatened me with his weapon before
now, 1 seek aid to have him re-
moved"
Trouble showed in the round face
of the village official, and he stared
upward toward the gray sky. At last
he moved his hand, in a gesture of
helplessness.
There is naught for me to do," he
said. 'If we seek to remove him, the
next company Of soldiers that marches
through will avenge him-even If he
does not slay some one himself, with
his sword. If we aanonish him, he
will ieer at us. II think" he
pulled at his beard, ref1ectively, that
it will be best for you to make your
peace with him. But do not approach
Maryam."
Laila bowed again and started
away, dejectedly.
"Wait!' called Ezra. He ran after
soldier that I advised you to remain
away from the girl. That will be
secret just between us two"
He sought assent in her downcast
face. "It will be best not to trouble
him." the elder went on. ''The peace
of the village should not be shattered
because Of a mere child-this girl
Maryam. Pledge me you'l not tell
him what I said, and-and-" he
hesitated, and tugged at his beard, as
If to produce an inspiration, per
haps, if you wish a loan for your poll
tax, 1t might be arranged" He smiled
at her, brightly. "Eh?'' said he.
She was looking at him, with half
smile at the corner of her mouth. Just
as the last word dropped from his
lips, his smile departed, and his round
eyes grew wider. Father Abraham
he CALCULATED
Whirling on his heel, he hurried
back into his home.
Laila looked behind her curiously
to see what had startled the little
elder. The same TALL austere Phari-
see, who had passed her before, was
striding by, his head erect, his eyes
straight forward. She watched him
until he entered his own house, far in
the distance
1.-THE pious hypocrite." said voice
at her elbow.
It was Ezra again.
HE will tell it far and wide that
spoke with the outcast woman at the