Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-10-13


Nov what" dema nded the soldier.
He was lying on his side. his head pro
trudinE through the doorway. and
holding up the curtain with his hand.
Laila dropped her arms from her
face. Il wish l could answer" she
said, her voice heavy and lifeless.
Who is the man." pursued Anto-
MUS. He is richly clad, and the jewel
in his turbap--it was an emerald"
The woman leaned with her hack
against the wall, her feet outthrust he.
fore her Il wish | could answer" she
repeated.
He knew YOU" Antonius said.
Yes" I.aila assented. Il saw him
in Jerusalem. three years ago. He
came riding on camel. With a train
OF followers. He stopped. as he did
today. and looked in my face, and
laughed" She stopped. and laid her
hand across her eyes. Il feared him
and knew I must obey him.
The soldier worked himself into a
more comfortable position. his back
braced against one of the posts of the
door
What did he ask YOU to do" he in
quired.
He asked nothing" she said. But
his gaze entered through my eyes, and
He laughed again. and turned away,
waving his hand toward the city gate.
That night | took what I had. upon
q donkey that I purcha sed in the
market. and went my way. I knew
II was his command, though he said
nothing
"A priest. perhaps. Of some strange
god" Antonius surmised.
Il do not know" she answered.
yet | know that he is one of the
mighty Did YOU note his armor?"
The soldier asserted. 1t glitters as
If II were gold. though IL might be
bronze. Why does he come on foot?''
The woman indicated the plain be
low them. There are marshy spots
in Winter, through which 1t is diff
cult to pass 1t may he that his bea SITS
Of burden are left behind. mired in the
swamp"
She rose to her feet. and walked a
dozen PAGES forward. peering toward
the village. When she returned. she
said: He has gone into the inn with
his men. And the shepherd is COM
ing"
The man rubbed his thigh. Il am
Elad--my leg throbs as If 20 demons
were al work upon it"
In a few moments a tall. hooded
man. bearing a long rod. circled the
house where Laila had secured her
FIRE not long before. After him
struggled aock of sheep.
I'm my country" Antonius said.
"the sheep walk before the shepherd"
1T is not so here" she said. He
always walks before, and they after
him"
The shepherd made a movement of
his stick as he reached the door. The
sheep at once began to nihhle the
fresh shoots of grass around the dwell
ing.
You have broken the bone afresh? ."
asked Aaron, throwing back the hood
OF his robe
His face was thin. and his black
curling beard came nearly to his waist.
Though no streak of gray showed in
his thick shock of hair. his counte
nance was that of an old man, who
had undergone much hardship.
Kneeling teside the soldier. he rap
IDLY unwound the handages that COW
cred the injured limb.
Beneath the wooden strips were
splints of wood. tightly pressed into
the skin with linen cords. With ex-
pert fingers the shepherd removed
the bonds, and lifted the splints one
by one
There is danger of this leg grow
ing shorter than the other, unless YOU
lie still" he said.
He felt of the bone beneath the
pufinE flesh. Hold him about the
waist he directed the woman.
IAila obeyed sea ting herself upon
the ground. her arms wound about An
tonius.