Evening star., 1926-11-06

Maryam had undergone too much
| fear and grief to cry out at Antonius'
harsh prediction. Instead. she sat
and looked at him in white-faced
misery.
Fortunately" the soldier went on,
1.-The prison keepers are used to taking
| bribes. If Omar or Ezra can get there
in time" He stopped, and smote
his hand on his knee. Fool that
| am" he cried 81 never thought to
send good Ezra to seek Jared's
PRISON.
But his servant knows where my
father is," said Maryam anxiously.
That's not enough" Antonius de-
| clared. Ezra is well on his way to
| the sea--he cannot get back in time.
! And thefe'S the matter of the gold.
Colds the only key to unlock the
! prison door,"
He meditated over the problem,
| while Maryam sat, wringing her
hands, and waiting for him to speak.
Listen, girl" he said. Take your
mother and your servants and collect
everything in your home that will
bring money. Your anklets, your ear
rings, your bracelets and all the
| things of gold and brass and silver
you can find
The girl arose promptly. Then
what shall I do?" she asked.
"Take them and sell them, quickly,
for what you can get" he told her.
The girl hesitated. 1T is night,
and I do not know where to CO."
Antonius turned to one of the men
servants, who stood listening.
You can find a trader who will
give gold for the things your mistress
collects" he said.
The man assented, with a move
ment of his head.
'Then go-and bring back the
money as soon as you can. This
should have been done before. I was
a fool not to think of it, Antonius
said.
The members of Jared's household
trooped through the door, and the sol
dier called to them to make haste.
Twisting impatiently upon his bed.
he waited for them to reappear. The
day had vanished, and the gloom of
a Galilean Winter night lay upon the
plain. Antonius stared through the
doorway, his muscles twitching with
nervous fatigue. his eyes puffed from
want of sleep. his. lips working.
who's there?" he called sharply,
as a man came slowly toward the
door,
aaron, the shepherd" responded
tired voice.
leaned upon his staff.
.'What news?" demanded the sol
der.
In news-and good" the shepherd
responded Jared is out of prison
and is in bond to a money lender
until the price of his escape is re-
paid
who arranged it?"
Omar the Persian" said Aaron.
He sighed heavily and sat down upon
the ground. Il found him in Beth
shean last night and gave him word
of what happened. He sent one of
his men, a swift runner, post-haste
to Tiberias, and the money was in
the hand of the prison keeper before
Jared himself arrived. l waited in
Bethshean until the man returned.
He left Jared hidden in a stable,
bound with chains
t''Why was he bound?" asked An
tonius.
so he could not escape the money
lender who paid the keeper of the
prison." said Aaron. ''The runner
gave me an account of what is due.
that Jared's family can secure by
selling their possessions.
They are out selling their valu-
ables now" the soldier said.
Poor. good kind people" The old
shepherds voice was tender. "They
must fee from Palestine, and be pen
niless wanderers over the face of the
earth, until Herod Is dead
The soldier was silent for time.
But, Aaron" he said, as If arguing
the matter This thing Is wrong
Jared committed no treason. He has
done no evil.'
Soldier" replied the shepherd.
sadly, Jared is a Jew and the Jew
has learned to suffer much. Half his
land Is filled with foreigners who hate
his ways, and commit denominations
against the law of his religion. They
build heather temples beside his
synagogues. Herod, who sits upon
the throne. is a wicked man. who
stole his own brothers wife. and op.