Evening star., 1926-10-26
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'G1g26. by Eugene MacI.ean.1

guard. Even the outcast woman is to
he aided before the publican"
He started away. and the audience
followed after him.
Laila wat, he'd them. and then
turned curiously to the Pharisee.
He was just ending his prayers He
Strengthened up and. without glance
at the woman, STROBE on into the
village
THE little elder. at least, is kind"
murmured Laila. II wonder if the
Pharisee---"
She did not finish the sentence, hut
turned into her own house. An eX-
lamation of dismay escaped her. She
had left much of her clothing behind
when she fed Now the floor, and
walls We're stripped bare. Her wine
skin was empty, and her stO'e of
bread and meat was gone. Portions
of the wall had been dug out, evident
ly with the points of swords.
Searching for my treasure she
said, scornfully. aloud.
Bits Of broken crockery weie scat
tered about, and she set herself to
gather this and throw it out of doors.
When the interior of the dwelling had
been Strengthened, to the best of her
ability. she mounted to the top of the
chest that still stood in a corner
/ With a pressure of her fingers, she
made a nest in the dried grasses that
made the lowermost layer of her roof,
and in this she concealed the bit of
linen belt that held her three gold
pieces. and all of her silver save two
coins.
This done, she examined what was
left of her wardrobe. The mantle
she wore was the one the bondSman
l,n,- CHI
head scarf was gone. She still wore
her sandals, and her tunic. protected
by the outer robe, had escaped dam
age from the brambles in the noun
tain.
She climbed back on the chest. and
drew out three of the silver pieces
she had just hidden in the roof.
Putting these with the two others,
she started toward the village.
The house Of a weaver lay on her
way, but she did not pause. She
knew that he would not sell his
goods to her, nor permit her to set
foot within his door.
The houses Of Jezreel were not set
in order along a central street, but
irregularly, wherever the fancy of the
builders had chanced to light. Laila
passed as directly as she could through
the more thickly built portion of the
settlement, past the inn and to
house larger than most Of the others,
not far from the we'll that marked
The northerly limit Of the village.
The rooms Of this house, after the
custom of those days, were built sepa-
rately, with small courts between the
sections. Children played before the
doors and a woman. wearing rich
robe and balancing a water jar on
4 r Ito f11A A hi
woman drew near the dwelling.
Tell your father" Laila said to
one of the children, that the Arabian
woman waits for him.
The boy entered one Of the rooms
A man Immediately appeared at the
door He was more finely clad than
most of the men Of JeZreel. and his
garments were cut more after the
fashion of Greece than that Of Pales-
tine.
You, come to buy goods?" he que
ried.
Laila pointed to the mantle the
slave had given her.
MY own robe is destroyed" she
said. II seek something better than
| have worn before. And another tu
mic and a scarf
He rubbed his hands cheerily. II
have fresh wares,' he said. "And
after all, l am a merchant-Why
shouldn't l sell to the Arabian
woman?"
He stepped back into the room. and
reappeared with several lengths of
cloth draped over his arm. He did
not invite her to enter, though the
rain still fell.
Laila pointed to one Of the pieces of
cloth. Il will buy this woolen goods
for my MANTLE" she said, "and this
strip of linen" She tried to peer past
him. "Have you anything Of rich
color for my scarf?"
He stepped back into the room. II
have a piece" said he, that jacob
the publican is coming to see this very
day"
Jacob" Laila started, and looked
around in fear.
Cont inned In TnnOrrONyS Sfarl