Evening star., 1926-10-22

"H HE soldier moved his head,
within the mantle that en-
veloped it, Laila poised
Il motionless, until he settled
again into sleep. With quick,
exploring fingers she found his money
belt. and it was the work OF only an
instant 20 sever It with her knife.
Cautiously she withdrew 1t, pressing
down the soft cushion so he could not
feel the linen rasp against his flesh.
When the be!t was freed, she knotted
the open ends. and thrust the whole
into the pouch that she carried under
her robe. She knelt, considering a
moment, and then drew from his belt
the jeweled dagger that he wore and
concealed 1t In her bosom.
Rising. she sped from place to place
In her room, her bare feet making no
sound on the hard packed floor. With
a bundle Of clothing. gathered from
the chest and from beneath her own
pallet. shs slipped out of the house.
without q backward glance at the
sleeping soldier.
She turrAd toward the rear Of the
house. and halted.
The Pharisee, whom she had met
before. vas stalking along the foot
of the cliffs. She shrank back, until
he had gone his way.
Then, moving swiftly, she set out
for the slope of the hills that f1anked
the clitfs-the same slope up which the
slave had gone not long before
Villagers were moving around in the
distance, but at 500 yards one woman
OF those days looked much like an
other. Her anxious backward glances
showed that no one was paying heed
to her flight.
Once in the shelter of the lower
most trees, she sat on the ground,
and put on pair Of sandals that she
had carried upon her arm on leaving
the house. Then she shook out the
contents of Anton!us' money belt.
Picking up the three heavy pieces
Of gold. she examined them. and tied
them separately in a bit torn from
the linen belt. The silver coins she
dropp<d loose in the bottom of her
pouch.
She readjusted the bundle Of extra
clothing. and, rising. started again
upon her way.
Three hundred PAGES farther she
caught sight OF the slave, cutting
low-hanging limb from a tree. Sink
ing 10 her hands and knees behind
a bush, she waited until he started
away with the branch.
Hsy further Journey was through
alternate patches OF woodland and
open, barren rock, on a steeply ascend
ing dope.
More than once she stopped to pant
and rest
Might found her below one of the
Sur1rnita of the G!ioor range east of
the siiiage that she had left She had
storpd to look hack at the rcdly set
ting sGn. 1t showed her the hills Of
Sanarla in he far distance. mantled
with clouds ;hat foyetold another rain.
Now. as darkness settled over the
mountains. only the gray CLEAN of the
watercourss showed on the plain be-
hind her.
A spring bubbled from the mountain
side, and here she spread out her
mantle, to rest. Where the water
coursed' down. on ITS way TO the val
ley. there was a continuous growth of
bushes and small trees. but on each
only blank clay soil and jutting basalt
boulders.
Searching through her effects, she
found she had neglected to bring food
With Oriental fatalism she shrugged
her shoulders. and laid down. Above
her was an outcropping rock. making
the summit of the mountain She
watched its black outline against th'
sky as she lay. and 1t was the last
thing she heheld as she fell asleep.
An hour passed; two hours; three;
four
Suddenly she started awake. and sat
-. throwing her mantle from her face.
!, linking. she looked about her.
A red glow tingeu the blackness of
the hillside.
Her eyes lifted. The point Of A
tongue of flame showed on the over
hanging rock.
Fire meant the presence Of human
beings. and at night in Palestine,
human beings meant danger. She
shrank back and watched.
The tongue of flame leaped higher
A shadowy figure moved to the edge
Of the rock. a Jet black silhouette
against the crimson glow. The woman
shook with fear. Another figure
moved between her and the fire-this
one clad only in loin cloth, and bear
ing in one hand a long staff.
NoN came a sound of voices chant.
ing. The voices were mems and the
chant was SLOW. with abrupt pauses