The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-13
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gone from her eyes although her lips still curved to it's will. "Joel, wilt thou dig an acacia for me?" she asked.
 He was impatient on hearing again that oft-repeated request which he could not understand. Yet he listened once more to what appeared to him irrelevant and inconsequent words. Men use the timber of the cedar tree to build vast buildings and towers, and of the acacia'S wood was the ark of Elohim made. And it's tables and saves also were of shittim wood, smoothed and polished in the wild erness. Dost thou not believe that from thence has come our custom whereby we plant the cedar and acacia at the birth of our children? Strength for our sons and beauty for our daughters?"
 "Why then dost thou so strongly desire an acacia?" he asked, and was startled by the pain that struck her face.
 She answered almost with sad ness T planted cedar once, Joel, planted it for spite, and now l would unplant that tree, but it has grown throughout the years, its roots go deep. If might plant an acacia, I feel somehow that would efface the cedar's planting
 "Thou arrivest strangely at that conclusion he said.
 At monday they quarreled. When the heat of the sun kept the flock indolent. Michal was fondling a young ram, 'IS he not beautiful?" she" asked, hugging the lamb to her side.
 Without blemish, Joel agreed. T shall take him to the festival of Pascha this day week"
 Michael sent the ram from her with a smart little spank against its flank. Because he is my pet!" she cried. Thou must take my one lamb for the sacrifice when thou has so many more!'
 Tt is without blemish,' he re- peated. surprised.
 Tt is my lamb!" she said angri- iy. Thou hast chosen it to pun ish me"
 The unfairnes sof her charge drew like angry retort. from Joel, Thy lamb .' he said deliber- ately, ''Thy lamb is in Rome"
 "As I should be-" she replied, calm now that he was angered, and delighting in his fury. T should have gone when Drusus begged me"
 She had a devil of perverSity, he thought, for surely only thus could she find such wicked delight in reminding him of Drusus and their comradeship. A comradship that filled her husband with a baff1ed resentment.
 Joel said, "Thou art wanton to think of Drusus thus"
 "He was Jonathans friend" she said, gently mocking him. Thou are very loyal to Jonathan"
 Goaded beyond the words of wis dom, he shouted at her, Thou carest more for onathan's friend than Janathan's son."
 There was a shadow in MichalS golden eyes as she looked at him and the truth of his words flayed her. Their quarreling was always bitterest when Malachi'S name en- tered into it.
 He was surprised when she failed to return the lash. Instead she looked across the field of BoaZ, eastward toward the distant noun tain ranges beyond the lake ot AsphaltieS. There was a strange stiffness upon her.
 Had Malachi ike affection for thy friend?" he asked. quietly.
 "Drusus taught me love for the child" she said. Malachi was a handsome babe, Joel, and strong. In the ninth month after his birth. he could walk. He would follow me wheresoeverI vent"
 Her voice was stripped of emo tion, putting forth words as naked of feeling as branches carried by Jordan into the lake of Asphaltites are bare to bark. "Flavia came when the child could walk, Fla via"
 He cared nothing for Flavia's coming. Thou vast telling of how Drusus taught the love-" he phompted. And immediately regret ted the ill-choosing of his words.
 Michal sighed. "Drusus told me of how Flavia had married 8 man old as her father, when she her. self was but 6 merry child, to es- cape the injustice of their fathers wife,"
 "The child" he said impatiently. ''Thou vast telling of Malachi!'
 She put a hand to her curls in the familiar gesture. He fancied it was disdain that touched her lips as she opened them again, and her voice opened them again, and her voice was as empty of life as the waters of the inland, salty sea.
 He was like Drusus," she said finally.
 (TO Be COntinued)