The Scapegoat

am of her by night, never to sit by her without pity of her helplessness, and never to leave her without dread of the mischanc

ards her bodily strength failed her also, and then she knew that her time had come, and that she was to lay down her burden for ever. But her burden had become dear, and she clung to it. She could not look upon the child and think it, that she, who had spent her strength for

onstant than a slave, and more tender than a woman. His love was great, but also he was eating out his big heart with remorse. The root of his

out of any harvest of the past of all the dear delicious wealth that lies stored in the treasure-houses of the hearts of happy parents. That way everything was a waste. Always, as Israel entered her room, Ruth woul

reet and look up at their house, knowing that the black camel of death was kneeling at their gate. Other company they had none. In such solitude they passed four week

speak aloud. Thus she would lay flowers on the seats where her mother had used to sit, and, if at night she found them untouched where she had left them, her little face would fall, and her laughter die off her lip

at the question was that halted on her tongue; yet how could they ans

Then, touching with her hand the seat whereon Ruth had used to sit, Naomi laid down her head on the pillow, and then rose and lay down again, and rose yet again and rose yet again lay down, and then came to where Israel was and stood befo

, and he left the children and

call the child to y

no!" cr

before it is too late," said Israel. "She misses you, and fills

ak mine also

i should be called, and Fat

ant on Ruth's face, and she was white and wasted. And through the other window of the room, which looked out over the Mellah into the town, and across the market-place to the mosque and to the battery on the hill, there came up

as Fatimah held her by the hand, and danced as she was led to her mother's chamber. But when she was come to the door of it, suddenly he

n Naomi stood like a little white vision at the threshold of the room, Israel took her hand in silence, and dr

en she felt her face, and that was changed also, for it was become withered and cold. And, missing the grasp of one and the smile of the

es that overflowed, and now

" she cried. "Did I not tell

" said Israel;

clasped them on the wrists of the child. This she did that Naomi might remember the hands that had been kind to her always. But when the child felt the ornaments she seemed only to know, by the quick instinct of a girl, that she was decked out b

and reddened her white nightdress, while she danced and laughed to her mother's death. Nothing did the child know of death, any more than Adam himself before Abel was slain, and

breaks down at speech, but wildly and deliriously. The room was darkening fast, but still across the nether end, by the foot of

ropped her head that she might not see. And Israel covered his face and groaned in his tearless a

hild, and seeming to forget in the torment of her trouble that Naomi could not hear her, she cried, "It's your mother, Naomi! your mother, darling, though so sic

ks grew pale at the embrace of the arms that held her, and then they reddened, and then her little nervous fingers grasped at Ruth's ha

rt any longer was melted and unmanned. The sun had gone down, and the room was darkening rapidly, for the twilight in that land is s

g this, Fatimah would have lifted her away and carried her back to her ow

ake her from yo

e and said, "It is hard to leave her a

terest cup of al

e shall come to me, and then, perhaps-who knows

made no

and said, "My helpless darling! Wh

and sleep!"

ish of me! You are her father, and you

lack," said Israel. "And now lie you s

d smiled. Then a shadow crossed her face in the gloom. "But when I am gone,"

her," said Israel. "Ha

or our prayer, my

eace!" sa

, "and surely He will not af

ael, not thinking what he said. "Now lie st

r gentle breathing. Then she babbled and crooned over her with a childish joy. "Yes, yes, father is right, and mother must lie quiet-very qu

reathing came quick and fast. "But

n to sing in a low voice that was like a moan. Presently her sing

itching at the sleeves, it's a chance if Habeebah has seen to it. Then there's her underclothing. . . . Will she be deaf and blind and dumb always? I wonder if I shall see her when I. . . . They say that angels are sent. . . . Yes, yes, that's it, wh

f the bed. His heart was surging itself out of his choking breast. The black woman stood somew

er deaf and blind and dumb. She was grown to be a woman, but I knew her instantly. Not a woman eith

ion was not to be overcome. "The Lord hath seen our tears at last," she cried. "He h

eautiful, yet thinking it so vain, he could not help at last but weep. Presently she

whisper, "quite ready, sweet H

rael, where he sat beside her, and touching his forehead sh

nswered her,

ht!" she

his forehead to his lips and sobb

eyes, and at that moment the spirit of the Lord

was being moved, and clasped her little fingers about the dead mother's neck and covered the mouth with kisses. And when she felt that the lips did not answ