“Pardon, queen, I’ve been so absorbed, I forgot myself—” So saying, he gracefully transferred from his shoulder to hers the shawl she had permitted him for the night to wear. As the maiden adjusted it, something fell out of its folds, glittering to her feet.
“Findings keepings;” she laughed, and stooped to pick up the object. As she arose she turned it slowly toward the setting moon the better to inspect the find.
The knight was alarmed, but it was too late to prevent her examination now of his Teutonic cross and chain.
At a glance, Rizpah saw it was an emblem, of all others, hated by her people, and with a low, startled cry she made a motion as if to hurl it from her, but she checked herself with a powerful effort; suddenly turning her black, piercing eyes upon her companion she took a step back. She stood there the embodiment of an imperative question.
The knight quietly said: “Be calm, dear maid.”
Over her countenance passed a cloud which to the man all too plainly said: “How darst thou use such terms to me?” and then the face hardened again to imperative interrogation.
“Thou trustedst me four hours ago, under the lotus, try now my sincerity by any sterner test.”
Turning her eyes full on his, with a voice without a quaver, but in deep, measured tones indicative of suppressed emotion, she questioned as she held out toward him his emblem, “What’s this?”
“Concealment from thee, having trusted me as thou hast, would be futile not only, but hateful; thou knowst the meaning of the sign.”
“Who art thou then?”
“A Christian knight!”
“An enemy of my people everywhere; a spy here!” she exclaimed.
“No, never a spy! a true Christian knight never was such! Our warfare is open and equal. I’m degraded by the defense from such an odious charge!”
“Why debate thy methods; ’tis enough for me to know thou art a foe to me and mine.”
“No enemy of thine, but rather the friend of all humanity, woman.”
“Bloody friends I’ve heard!”
“No! Each one of my order is sworn, by awful vow, to protect the traveler, the poor, the weak and woman with our last drop of blood! If we two were all alone here and one of our lives must be forfeited to save the other’s, mine would joy to go first.”
“Words are cheap, and thou can’st use them finely, knight.”
“Thou knowst, maiden, to what that cross alludes.”
“The Nazarene Imposter!”
“His followers revere Him?”
“Like madmen, they follow their phantom!”
“Didst ever hear of one wearing that sign, being untrue to it?”
“No, it’s their dread black-art.”
“Wouldst thou trust me if I swore by it?”
“I might; but I’d fear that devils would flock out of the airy deep to witness thy vowing. Spare me that horror!”
“Maiden, thou’lt craze me by thy distrust and wild words. In God’s name tell me what to do!”
“Swear, but wave back the evil spirits, if thou art wont to have them.”
“That sign is their lasting terror; but the silent palms and the stars alone shall witness, ay, the God of all, as well. Here, make thou the words as thou wilt. Now, I kiss the cross I love, and am ready. He suited the action to the words. The maiden drew near to him, looking down into his eyes searchingly and seemed assured by their serene frankness.”
“Go on, Rizpah, I’ll bind my soul with any words coined, and, remember that I believe that perjury would consign me to misery untold here; eternal woe hereafter!”
“I’ll trust thy solemn asseverations; they say that a superstition on the right side will make even a Philistine bearable. Repeat, ‘I swear never to harm any of Rizpah’s kin or clan, except in self-defense.’ ”
He complied.
“Again, ‘I swear to depart peacefully at once, and no more seek companionship with the people this night met.’ ”
He complied, but murmured “cruelty.”
“And how?” she questioned.
“Wilt add a little?”
“Add what?”
“Add this ‘except by permission of the one ordaining my vow.’ ”
“It is so fixed.”
“I then swear it all.”
“Well, now go,” and she pointed to the hills.
“I obey, but yet plead delay.”
She hesitated and fell from being master to being mastered.
“Why, what benefits delay?”
“Oh, woman, I yearn as only a lonely heart can, to enjoy a little while the fellowship and hospitality of thy people! For years homeless; for months friendless, I’ve come to feel worthless. This is the first bright hour in my life for many a day. Perhaps, maiden of Israel, thou mightst make life worth living to me.”
It was a charge on her sympathy, and he knew it would succeed.
“A Crusader, ‘one of the armies of God,’ boasting a divine call to conquer and convert the world, so talking?”
“Our armed crusades are ended forever; my occupation’s gone.”
She had hesitated, now she pitied the man, and woman-like, again surrendered while she protested.
“I do not think there could come great harm from thy staying until sunrise repast.”
“Bless thee, the nine sun gods bless thee, Esther.”
“Heathen!”
“Well; an Egyptian-Christian-Jew taught me to say this when too cheerful to be solemn, and pious enough not to be frivolous.”
“An Egyptian-Hebrew-Christian! He must have been an Arab. That name means the ‘mixed.’ But go to the men’s tents; to-morrow I’ll have more wisdom. Peace and grace to thee; good night, Christian-Heathen-Hebrew-Arabic-Egyptian!” She laughingly spoke and the unbending made the knight, bold. He addressed her:
“I’d sleep in perfect peace, if Rizpah would give me a token.”
“I? what?” and the maiden drew back, offended. Her innocency remembered no token then, but such solicited by her maiden friends, or given at times to her father, a kiss.
“Place thy hand in mine, Rizpah.” She quickly complied, glad she was mistaken, as to her suspicion and blushing within, as she thought how strangely, easily, her mind had had the thought, “Well, now what, knight?”
“Promise me that while I’m permitted to tarry among thy people, I shall have thy heart’s friendship; as freely, as loyally bestowed as if I were thy brother.”
“Canst trust me, a woman, a girl, almost a stranger?”
“I trust thy woman’s heart as Joshua’s men of old trusted Rahab, a wreck, but still a woman. Thou art infinitely more noble than she.”
“But men think us weak, fitful, garrulous.”
“Responsibility makes the weakest of thy