Chapter 5

David made no comment on that; but stood silently, thoughtfully, counting his fingers. Having finished the addition, he nodded to himself, drew an enigmatic smile, and withdrew. ‘I bid you good-day, Hannah,’ he said absently.

For a long time the bewildered woman stood watching the venerable Sadducee’s deliberate march up the hill. It was evident that David had been deeply impressed. Hannah hoped she wasn’t getting into trouble. She wished she could feel free to confide the whole matter to Simon. But if the girl was—as David seemed to suspect—of Arabian blood, Simon would undoubtedly be angry and turn her out. He hated the Arabians. On the other hand, if he weren’t told and found out later, he would have good cause for being enraged over the deception. Any way you looked at it, the situation was disturbing. Hannah was not experienced in dissembling.

After standing there irresolutely until her legs were weary she returned to the house. The door of the guest’s bedroom was now open. The girl, in a simple white dress of Abigail’s, was sitting on the edge of the bed, combing her cropped hair. Hannah smiled, but her eyes brimmed with tears. The girl instinctively guessed why.

‘I’m afraid it makes you sad,’ she said softly, ‘to see a stranger in this keep-sake dress. I am sorry.’

Hannah brightened and dabbed at the tears.

‘It was just for a moment, my dear. I am glad to see my Abigail’s clothing put to some good use. She was a beautiful child…And’—impulsively—’so are you!…What shall we call you—now that your name isn’t Joe?’

There was a momentary pause before the girl replied: ‘You may call me Esther.’

‘Though that is not your name—either,’ commented Hannah, disappointed—and hurt.

‘I am told that Esther was the name my father chose for me,’ said the girl, eager to make amends.

‘Shall I suppose, then,’ persisted Hannah, ‘that others in your family preferred another name for you, and that their wishes prevailed?’

Esther nodded, absently, diligently preoccupied with her combing.

Hannah waited uneasily in the doorway for a fuller confidence, and when the girl responded only with a childish little smile of entreaty, she turned away with an impatient gesture that said, Oh—very well, then—if it’s such a secret. Presently the dishes clattered in the kitchen as if they too were annoyed. It was clear that Hannah was offended by her guest’s reticence. Esther felt very uncomfortable. She had a momentary impulse to follow the friendly woman and make a full disclosure of everything. On second thoughts she decided that too much was at stake.

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