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Page 18 The Southern Israelite Lakewood Dairy Wholesale and Retail GRADE A Pasteurized and Raw Milk (loffet; Cream and Heavy Cream Whole Lactir Arid Milk Buttermilk and Clioeolate Milk HV specialize in Quality and Service We invite* you to visit our plant and dairy hams Phone F-9801 Durham, IV G. DURHAM PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY Everything Electrical Durham, N. C. He stopped short. His mother rush ed out of the room at these words, leaving him alone in the house. The miserable young man behaved like one gone mad. He wept, pleaded, threatened, but only the walls heard him. In his despair he w r alked to the door again, but before it he saw a dark mass of howling, swearing, curs ing people. He would have been torn to shreds had not an officer whom he knew and who was friendly to him, passed and taken him under his pro tection. The officer took him to his home and offered him shelter for as long as he might stay in town. “In the house of a Christian; he loft his mother’s house and went to stay with a Christian,” calculated tin* mob, “is there any better need of proof that he is a convert?” CHAPTER 5 Since the day he met Benjamin Hooker for the last time, Itzik Hersh did not show himself on the street. He would have preferred to bury him self alive rather than meet people. How much he had to suffer and to hear! Heaven and earth, it seemed to him, had plotted together to cross all his plans. What he had so nicely plan ned and thought out fell to the ground. He always did favors for the children of Reb Benzion. He knew that the old miser would not live forever and he figured that once the parsimo nious parent was gone, they would surely not forget the man who was always ready to oblige them. He felt they would some day translate their gratitude into cash. As if to his spite, the old miser grew stronger every day until it seemed that he would survive his children. If after much trouble he succeeded in betrothing his homely-looking daughter, something had to happen to cause a breaking- off of the engagement. 11 is last hope was that Sigmund, after marrying the daughter of the rich Reb Benzion, would help him out of many a finan cial difficulty—but the wretch, thought Reb Itzik. goes and becomes a convert to marry the daughter of his employer. But that employer—it flashed through “Wisdom’s” troubled brain— was he not a millionaire? And if Sig mund is his son-in-law, is he not an heir to millions? With such persons it is best to be on good terms. It pays some times. W by should he break with Sigmund after all? He was an apos tate—very well, that was God’s affair, not man s, and he was not God’s pro tector anyway. Should he, just now, when Sigmund is deserted by all, show him friendship the latter would prob ably reward him liberally for it. It <.ould develop into a source of several thousands and then—wait my little hunchey, he mused, I will paste a sign over your hunch which will never be erased nor forgotten. As he developed this idea in his mind, he worked his fingers in his beard until if grew under their spell, into a flame that encircled his face like in the good old days. He was determined to visit Sig- "i U L d ^, at . V ® ry evenin ? at the home of his Christian fifiend. Of course, it had to be done cautiously and care en- , a ^ ter dark. He knew that if Piety” were to find out that “Wis dom” visited Sigmund, he would be a marked man and could never show himself on the street again. When night set in, the red bearded Reb Itzik cautiously left his house, and protected by the darkness, made his way to the place where Sigmund stayed. When he had reached the home of his Christian friend, after being re jected by his mother, Sigmund locked himself in the little room which wa« assigned him and tried to collect hi* thoughts. Soon he was filled with ex' citement and began to walk up and down the room with clenched fists as if ready to demolish his unseen enemy. But whom was he to fight he asked himself? He felt that a web of intrigue was woven about him, but who was the weaver? If he could only know! But there was no way 0 f finding out. Every one had a fixed idea that Sigmund was a convert. Hu own mother seemed more crazed bv this thought than all others. Had she not refused to listen to him, to allow him to convince her of the contrary'’ She had fled as soon as he had be gun to speak to her. What was he to do now? How was he to clear himself? Lost in these thoughts he did not even notice that it was time to make a light in the room, nor did he hear that some one was knocking at the door. After prolonged knocking, Sig mund heard it as if in a dream and asked: “Who is there?” “It is a friend,” a voice from with out answered while Sigmund was un locking the door. As soon as he opened the door, a man with a bent body ap peared. “Do you not know me any longer?" ealled the approaching form in a clear bass voice. “Do you not recognize your old relative, Itzik Hersh?” “Ah, Reb Itzik Hersh?” called Sig mund in joyful surprise as he stretch ed out his hand to the man. Now that he was deserted by all, this man ap peared to him as a savior, a libera tor, truly sympathetic friend. “Of course it is I and no one else,” called out the red-bearded man tri umphantly, “for the others are only a band of fanatics, but I am of en tirely different material. I have learn ed to be more tolerant.” “Yes, I can see that,” said Sig mund, as he hastened to make a light in the room so that he might see a familiar and friendly face. “Aes, 1 know it. The others I see avoid me as if I were a plague. Even my own mother does so. I can hardly find words to thank you for the friendship you are showing me. Perhaps you are the only person here who could enlighten me regarding the puzzling situation in which I find myself.” “There is nothing puzzling about it. You are dealing here with a fa natic horde, that’s all. You, on the contrary, do not know how to hanu.e them. One must not be so open head ed with such people, my friend, a* ways leave a little back door open. “Back Door?” Sigmund starred at him in astonishment, “what bae' door? Have I anything to hide fron any one?” “Before Itzik Hersh not, but ®? friend, you are not surrounded eTe only by Itzik Hersh, therefor ha\e d care!” “Have a care about what? Si? mund asked, even more astonis • “Why have a care? For & 00 ^ sake, I cannot understand it. Aou like the rest, in riddles.” “But my friend,” said “ Wisd °® softly, “you must admit that i ^ not good policy to acknowledge (Continued on Page