Part 9 (1/2)

Naomi opened and closed her eyes rapidly. She rose to her feet and stared about her. Was it a dream, the same kind of a dream with which she had so often lightened the weary hours of darkness, the long watches of the night, when she had called to mind some old familiar scene--her mother at the well, the country road, Ezra hastening home from school?

Now the inn stable rose before her. Did she really see the nose of an ox thrusting itself over the stall? Or did she only dream the mound of hay, and on it the young Mother wrapped in a wide blue cloak and in her arms a Child, at the velvet touch of Whose tiny hands the black curtain had dropped from before her eyes?

Naomi rubbed her hands together and looked down at them. Yes, they were her own hands. There was the familiar little brown spot on the inside of her third finger. Her dress? Yes, that was an old friend, the yellow and red striped robe. She had worn it the day in the garden that she had given her four scarlet poppies in exchange for little Three Legs.

Then it was true! She did see. But how had it happened? Why at the touch of this Baby hand had her sight been restored?

”Ezra!” she called, not daring to stir. ”Ezra!”

Ezra's face, white under the tan, showed itself round the stable door.

”Ezra,” cried Naomi, ”I can see! I can see! I know not how it is, but I was blind and now I see! O Ezra, the Baby touched me and I can see!”

Ezra came swiftly forward. His eyes were full of tears, but his face was radiant. He knelt before the Mother, who was watching the scene with wondering eyes, and the Child, Who slept now in His Mother's arms. He pulled Naomi down beside him.

”Naomi, it is the Christ Child,” he whispered. ”The Messiah has come!

Our Saviour lies before us! O Naomi, the Messiah hath opened the eyes of the blind! The Lord hath heard my prayer!”

And bending low before Him, they wors.h.i.+ped at the Christ Child's feet.

CHAPTER VIII

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

The household of Samuel the weaver lay sleeping soundly. The dim light of the small oil lamp revealed the figures of Samuel and his wife wrapped in heavy slumber, with Jonas, rolled into a plump little ball, at his mother's feet. Naomi lay close by with arms outstretched. Her dreams were pleasant, for her lips were parted in a smile. Ezra was missing. He was again spending the night in the fields with shepherd Eli. The friends.h.i.+p between the old man and the lad had grown more deep and strong since the night of the Angels' Visit, and they never wearied of discussing the wonderful event and all the marvels that had followed in its train.

These happenings had roused all the village of Bethlehem, and had now touched even the city of Jerusalem since the appearance of the Wise Men from the East, who, following His star, had come to wors.h.i.+p the King of the Jews.

That very evening Ezra and Naomi, caught on a lonely hillside by the sudden fall of night, had with one accord pointed to the dusky road below, along which rocked noiselessly three tall camels bearing the Magi rapidly in the direction of Arabia.

”They brought gold and frankincense and myrrh,” murmured Ezra, ”the offerings to a king.”

”Aye, to my King, to my Messiah,” answered Naomi happily. ”Oh, Ezra, I would that I had all the gold and frankincense and myrrh in all the world that I might lay it at His feet. How can the neighbors doubt when they see what He has done for me? Who but the true Messiah could open my eyes and give me sight again?”

Ezra shook his head.

”Many do believe, Naomi,” he answered. ”And all thy life now thou canst be a living witness to G.o.d's mercy and love. How happy He has made us all! Father and Mother, thou and I!”

”And Jonas, too,” said Naomi quickly. ”He laughs and plays with me now as never before. He knew that something was wrong, though he could not put it into words. We are to begin again to dig our well to-morrow, he and I. I promised him.”

It may be that Naomi's dreams that night were of this pleasant task that awaited her; it may be that in her sleep, as in her waking hours, her thoughts were filled with visions of the Christ Child even as her heart was full of love for Him. Her smile deepened, and she did not stir as the night wore on.

The stars were growing pale, though morning was still far off, when the deep silence of the village was broken by the sound of feet running lightly, cautiously, up the lane.

Nearer and nearer came the footsteps until they halted before the door of Samuel's house, and a little figure, panting and breathless, stepped quickly within.

Naomi sat upright and peered sleepily through the gloom.