Read Online No Woman So Fair by Gilbert Morris - Free Book Online Page A

flushed red in the face and cursed Abram, yelling, “Get out of the way! It’s none of your business!”
    Abram was fully as tall as the slave owner, though not nearly as thick in body. Sarai could see the anger in Abram’s eyes, yet he was struggling to keep his composure. With his voice even and controlled, he said, “I hate to see anyone mistreated, even a slave.”
    The big man laughed coarsely and shouted in a drunken rage, “You want to see someone mistreated, then I’ll mistreat you!” He cursed again and raised the stick toward Abram, but Abram’s hand shot out and grasped the man’s wrist. Sarai expected to see the big man pull away, which indeed he attempted to do. But surprise washed across his face as he was obviously unable to release himself from Abram’s grasp. And then his surprise changed to shock as Abram apparently kept increasing the pressure. Finally the stick dropped from the man’s hand, and he cried out hoarsely, “Let me go! You’re crushing my bones!”
    At once Abram released the man’s wrist. He reached down and picked up the stick, broke it in two, and said, “I usually don’t interfere in matters that are none of my business, but I don’t like to see a helpless person hurt.”
    â€œIt is none of your business, and you can’t stop me! I’ll do what I please with her!” He rubbed his wrist and backed off a step. “You’re a strong man—I can see that—but you won’t always be around.” He glanced at the girl, who had turned her face upward, tears running down her cheeks.
    Sarai watched closely and saw that something was working in Abram’s mind. His eyes were fixed on the burly slave owner, but some thought was taking possession of him. She was surprised when he said, “I’ll buy her from you. How much?”
    â€œBuy her!” The man stared at Abram with shock. “All right,” he said quickly. When he named an extravagant price, Abram reached into the pouch he carried slung around his shoulder and pulled out a small pottery jar. “How about this instead?”
    Sarai watched as the man took the jar and pulled out the stopper. “Why, this is purple dye,” he said. Then a crafty look came into his eye. “The girl for the dye?”
    â€œDone,” Abram said.
    Laughing roughly, the man said, “You’re not much of a trader. This dye is worth a dozen of her kind.”
    Abram ignored the man’s gloating over the deal as he raised the jar to the gathered crowd and laughed at Abram’s stupidity.
    â€œCome,” Abram said simply. “We’ll have this recorded.”
    Sarai watched Abram reach down to help the girl to her feet and heard him say gently, “Come along, girl. No one will hurt you now.” The girl wiped the tears from her face and followed the two men quickly to a scribe sitting at a table, where the transaction was recorded. She stayed very close to Abram the whole time while the business matter was completed, then followed him down the street.
    Sarai ordered her maid to take the basket of fruit home; then she followed Abram and the slave girl from a discreet distance, carefully staying out of sight.
    As for Abram, he did not know what had possessed him. He had always hated to see any helpless thing hurt, even an animal that was beaten or mistreated. After they had gone some distance from the crowded marketplace, Abram found a shady spot under a palm tree to sit down and let the girl rest. He saw she was trembling as she sat by his feet, and he asked kindly, “What’s your name, child?”
    â€œLayona.”
    â€œDon’t be afraid,” he said. He put his hand out to touch her head, and she flinched. “No one’s going to harm you.” Then, after they had caught their breath, he stood and helped her up again, saying, “Come along.”
    Sarai, watching and listening from