Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-04-03

selves and cried: "Hail Pharaohr' But I
babe them rise, saying that not yet was
Pharaoh, for the chicken was still in the egg.
aYea, Prince" said my uncle, ''but his
beak shows through. Not in vain hath
Egypt brooded all these years; an thou
and how canst thou fail.-naught can now
stop our course to victoryp'
sIt is ON the knees Of the Gods" I an
swered.
'sNay,n he said, s'the gods have placed tho
issue In the hands of Q mortal-in thy
hands, O Harmachis land there Is it safe.
See; here are the last lists. Thirty-one
thousand men who bear arms are sworn to
rise when the tidings como to them. With
in our hands, and then what have we to
fear, From Rome but little. for her hands
arc full; and, besides, We will make al
lance with the Triumvirate. and, II need be,
buy them on. For Of money there is plenty
in the land, and if more be wanted thou,
Harmachis, knowest where tits stored
against the need Of Khem, and outside the
harm us3 There is none. Perchance, in
this turbulent city. there may be astruggle,
and q counter plot to bring Arsinoe to
Egypt and set her on the throne. There
fore must Alexandria be severely dealt
with-aye, even to destruction, IT need be.
And for Arsinoe, those go forth tomorrow
on the news of the Queens death who shall
slay her secretly"
There remains the lad Cesarion," I
SAID. Rome might claim through Caesars
son, and the child OF Cleopatra inherits
Cleopatra's rights. Herein is q doubls
danger"
"Fear not" said my uncle; tomorrow
Cesarion joins those who begat him in
Amenti. l have made provision. The
Ptolemies must be stamped out, so that no
shoot shall ever spring from that root
blasted by Heavens vengeance"
rs there no other meanss' asked sad
ly. "My heart is sick at the promise of
this red rain of blood. Well know the
child; he hath Cleopatra's fire and beauty
and great Caesars wit. Twas shame to
murder him."
may, be not so chicken-hearted, Har-
machis," said my uncle, sternly. "What
ais thee, thena II the lad is thus, the
more reason that he should die. Wouldst
from the throne?'
''Be it 3d." I answered, signing. CAT
least he is spared much, and will go hence
innocentGbf evil. And now for the plans"
Long we sat taking counsel, till at length.
in face of the great emergency and our
high emprise, ! felt something Of the spirit
of former days flow back into my heart.
At the last all was ordered, and 30 ordered
that it could scarce miscarry, for it was
fixed that if by any chance could not come
to STAY Cleopatra on this night, then should
the plot hang in the scale until the morrow,
when the deed should be done upon occa-
sion. For the death Of Cleopatra was the
signal. These matters being finished, once
more we stood and, our hands upon the
sacred symbol, swore the oath that may not
be written. And then nv uncle kissed me
xr,it =, <,f h<v, L
keen black eyes. He blessed me, saying
that gladly would he give his life, ay, and a
hundred lives if they were his, if he might
but live to see Egypt once more a nation,
and me, Harmachis, the descendant of its
royal and ancient blood, seated on the
Throne. For of a truth was he patriot in
deed, asking nothing for himself, and Civ
ing all things to his cause. And I kissed
him in turn, and thus we parted. Nor in
the flesh did ever see him more who hath
earned the rest that as yet is denied to me.
So I went, and, there being yet time,
walked swiftly from place to place in the
great city, taking note of the positions of
the gates and of the places where our forces
must be gathered. At length came to shat
quay where I had landed and saw a vessel
sailing fer the open sea. looked, and in
my heaviness Of heart longed to be aboard
of her, to be borne by her white wings to
some far shore where 1 might live obscure,
and, forgotten, die. Also I saw another
vessel that had dropped down the Nile, from
whose deck the passengers were streaming
For a moment stood watching them, idly
wondering If they were from Abouthis,
when suddenly heard a familiar voice be-
side me.
"La! Lar said the voice. ssWhy, what a
city is this for an old woman to seek her
fortune in! And how shall find those to
whom I am knowna AS well look for rush
in the papyrus-roll. BECOME! thou knave,
and let my basket Of simples lie, or, by the
Gods, I'll doctor thee therewithr'
I turned, wondering, and found myself
face to face with my foster-nurse, Atoua
She knew me instantly, for saw her start,
her surprise.
"Good Sir" she whined, lifting up her
withered countenance toward me, and at
the same time making the secret sign, ''by
thy dress thou shouIdst be an astronomer,
and was specially told to avoid astrono-
mers as pack of lying tricksters who wor-
ship their own star only. And, therefore,
acting on the principle of contraries, which
is law to US women, I speak to thee. For
surely in this Alexandria, where all things
are upside down, the astronomers may be
the honest men, since the rest are clearly
knaves." And then, being by now out of
earshot of the press, "Royal Harmachis,
am come charged with a message to thee
from thy father Amenemhat."
'Is he well?" asked
'Yea, ne is well, though waiting; for the
moment tries him sorely.'
"And his message?'
s'It is this: He sends greeting to thee, and
with it warning that great danger threat
ems thee, though he can not read it. These
are his words: BE steadfast and prosper"
bowed my head and the words struck q
new chill of fear into my soul
"When is the time2' she asked.
t'This very night. Where goest thou?"
s'To the house of the honorable Sepa,
Priest of On. Canst thou guide me thith-
er!'
'Nay, I may not stay; nor is 1t wise that
should be seen with thee. Hold" And
called porter who was idling on the quay,
and giving him piece of money, babe him
guide the old wife to the house.
FAREWELL she whispered - farewell
till tomorrow. Be steadfast and prosper !"
Then turned and went my way through
the crowded streets, wherein the people
made place for me, the astronomer of Cleo
patra, for my fame had spread abroad.
And even as went my footsteps seemed
to beat: Be steddfasU Be stcadfdst! Be stead
fast till at last it was as though the very
ground cried out its very warning to me.
ITO BE CONTINUED