The age-herald., 1901-12-22
I'm the Secret Service.

never appeared to me in any other light than as a necessary but lower part of the creation Now, l would that under stood them better, that 1 might find my way to the heart of one. For the desire of Nephthys is like a thorn in my flesh, like a flame that bids fair to consume me.
 ''I have been more accustomed to com mand than to implore, and know none of the tricks that please woman. When I look at my dark visage and the eyes before which men shrink away and hide their faces, l am scarcely surprised that Nephthys should avoid me, should shrink from my glance-though it's evil is yelled for her-as a flower bows before hot
 wind But though I would it were other | wise, though I would fain have won her l love, I can do without 1t. But l cannot 1 do without her. She must be mine at all l costs; life is no longer worth living out of the light of her eyes.
 q have discovered that another man has robbed me of my hearts desire, man almost as highly placed and power | full as 1 ana, Amasis. one of the kings magicians. He is the last man I could | have desired as my rival, because. though 1 hate, I cannot despise him. Though he l is wise in all the hidden ways of nature, he affects to work for good rather than | evil; he will have no dealings with the powers of darkness. except to frustrate | their designs More than once his will has met mine, and the victory has not l always remained with me. He is of
 noble presence and a favorite with both king and people. As the gods have chosen | to set him against me, it shall be battle | to the death; will sweep him out of my path once and forvever. The unseen l powers shall help me; will do and prom | ise anything to get him into my hands. He Is the only man who has ever defied me; he has been my enemy and set my plans at naught more than once. Now he has done me this last wrong for which there Is no pardon.
 They have played me a trick. Neph- thys has secretly become the wife of Amasis, and have lost her forever sit gnashing my teeth consumed with rage and hate, wondering how shall avenge myself. Revenge Is all that remains to me now, and 1t must be as deep and bitter as my wrath. I cannot strike Amasis except through the woman he loves, but that IS the surest way. He will suffer ten times as much in her sufferings as he would in his own. And she is not out of my reach; she is too frail to resist my will. She Is jealously guarded, but I can wait, and to the watcher who has pa tience the opportunity never fails to come. Let me find her alone and I will have such revenge as never man had before
 "The whole plan lies clearly before me. It seems quite simple; there should
 be no danger. In the Temple my authori- ty is absolute, I can come and go as please; I do as I like. No man can say who is inside If close the doors. I am to meet Nephthys In lonely place where o1,a ot tcto nd xuha no one shall witness out interview. I have spacious tale ready that will bring her. Then I shall have but to look her full in the face and exert the whole force of my will, and she will fall at my feet as though smitten by a pesti- lence. A trusty helper will be at hand l who will convey her, unaeen, to the
 Temple, and all difficulty will be over. T shall have had my revenge both on | her and Amasis; 1t will be a vengeance | worthy even of me. She shall serve the gods in the desert; never again shall she 1 hold communion with her fellows. She shall be as one already dead; the death | in life shall be hers. The terror and grief l of Amasis when she disappears for ever, leaving no trace behind her-when he
 searches day after day for some signs l of his beloved--of his bride of only few
 weeks-and is baffled at every step will
 be balm to my wounded spirit. It will
 be, a. long drawn out agony, sufficient to
 break the heart and spirit of the strong
 est; I shall see him whitening away be- l fore my eyes. An! 1t Is an evil day for
 the man or beast who ventures to cross l the path of Al Chindus.
 And it will be sweet, too, to be
 avenged on Nephthys, the woman who
 has sighted and scorned me, for my love
 of her has turned to bitterest hate. That
 she should have dared to slight mel,
 who have come forth from Heliopols
 with the mighty ones of the Temple of the
 Sun, the weilders of protection, the l princes of ,Eternityi Have I not magic