Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-22
CHAPTER I.
Choosing the Tens.

Near the eastern boundary OF that level
region of northern Egypt known as the
Delta, once thridded by seven branches of
the sea-huntng Nile, Rameses II, in the
fourteenth century B. c., erected the city of
Plthom and stored his treasure therein. His
riches overtaxed its Golfers and he builded
Pa-Ramesu, in part, to hold the overflow
But he died before the work was completed
BY half and his fourteenth son and success
scr. Meneptah. took it up and pushed 1t with
the nomad bond-people that dwelt In the
Delta.
The city was laid out near the center OF
Goshen, a long strip OF fertile country given
over to the Israelites since the days OF the
Uyksos king. Apepa, near the year lSoO
Il
Morning in the land of the Hebrew dawn
ed over level fields. green with unripe wheat
ard meadow grass. Wherever the soil was
better for grazing great focks or sheep
moved in compact clouds. with lank dog
and ancient shepherd following them.
The low, shapeess tents and matched
novels of the ISraelites stood in the center
OF gardens of lentils, garlic and lettuce, Sc
Curely hedged against the inroads of hares
ard rowing cattle. Close to these were
compounds for the hocks and brush inclo-
sares for geese. and cotes for the pigeons
used in sacrifice. Here dwelt the aged in
t-usteeship over the land, while the young
ard sturdy builded Pa-Ramesu.
Sunrise CT the uncompleted city tipped the
raw lines of her half-built walls with brok-
en- fire and gilded the gear of gigantic hoist
ing cranes. Scafolding, clinging to bald IA
c;,des, seemed frail and cobwebby at great
height. and slabs of stone, drawn and held
by cables near the summit of chutes, looked
like dice on the giddy slide.
On slight eminence, overlooking the
camp were numerous small structures of
larger dimensions. Above this raised
i a military standard, hawk upon a cross
bar, from which hung party-colored tassels
of linen floss. BY this sign. the order of
i government was denoted. The Hebrews
were under martial law.
Before one of the tents an old woman
lnelt beside a bed of live Goals, turning
a browning water fowl upon q pointed stick.
There little inside the tent, except
the meagerest essential furnishing. A long
amphora stood In a tamarisk rack in one
! corner; a linen napkin hung, pinned to the
I tent cloth, over 1t; a glazed laver and a
small box sat beside 1t. "A mat of braided
reeds, the handiwork of the old Israelite,
covered the naked earth This served
seat table for the occupants Several
! wisps of straw were scattered about and
a heap of it. over which cotton cloak had
been thrown, lay In one corner.
Rachel" the old woman said briskly.
Evidently some one slept under the straw,
, for the heap stirred.
Rachel" thsc<>old woman reiterated,
| dra wing off the cloak.
Without any preliminary pushing away
of the straw, a young girl sat up. A little
bewildered she Invested her head and Shout
| ders of frowsy straw thatch and stood
erect, shaking 1t off from her single short
garment
| She was not more than sixteen years old.
Above medium height and of nobler proper
/ lions than the typical woman of the race,
her figure was remarkable for its symmetry
and utter grace. The stamp of the counte-
nance purely Semitic, except that she
was distinguished most wondrously in col
or from her kind. Her sleep had left its
exquisite heaviness on eyes of the tender
est blue, and the luxuriant hair she pushed
back from her face was a fleece of gold
Hers that rare complexion that does
not tan. The sun but frightened her hair
and wrought the hue of health in her
checks. Her forehead was low, broad and
white marble; her neck and arms white,
and the hands, busted with the hair,
strong. soft. dimpled and white. The
grace of her womanhood had not been over
come by the slave labor which she had
known from infancy.
She went to the amphora and poured
water into the laver. drew forth from the
box horn comb and a vial of powdered
soda from the Natron Lakes, and proceed
ed with her toilet.
Came some one?" she asked presently.
Deborah pointed to the smoking bowl.
Rachel inspected the fowl.
Marsh hen" she cried in surprise.
"Atsu brought it
Rachel smiled.
Thou art beset from a new direction"
the old woman continued. dryly, but thou
hast naught to fear from him.
Nay; 1 know" Rachel murmured, ar
ranging her dress.
He would wed thee after the manner
of thy people. and take thee from among
Israel" Deborah continued.
The girl dropped her head over the lac
ing of her habit and made no answer. The
old woman looked at her sharply Tor
moment.
well. eat; Rachel, eat" she urged at
last The marsh-hen will stand thee in
good stead. and thou hast weary day be-
fore thee"
Rachel looked at the old woman and
made mental comparison between the
ancient figure and her strong. young self
With great delberation she divided the
fowl into a large and small part
This" she said. extending the larger to
Deborah, lis thine. Take it.. waving aside
the protests of the old woman, "or the
first taste of it will choke me-
Deborah submitted duly, and consumed
the tender morsel while she watched RAJ
chel break her fast.
What said Atsu?' Rachel asked, after
the marsh-hen was less apparent.
Little, which is his way. But his
every word was worth a harangue in
weight Merenra and his purple wearing
visitor the spoiler the pompous wolf, de-
parted for Pithom last night, hastily sum-
moned thither by a royal message. But
the commander returns tomorrow at sun
set This morning. every tenth Hebrew IN
Pa-Ramesu is to be chosen and sent to the
ouarries AtSu will send thee and me-
whether we fall among the tens of truth
or not So we get out of the city ere
Merenra returns. He called the ruse a
cruel one and not wholly sate, ttlt ne
would sooner see thee dead than deSpolled
nv this guest of Merenras-o any other.
/ doubt not his heart breaketh for thy
sake, Rachel, and he would rend hlmselt
to spare thee ...,- =, -
INJURED, earnestly.
CHAPTER II.